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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
30 April 2025
Honduran Citizen Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession, Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotics, and Possession of Firearm to Further Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JUAN JOSUE CUEVAR-ALVARADO (“CUEVAR-ALVARADO “), 20, a native of Honduras, was indicted in a three-count superseding indictment on April 24, 2025, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A) (Count 1), possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D) (Count 2); and possession of a firearm, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i) (Count 3).
According to the superseding indictment, on or about September 15, 2023, CUEVAR-ALVARADO, an alien present illegally in the United States, was found in possession of a .22 caliber revolver and a nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, as well as a quantity of marijuana.
As to Count 1, CUEVAR-ALVARADO faces up to 15 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. As to Count 2, he faces up to 5 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. As to Count 3, he faces a prison term of 5 years consecutive to any other prison term he receives, up to 3years of supervised release, and up to a fine of $250,000. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. The defendant also faces deportation to his home country of Honduras after serving any prison sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of United States Department of Homeland Security and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Spiro G. Latsis and Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
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).
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Hardin woman arraigned on charges for sex trafficking a minorRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Hardin woman accused of sex trafficking a minor appeared today for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Veronica Clarice Baker, 29, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging her with one count of sex trafficking of a minor. If convicted of the crime charged in the indictment, Baker faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a maximum term of life, a $250,000 fine, and five years to lifetime supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan presided. Baker was detained pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that in or before August 2022, in Billings, the defendant knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, advertised, maintained, patronized, and solicited, by any means an individual, Jane Doe 1, knowing and in reckless disregard that Jane Doe 1 was under the age of 18, to engage in a commercial sex act.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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 Justice.gov/PSC.
The charging document is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-43.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
Hammond Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KYLIN SEXTON (“SEXTON”), age 25, a resident of Hammond, pleaded guilty on April 24, 2025 to possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, in violation of 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) and 841(b)(1)(D). SEXTON faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to a $1,000,000.00, a period of supervised release of at least 3 years up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown will sentence SEXTON on July 24, 2025.
On October 10, 2024, SEXTON pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court records, on May 18, 2022, the Ponchatoula Police Department received a complaint that SEXTON a co-conspirator, was in possession of a firearm. Upon arrival at the scene, the officers observed the co-conspirator and SEXTON seated inside of a vehicle. Officers approached the vehicle and ordered the co-conspirator to show his hands. The co-conspirator ignored the officers’ commands and refused to place his hands behind his back when the officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle. After eventually removing the co-conspirator from the vehicle, officers observed a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter handgun and extended magazine, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, tucked between the passenger seat and the center console. The firearm had a machine gun conversion device, a “Glock switch,” attached to it.
The officers also observed a green backpack on the floorboard of the driver’s side where SEXTON was seated. Upon opening the backpack, the officers located marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Ponchatoula Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.
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Greenwich Investment Group Operator Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JUSTIN C. MURPHY, 50, of Stamford, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to offenses stemming from an investment fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Murphy owned and operated Greenwich-based Mara Investment Group, LLC, also known as Mara Investment Management LP and Mara Investments Global Management LLC (“Mara”), which Murphy purported to be a hedge fund that solicited and accepted investments and used a quantitative strategy that balanced long and short positions in securities. Between approximately 2016 and September 2022, Murphy defrauded investors by pursuing a much riskier investment strategy than he told investors; diverting substantial investor funds for his own personal use and benefit; representing to investors that their invested funds were performing more favorably than was, in fact, the case, including providing investors with account statements that falsely representing their account balances; and providing investors with federal tax forms that falsely reported business income upon which investors would be required to pay tax.
Murphy stole approximately $3,465,812 in investor funds through this scheme and used the funds to pay for personal expenses and to purchase a personal stake in his relative’s startup company.
Murphy pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Murphy was arrested in Brazil on December 6, 2023, and was detained for nearly 11 months while awaiting extradition to the U.S. He has been released on a $250,000 bond since November 1, 2024.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Brazilian authorities provided assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 63 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Neon L. Frazier, 50 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady following his conviction from a January 2025 jury trial for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Frazier was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, during a traffic stop on August 16. 2024, Frazier was found to be in possession of two firearms, one of which was stolen. At the time, Frazier was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior Indiana state court felony robbery conviction.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey R. Speith and Dawn Ransom.
This case was also 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.
Fort Hall Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Federal Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Creston Dale Kindness, 42, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.
According to court records, on January 21, 2024, officers observed Kindness driving at a high rate of speed. A lengthy pursuit followed, and the vehicle stopped when it became stuck in the snow. Officers arrested Kindness and took him to jail. At the jail, a sheriff’s deputy observed Kindness make a video call to a female friend. Kindness told the friend that he threw a bag with her name on it out of the car window during the pursuit. Kindness gave her the location and told her to go get the bag. Officers responded and found the bag. The bag contained a large amount of cash and 350 grams of fentanyl pills.
Kindness pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on June 24, 2024. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Kindness to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bingham, Blackfoot, Shelley Investigation Unit, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Hall Police Department, and the Idaho State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted the case.
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Former religious services assistant admits to smuggling contraband into federal prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year-old Beeville woman has entered a guilty plea to smuggling contraband into a federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Ashley Priscilla Garza worked as a religious services assistant with the Federal Correctional Institution in Three Rivers.
As part of her plea, Garza admitted she used her access to the prison to smuggle contraband to an inmate in 2022 and 2023. The items included cigarettes, an MP3 player and papers laced with synthetic opioids and other drugs.
In return, she received 13 payments totaling approximately $11,400. She was terminated following the discovery of the smuggling scheme.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Aug. 12. At that time, Garza will face up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible fine of up to $250,000.
Garza was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Chu and Robert Thorpe are prosecuting the case.
Former Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of StudentRead the Press Release
Samantha Meyer-Davis, 32, from Rutland, Iowa, pled guilty in federal court April 30, 2025, to sexual exploitation of a child.
At the plea hearing, Meyer-Davis admitted that from May 2022, through November 2023, she was engaged in sexually exploiting a student as well as disseminating and exhibiting obscene materials to the victim. Meyer-Davis was a middle school teacher at the time of the incidents and met with school administrators on several occasions and denied any inappropriate relationship. Administrators reminded Meyer-Davis of her professional and ethical obligations to her students and encouraged her to cease and desist any inappropriate relationship with the student. When interviewed by law enforcement, Meyer-Davis continued to deny any inappropriate relationship until she was confronted with photographic evidence of her kissing the student who was in a state of undress. Evidence further showed that Meyer-Davis and the victim exchanged over 130 photographs, and over 60 videos related to and depicting child pornography, including materials that portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct.
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.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Meyer-Davis remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Meyer-Davis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa Special Enforcement Operations Bureau, and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-3028. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former State Department Budget Analyst Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More than $650,000Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Levita Almuete Ferrer, 64, of Montgomery Village, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to embezzling more than $650,000 from the U.S. State Department over a two-year period.
The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Brockschmidt of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Inspector General, and Deputy Assistant Director William Ferrari of the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Special Investigations.
As part of her guilty plea, Ferrer, who is also known as Levita Brezovic, admitted that she abused her signature authority over a State Department checking account between March 2022 and April 2024 while working as a Senior Budget Analyst in the State Department’s Office of the Chief of Protocol. She issued 60 checks payable to herself and three checks payable to another individual with whom she had a personal relationship. She printed and signed each check and then deposited all 63 checks, which totaled $657,347.50, into her personal checking and savings accounts.
Ferrer attempted to conceal her scheme by using a common Quickbooks account at the State Department. After entering her name as the payee on checks in Quickbooks and then printing them, she often changed the listed payee in Quickbooks from herself to an actual State Department vendor. As a result, anyone viewing those entries in the Quickbooks system did not see Ferrer’s name as the payee on the checks unless they accessed an audit trail.
U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper accepted Ferrer’s guilty plea to theft of government property and set a sentencing date for September 18, 2025. Ferrer faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Judge Cooper will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
As part of her plea agreement, Ferrer agreed to pay $657,347.50 in restitution to the U.S. government. She also agreed to be liable for a forfeiture money judgment in that same amount.
This case was investigated by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General and Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Sona Chaturvedi. Essential investigatory work was conducted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Orville of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
25cr108
Former Salem County Resident Admits Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A former resident of Salem County admitted to filing false tax returns and causing a tax loss of approximately $590,000, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Michael DiPaolo, Jr., 47, of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to an information charging him with one count of filing a false income tax return.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2018 through 2022, DiPaolo was the manager of a restaurant in Salem County, New Jersey, and received income from the restaurant. DiPaolo received and failed to report more than $1,700,000 in income from 2018 through 2022. By failing to report the income, DiPaolo avoided approximately $590,000 in federal income taxes.
The count of filing a false tax return is punishable by a maximum of 3 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain, whichever is greatest.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 3, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, with the investigation leading to this guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division.
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Defense counsel:
Michael S. Adelman, Esq., Cherry Hill, New Jersey
dipaolo.information.pdfFormer Hospital Worker Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man who produced child pornography and secretly recorded women in the hospital where he worked to 20 years in prison.
Ian Wood, 45, of Rolla, Missouri, pleaded guilty in January to one count of production of child pornography and one count of receiving child pornography. He admitted producing child pornography by recording video of three girls when they were nude, including when one girl was 10 years old. He also admitted possessing images and videos in his Google account containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The CSAM triggered an alert to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which notified law enforcement. A court-approved search of Wood’s Google accounts uncovered the CSAM as well as video files of adult women being recorded by Wood without their consent in the hospital where he worked. The women were filmed in a room and shower in a state of full or partial nudity.
“The actions of this individual are not only reprehensible, but they are also a grotesque violation of human dignity and trust. We will relentlessly pursue anyone who preys on the innocent,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “This case reflects the firm commitment of HSI and our law enforcement partners to ensure that predators are identified, apprehended, and brought to justice. We will not tolerate exploitation in any form and will use every resource at our disposal to protect our communities.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, the South-Central Missouri Computer Crimes Task Force and the Missouri Department of Social Services’ State Technical Assistance Team investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Homewood Finance Director Sentenced for Embezzling Nearly $950,000Read the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The former finance director for the City of Homewood has been sentenced for embezzling nearly $950,000 from Homewood’s coffers, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Robert Winston Burgett, 64, of Hueytown, to 37 months in prison. In October 2024, Burgett pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud.
According to the information and plea agreement, Burgett worked for the City of Homewood as its finance director. Between at least May 2023 and about March 2024, Burgett used that position to embezzle almost $950,000 from City of Homewood bank accounts.
Burgett concealed his conduct by first moving the City’s funds into a commercial bank account he controlled before transferring the funds into his personal account. Burgett also altered City bank account statements and made false journal entries in City accounting records. Burgett ultimately used the embezzled funds for personal purposes.
The FBI and the Homewood Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. Assistant U.S. Attorney J.B. Ward prosecuted the case.
Former Georgia Church Bookkeeper Sentenced to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Florida woman who served as the bookkeeper for an Alapaha, Georgia, church was sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay back $173,500 in restitution for falsely applying for and then stealing federal loan money designated for use by the church and the church’s Peanut Butter and Jesus (PB&J) charitable organization, which provides food and hope for the community.
Judith Alane Chavis, 58, of Sorrento, Florida, was sentenced to serve 21 months in prison per count to run concurrently to be followed by three years of supervised release and $173,500 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on April 29, 2025. Chavis previously pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud in relation to a disaster benefit and ten counts of money laundering on Oct. 30, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Individuals who use places of worship and charitable organizations for their fraud and theft will be rooted out and face consequences for their criminal actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I want to express my gratitude to our FBI partners for their ongoing efforts to combat fraud and ensure accountability for these crimes.”
"Chavis betrayed the confidence the church had placed in her by misappropriating funds intended to support its mission,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We hope that this federal prison sentence offers some measure of closure to the church and its congregation and serves as a warning to others who might exploit the trust of faith-based or charitable institutions for personal enrichment."
According to court documents, Chavis was a volunteer bookkeeper for both the Glory Church of Alapaha and its charity, the Peanut Butter and Jesus Outreach (PB&J), from 2018 until August 2022. Chavis was authorized to write checks; the Church’s and PB&J’s bank statements were only sent to her. Between August 2020 and March 2022, Chavis applied for and was granted $163,500 of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) on behalf of the Church and PB&J without the Church's or PB&J’s authorization or knowledge and using the Church’s letterhead. Chavis also falsely designated herself as treasurer in the request for funds, signing the letter herself. On March 7, 2022, Chavis submitted a signed certification stating members of the Church's finance committee approved the second modification of the loan. No such approval occurred. In June 2021, Chavis submitted requests for targeted advances on behalf of the Church without the Church’s authorization or knowledge. The SBA granted the requests and deposited $15,000 in the Church’s account. Chavis transferred almost all of the EIDL and advance funds from the Church's and PB&J’s accounts, totaling $173,500, to her personal checking account using the Church's and PB&J’s checks that she made out to herself and signed without the Church's or PB&J’s authorization or knowledge. She used the money for personal expenses including travel and large purchases.
FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta Resident Agency investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch Hostetler prosecuted the case for the Government.
Former Antioch Police Officer Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute Anabolic Steroids and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal jury today convicted former Antioch police officer Devon Wenger of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids and one count of obstruction of justice. The jury’s verdict follows a three-day trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White.
Wenger, 33, was previously employed as a police officer with the Antioch Police Department. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Wenger conspired with Daniel Harris, who was at the time also a police officer with the Antioch Police Department, to distribute anabolic steroids to a third individual, and then deleted evidence of this conspiracy from his cellular phone.
“Instead of upholding the law, as he swore an oath to do, Devon Wenger conspired with a fellow officer to sell illegal anabolic steroids. When the FBI arrived at his home to investigate him, he then doubled down by destroying evidence of his crime. Crimes like these by a police officer have a corrosive effect on the public’s trust in law enforcement. Thanks to today’s jury conviction, Mr. Wenger will now face sentencing for his violations of law,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins.
“When Devon Wenger broke the law and then tried to cover his tracks, he didn’t just commit a crime — he betrayed the trust of the community he was sworn to serve. After learning the FBI was outside his home with a search warrant, he chose to delete evidence rather than come clean. That kind of misconduct corrodes public confidence in law enforcement,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Today’s guilty verdict makes clear that the FBI will hold accountable anyone who abuses the authority and responsibility of public service.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, in February 2022, Wenger set up the sale of anabolic steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance, between Harris and a third individual. Harris was also charged in this case and pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy on Sept. 17, 2024. Law enforcement officials seized the package of anabolic steroids destined for Harris before they arrived, although Wenger continued to communicate with Harris about supplying the third individual with anabolic steroids, including offering to give this individual some of Wenger’s own while they waited for the delayed package.
On March 23, 2022, at 8:03 a.m., the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began calling and sending text messages to Wenger telling him that they were outside of his residence with a warrant. It was not until 9:00 a.m. that Wenger appeared for the FBI to seize Wenger’s cellular phone. Later forensic examination of that device showed that specific entries related to the anabolic steroid distribution conspiracy had been deleted: specifically, all text messages between Wenger and Harris, all text messages between Wenger and the third individual he was trying to supply with steroids, the contacts for both Harris and the third individual, and recent call log entries for Wenger’s most recent phone calls with the third individual.
The jury convicted Wenger of all counts charged in this case: one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) and one count of destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations (obstruction of justice) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1519.
Wenger is scheduled to appear on May 6, 2025, for a hearing on whether to remand him to custody pending sentencing. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids count and 20 years in prison on the obstruction of justice count. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The case is being prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section and the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Office of the Contra Costa County District Attorney.
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Separately, Wenger is scheduled to appear before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White on May 6, 2025, for a status conference in United States v. Wenger, 23-cr-00269, which charges Wenger with one count of conspiracy against rights in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 241 and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242. The United States v. Wenger, 23-cr-00269 case is set for trial on July 21, 2025.
These charges against Wenger were brought as part of an investigation into the Antioch and Pittsburgh police departments that resulted in multiple charges against 10 current and former officers and employees of these two police departments for various crimes ranging from the use of excessive force to fraud. The status of these cases, all of which are before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, is below:
Case Name and NumberStatute(s)Defendant
(Bold: multiple case numbers)
StatusFraud
23-cr-00264
18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 1343 (Wire Fraud)Patrick BerhanSentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 24-cr-157 on 9/5/24Morteza AmiriConvicted at trial 8/8/24, remanded to custody pending sentencing, which is set for 6/3/25Amanda Theodosy a/k/a NashSentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release 11/15/24Samantha PetersonSentenced to time served, 3 years supervised release 4/24/24Ernesto Mejia-OrozcoSentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 9/19/24Brauli Jalapa RodriguezSentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 10/25/24Obstruction
23-cr-00267
18 U.S.C. §§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations); 1512(c)(2) (Obstruction of Official Proceedings); 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law)Timothy Manly WilliamsPleaded guilty 11/28/23, status conference 8/19/25Anabolic Steroid Distribution
23-cr-00268
21 U.S.C. §§ 846 (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids), 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids)Daniel HarrisPleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/2521 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids);
18 U.S.C.§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations)
Devon WengerConvicted at trial 4/30/25, sentencing pendingCivil Rights
23-cr-00269
18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law); § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations)Morteza AmiriConvicted at trial 3/14/25 on counts 2 and 5, remanded to custody pending sentencing, which is set for 6/3/2518 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law)Eric RomboughPleaded guilty 1/14/25, status conference 8/19/2518 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law)Devon WengerTrial 7/21/25Anabolic Steroid Distribution
24-cr-00157
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids)Patrick BerhanSentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 9/5/24Bank Fraud
24-cr-00502
18 U.S.C. § 1344(1), (2) (Bank fraud)Daniel HarrisPleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 8/19/25Five Men Charged Following Largest Single Seizure of Machinegun Conversion Devices in the Middle District of AlabamaRead the Press Release
Montgomery, AL. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that four men are facing federal charges in connection with the largest single seizure of machinegun conversion devices (MCDs) ever recorded in the Middle District of Alabama. A fifth individual is facing related state charges. Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Hal Taylor joined Davidson in the announcement.
Machinegun conversion devices are small, often easily concealed components that illegally convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons. These devices are classified as machineguns under federal law, even if not installed on a firearm.
On April 23, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted 22-year-old Maceo Levar Edwards and 22-year-old Elliott Arjuna Turner, both of Montgomery, Alabama, charging them with the illegal possession of 53 machinegun conversion devices and the unlawful transfer of a federally regulated firearm. According to the indictment and other court records, the charges stem from an April 3, 2025, operation during which Edwards and Turner were allegedly found with the illegal devices after leaving a residence in Montgomery.
Later that day, agents made contact with 24-year-old Jemarion Fe’Qon Lausane at the same residence. Lausane was arrested on site and now faces federal charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On April 25, 2025, another individual connected to the investigation — 22-year-old Ke’Marcus Simmons of Selma, Alabama — was charged with the federal crime of illegal possession of a machinegun.
In a related development, Jalen Rodgers is facing state charges for the possession of machinegun conversion devices following the execution of a search warrant at his home in Repton, Alabama, on April 18, 2025. The search of Rodgers home was part of the investigation that began on April 3, 2025.
This investigation was led by the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit, a multi-agency task force that includes personnel from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Montgomery Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and ATF.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted on all charges, Edwards, Turner, and Simmons each face up to 10 years in federal prison. Lausane faces a sentence ranging from five years to life. There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher P. Moore is prosecuting the four federal cases.
These federal prosecutions 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Fargo, ND Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced today that Kadar Udai Pearson, age 21, from Fargo, North Dakota, appeared in federal court and was sentenced before Chief United States District Judge Peter D. Welte to 51 months in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, and 3 years of supervised release. Pearson pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024.
As noted in court documents, in the afternoon of June 5, 2024, Fargo Police Department officers were in the area of the Arbors apartment complex after an earlier shots-fired report. They observed a person, later identified as Pearson, wearing a sweatshirt and pulling up a ski mask over his face, though the temperature was in the mid-70s. The sweatshirt pocket appeared to have something heavier than a cell phone in it. Officers further observed Pearson enter into a backyard in the neighborhood, where a resident of the home said Pearson did not have permission to be.
Officers directed Pearson to halt, but he fled on foot. As officers gave chase, one officer observed Pearson throw what appeared to be a firearm beneath a vehicle in a nearby parking lot. Surveillance cameras captured the toss. On the ground beneath the vehicle, officers found a SIG Sauer 9mm pistol, loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition, which was previously reported stolen in Fargo.
At the time of the offense, Pearson was an inmate on escape status with the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, under a state sentence imposed in October 2023, for his felony convictions of Possession with Intent to Deliver Fentanyl and Theft of a Firearm.
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. PSN is based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Fargo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob T. Rodenbiker and Trial Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein in the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section of the Criminal Division at the United States Department of Justice.
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Fargo, ND Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced today that Dustin Ray Fredrickson, age 37 of Fargo, North Dakota, appeared in United States District Court for the District of North Dakota and was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Peter D. Welte to serve 32 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime supervised release for the offenses of Receipt of Materials Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of Minors in violation of 18 USC § 2252(a)(2). Fredrickson was also ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution to the victims that were identified in the videos and images recovered from his cellphone. Fredrickson pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024.
As noted in court documents, Dustin Ray Fredrickson’s criminal activity was discovered after the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children involving a Snapchat account that contained images depicting nude children. Further investigation revealed that the account was associated Fredrickson. A search warrant for Fredrickson’s residence resulted in the seizure of a Samsung cellphone that belonged to Fredrickson. A search of the phone revealed approximately 373 videos and 773 images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, to include children as young as infants.
At the time Fredrickson committed this offense, he had three prior convictions for having sexual contact with minors as an adult.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.This case was investigated by the Fargo Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and North Dakota Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Delorme.
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FBI Agents Arrest San Antonio Man for Alleged Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was arrested Tuesday in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Zaid Mashhour Haddad allegedly streamed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from his computer to a TV mounted on the bedroom wall of his apartment. One of the videos that allegedly depicted child pornography was displayed on Haddad’s TV as the FBI executed a search warrant on his apartment. The video was allegedly being streamed from a link Haddad received through Telegram. Agents reviewed and documented the contents of the link, which allegedly contained 181 different videos.
The complaint alleges that the investigation into Haddad’s activity showed Haddad received links containing CSAM from direct message threads on Telegram, which were stored in the Telegram application on his phone. Details in the complaint allege that the links often led to virtual Zoom meetings where CSAM would be live streamed using content from a separate file sharing application.
Haddad is charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of knowingly accessing with intent to view any material that contained an image of child pornography. If convicted, Haddad faces up to 20 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, an additional restitution amount, and the requirement to register as a sex offender. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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El Salvadoran National Indicted for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpsonannounced that EDGAR YOVANI PEREZ-GUTIERREZ ("PEREZ-GUTIERREZ"), age 27, a native of El Salvador, was indicted on April 24, 2025, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, on or about April 10, 2025, PEREZ-GUTIERREZ, an individual unlawfully present in the United States, was found in possession of a Glock handgun. He was arrested by the New Orleans Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations officers, for violating immigration and federal gun control laws.
If convicted, PEREZ-GUTIERREZ faces a maximum penalty of 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpsonpraised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America [link], 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).
Eight-time illegal reentry felon imprisoned for unlawfully reentering U.S. againRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 30-year-old Mexican citizen with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after eight previous removals, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Julio Cesar Corona-Corona pleaded guilty Oct. 7, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered Corona-Corona to serve 37 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court heard how Corona-Corona was arrested in 2022 for smuggling aliens after he fled from police in a vehicle carrying eight others, creating dangerous conditions for the vehicle occupants as well as the community. In handing down the sentence, Judge Rosenthal noted Corona-Corona’s motivation to come to the United States, be it for work or family residing here - is not unique. The court added that, despite prior court warnings not to do so, Corona-Corona was determined to unlawfully reenter the United States, as evidenced by his repeated encounters with immigration authorities. Corona-Corona also received a three-year-term of supervised released to commence after completion of his prison sentence as an added deterrent to unlawful reentry into the United States.
Corona-Corona has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as human smuggling. He was first removed from the United States Jan. 25, 2014, and returned illegally eight times between 2014 and April 2020. In fact, authorities had removed him six times alone between 2017-2018.
Corona-Corona will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
“What those outside our country need to understand is that despite what they may have heard in the past, our immigration laws are being strictly enforced,” said Ganjei. “If somebody breaks our laws by sneaking across the border, they are going to be prosecuted, jailed, and then deported. The sooner that message spreads, the better it will be for everyone.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing 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 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.
Dulce Woman Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Child AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce woman has been charged with aggravated sexual abuse and abandonment of a child after an FBI investigation revealed allegations that she repeatedly sexually and physically abused minors over several years.
According to court documents, Muniz is charged with aggravated sexual abuse and abandonment of a child and will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Muniz faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican National Sentenced to Three Years in prison for Fentanyl Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national, residing in Chelsea, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for fentanyl trafficking.
Junior Baez Sanchez, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to three years in prison. Baez Sanchez is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In January 2025, Baez Sanchez pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing fentanyl and one count of failing to appear for court.
Baez Sanchez distributed more than 40 grams of fentanyl in Chelsea on June 2, 2020 and in Malden on July 15, 2020. In March 2021, Baez Sanchez was indicted by a federal grand jury and was scheduled for trial in October 2022. Baez Sanchez failed to appear for court as required on Oct. 4, 2022—less than two weeks before trial—and the Court issued a warrant for his arrest. Approximately two years later, on Sept. 24, 2024, Baez Sanchez was arrested on the warrant after law enforcement stopped a vehicle driven by Baez Sanchez. At the time of his arrest, Baez Sanchez had 12 clear bags of fentanyl in his pocket.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Chelsea Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Indicted for Fentanyl Distribution While on Supervised Release for Drug Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Lawrence has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly distributing 1,000 fentanyl pills while on federal supervised release for a prior drug trafficking conviction involving heroin and cocaine.
Wagner Ismael Mejia Sanchez, a/k/a “Jose F. Rosario,” a/k/a “Jose Majimbe,” 39, was indicted on one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Mejia Sanchez was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on April 1, 2025.
In 2012, Mejia Sanchez was among 10 individuals charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in connection with a cocaine and heroin trafficking conspiracy. He subsequently pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and, in 2015, was sentenced to 39 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release.
According to the charging documents, during an investigation into a drug trafficking organization in January 2025, Mejia Sanchez was allegedly identified as a drug supplier who provided fentanyl pills to a distributor and was also observed engaging in suspected hand-to-hand drug transactions. It is alleged that law enforcement subsequently arranged for a controlled purchase from Mejia Sanchez on Feb. 19, 2025 in Lawrence, during which he allegedly distributed approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills (with a net weight of 96.2 grams) while on federal supervised release.
The charge of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five and up to 20 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Because of the prior conviction, Mejia Sanchez may face a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least eight years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $8 million. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting this 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Dominican National Charged with Distributing Hundreds of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national, living in Haverhill and Methuen, Mass., has been arrested and charged for allegedly conspiring to distribute approximately 600 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.
Jose Radhame Sanchez, 41, was charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Sanchez was arrested yesterday and following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 6, 2025.
According to the charging documents, in April 2025, Sanchez allegedly sold a total of approximately 600 suspected fentanyl pills to a cooperating source. Specifically, on April 9, 2025, in Lawrence, Sanchez allegedly distributed approximately 200 suspected fentanyl pills pressed to resemble 30 milligram oxycodone pills. It is alleged that Sanchez had a minor child with him in the car during the transaction. On April 17, 2025, Sanchez allegedly distributed approximately 400 counterfeit oxycodone pills suspected to contain fentanyl at a restaurant in Methuen.
It is further alleged that, in 2024, two suspected overdose victims were found in Sanchez’s Haverhill residence. On one occasion, in February 2024, law enforcement found a female who had overdosed at the residence. The female victim survived. It is alleged that, although Sanchez told law enforcement at the time in 2024 that he had found the victim “on the side of the road in his neighborhood and allowed her into his home” and “denied having knowledge that the female was a drug user,” recent phone records allegedly revealed that Sanchez had contacted the victim 171 times in less than a week in March 2025.
On another occasion, in April 2024, a two-year-old child was found unresponsive and not breathing at Sanchez’s residence. According to court documents, the minor victim later tested positive for fentanyl and cocaine. Sanchez also allegedly tested positive for cocaine at the time. The minor victim survived.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Annapurna Balakrishna and Andrew Caffrey are prosecuting this 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican Man Sentenced for Being in the United States Illegally After Having Been Previously Removed by Immigration OfficialsRead the Press Release
Rutland, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 29, 2025, Luis Edison Capellan-Ortiz, 49, of the Dominican Republic was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to time served. The defendant, who had been detained since his arrest on October 20, 2024, previously pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been removed.
According to court records, Capellan-Ortiz unlawfully entered the United States by walking across the United States-Canada border on October 20, 2024 in the area of Jay, Vermont, where United States Border Patrol agents encountered and arrested him. Border Patrol agents discovered that Capellan-Ortiz had previously been ordered removed by a United States Immigration Judge in May 2023. Capellan-Ortiz had been removed to the Dominican Republic that same month. Because Capellan-Ortiz had not obtained permission to re-enter the United States, his presence in the country was in violation of U.S. law.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Capellan-Ortiz was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Sara M. Puls.
Discord User Charged in Interstate Scheme to Lure Children and Traffic in Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging LONNIE YOUMANS with sexual exploitation of a child, receipt and distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. YOUMANS was arrested yesterday in Newburgh, New York, presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court, and ordered detained.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “As alleged, Lonnie Youmans used Discord as a hunting ground to find, manipulate, and sextort our most vulnerable in a horrific scheme to obtain child pornography. Every New Yorker and every American loathes the exploitation of children. Together with our partners, we will deploy every resource to relentlessly pursue and bring to justice those who prey on our children.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Lonnie Youmans allegedly devised a twisted scheme to obtain sexually explicit images of young children and extorted a minor to produce pornographic content with threats of blackmail. This alleged cyclical abuse groomed victims into submission, perpetuating increased victimization without reprieve. May this arrest highlight the FBI’s stout commitment to apprehending any individual who repeatedly sexually exploits children for depraved gratification.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
From as early as January 2024, YOUMANS used an online messaging application called Discord to prey on victims as young as 12 years old. YOUMANS, who went by the Discord names “Zenheatsu” and “Leyley,” groomed vulnerable minors, got them to send him sexually explicit photos, and then threatened to leak those photos to coerce his victims into sending more images and recruiting additional victims. Among those YOUMANS targeted was a 15-year-old minor (“Victim-1”) from whom YOUMANS obtained dozens of sexually explicit photos, which YOUMANS distributed to others, including other minors. YOUMANS also manipulated Victim-1 into producing sexually explicit images for him as purported compensation for Victim-1 causing another 13-year-old minor to stop talking to YOUMANS. YOUMANS knew what he was doing was illegal, and once complained to another Discord user that Victim-1 “threatened me with fbi.”
On or about April 29, 2025, federal agents searched YOUMANS’ residence and found hundreds of unique files of child pornography on his phone, including multiple images of adults performing oral sex on toddlers and prepubescent children being penetrated by various objects. YOUMANS admitted that he knew the pornographic images he possessed were illegal.
A photo depicting YOUMANS is below:
If you are a victim of YOUMANS or have any information concerning YOUMANS, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or you can report a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
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YOUMANS, 22, of Newburgh, New York, is charged with sexual exploitation of a child, which carries a 15-year mandatory minimum and a 30-year maximum sentence; receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a five-year mandatory minimum and 20-year maximum sentence, and possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police, Town of Wallkill Police Department, and the Town of Newburgh Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reyhan Watson is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._youmans_complaint.pdf[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Cumberland County Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center Agrees to Pay $19.75 Million to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Camden, N.J. – Summit BHC New Jersey, LLC, d/b/a Seabrook, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in Bridgeton, New Jersey, has agreed to pay $19.75 million to resolve allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today. As alleged, Seabrook submitted claims to the Community Care Program of Veterans Health Administration (“VHA”) and New Jersey’s Medicaid program for short-term residential treatment and partial hospitalization care for which it was not properly licensed or contracted and misled State inspectors.
The settlement resolves allegations relating to the care provided and billed by Seabrook, principally to the VHA Community Care Program. The United States alleged that, during the period from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024, Seabrook provided services for which it had no license; sought to conceal those improperly performed services from state inspectors; failed to employ a sufficient number of properly-credentialed caregivers; failed to employ a sufficient number of caregivers credentialed in treating patients with both mental health and addiction issues; provided the same care to veterans it provided to other patients, while claiming to be providing specialized care; and kept false, inconsistent, and inadequate records of the care provided to veterans and other patients.
“Today’s resolution demonstrates once again this Office’s commitment to ensure that America’s veterans receive the care they deserve and for which the government has paid. Veterans and Medicaid recipients must receive care from fully qualified, licensed providers in facilities that meet state law in all respects. We stand ready to enforce these standards and protect the Americans who need this care.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“This civil settlement reinforces the VA OIG’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of VA’s healthcare programs and preserving taxpayer funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “Providers who participate in the VA Community Care Program must be licensed and follow state and federal law when billing the VA. The VA OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate providers who fail to meet these standards in providing healthcare to our nation’s veterans.”
“Our federal health care systems serve vulnerable populations, and by not providing the level of care they deserve that purpose is undermined,” stated Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously pursue those who exploit government health programs.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by a former Seabrook employee. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. In this matter, the relator is receiving at least approximately $3,555,137.28 as her share of the recovery in this case.
Seabrook cooperated in the investigation and resolution of this matter, including by independently investigating the matter, implementing remedial measures, and disciplining responsible individuals.
The resolution was the result of efforts by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Offices of Inspectors General for the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Health and Human Services.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Kaufman of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Coulter and the State of New Jersey v. Seabrook House, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 23-cv-00451 (D.N.J.).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Counsel for Seabrook: Richard Westling, Epstein Becker Green, P.C. and Matthew Curley, Bass, Berry, & Sims, PLC
Counsel for Relator Jennifer Coulter: Ross Begelman and Marc Orlow, Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins, P.C.
seabrook.agreement.pdfColorado Man Charged with Wire Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Julio Melendez, age 31, was indicted by a federal grand jury on ten counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, between about March 2020 and about November 2020, Melendez created and executed a payroll fraud scheme against the company where he worked as a project manager. Melendez’s employer was a Maryland-based business that specialized in providing maintenance, custodial, janitorial, and construction services to federal government agencies. During 2020, the company held a contract with a federal agency that obliged the company to provide various services for the agency, including janitorial, grounds keeping, snow removal, and maintenance. While working as a project manager, Melendez was responsible for, among other things, supervising approximately 12 employees, managing employees’ timekeeping, ensuring timesheets were accurate, approving timesheets, ensuring that staff completed their tasks, and ensuring that the company had adequate staff on site at the federal agency.
Among other things, Melendez allegedly conspired with fellow employees under his direct supervision to falsify time sheets and ultimately collect wage payments from their own company for hours and days never worked by the employees. The employees then kicked back a portion of their unearned wages to Melendez as part of the fraud scheme. As a result, the victim company paid approximately $82,000 in wages to employees for services never performed on behalf of the government agency.
The investigation is being conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Neff.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Case Number: 25-cr-00103-RMR
Chester Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion, False Statements, and Illegal Gun Possession in Multi-Million Dollar Business SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lawrencium Germaine Martin, a/k/a Germaine Martin, 47, of Chester, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to federal tax evasion, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and making false statements to federal investigators.
According to evidence presented in court, from 2019 through 2021, Martin operated a business known as Lancaster Tactical Supply (LTS) through the website LTacticalSupply.com. Martin presented LTS as if it were a legitimate business that sold firearm accessories and parts, including 80% build kits, firearm slides, imitation suppressors, optics, and body armor. He also modified and customized firearms. Build kits are products that include the component parts of an operable firearm with some parts disassembled. When the parts are combined, the product is converted into a fully functioning firearm, often without a manufacturer or serial number, making the firearm more difficult to trace.
At least 380 customers from 43 states complained that they were defrauded by LTS, generally reporting that LTS took their money and failed to ship the products they purchased. Martin generated substantial revenue through LTS, including more than $2 million in 2020 alone. Although Martin personally operated LTS and deposited its proceeds into his personal bank accounts, Martin failed to pay state or federal income tax any year from 2015 through 2022.
Martin also evaded federal income tax by using the identity of a former employee without authorization to set LTS payment systems up in a way that caused the IRS to identify the former employee as the person who owed income tax for the business, rather than Martin.
When agents searched Martin’s residence and business in Chester, pursuant to a federal search warrant, he was found in possession of numerous firearms – including a 5.56 x 45 mm “80%” rifle; a 9 x 19 mm “80%” pistol, with a stabilizer brace and muzzle attachment; a 9mm pistol; and another 9mm pistol loaded with 16 rounds. Only one of the firearms had a serial number. Martin had 15 prior criminal convictions at the time, many of which are felonies, which made firearm possession illegal for Martin under federal law.
As for false statements, when agents searched his house and business, Martin told FBI agents that he had never heard of LTS, that he had never received money from LTS, and that he did not know how his name became associated with the businesses, all of which Martin knew were untrue.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Martin to 57 months in federal prison, the high end of the advisory guidelines, with 3 years supervision by U.S. Probation to follow. Martin was also ordered to pay $215,374.00 in restitution to the IRS.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation, with critical assistance from the Chester County Sheriff’s Department and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott B. Daniels is prosecuting the case.
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Cherokee, Iowa, Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Roger Strickland, age 62, from Cherokee, Iowa, pled guilty on April 25, 2025, to two counts of possession of child pornography in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa.
Evidence at the plea hearing showed that from June 2022, through May 2023, Strickland received and possessed child pornography. Agents searched Strickland’s home on May 25, 2023, and seized several pieces of evidence. Agents asked to speak to whomever at the home was downloading child pornography and Strickland replied, “It’s me.” Then, while agents were awaiting results of the forensic analysis of Strickland’s electronic devices, law enforcement was again notified Strickland was receiving and possessing child pornography. Strickland admitted that between August 2023, through February 2024, Strickland received and possessed more child pornography despite knowing he was actively being investigated. In total, over 225 videos and 8,000 images of child pornography were discovered on his electronic devices. Strickland further admitted that the images and videos involved material portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct as well as prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers.
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.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Strickland remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing. On each count, Strickland faces a possible maximum sentence of not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Cherokee Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is CR24-4067. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Charlotte Man Sentenced to Prison for His Role in Multi-Million Dollar Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison today for his role in a multi-million dollar bank fraud scheme, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bruce Howard Marko, 66, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1.5 million. Marko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.
Marko’s three co-defendants, Kotto Yaphet Paul, 50, of Waxhaw, N.C., Latoya Tamieka Ford, 50, of Covington, Georgia, and Love Norman, 50, of West Palm Beach, Florida, have each pleaded guilty to wire fraud and bank fraud conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing. Paul also pleaded guilty to money laundering.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, beginning in 2018, Marko conspired with Peebles, Paul and Ford to orchestrate a fraudulent loan scheme that defrauded at least 17 federally insured financial institutions of more than $17 million. Marko participated directly in at least five of these fraudulent loans totaling over $2.8 million. To execute the scheme, Marko and his co-defendants submitted loan applications to financial institutions that contained fraudulent information, including false employment and income information, false tax returns, and misrepresentations regarding the applicants’ assets, liabilities, and the intended use the loan proceeds. Based on the fraudulent loan applications, Marko and his co-defendants secured at least 42 loans from the victim financial institutions. Contrary to information provided on the loan applications about the purposes of the loans, the defendants used the loan proceeds to purchase real estate, cover unrelated business expenses, make investments, make payments toward earlier loans, and pay for personal expenditures. Court documents show that the defendants defaulted on most of the loans, causing substantial losses to the victim financial institutions that issued the loans.
Four additional defendants were previously convicted of bank fraud conspiracy for their involvement in the scheme. Amrish D. Patel was sentenced to 15 months in prison, Dwight A. Peebles, Jr. was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Denise Woodard was ordered to serve 36 months in prison, and Derrick L. Harrison, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. The defendants were also ordered to pay restitution ranging from $620,000 to more than $3.1 million.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the Office of the Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Inspector General for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Office of the Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Charlotte, and the Charlotte Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation, for the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.
Bucks County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Brian Zenszer, 44, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Harvey Bartle III on one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Zenszer was charged by indictment in December of last year.
As presented in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on or about July 21, 2024, Zenszer knowingly distributed a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and, on or about November 6, 2024, possessed a Samsung cellular phone containing visual depictions of minors, including one or more prepubescent minors who had not attained 12 years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The charges arose from two CyberTips reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding two accounts on the Kik messaging app that had uploaded suspected files of child pornography. Investigators determined both accounts belonged to Zenszer.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29 and faces a maximum possible term of 40 years’ imprisonment and a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maureen McCartney.
Boston Man Charged with Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been arrested and charged for allegedly receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Cess Frazier, 32, has been charged with one count of receipt of child pornography. Frazier was arrested at his residence yesterday and made his initial appearance in federal court in Boston. He has been ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 1, 2025.
According to the charging documents, an ongoing investigation into the dissemination of CSAM allegedly identified Frazier as an individual who had purchased CSAM. During a search of Frazier’s cell phone approximately 100 media files that depicted CSAM were allegedly found saved in Telegram Messenger. The minor victims in the files are alleged to be between approximately three and 10 years old.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact [email protected].
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
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.
Baltimore Man Indicted on Federal Gun Charge Following Foot Chase in SoutheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dion Zellars, 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Zellars is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents, on March 20, 2025, MPD officers assigned to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Crime Suppression Team recovered a firearm following a foot pursuit of a suspect in Southeast Washington.
At approximately 4:25 p.m., officers patrolling in the 4200 block of Southern Avenue, Southeast observed a group of individuals. One individual, later identified as the defendant, separated himself from the group upon seeing the marked MPD patrol cruiser. Officers noted that the defendant appeared evasive and attempted to conceal himself behind a parked SUV.
As officers approached to investigate, they observed the defendant looking back at them and pretending to speak on a phone. Officers then saw the defendant clutch an item in his waistband before suddenly fleeing on foot. Officers gave chase and during the pursuit, observed the defendant discard a black firearm into a backyard.
The defendant was apprehended shortly thereafter in another backyard. The firearm was recovered and determined to be a Glock.
The defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to prior felony convictions.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lawrence Barclay is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Baton Rouge Man Sentencing to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced James S. Burland, age 70, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 57 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of child pornography. Burland must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment. The Court also ordered Burland to pay a $5,000 special assessment pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act and ordered him to register as a sex offender upon his release.
In announcing the sentence, the Court described Burland’s possession of 565 images of child pornography, to include images that depicted prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12, as serious and troubling conduct.
According to admissions made during his plea, on November 11, 2022, Burland uploaded a file containing an image of child pornography to his internet-based cloud storage account. A subsequent investigation identified that between that date and April 9, 2024, Burland possessed at least 173 additional files containing images of child pornography in his internet-based cloud storage account and on some of his personal computers and storage devices.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Attorney General, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Jonathan Wayne Lanaute, age 40, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 151 months in federal prison following his conviction for bank robbery. The Court further sentenced Lanaute to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $20,000 in restitution.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on the morning of May 3, 2024, Lanaute entered United Community Bank, located on Bluebonnet Boulevard in Baton Rouge, and stated that he needed to cash a check. He approached a counter and passed a handwritten note to the bank teller which stated, “give me all the money in the cash resgister [sic] before everybody die in here.” The teller, fearful of bodily harm, directed the bank’s computer to begin dispensing $100 bills. While waiting for the bills to be dispensed, Lanaute was fidgeting in his sweatshirt pockets as if he had a firearm. He told the teller to “hurry up, hurry up,” and not to make any moves.
The machine dispensed fifty $100 bills at a time and ran through four (4) cycles. When complete, Lanaute took the money from the teller and walked towards the bank to leave. Before exiting the building, he heard the machine continuing to dispense money and he returned to the teller counter to retrieve the additional bills before finally exiting the building with $20,000.
Law enforcement was dispatched to the scene and retrieved video footage from the bank’s surveillance system. The surveillance footage showed Lanaute entering the bank wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a black Saints baseball cap, and ultimately fleeing the scene in a dark colored sedan with a spoiler on the rear of the vehicle. Law enforcement identified the vehicle as a dark grey Mitsubishi Lancer which had been reported stolen during an armed robbery near the bank the previous night.
The vehicle was identified around the immediate area of United Community Bank and law enforcement visually confirmed the driver to be the same individual identified as the robber from the bank’s video surveillance. Officers attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle. Lanaute refused to stop and a vehicle pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, he drove the vehicle into ongoing traffic, ran another motorist off the road, and drove in the wrong direction on the interstate. The pursuit of the vehicle ended when the driver crashed head-on into an innocent motorist on the interstate.
After the crash, Lanaute fled on foot. Following a short foot pursuit, he was apprehended and taken into custody. Lanaute was wearing the same clothing as seen in the bank’s video surveillance. Approximately $8,207.89 was recovered from his person.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Baton Rouge Police Department, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.
Armed Felon Who Led Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies on a Chase with His Child in the Car Sentenced to More Than Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that on April 23, 2025, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Keith Lamarr Williams, age 43, to 80 months in prison on one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Judge Dimke also imposed 3 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on October 18, 2022, deputies with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a domestic disturbance involving a weapon in Spokane Valley. K.D., who is Williams’ ex-girlfriend, with whom Williams shares children, told deputies that during the previous two weeks Williams had been parking and watching their daughter walk to school. On the day of the incident, Williams had been sitting in a parked vehicle with a view to the family’s apartment. When K.D. and her husband confronted and told Williams to leave, Williams pulled a gun, pointed it at K.D. and her husband, and demanded to see his daughter before leaving in his vehicle.
Deputies found the vehicle Williams was driving and attempted a traffic stop, but Williams fled. Deputies pursued the vehicle until Williams crashed. Williams tried to escape on foot, but deputies took him into custody. Williams’ two-year-old son was in the vehicle during the pursuit and collision.
Inside the vehicle, investigators located a Glock 9mm pistol with a bullet in the chamber. Deputies also located a Glock 9mm magazine that was loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition.
Williams was previously convicted in federal court in Eastern Washington on drug charges and served 80 months in prison. He was released from prison on February 18, 2022. As a result of his felony conviction, Williams was not allowed to possess a firearm.
“This case could have ended in tragedy,” stated Acting United States Attorney Barker. “Mr. Williams put his own family and others in danger by fleeing from law enforcement with a loaded gun in the car. Felons, who possess firearms are a threat to public safety, and we will continue to hold them accountable—especially when children are placed in harm’s way.”
“Mr. Williams’s actions were extremely dangerous to the community, and in particular to his 2-year-old son,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “He knew he wasn’t supposed to possess firearms, yet he chose to carry a loaded pistol in the car with him and his child. This sentence was well deserved.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael L. Vander Giessen and Alison L. Gregoire.
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Arizona Man Receives 22-Year Prison Sentence for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of ChildRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the prolonged sexual abuse of a minor over nearly a decade in the Navajo Nation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between May 16, 2009, and May 15, 2012, Cedric Martinez, 31, engaged in unlawful sexual contact with a minor victim, who was under the age of 12, at a residence in Upper Fruitland, New Mexico, within the Navajo Nation.
Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to fifteen years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee and Meg Tomlinson are prosecuting the case.
Anaheim Man Found Guilty of Producing, Distributing, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material of 13-Year-Old VictimRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was found guilty by a jury today of federal child sexual exploitation crimes for befriending a 13-year-old girl, providing her with alcohol, and sexually assaulting her, taking photographs and making videos of the attack.
Jonathan Gonzalez-Reyes, 38, of Anaheim, was found guilty of one count of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since June 2024.
According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, in February 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes and a co-defendant, Nanci Jasmin Castillo, 32, of Anaheim, befriended the victim, a 13-year-old girl identified in court documents as “Minor Victim 1.”
At Castillo’s home, Castillo and Gonzalez-Reyes sexually assaulted the victim – to whom Castillo had given an alcoholic beverage after the victim previously had taken Xanax anti-anxiety medication – while the victim was going in and out of consciousness. Gonzalez-Reyes and Castillo photographed and made videos of the attack.
A search of Gonzalez-Reyes’ phone and Castillo’s iCloud account by law enforcement revealed the existence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the victim and the defendants. Additionally, law enforcement found evidence that Gonzalez-Reyes sent copies of the CSAM to Castillo.
In September 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes used a cellphone to knowingly possess and distribute images of the same victim, knowing the images showed a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
United States District Judge David O. Carter scheduled a July 28 sentencing hearing, at which time Gonzalez-Reyes will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
Castillo, who also has been in federal custody since June 2024, pleaded guilty on February 5 to one count of production of child pornography. She too will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison at her sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for July 28.
The FBI investigated this matter with assistance from the Anaheim Police Department, the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, and ZOE International.
Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Blake Hannah of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Altoona Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Transporting and Possessing Material Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Altoona, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to six-and-a-half years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, on his convictions of transporting and possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Kevin Myers, 48, on April 29, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around December 2020 to in and around December 2021, Myers transported and possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor. The images were produced using materials that were shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations forthe investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Myers.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
18th Street Gang Member Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy and Two MurdersRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Yanki Misael Cruz-Mateo, a member of the 18th Street gang, a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to 45 years’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy in connection with his participation in two murders: the October 25, 2017 murder of 20-year-old Jonathan Figueroa in Saugerties, New York, and the February 2, 2018 murder of 20-year-old Oscar Antonio Blanco-Hernandez in Queens.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“Cruz-Mateo committed two horrific murders and boasted about the carnage in video and text messages to instill fear, exact retribution, and promote gang violence,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “The lengthy sentence imposed today delivers a powerful message that senseless violence carries serious consequences. My Office will continue our tireless efforts to investigate and prosecute violence carried out by the 18th Street and other transnational criminal organizations. It is my sincere hope that the justice meted out today provides a measure of comfort and closure for the victims’ loved ones.”
Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Police, the Kingston Police Department, and the New York City Police Department for their assistance on the case.
“Yanki Misael Cruz-Mateo, an 18th Street gang member, lured two victims to their brutal murders as retribution for perceived disloyalty and affiliation with rival organizations,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “His actions mirror the gang’s depravity and its lawless prioritization of social status over human life. May today’s sentencing offer a semblance of justice for the victims’ families and highlight the FBI’s continued determination to eradicate all brutal gang violence plaguing our communities.
Today’s sentence is the latest achievement in a series of prosecutions by this Office and our law enforcement partners of the leaders, members, and associates of 18th Street. According to court filings and proceedings, 18th Street is a transnational criminal organization and violent street gang with members and associates residing throughout New York State, including Queens and Long Island, elsewhere throughout the United States, including Houston, Texas, and Central America. Members of 18th Street regularly engage in murder, attempted murder, assault, extortion, illegal drug and firearms trafficking, false identification document production, witness tampering, and money laundering.
October 25, 2017 Murder of Jonathan Figueroa
As set forth in court filings, including the government’s sentencing memorandum, in the late evening hours of October 24, 2017, Cruz-Mateo lured and travelled with Figueroa from Queens to Kingston, New York. Upon their arrival in Kingston, they were met by Israel Mediola Flores and other 18th Street members and associates who, into the early morning hours the following day, brought Figueroa to Turkey Point State Forest, brutally stabbed him to death and buried him in a makeshift grave. Cruz-Mateo ordered the murder to be video-recorded and captured multiple 18th Street members and associates repeatedly stabbing Figueroa, slashing his throat and severing his ear. In the video, Cruz-Mateo stated that Figueroa was being murdered for “being a rat.” Cruz-Mateo then sent the video to other 18th Street members as a warning. Figueroa’s body was discovered in February 2018 by the FBI, along with state and local law enforcement authorities, in a five-foot deep grave in Turkey Point State Forest. The victim had sustained more than 100 stab wounds.
Co-defendants Walter Fernando Alfaro Pineda, Israel Mediola Flores, and Jose Douglas Castellano pleaded guilty to Figueroa’s murder. Mediola Flores was sentenced to 425 months in prison; Pineda and Castellano are awaiting sentencing.
February 2, 2018 Murder of Oscar Antonio Blanco-Hernandez
On February 2, 2018, several gang members killed Blanco-Hernandez because they believed he was a member of the rival MS-13 gang. Co-defendant Jose Chacon had met Blanco-Hernandez weeks earlier through their mutual employer, a New Jersey-based house painting company. On the morning of the murder, co-defendant Carolina Cruz and Chacon picked up Blanco-Hernandez at his home in New Jersey under the guise of going to smoke marijuana as friends. Cruz and Chacon drove Blanco-Hernandez to Queens where they met 18th Street gang members, including Cruz-Mateo and co-defendant Yoni Sierra, who entered the rear passenger seat of Cruz’s car on opposite sides, sandwiching Blanco-Hernandez between them. Cruz drove Chacon, Cruz-Mateo, Sierra, and their victim about 1.6 miles away to a quiet residential neighborhood. Cruz-Mateo, Sierra, and Blanco-Hernandez got out of the car and started walking eastbound, while Cruz and Chacon stayed behind with the car. After walking for a few minutes, Cruz-Mateo drew a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun and shot Blanco-Hernandez in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Blanco-Hernandez’s body was discovered on a residential street in the Jamaica Hills section of Queens. He sustained three gunshot wounds: two gunshots to the torso and one to the head.
Sierra, Chacon, and Cruz also pleaded guilty to Blanco-Hernandez’s murder. Chacon was sentenced to 269 months in prison; Sierra to 204 months in prison; and Cruz to 150 months in prison.
This case is part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan P. Lax, Erin Reid, Margaret Schierberl, Adam Amir, and Rebecca Urquiola are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Tareva Torres and Samuel Ronchetti.
The Defendant:
YANKI MISAEL CRUZ-MATEO (also known as “Yenki Misael Cruz Mateo,” “Yankee Mateo,” “Doggy,” and “Wino”)
Age: 25
Jamaica, QueensCo-Defendants Previously Convicted:
ERIC CHAVEZ (also known as “Lunatico”)
Age: 25
Jamaica, New YorkWALTER FERNANDO ALFARO PINEDA (also known as “Clever”)
Age: 45
Houston, TexasISRAEL MEDIOLA FLORES (also known as “Chapito” and “Sinaloa”)
Age: 29
Kingston, New YorkYONI ALEXANDER SIERRA (also known as “Arca,” “Arc Angel” and “Wasson”)
Age: 26
Jamaica, QueensJOSE JIMENEZ CHACON (also known as “Little One”)
Age: 26
New Brunswick, New JerseyCAROLINA CRUZ (also known as “La Fiera”)
Age: 31
Elizabeth, New JerseyJOSE DOUGLAS CASTELLANO (also known as “Chino”)
Age: 26
Brooklyn, New YorkJUNIOR ZELAYA-CANALES (also known as “Terco”)
Age: 28
Jamaica, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-139 (S-7) (LDH)
.50 caliber straw purchaser convicted in relation to firearms destined for MexicoRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A federal jury has convicted a 49-year-old Houston man of making a false statement in the purchase of firearms and purchasing firearms knowing they were to be exported to Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than 20 minutes before finding John Castellano guilty following a three-day trial.
On or about Dec. 16, 2019, Castellano lied to a federal firearms licensed dealer. He falsely claimed he was purchasing two Barrett .50 caliber rifles for himself, each valued at approximately $8,000 each. In reality, they were intended for others and ultimately destined for Mexico.
The jury heard evidence that Castellano purchased the rifles with approximately $17,000 in cash from Jacinto Zuniga.
Evidence revealed Castellano had picked up the firearms from a federal firearms licensed dealer with a friend and previously convicted felon.
The jury also heard he was attempting to obtain additional Barrett .50 caliber rifles before authorities’ interdiction.
Experts provided testimony regarding the regulations and various licensing requirements necessary for exporting firearms to Mexico. The jury also had the opportunity to view the Barrett .50-caliber rifles Castellano had straw purchased.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that the accusations were false and that he was wrongfully accused. Castellano took the stand and told the jury the incriminating text messages between him and the codefendant were lies, and that he was just making up a fictional story.
They did not believe those claims and found Castellano guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein presided over the trial and set sentencing for July 25. At that time, Castellano faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Castellano was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Zuniga, 44, Houston, previously pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Department of State. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Smith and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Stotts are prosecuting the case.
29 April 2025
York County Men Sentenced to 30 Years in Fentanyl Distribution SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Timario Gayton, 33 and Quonzy Hope, 36, both of Rock Hill, were each sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in August 2022, Hope sold approximately 5,000 pills to a confidential informant. Following the purchase and further investigation, agents focused on a property in York County, which they suspected was being used to manufacture illicit fentanyl pills. On Oct. 19, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at a trailer on the property and found Gayton, Hope and two codefendants inside the trailer. Law enforcement immediately determined the trailer was being used as a clandestine lab. After clearing the trailer and rendering it safe to search, agents found multiple bags of powder and multiple containers containing approximately 160,000 pills, totaling over 29 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 1,890 grams of cocaine, 690 grams of methamphetamine, and 1,500 grams of heroin. In addition to the drugs, agents found several pill press machines, a large amount of cash, various drug paraphernalia.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Gayton and Hope to 180 months imprisonment each to be followed by a term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This investigation 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case.
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Wolf Point residents arraigned on murder chargeRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - Two individuals accused of murdering a man on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation were arraigned today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Abrianne Lillian Deserly, 24, and Calvin Florin Lester, 35, both of Wolf Point, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging both defendants with second degree murder. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, the defendants each face a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. Both defendants were detained pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that on February 26, 2025, near Wolf Point, the defendants unlawfully and with malice aforethought, that is recklessly with extreme disregard for human life, killed John Doe, and aided and abetted the same.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley is prosecuting the case. The FBI, BIA, Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law & Justice, and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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).
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-45.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
Willimantic Man Who Stole 38 Guns from Newington Store Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KWITZPATRICK DUFFANY, 37, formerly of Willimantic, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for offenses related to his theft of 38 firearms from a Newington gun store in 2023.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 27, 2023, during non-business hours, Duffany entered Hoffman’s Gun Store in Newington by climbing onto the balcony over the main entrance, cutting into the siding with a knife, and dropping down from the ceiling. Surveillance footage showed Duffany walking through the store and filling duffel bags with 38 guns. He then exited the store through the same hole. After stealing the guns, Duffany and two other individuals traveled to Hartford where Duffany traded several of the stolen guns for cash and drugs. In the following days, Duffany sold most of the remaining guns in exchange for cash and narcotics, or he provided guns to other individuals to sell.
Duffany was arrested by the Connecticut State Police in Ashford in the early morning of June 1, 2023. Surveillance footage from a nearby gas station showed Duffany hiding a satchel in a soda display case shortly before his arrest. Investigators recovered the satchel and found a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun and drugs inside the bag. The gun had been stolen from Hoffman’s Gun Store.
To date, law enforcement has recovered only six of the stolen guns, including one that was recovered by Hartford Police during an investigation of a homicide that occurred on July 5, 2024.
Duffany has been detained since his arrest. On February 3, 2025, he pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from a licensee, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Newington Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police and the Willimantic Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of New Britain for its cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
Washington County Man Sentenced to Prison for Straw Purchasing FirearmsRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Washington, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 24 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his convictions of false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Keyshawn Savory, 25.
According to information presented to the Court, on four different occasions between April and August 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Savory acted as a straw purchaser when buying firearms from several federally licensed firearms dealers by stating that the firearms were being purchased for himself, when he actually was purchasing the firearms on behalf of another person.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Savory.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
Venezuelan Nationals with TPS Charged in Miami with Defrauding U.S. Government-Funded Covid-19 Relief ProgramRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Freddy Urribarri, 42, and Mairilin Munoz 39, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with their submission of false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. Both defendants are Venezuelan nationals who were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allowed them to remain in the United States temporarily after they had entered the country. They were living in Dania Beach, Fl. at the time of their arrests.
According to allegations in the Indictment and statements made in open court, the defendants conspired with each other to commit fraud by submitting false PPP loan applications for Covid-19 era relief money meant to help struggling small business owners financially survive the pandemic. The defendants submitted two sole proprietorship loan applications with false and fraudulent supporting tax documents. Urribarri and Munoz also caused the submission of a false and fraudulent PPP loan application for FU&MM General Services, a company they controlled as president and vice president. The application inflated FU&MM’s income and number of employees. The lender accepted the false representations and approved a loan of about $438,000.
Once they received the loan proceeds, the defendants engaged in a scheme to conceal the nature of the funds. Munoz also engaged in financial transactions over $10,000 using proceeds of the fraud. Urribarri and Munoz also submitted false and fraudulent tax documents in support of a PPP loan forgiveness application.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Division, announced the charges.
HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein is prosecuting it.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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 25-cr-20151.
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Upshur County Man Admits to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – John Felix Cathell, III, age 55, of French Creek, West Virginia, has admitted to the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, officers were called to a shooting at a home. At the scene, Cathell admitted to shooting his neighbor’s dog. The defendant is prohibited from having firearms because of prior firearms convictions. Officers searched Cathell’s home and recovered multiple firearms, firearms parts, and ammunition.
Cathell is facing up to 15 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 Christie Utt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
University of San Diego Women’s Volleyball Team Joins U.S. Attorney’s Office and City Attorney’s Office to Launch Fentanyl Awareness CampaignRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office, San Diego City Attorney’s Office and Olé Foundation for the University of San Diego today launched a social media campaign featuring members of USD’s women’s volleyball team to promote fentanyl awareness and overdose prevention. The campaign coincides with the fourth annual National Fentanyl Awareness Day on April 29.
The goal of this joint effort is to raise awareness of the dangers of fentanyl, to reduce accidental use or overdose, and in the event of an overdose, to educate students on how to save lives in an emergency.
“These student athletes are terrific ambassadors for the messages of fentanyl awareness and prevention,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “We are making progress every day in preventing accidental fentanyl poisonings, and we are grateful for such committed partners like the City Attorney’s Office and the University of San Diego knowing that their actions will help save lives.”
“Fentanyl continues to claim lives across our communities, and awareness is one of the most powerful tools we have to fight back,” said City Attorney Heather Ferbert. “We’re proud to partner with the Department of Justice and the University of San Diego’s student athletes to share life-saving information. By working together, we can help prevent tragedy and protect our community”.
The student athletes are showcased in a video filmed at various locations on USD’s campus, each reciting a line about the dangers of fentanyl, recognizing the signs of an overdose, and the importance of naloxone (also known by the brand name Narcan).
Naloxone is an opioid overdose reversal medication, available either as a nasal spray or an injector. Many pharmacies carry naloxone. In California, you can get naloxone from a pharmacist without a prescription. It is also possible to get naloxone from community-based distribution programs, local public health groups, or local health departments, free of charge. For more information about naloxone and how to get training on using it, visit: Naloxone Information.
In the public service announcements, the student athletes state the following:
Winning at the Division One level takes a lot of skill, a team committed to excellence, and maybe a little luck.
Because I know some of us have our superstitions
I must have this meal before every game
I always put my left shoe on before my right shoe
But the one thing I will not do is try my luck with a pill that I didn’t get at a pharmacy
That’s because what you might think are common medicines like Adderall, Xanax, or Percocet
Could contain a deadly amount of fentanyl
Taking drugs is a risk that we just won’t take.
Fentanyl doesn’t care about the win or the loss. It doesn’t care about your age. It doesn’t care about your family, teammates, or friends. It doesn’t care if you get lucky the first time.
As a student athlete, I know I set an example to those around me, on our team and in our community.
Know what Narcan is, and how to use it – or know who to call to get help.
And know what those overdose signs are, like someone you can’t arouse, snoring sounds, shortness of breath, vomiting or turning blue. You have the power to keep our community safe.
We here at USD are all members of the same team.
And safety isn’t about luck, it’s about knowledge and prevention.
Just remember, if you are ever in doubt, call 911.
Let’s take luck out of it
We are teaming up to save lives from fentanyl
Because as a USD Torero, we know it takes a team.
This campaign uses the hashtags #TakesMoreThanLuck #ItTakesATeam. The social media public service announcement can be found here.
The campaign is being deployed over social media platforms, including Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, LinkedIn, and YouTube, by the individual student-athletes, the Department of Justice, the University of San Diego Athletic Department, and other coalition members.
This is the third time that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office have teamed up to feature student athletes in partnership with an NIL collective. For this social media campaign, the offices partnered with the Olé Foundation at USD, which is dedicated to empowering student-athletes by providing education, resources, and guidance to navigate the evolving landscape of NIL opportunities. The department helps scholar-athletes maximize their personal brand, ensuring they make informed decisions while maintaining integrity and balancing their academic and athletic commitments. Through strategic partnerships, mentorship, and compliance support, the department prepares student-athletes for success in the NIL space and beyond.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office have previously partnered with the SDSU women’s soccer team, Aztec Link, the SDSU men’s basketball team and their NIL collective, the MESA Foundation, to create similar public service announcements and media campaigns that at the time were the first such collaborations of their kind. The campaigns have since received over a million impressions.
Additional fentanyl prevention resources can be found at San Diego County’s Community & Parent Toolkits, which are available in both English and Spanish.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s participation in the social media campaign with USD’s NIL Department is not an endorsement of any product, service, or enterprise associated with the department.
United States Files Forfeiture Action for Historic Firearm Alleged to be Stolen from Springfield ArmoryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action against a U.S. Springfield Model 1868 Style Trapdoor Saddle Ring Carbine bearing serial number 1444 believed to have been unlawfully removed from the Springfield Armory, a National Historic site, several decades ago.
The Springfield Armory, located in Springfield, Mass., is a National Historic Site managed by the National Park Service (NPS). The artifacts in the Springfield Armory’s collection are property of the United States Government.
The model 1868 carbine was a variation of Springfield’s model 1868 rifle, designed at the request of the United States Army Chief of Ordinance in August 1869. In a request to the Springfield Armory, the U.S. Army’s Chief of Ordinance requested “two… breech loading carbines, suitable for cavalry.” These carbines were to be used to determine their suitability for use by the U.S. Army Cavalry. Records from the Springfield Armory show that three model 1868 carbines were produced in 1869 and one in 1870. Records also show that the model 1868 carbine did not make it into full production. The four carbines are the only four the Springfield Armory ever produced.
Of the four documented model 1868 carbines produced, the Springfield Armory had maintained two in its collection, including the carbine that is the subject of this civil forfeiture action. The Smithsonian maintains one, serial number 2290. The fourth is believed to be privately held.
In 1985, the NPS determined one of its 1868 carbines to be missing. At various times over the years, the NPS obtained information that the missing carbine may have been in the hands of private collectors.
In 2023, federal law enforcement initiated an investigation into the stolen carbine, which resulted in the seizure of a carbine that is the subject of the civil forfeiture action. Although analysis indicated efforts had been made to obliterate identifying marks on the carbine, as alleged in the complaint, the federal law enforcement gathered evidence indicating that the seized carbine was indeed the missing carbine that had been stolen from the Springfield Armory.
The Springfield Armory was established in 1777 as a federal arsenal to supply the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. After the Revolutionary War, the Springfield Armory remained under control of the United States Army until 1974 when Congress designated it as a national historic landmark and transferred control to the NPS. The Springfield Armory began operating a museum on the premises in 1866 and has been collecting artifacts since that time.
It is a violation of federal law to embezzle, steal, purloin, or knowingly convert, or, without authority, to sell, convey or dispose of government property. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The civil forfeiture action is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit.
The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute allegations that certain property is subject to forfeiture. The United States must prove, by a standard of preponderance of the evidence, that the property is subject to forfeiture.