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29 April 2025
Houston furniture flipper sentenced for smuggling three dozen illegal aliensRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 29-year-old Houston man has been ordered to prison after unlawfully transporting illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Louis Dante Anthony pleaded guilty Jan. 30.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Anthony to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described the dangerous way the 36 aliens were locked into a false compartment with no air and no means of escape. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of the way the aliens were transported.
On Dec. 8, 2024, Anthony drove to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint where he claimed he was hauling furniture from Edington and was heading to Victoria. He denied having any passengers in his vehicle and said he was simply a furniture flipper.
An x-ray scan revealed 36 individuals trapped in an 8 by 4.25-foot false compartment at the front of the box truck. The illegal aliens had no access to air, could not be heard from the outside and were unable to get themselves out of the compartment. The illegal aliens were from Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico.
Anthony will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Pruitt prosecuted the case.
Houston Man Guilty of Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FULGENCIO CARDENAS-RIVERA (“CARDENAS-RIVERA”), age 35, a resident of Houston, Texas, pled guilty on April 15, 2025, before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long to possession, with intent to distribute, five hundred (500) grams or more of cocaine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to court documents, CARDENAS-RIVERA traveled into the Eastern District of Louisiana with approximately three kilograms of cocaine secreted in the trunk of the car he was driving, with the intent to distribute same.
CARDENAS-RIVERA faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years up to a maximum term of 40 years, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00, at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and assisted by the United States Border Patrol, the Louisiana State Police, the Kenner Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Honduran National Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell has sentenced Jonny Dagoberto Zelaya-Torres (39, Honduras) to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. Zelaya-Torres pleaded guilty on January 16, 2025.
According to court documents, Zelaya-Torres is a citizen and national of Honduras. He has previously been removed from the United States on four occasions: June 18, 2018, November 26, 2019, January 31, 2020, and March 10, 2023. Prior to his March 2023 removal, Zelaya-Torres was convicted of conspiring to transport illegal aliens. On July 11, 2024, Zelaya-Torres was found to be voluntarily back in the United States when he was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for attempted burglary of a vehicle. He was subsequently convicted of that offense.
This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro and Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
Hidalgo county man receives 30 years for recording sexual abuse of minor on cellphoneRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jacob Ryan Arredondo, McAllen, pleaded guilty Nov. 27, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now sentenced Arredondo to 360 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including how Arredondo took advantage of his relationship with the victim in order to sexually abuse him. The minor kept the secret for two years because of that relationship and because he feared Arredondo due to his size and age. Arredondo will serve 15 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“The defendant’s heinous conduct will undoubtedly leave a lasting scar on his victim, and so it’s only fitting that he received the 30-year sentence he did,” said Ganjei. “Arredondo won’t be able exploit children from behind bars, and he’ll have a good, long time to think about the consequences of his actions.”
“Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) is resolute in its mission to combat online crimes that target children,” said Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mark Lippa. “This sentence marks a significant step in our ongoing efforts to protect young people from harm, and we will continue to pursue those who engage in these harmful activities.”
Arredondo came to the attention of authorities after a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in August 2023. A Google account had uploaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of minor males. The investigation revealed the identity of one of those victims.
He admitted to sexually abusing the minor and recording it on his cell phone. A forensic examination of his phone revealed a total of 234 images and seven videos of the victim.
The abuse began when the minor was only 10 years old and it continued for two years.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
ICE-HSI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Harlingen couple guilty in multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud schemeRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The operators of a durable medical equipment (DME) company have pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jeremiah Yzaguirre, 46, and his wife, Maria Luisa Yzaguirre, 45, both of Harlingen, operated a business called Southwest Medical Homepatient. The business was enrolled in the Medicare program as a provider of DME and services. It claimed to provide parts and repairs for power wheelchairs among other services.
As part of their pleas, the couple admitted they received millions of dollars for parts and repairs that were never performed or provided. They both acknowledged billing Medicare approximately $736,072 for parts and repairs for one specific beneficiary, falsely claiming to have replaced expensive parts hundreds of times.
They also admitted to using the proceeds from the fraud to purchase cryptocurrency, a vehicle, electronics, miscellaneous collectibles and purses.
Medicare was billed approximately $14 million for power wheelchairs, parts and repairs for just 37 Medicare beneficiaries between 2019 and 2023 as a result of their scheme.
“Medicare fraud is ultimately fraud against the taxpayer,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will aggressively prosecute those who steal from their fellow citizens by defrauding public services.”
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. will impose sentencing Aug. 4. At that time, the Yzaguirres face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Both were permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (OIG), Texas Health and Human Services - OIG, Texas Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Texas Department of Insurance conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Ana Cano are prosecuting the case.
Hammond Man Sentenced for Receipt of Materials Involving Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSEPH AUTHEMENT (“AUTHEMENT”), age 25, of Hammond, LA, was sentenced on April 16, 2025, for Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1).
According to court documents, on March 11, 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) obtained a federal search warrant to seize AUTHEMENT’s Apple iPhone. On March 12, 2024, HSI special agents (“SA”) located AUTHEMENT at his residence in Hammond, LA. The agents seized AUTHEMENT’s iPhone and located images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors on that phone. SAs later determined AUTHEMENT used a messaging application to download and purchase child sex abuse materials.
United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced AUTHEMENT to sixty (60) months imprisonment, supervised release for (10) ten years upon release from imprisonment and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
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 Attorney’s 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigations Task Force. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Guatemalan Man Pleads Guilty to Harboring an Unlawful Alien that Illegally Crossed from Canada into the United StatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Guatemalan man pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to transporting an unlawful alien, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Esdras Aaron Calel-Cumes, 29, a Guatemalan man unlawfully residing in Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to one count of Bringing in and Harboring Certain Aliens. U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled sentencing for August 11, 2025.
According to the charging documents, on September 9, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection detected a male, subsequently identified as Luis Felipe Xiloj-Ambrocio, crossing illegally from Canada to the United States in Pittsburg, New Hampshire. Calel-Cumes traveled from Massachusetts to pick up Xiloj-Ambrocio. At the time of their apprehension by Customs and Border Protection, Calel-Cumes and Xiloj-Ambrocio were driving south on U.S. Route 3.
Neither Xiloj-Ambrocio nor Calel-Cumes have legal immigration status in the United States. Xiloj-Ambrocio previously pleaded guilty in the District of New Hampshire to one count of illegal entry and has been deported. Calel-Cumes faces deportation to Guatemala after completing his sentence.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 5 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
This effort 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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Fourteen Members of a Jefferson County Drug Trafficking Organization Charged with Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An indictment charging 14 defendants in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin was unsealed today. Eight of the defendants were arrested today and five defendants were already in custody on other offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
A 59-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Eddie Jerry Jones, a.k.a. “Boss,” 47, of Fairfield, Alabama, Marcus Dewayne Johnson, a.k.a. “Moon,” 56, of Hoover, Alabama, Larry Denzel Rollins, Jr., a.k.a. “King” and “Blo,” 25, of Forestdale, Alabama, LaNicholas Demarco Rollins, 30, of Forestdale, Alabama, Zachary Holmes, a.k.a. “Stakks,” 31, of Birmingham, David Will Jones, 47, of Fairfield, Alabama, Juan Miguel Nation, 21, of Birmingham, Juan Pierre Nation, 50, of Birmingham, Cordero Reid, a.k.a. “Kojacc” 36, of Birmingham, Demetrius Emmanuel Preyer, 48, of Pleasant Grove, Alabama, Devante Marquis McKinney, a.k.a. “The Barber,” 37, of Birmingham, Marcus Orlandeo Bogus, a.k.a. “The Mechanic,” 55, of Center Point, Alabama, and Otis Kenneth Myree Hudson, 33, of Birmingham, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine base or “crack” cocaine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana between January 2021 and March 2025. The indictment also charges all defendants with at least one count of using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime.
McKinney and Rollins, Jr. are also charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The minimum prison sentence for this charge is five years in custody, and the sentence must be served after the completion of any other sentence related to the crime.
Eddie Jones is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The maximum penalty for this offense is 15 years.
Eddie Jones, Rollins, Jr, and Holmes were in custody on capital murder charges pending in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama. David Jones was in federal custody on pending federal supervised release violations. Reid is serving a life sentence in the Alabama Department of Corrections’ Fountain Correctional Facility for Attempted Murder.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance is life in prison.
Each count of using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison.
The indictment also includes special findings of the grand jury regarding the amount of narcotics attributable to various defendants as part of the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
“My office, along with our federal, state, and local partners, is committed to relentlessly investigate and prosecute drug trafficking organizations in our District, particularly those that distribute deadly fentanyl into the community and use firearms to commit their crimes,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “This case involved an immense amount of collaboration and dedication from our law enforcement partners and underscores the impact of the OCDETF program’s multi-agency approach.”
“The 59-count indictment underscores the unwavering commitment of the DEA and our law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking networks that threaten our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer. “While these charges were filed in the Northern District of Alabama, the ripple effects of such widespread drug distribution reach far beyond those borders. We will continue to work tirelessly to hold accountable those who seek profit from the sale of these dangerous substances and bring them to justice.”
“Drug trafficking and the prevalence of gun violence continue to plague the United States at alarming rates,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz. “The ATF will continue to work with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and charge those individuals who commit violent acts and distribute large amounts of narcotics throughout the communities that we serve.”
“Criminals trafficking illegal drugs in our communities have a profound negative effect on Americans’ quality of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS-CI Atlanta Field Office. “The 59-count indictment filed today is an outcome of IRS Criminal Investigation special agents, our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office working together to break up drug trafficking organizations that pose a threat to the United States.”
“Today’s actions demonstrate the FBI’s persistence in combating violent crime in our communities,” said FBI Birmingham Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher DiMenna. “We will continue to strengthen and grow our federal, state, and local partnerships to meet our mission and to ensure the safety and security of the American people.”
“Today’s indictments reflect the commitment and collaboration of our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle major drug-trafficking networks that threaten the safety of our communities,” said Birmingham Chief of Police Michael Pickett. “We will continue to pursue those who distribute dangerous narcotics with relentless focus and determination. I commend the dedication of all the investigators, agents, and prosecutors who made this operation a success.”
The DEA, ATF, IRS, FBI, and the Birmingham Police Department Narcotics and Homicide units investigated the case, along with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, Alabama Department of Corrections, Hoover Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison J. Garnett, Brett A. Janich, and Kristy M. Peoples are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Four Defendants Charged in Connection with Approximately $53 Million Check Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Edward Gallashaw, the Acting Inspector in Charge of the New York Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today charges against MICHEAL PENA, HARRINGTON DELAHOZ, JOSHUA GUTIERREZ, and JAYSEN DORSEY. The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. PENA and GUTIERREZ were arrested this morning. GUTIERREZ will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses. PENA will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel C. Irick in the Middle District of Florida. DELAHOZ and DORSEY remain at large.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “As alleged, Micheal Pena and his co-defendants orchestrated a massive, multimillion-dollar scheme to steal innocent victims’ money. The defendants obtained real checks, including from the mail, forged the checks, falsified identities, sold the checks to others, and took advantage of multiple financial institutions. The defendants’ fraudulent scheme affected real people and the millions of Americans who rely on the United States banking system and the United States mail.”
USPIS Acting Inspector in Charge Edward Gallashaw said: “These individuals allegedly devised a scheme to steal checks from the U.S. Mail and then, in some cases, sell the personal identifiable information on these stolen checks via an encrypted messaging platform to colluding individuals. They furthered their scheme by altering the payee and amount originally written on these checks, stealing from the unsuspecting public. Let today’s arrest serve as an example for those trying to make quick money while financially preying on the American public, Postal Inspectors will put an end to your criminal enterprise. We will vigorously pursue you and bring you to justice for your illegal acts against our customers and the Postal Service. We are thankful for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their dedication on this case.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
From at least in or about April 2023 up to and including at least in or about October 2024, PENA, DELAHOZ, GUTIERREZ, and DORSEY carried out a national scheme to sell more than $53 million in stolen checks and fraudulently alter stolen checks that they then deposited at various financial institutions. As part of that scheme, PENA operated and used a channel on a particular messaging platform, which went by the moniker “White House Vibez” and had thousands of subscribers, to sell checks that had been stolen from the U.S. Postal Service. Below is an image that was posted on White House Vibez on or about February 19, 2024, depicting what appears to be numerous pieces of stolen mail and checks and advertising a forthcoming batch of checks for sale.
Purchasers of checks were directed to send payments to several accounts on a popular mobile payment platform, at least two of which were set up by GUTIERREZ and DELAHOZ using false identification. Along with the stolen checks, purchasers were also sometimes offered personal identifying information of the victim-payors of the stolen checks. As an example, below is a check posted for sale, and listed as sold, on White House Vibez, along with an offer to sell the social security number and date of birth of the victim-payor.
Additionally, during this period, PENA, DELAHOZ, GUTIERREZ, and DORSEY deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen checks at various financial institutions, including checks that had been previously posted for sale on White House Vibez. Before such checks were deposited, they were “washed,” which is a process by which the payee’s information and amount on the check are removed and rewritten to reflect another payee’s identity and amount. The defendants flaunted their success on White House Vibez, posting images of check deposit receipts and large cash withdrawals.
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PENA, 26, formerly of Woodridge, New Jersey; DELAHOZ, 46, of Bronx, New York; GUTIERREZ, 30, of New York, New York; and DORSEY, 28, of New York, New York, are each charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the USPIS.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Varun A. Gumaste is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._pena_et_al_complaint.pdf[1] The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former credit union employee sentenced for bank fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Winnie man has been sentenced to federal prison for bank fraud conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Billy Ray Thomas, Jr., 40, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on April 29, 2025. Thomas was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,363,825.18
According to information presented in court, on September 6, 2018, a Neches Federal Credit Union (NFCU) member contacted the credit union and reported there were loans reflected on their account that they did not request. Shortly thereafter, another member notified the Credit Union that they also had loans on their account that were not theirs. This type of notification then became common over the next few weeks, involving as many as 30 members, all associated with Thomas, an assistant branch manager for NFCU. An investigation revealed Thomas was working with another individual to commit bank fraud by using family members and acquaintances as the identified borrowers. The victims stated either they did not sign the documents, or they did sign the documents but did so electronically when Thomas would bring them a tablet for signature. In other circumstances, the victims stated they did physically sign some paper documents. However, in most circumstances, the victims stated they did not know what they were signing as they trusted Thomas implicitly. Thomas was originally employed on May 16, 2005, with NFCU at the Pearl Street Branch in Beaumont. At some point, Thomas was promoted to the position of assistant branch manager and some of Thomas’ responsibilities included serving as a loan officer. Thomas resigned from his employment as the assistant branch manager on September 18, 2018. As a result of Thomas’ fraudulent activities, losses are estimated at over $1 million.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Beaumont Field Office and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
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Former Vice President and Controller of Publicly Traded Consumer Goods Company Sentenced to 13 Months for $1.6M Insider Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Florida man was sentenced yesterday in the Southern District of Florida to 13 months’ imprisonment and a $10,000 fine for his role in an insider trading scheme that netted over $1.6 million in profits. He was also ordered to pay over $200,000 in restitution and over $1.6 million in forfeiture.
According to court documents, from November 2018 to April 2023, Stephen George, 54, of Parkland, was a member of the Finance Department and held roles including controller and vice president at a consumer-packaged goods company headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida (Company A). The company was the maker of a fitness drink whose securities were publicly traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market. At Company A, George received material non-public information (MNPI) regarding the company’s financial performance.
On his final day at Company A on April 7, 2023, George created a consolidated income statement showing its financial performance for the first quarter of 2023, which George knew contained MNPI. The income statement showed that the company’s first quarter results had greatly exceeded expectations. George then emailed the document to himself using two personal email accounts.
On April 10, 2023, the first trading day after his last day of employment, and continuing through May 8, 2023, George purchased Company A securities based on MNPI – specifically, 20,000 shares of common stock and 300 call option contracts. On May 9, 2023, after the market close, Company A publicly reported better-than-expected earnings and sales for the first quarter of 2023, including an all-time quarterly record in revenue. After the public announcement, its stock price increased significantly. During the next trading day, George sold all 20,000 shares of common stock and 300 call option contracts, resulting in over $1.6 million in personal profits.
In February 2025, George pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli S. Rubin and Elizabeth Young for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Matthew F. Sullivan and Matt Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-60011.
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Former USDA Program Director Pleads Guilty in $400,000 Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kirk Perry, 60, a former United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program director, pleaded guilty today in connection with a kickback scheme in which he and his nephew, Jamarea Grant, 31, of Cleveland, Ohio, conspired to bill the government nearly $400,000 for work that Grant did not actually perform.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Special Agent in Charge Jeldrys Lowry of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General.
Perry, of Lorain, Ohio, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to conspiracy to commit money, property, and honest services wire fraud. Grant previously pleaded guilty on Nov. 27, 2024, to the same charge. Judge Kollar-Kotelly will determine any sentences for Perry and Grant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Perry is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 4, 2025. Grant’s sentencing is pending.
In pleading guilty, Perry and Grant admitted that, from August 2015 through November 2022, Perry, who at the time was serving as a USDA Program Director, arranged for Grant to be hired by two companies under contract with the USDA Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. Grant reported directly to Perry, who also approved the invoices billing for Grant’s time, and the two of them conspired to bill the government for work that Grant did not perform.
Grant received nearly $400,000 for work he did not do. Perry also had access to Grant’s bank account. As part of the criminal scheme Perry transferred approximately $125,000 of the USDA payments from Grant’s account to his own account.
This case was investigated by the USDA Office of Inspector General Sensitive Investigations Office. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Kelly and Maeghan Mikorski.
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Former President of Ypsilanti Steelworkers Union Sentenced for Stealing $58,000 in Union FundsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Dilanjan Miller was sentenced today to six months in federal prison after pleading guilty to bank fraud, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced.
Joining Beck in the announcement is Thomas Murray, District Director of the Detroit-Milwaukee District Office of the Department of Labor-Office of Labor-Management Standards.
Miller, age 38, was sentenced after pleading guilty before the Honorable Laurie Michelson to bank fraud. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Judge Michelson ordered Miller to pay restitution to the union.
According to the facts alleged in the information and further developed at the plea hearing, USW Local 2513 represented machine operators, inspectors, stock chasers, and rackers at Marsh Plating in Ypsilanti. Miller was elected President of Local 2513 in April 2018. Miller also assumed all financial duties of Local 2513 as acting Financial Secretary and Treasurer. While President, Acting Financial Secretary, and Acting Treasurer of the union, Miller embezzled approximately $47,347 of union funds in the custody and control of the Bank of Ann Arbor by issuing approximately 38 unauthorized checks to himself and forging the signature of the second signatory on 20 of those checks; issuing approximately 4 unauthorized checks made payable to a family member; and making approximately 2 unauthorized cash withdrawals from the union’s bank account.
Miller also used the union’s Bank of Ann Arbor debit card as his own personal debit card. He made at least 184 unauthorized personal purchases, totaling approximately $11,259. His purchases with the union’s debit card included flights, hotel rooms, rental cars, and retail purchases. For example, Miller used the debit card to pay for five flights to Florida, Las Vegas, and Atlanta and for rental cars in Florida and Atlanta. Miller also used the debit card at a jewelry store and several footwear shops.
Acting U.S. Attorney Beck commended the work of the Department of Labor in conducting this criminal investigation of a corrupt union officer and said, “Union officials are expected to serve with integrity. This prosecution demonstrates that we will not tolerate union officers who abuse their authority and line their own pockets at the expense of the union’s membership. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out corruption and fraud involving unions.”
“Dilanjan Miller betrayed the trust of his fellow union members and failed in his fiduciary duties when he stole over $58,000 from Steelworkers Local 2513 for his personal benefit through multiple embezzlement schemes,” said U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards District Director Thomas Murray. “Today's sentencing leaves no question as to the department’s commitment to seek justice when anyone puts personal financial gain ahead of the best interests of their fellow union members.”
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Resnick Cohen.
Former Monmouth County Resident Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Role in Fraudulently Obtaining over $3.7 Million in Cares Act LoansRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former resident of Monmouth County was sentenced to prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Kevin Aguilar, age 54, previously of Farmingdale, New Jersey, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court following Aguilar’s guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; seven counts of bank fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; three counts of wire fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; one count of money laundering; and one count of aggravated identity theft. Aguilar was sentenced to 192 months in prison.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2020 to April 2021, Aguilar conspired with others to submit seven fraudulent PPP loan applications and three fraudulent EIDL applications on behalf of four businesses. Based on the fraudulent applications, Aguilar received a total of approximately $3.3 million in PPP loan funds and approximately $450,000 in EIDL funds. After receiving the PPP and EIDL funds, Aguilar caused those funds to be transferred to other businesses that he created to give the false appearance that the PPP and EIDL funds were being used for legitimate purposes. Aguilar then used the PPP and EIDL funds to purchase residential properties in Sherman, Texas, a new truck for approximately $100,000, and to pay for other personal expenses.
In addition to the 192-month prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Aguilar to 5 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $3,772,567 in restitution, as well as a forfeiture money judgment of $3,772,567. Judge Shipp also ordered the forfeiture of approximately $1,511,221.62 that law enforcement seized from twelve bank accounts, as well as the three real properties in Sherman, Texas.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Kozar, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Economic Crimes United in Newark, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Laserna of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of the five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Defense counsel: Alyssa Cimino, Esq., Fairfield, New Jersey; Robert Brady, Esq., Newton, New Jersey
Former Employee of Telecommunications Company Admits to Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A former telecommunications company employee admitted to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in a scheme to fraudulently unlock the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards of thousands of mobile phones, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Richard Forrest Sherman, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court, to an information charging him with wire fraud conspiracy.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Sherman worked at a multinational telecommunications company. While there, he managed an account for a customer that received an exemption to unlock the SIM cards of mobile devices. Sherman exploited this exemption by creating a series of customer accounts within the carrier’s system to make the accounts look like an affiliate company of the customer that actually received the exemption. Sherman and others then submitted bulk unlocking requests through these fake affiliate accounts that Sherman set up before leaving the telecommunications company.
Sherman, through his entities, received payment from others in exchange for causing the fake affiliate accounts to successfully send International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers in bulk to the carrier. The carrier, believing that the fake affiliate company was entitled to the unlocking exception, unlocked these IMEIs in bulk. Unlocking these IMEIs permitted others involved in the scheme to resell the phones for profit – the phones would have otherwise remained locked or required payment of a fee to be unlocked. Sherman set up the fake affiliate accounts in or around 2013; he and his conspirators exploited the fraud scheme until it was discovered in August 2020.
The wire fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service’s Seattle Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Glen Peterson, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Nadel of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.
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Defense Counsel: Henry Klingeman, Esq. and Robert Westinghouse, Esq.
sherman.information.pdfFormer Chief Operating Officer Sentenced for Stealing from Morgantown Medical PracticeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Francisco Ortiz, age 50, the former chief operating officer of a Morgantown medical practice, was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ortiz, of Vacaville, California, defrauded Wedgewood Physicians, Inc. by diverting more than $650,000 for his own benefit. Ortiz used the funds to pay for personal items such as travel, home improvements, and online purchases. Ortiz also diverted some of the money for the benefit of co-defendant, James Mersing, a physician formerly employed by the practice. Mersing pled guilty to his role and was sentenced in October 2024.
Ortiz was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $692,176.19.
Ortiz will serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Former Army Soldier Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Child and Requesting a Sexually Explicit Photograph of a Different ChildRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A jury convicted a local man previously stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, at trial for victimizing two children.
Cedrick Demon Robinson, 42, Oxford, MS, was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Attempted Production of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct following jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker presided over the two-day trial.
“Protecting children from those who would abuse them and seeking justice for sexual predators remains one of our District’s highest priorities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “We will continue to seek justice for those who would victimize our most vulnerable citizens.”
As described in courtroom testimony, in December of 2013, Robinson sexually abused a minor by fondling the child’s genitals when the child was merely nine years old. Later, in 2017, Robinson requested that another child text him a sexually explicit photograph when the child was fifteen years old.
Robinson awaits sentencing upon the U.S. Probation Services completing a presentence investigation.
"Mr. Robinson's conviction is a testament to the diligent work of our special agents and prosecutorial partners at the United States Attorney's Office," said Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Southeast Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Steven Ausfeldt. "Army CID will aggressively pursue anyone who would abuse or exploit our children."
The case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fort Stewart Office and prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Z. Spitulnik and Darron J. Hubbard.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Submit over 100 Fraudulent Voter RegistrationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Sanjar Jamilov (32, Uzbekistan) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit fraudulent voter registrations. Jamilov faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Dmitry Shushlebin (45, Russia) hired Jamilov and others to submit more than 100 fraudulent voter registration applications to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections in February and March 2023. These applications were submitted in names other than their own, in envelopes with return and address labels that were identically formatted, including containing the same typographical error, and bore various indicia of fraud including, among other things, repeating dates of birth and addresses and nearly sequential Social Security numbers. Change of address forms were also submitted to the U.S. Postal Service to route mail to the names and addresses on the fraudulent applications to three locations that Shushlebin and Jamilov allegedly controlled. The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections was able to detect the fraud and rejected the fraudulent applications.
Dmitry Shushlebin has been charged for his alleged role in this case. The case is currently pending.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Marcet and Trial Attorney Leo Wise from the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section.
Florida Resident Pleads Guilty to Mail and Wire Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Hudson, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal fraud laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Paul Andrew Gulbronson, 59, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around May 2017 to in and around June 2019, Gulbronson conspired to commit mail and wire fraud. Gulbronson operated Citrona Homes LLC, which had offices located in Holliday, Florida, and in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and solicited investments. The purported business plan of Citrona Homes LLC, as represented to some of the investors, was to purchase low value, distressed, or vacant properties; renovate the properties, ensuring that they complied with applicable building code; rent the properties, and sell the properties to investors at or under market value. Investors were told that Citrona Homes LLC would manage the properties, provide no-cost maintenance and repairs for the first two years, and pay the utilities for a small monthly fee, thus generating a stream of guaranteed passive income for the investors. In reality, Gulbronson used Citrona Homes LLC as a mechanism for enriching himself by defrauding investors into purchasing unrenovated properties at prices far above the fair market value of the properties through a series of false pretenses, representations, and promises.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Brendan T. Conway are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Gulbronson.
Five Individuals Charged with Attempted Kidnapping of Man in MayagüezRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 24, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging five individuals with conspiracy to kidnap and the attempted kidnapping of a man in Mayagüez on July 12, 2024, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico and Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.
According to the Indictment, beginning on a date unknown, but not later than on or about May 21, 2024, to on or about July 12, 2024, defendants [1] Edilberto Aponte-Sánchez, [2] Anthony Esquilín-Guzmán, [3] Ramdy Kaleb Ocasio-Pagán, [4] Jocner Martínez-Correa, and [5] Dylan Camacho-Álvarez conspired and agreed with each other to unlawfully and willfully kidnap, abduct, or carry away and hold for ransom, reward, or otherwise, H.R.G. by using means, facility, or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce in committing or in furtherance of the commission of the offense, namely motor vehicles, messaging applications, and cellular telephones in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1201(c). The defendants are also charged with the attempted kidnapping of the victim (H.R.G.) in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1201(d) and 2.
On July 12, 2024, the defendants attempted to kidnap the victim (H.R.G.) from a parking lot in Mayagüez by trying to force him into a van. The victim fought back, and the defendants fled the scene.
“I commend the tireless efforts of the FBI, Puerto Rico Police Bureau, and prosecutors in the investigation of this case,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “This case reinforces the importance of being aware of your surroundings at all times -- whether you are leaving the bank or ATM after making a withdrawal of money, putting gasoline in your car, or just walking down the street while texting on your cell phone. If you see something that doesn’t look right, trust your instincts.”
“Violence in our communities will never be tolerated,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The FBI and our partners will relentlessly investigate those who prey on innocent people — wherever they hide, however long it takes.”
If convicted, the defendants face a sentence of up to life in prison as to the conspiracy to commit kidnapping and up to twenty years in prison for the attempted kidnapping. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the investigation with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Deputy Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit Jeanette Collazo and AUSA Corinne Cordero Romo are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
An indictment 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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Ecuadorian 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, Alex Patin-Patin, 28, of South Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to time served. The defendant, who had been detained since his arrest on February 5, 2025, previously pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been removed.
According to court records, Patin-Patin is an Ecuadorian national who unlawfully entered the United States near Santa Teresa, New Mexico in February 2022. He was ordered removed by a United States Immigration Judge in June 2022, and federal authorities removed him from the United States on or about July 7, 2022. It is unknown where or when Patin-Patin re-entered the United States, but in April 2024 Patin-Patin was arrested in South Burlington, Vermont for unrelated charges. Because Patin-Patin 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 thanked the agents from Enforcement and Removal Operations, a component of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, for their efforts in locating Patin-Patin and assisting in this prosecution.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Arra and Matthew Lasher. Patin-Patin was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth.
Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Nicholas David Welter, age 32, from Dubuque, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
In a plea agreement, Welter admitted that on October 18, 2024, law enforcement officers found him while he was sitting in a vehicle in Dubuque. There was a loaded stolen firearm near his feet. Welter admitted that he possessed the gun. Welter has prior felony convictions for theft second degree and burglary third degree.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Welter remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Welter faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1001. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche Visits the Eastern District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf welcomed Deputy Attorney General of the United States Todd Blanche for a visit to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (EDPA) on Friday. Deputy AG Blanche was accompanied by Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove.
During their visit, Deputy AG Blanche and Principal Associate Deputy AG Bove met with U.S. Attorney Metcalf and his leadership team to talk about significant issues and cases in the District, and spoke with the office’s prosecutors and professional staff.
In his remarks to EDPA personnel, Deputy AG Blanche discussed Department of Justice priorities, including combating transnational gangs, violent crime, drug trafficking, and illegal immigration, and expressed his appreciation for the office’s steadfast commitment to upholding the rule of law and making communities across the District safer.
Deputy AG Blanche and Principal Associate Deputy AG Bove also met with federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders to underscore the importance of our partnerships in improving public safety, and traveled to Philadelphia’s Kensington section to see firsthand the devastating toll of the ongoing opioid epidemic on the neighborhood and its residents.
“We were honored to host Deputy Attorney General Blanche for the first visit of his tenure to a U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “It was an opportunity to highlight both the important casework being done here to benefit the people of Eastern Pennsylvania, as well as the ongoing public safety challenges that remain. My office will continue to work in lockstep with the Department of Justice and our partners at every level to address those challenges and prosecute the criminals responsible.”
Denver Man Sentenced to 194 months in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Tyrell Braxton, 25, of Denver, was sentenced to 194 months in federal prison after being found guilty by a federal jury of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
According to the facts established at trial, Braxton was charged in connection with a shooting that took place in the early morning hours on August 19, 2023, when a large group of people were gathered on the southwest corner of 28th and Welton Street in Denver. Shortly before 4am, multiple gunshots were heard, and Denver Police officers were dispatched to a shooting. Crime scene evidence collected on scene showed that eight different firearms were fired, resulting in 71 spent shell casings. Video evidence captured Braxton shooting six times into a group of people, killing one man and injuring two women. Braxton ran across Welton Street, but continued to fire his firearm eight more times. Braxton fled the scene and was a fugitive before being captured. Braxton was on federal supervised release at the time for a prior unlawful possession of a firearm and had been released from prison in April 2023.
“Tyrell Braxton’s wanton violence took another’s life,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell. “Our community is safer with him in prison.”
“Fighting violent crime is our top priority, and we are unwavering in our commitment to eradicating violent criminals from our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “The ATF Denver Field Division will continue to deploy all resources at our disposal and leverage every law enforcement partnership in pursuit of those who terrorize our communities with violence.”
“The Denver Police Department appreciates our great partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. “Through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, DPD and our partners worked to prove the dangers Mr. Braxton possessed to our community and this sentence demonstrates our collective commitment to safety.”
United States District Judge R. Brooke Jackson presided over the sentencing. The Denver Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Celeste Rangel and Special Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 24-cr-00029-RBJ
Court Sentences Fentanyl Trafficker to 33 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – On April 29, 2025, United States District Court Judge William H. Steele sentenced Isaiah Lorenzo Bess, 28, to 33 months imprisonment for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
Documents filed with the court established that beginning in or around July 2023 and continuing to or about December 8, 2023, Bess conspired with others to distribute fentanyl pills throughout the Mobile area.
Bess was indicted for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge William H. Steele sentenced Bess to 33 months in prison followed by a 5-year term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Court Enjoins Arizona Animal Drug Manufacturer from Distributing Unapproved DrugsRead the Press Release
A federal court ordered an Arizona company to stop distributing unapproved animal drugs that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), the Department of Justice announced.
In a civil complaint filed on August 29, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, the United States alleged that AniCell Biotech LLC and its founder and chief executive officer, Brandon T. Ames, violated the FDCA at the company’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, by manufacturing and distributing unapproved animal drugs. According to the complaint, AniCell Biotech makes and distributes animal cell- and tissue-based products (ACTPs) derived from the amniotic tissue of horses for use in animals.
According to the complaint, AniCell and Ames claimed on their website and in promotional pamphlets that their products were intended for use in animals to treat various diseases and to promote tissue regeneration and healing. The complaint further alleged that AniCell and Ames made and sold new animal drugs that were considered adulterated and unsafe because they had not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the complaint, FDA provided defendants with multiple warnings, including a written warning letter regarding its need to submit its new animal drugs to the FDA for approval.
“Animal drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure that their products are safe and manufactured and sold in accordance with the law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work closely with FDA to pursue appropriate actions against drug manufacturers that violate the law.”
“Marketing unapproved new animal drugs that claim to cure, mitigate, treat or prevent diseases in animals can pose serious safety risks to consumers’ pets,” said Acting Director Dr. Timothy Schell of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. “The FDA will continue to pursue actions against those who may put animal patients in harm’s way by manufacturing and distributing unapproved new animal drugs.”
The defendants agreed to settle the suit and be bound by a consent decree permanently enjoining them from violating the FDCA. Under the court’s order, entered on April 17, the defendants must comply with specific requirements set forth in the injunction and the FDCA prior to manufacturing or distributing any new animal drugs.
Trial Attorney Coleen Schoch of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch handled the case, with assistance from Associate Chief Counsel of Enforcement Jaclyn E. Martinez Resly of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Connecticut Brother and Sister Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining $1.2 Million in Unclaimed PropertyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Henry J. White, Jr, age 75, and Patricia A. White, age 69, were both charged with conspiracy for agreeing to submit false and fraudulent claims for unclaimed property to state treasuries.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, White and White, who are siblings and residents of Old Greenwich, CT, allegedly agreed and worked together to submit over $1.2 million in false and fraudulent claims for unclaimed property from state treasuries around the United States. Henry J. White, Jr., using the names of corporate entities with which he was not affiliated and which he had no lawful authority to use, allegedly applied for and received unclaimed property from state treasuries throughout the United States. State treasuries, relying on the certifications provided by Henry J. White, Jr., under penalty of perjury, issued payment checks, which were generally sent by U.S. mail to the shared home address of both defendants.
From there, White and White allegedly deposited and cashed these fraudulently obtained payment checks, and these funds were then used for personal expenses, including for mortgage payments for their shared home in Connecticut.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Colorado City Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Role in Child Sexual Abuse RingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Torrance Bistline, 36, of Colorado City, Arizona, was sentenced on April 28, 2025, by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 35 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. On October 2, 2024, Bistline was convicted by a jury of one count of Using a Means of Interstate Commerce to Persuade or Coerce a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity; two counts of Destruction of Records in an Official Proceeding; one count of Conspiracy to Commit Destruction of Records in an Official Proceeding; one count of Tampering with an Official Proceeding; and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Tampering with an Official Proceeding.
Bistline’s charges were related to his participation in a years-long child sexual abuse conspiracy that spanned several states and victimized at least ten children. Bistline committed his crimes with others, including co-defendant Samuel Rappylee Bateman, the self-proclaimed leader of a religious sect based in Colorado City. In 2020 and 2021, some of Bateman’s followers gave Bateman their minor daughters and wards as child “brides” to sexually abuse. Bateman and ten of his other followers previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy and were not part of the trial against Bistline.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bistline sexually abused one of Bateman’s child “brides” during a group sexual activity. He later tried to hide and destroy evidence to interfere with the investigation. Bistline also provided financial support, including luxury vehicles, to the child sex abuse ring.
The Phoenix Field Office of the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work rescuing and protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, the Colorado City Police Department, the Iron County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the St. George Resident Agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter.
CASE NUMBER: 22-CR-8092-010-PCT-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-065_Bistline# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Cleveland Man Sentenced for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Antonio D. Moncrief, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months in prison for selling fentanyl in Ohio County.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Moncrief, also known as “Tone,” was selling fentanyl on Wheeling Island. Investigators seized methamphetamine, cocaine, and 107 fentanyl pills at an apartment on North Front Street associated with Moncrief.
Moncrief will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Claremore Man Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter and AssaultRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Claremore man was sentenced today for involuntary manslaughter and assault that resulted in serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Jerry Dean Luton, III, 35, for Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Judge Russell ordered Luton to serve 84 months' imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
Court records show that in August 2023, Timothy Austin was driving with his wife when Luton crossed the center line, hitting the Austins' vehicle head-on, killing Timothy and injuring his wife of more than 51 years. The investigation revealed that Luton was driving without a license and impaired by alcohol, methamphetamine, and marijuana in his system.
Luton is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Cyran prosecuted the case.
Canonsburg Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Justin Darby, 37, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about October 28, 2021, Darby knowingly altered and destroyed records associated with an application on his cellular telephone with the intent to impede and obstruct an investigation of him for offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children. The Court also was advised that, on February 6, 2024, as well as on three additional occasions with three additional minor victims, Darby attempted to and did induce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, Darby remained detained.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Darby.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Canastota Woman Sentenced to 5 Years for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jessica Snyder, age 46, of Canastota, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 5 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and a heroin/fentanyl mixture, and for possessing firearms as an unlawful user of controlled substances.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood made the announcement.
As part of her prior guilty plea, Snyder admitted that from approximately October 2020 through May 17, 2022, she conspired with her husband, Andrew Snyder, to distribute both methamphetamine and a heroin/fentanyl mixture to others out of the garage of their home in Madison County. Snyder further admitted that on May 17, 2022, while she was an unlawful user of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, she possessed two 9mm handguns and ammunition.
Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Snyder to serve a 4-year term of supervised release following her release from prison and to forfeit the two 9mm handguns and ammunition she possessed.
Andrew Snyder was sentenced earlier this month to 60 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by ATF and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas R. Sutcliffe and Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine from California to VirginiaRead the Press Release
HARRISONBURG, Va.. – A California man, who admitted to trafficking more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine more than 2,500 miles from California to Virginia, was sentenced recently to 10 years in federal prison.
Raul Valencia Gonzalez, 40, previously pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, in 2024 Gonzalez drove more than 2,500 miles in a vehicle filled with approximately 105 pounds of methamphetamine from California to Virginia for the purpose of transporting drugs for sale in connection with a larger drug trafficking organization. Court documents state that the methamphetamine was hidden in the trunk and under the driver’s seat. The Government also stated in a sentencing memorandum that Gonzalez had photographs of what appeared to be methamphetamine and cocaine on his cell phone.
Gonzalez has admitted to being paid $4,000 to act as a courier for these drugs.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Washington Division made the announcement.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case for the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Welsh and Vito A. Iaia prosecuted the case for the United States.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Operating an Illegal Gambling Business, Tax Evasion, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A California man pleaded guilty today to operating an illegal gambling business, tax evasion, and money laundering.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Christopher Scott King, of Santa Monica, California, operated an illegal bookmaking business. Working out of Los Angeles County, King used a sports betting website based in Costa Rica to facilitate bettors wagering on sporting events in violation of both California state and federal law.
King also evaded his taxes. Between 2019 and 2022, King concealed $13,586,493 of income from the IRS by, among other things, not reporting all of his income on his tax returns. On his 2022 income tax return, for example, King reported $143,258 in taxable income, but, in reality, he earned more than $5 million in income that year.
King laundered his money by channeling it through real estate development projects and gold. King also used money he received from his illegal gambling business to fund his brokerage and financial accounts. As part of his plea agreement, King has agreed to pay $10 million in a personal money judgment of forfeiture at the time of sentencing.
In total, King caused a tax loss to the IRS of $3,804,218.
King is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion, operating an illegal gambling operation, and accepting a financial instrument for unlawful internet gambling, and 10 years in prison for money laundering. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation’s International Tax and Financial Crimes group and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys John C. Gerardi and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
California City Councilmember Charged with Hazardous Waste Transportation Conspiracy that Risked Death or Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
Michael Kulikoff, 39, of California City, was arrested today on an indictment charging him with conspiracy to transport and cause to be transported a hazardous waste without a manifest and placing another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in February 2024, Kulikoff was a city councilmember in California City and owned a car wash business. On Feb. 25, 2024, Kulikoff learned that a mercury exposure incident had occurred at his car wash. An individual had spilled a jar containing several ounces of mercury inside the cabin of a sports utility vehicle and had attempted to clean up the mercury using a vacuum cleaner. The individual then drove the contaminated SUV to a residence in California City, where he called 911 because he was experiencing symptoms related to mercury exposure.
California City emergency services personnel responded to the scene and scanned the SUV for mercury. They detected approximately 20 times the allowable limit of mercury inside the SUV’s cabin and put yellow caution tape around the SUV to deny entry to it. They also shut down the car wash business. Kulikoff attempted to clean up the business himself but was told by the emergency services personnel that he had to stop because it was a hazardous materials scene and was unsafe.
Early the following morning, Kulikoff conspired with another person to move the contaminated SUV outside of city limits. He directed the other person to drive the contaminated SUV from California City to Boron because the SUV was causing problems for Kulikoff in California City, and he wanted the SUV to be outside the jurisdiction of California City emergency services personnel. Emergency services personnel left the location of the contaminated SUV scene to respond to a report of a fire that turned out to be a false report. When they returned to the scene, the contaminated SUV was gone. A couple of hours later, Kern County emergency services personnel found the contaminated SUV at the residence of the individual who had moved the vehicle at Kulikoff’s direction. That individual also complained of symptoms related to mercury exposure.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Kulikoff faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to transport hazardous waste and a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine per day of violation for placing another person in imminent danger. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant
Buffalo man going to prison for 20 years for sex trafficking minorsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Steven Gonzalez a/k/a Steven Hernandez, a/k/a Steve, a/k/a Stevie, a/k/a Unc, 48, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of sex trafficking by coercion, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel L. Violanti, Caitlin M. Higgins, Joseph Tripi and Joshua Violanti, who handled the case, stated that between 2012 and March 2015, Gonzalez coerced a minor, identified as A.N., to engage in commercial sex acts. Gonzalez provided A.N. with cocaine in exchange for sex knowing that A.N. was physically addicted to cocaine. Gonzalez used A.N.’s addiction to cocaine and other drugs to keep A.N. dependent on himself and to coerce A.N. to engage in commercial sex acts with him directly.
In addition, between 2012 and 2013, Gonzalez coerced another individual, identified as B.E., to engage in commercial sex acts. Gonzalez provided B.E. with heroin in exchange for sex, knowing that B.E. was physically addicted to heroin. Gonzalez used B.E.’s addiction to keep B.E. dependent on himself and to coerce B.E. to engage in commercial sex acts with him directly.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Brewton Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Sending Death Threat to a South Alabama District AttorneyRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama announced today that a Brewton, Alabama man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for sending a death threat to a district attorney in south Alabama.
On April 28, 2025, a federal judge in Mobile sentenced 54-year-old William Terry Holmes to 60 months in prison after Holmes pleaded guilty to mailing a threatening communication. The sentence, the maximum allowed under the federal statute, will run consecutively to the state prison term Holmes is currently serving with the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) on unrelated charges. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition to the prison sentence, Holmes was ordered to pay $26,185.70 in restitution.
According to court documents and Holmes’s plea agreement, the threat arose after a man that Holmes claimed to know was convicted of capital murder for the killing of a police officer. On March 19, 2024, Holmes, who was an inmate serving a state prison sentence with ADOC, sent a letter to the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the capital murder case. The letter began, “I am personally writing you to inform you we know where you live,” and went on to identify Holmes as a member of a known white supremacist group. Holmes threatened that the district attorney, the district attorney’s family, and the judge involved in the case would suffer “a very horrible and painful death” in retaliation for the conviction and the pursuit of the death penalty against his alleged associate.
On March 22, 2024, agents interviewed Holmes. During the interview, Holmes admitted to writing the letter and claimed he had associates watching the district attorney, warning that the prosecutor had only hours to live. Security precautions had already been taken to protect the district attorney and his family. Holmes pleaded guilty to mailing the threatening communication on January 28, 2025.
“No one who serves the cause of justice, or the families of those who serve, should ever be threatened for doing their job,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Our system depends on the courage of prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement officers. Threats against them are attacks on the rule of law itself and cannot be tolerated.”
“There is no place in our justice system for threats of violence – especially leveled at officers of the court,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI is committed to ensuring those who serve justice can do so without fear and will hold offenders accountable.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mobile Field Office investigated this case, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb from the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case.
Brazilian National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national residing in Worcester, Mass. has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Thiago Aquino-De Paula, 34, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Aquino-De Paula was charged by complaint March 2025 and is currently in federal custody.
According to the charging documents, Aquino-De Paula was deported from the United States on three previous occasions including on or about Nov. 4, 2021. It is alleged that sometime after his Nov. 4, 2021 removal, Aquino-De Paula illegally reentered the United States without permission. Aquino-De Paula was found in Massachusetts after being arrested in Uxbridge for allegedly operating under the influence.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant 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 Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Billings man sentenced to almost 5 years in prison for distributing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 57 months in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Ryder Lyle Allard, 37, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that beginning in at least March of 2022 and continuing until in or about October of 2022, at Billings and elsewhere, Allard distributed methamphetamine, which was corroborated by controlled purchases by undercover law enforcement officers and confidential sources in 2022.
On September 13, 2022, law enforcement executed a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Allard. The transaction, which was audio-recorded, involved two undercover officers meeting with Allard in a vehicle at a gas station in Billings. During the meeting, Allard sold the undercover officers roughly 1.5 ounces of methamphetamine for $1,365.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case, and the investigation was conducted by the DEA.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Billings man arraigned on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man accused of distributing child pornography appeared today for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Kole David Kuntz, 41, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with 2 counts of distribution of child pornography. If convicted of the charges contained in the indictment, Kuntz faces a mandatory minimum 5 years to 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Tim Cavan presided. Kuntz was released pending further proceedings.
The indictment alleges that in November 2024, the defendant knowingly distributed a visual depiction using any means or facility of interstate commerce, including by computer and the internet, the production of such visual depiction involved the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and the visual depiction was of such conduct.
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 documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. 25-40.
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.
Arkansas Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Jared James Dabbs, 41, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced last week to 40 years in federal prison on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and three counts of receipt of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee.
A federal grand jury indicted the defendant in December 2022. On August 19, 2024, he pled guilty to all counts in the indictment.
On March 8, 2022, Dabbs pawned his laptop at Big Boss Pawn and Gun in Giles County, Tennessee. When the pawn shop owner inspected the laptop to confirm it was operable, he found child sexual abuse material on the laptop and contacted law enforcement. Dabbs was identified as the person who pawned the laptop. The next day, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the defendant’s laptop and located images of child sexual abuse material including images the defendant produced of the minor victim. That same day, the Giles County Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, where they seized multiple electronic devices. Following his arrest, Dabbs was interviewed by law enforcement officers, and he admitted creating sexual abuse material of the minor victim, that he engaged in sexual contact with the minor victim on multiple occasions, and that he downloaded and viewed child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices.
“The protection of children in our communities from sexual predators is among the highest priorities of the Department of Justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Thanks to the efforts of our prosecutors and our law enforcement partners, Jared Dabbs will never hurt another child again and justice has been done.”
“This case underscores the critical role that everyday citizens can play in combating child sexual exploitation,” said a Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “Because of the vigilance of a sharp-eyed pawn shop employee, law enforcement was alerted, responded swiftly, and a child predator was removed from the streets.”
"Children are among the most vulnerable in our communities," said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI is committed to finding and arresting those who prey on children, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure these predators are off the streets and held accountable for their heinous crimes."
Following his sentence of incarceration, Dabbs will be on supervised release for 10 years and he is required to register as a sex offender. The Court also ordered Dabbs to pay $69,600 in restitution.
Homeland Security Investigations, FBI Nashville Field Office, and the Giles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica R. Morrison and Robert E. McGuire prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Arizona Man Sentenced to Prison for COVID-19 and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
An Arizona man was sentenced to 4 years in prison for filing false tax returns and loan applications to obtain COVID-19 disaster relief.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, to create the appearance that he was operating several businesses, Roy Layne of St. David, Arizona filed paperwork with the IRS, applied for a business license from the City of Tuscon, opened business bank accounts, and filed false employment-related tax returns. In April 2020, he filed an application with the U.S. Small Business Administration, that claimed he operated a “wholesale” business with 17 employees that had revenue of more than half a million dollars a year. In 2021, he submitted a false application for a Paycheck Protection Act Loan, claiming that same “wholesale” business had 31 employees, and $1.2 million in revenue. Layne ultimately received $306,700 in COVID-19 related loans to which he was not entitled.
In addition, Layne used the personal identifying information and identity of another person to file false claims for refunds with the IRS. In total, Layne claimed over $7.4 million in false refunds, of which the IRS paid $590,000.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker ordered Layne to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $856,692.91 in restitution to the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Interim U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine of the District of Arizona made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are conducting the investigation.
Trial Attorney Matthew R. Hoffman of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier of the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
Adair County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jimmy Darrell Porter Jr., age 40, of Westville, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.00.
The Indictment alleged that on August 4, 2024, Porter knowingly used, carried, brandished, and discharged a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, and the Westville Police Department.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Porter will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
25 Members of a Violent Gang in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On April 9, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 25 violent gang members from the municipality of Mayagüez with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) Mayagüez Strike Force were in charge of the investigation of the case, with the collaboration of the United States Marshal Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Response Team (SRT), and the Guaynabo Municipal Police SRT collaborated during the arrests.
“The prosecution of this drug trafficking gang demonstrates our determined efforts to protect our communities from the violent crime and gun violence they bring to our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “Our prosecutors will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to make our neighborhoods safe and bring criminals to justice.”
“Today, we sent a clear message: violence, drugs, and organized crime will find no safe haven in Puerto Rico,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “Thanks to the courage of our Special Agents and Police of Puerto Rico Task Force Officers, with the unwavering support of our federal partners, we disrupted a criminal network that terrorized our communities for years. The FBI remains fully committed to protecting our people, restoring peace to our neighborhoods, and holding violent offenders accountable.”
The indictment alleges that from in or about April 2021 through the present, the drug trafficking organization distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), cocaine, and marihuana within 1,000 feet of Rafael Hernández (Kennedy) Public Housing Project (PHP), the Manuel Hernández Rosa (Candelaria PHP), the El Carmen (PHP), and other areas nearby nearby the municipality of Mayagüez, all for significant financial gain and profit.
The goal of the drug trafficking organization was to maintain control of all the drug trafficking activities within the controlled areas using force, threats, violence, and intimidation. In preserving power and protecting territory, the members of the organization incurred in violent acts including but not limited to murder in order to protect themselves and their organization. Members of the criminal organization also transported and distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants had meetings to discuss strategy and plan of their criminal activities, including but not limited to acts of violence. The co-conspirators held meetings to discuss drug trafficking business and issues between gang members. During said meetings, incarcerated defendants and co-conspirators would participate via phone call. The defendants and their co-conspirators used violence to take over other areas and sell their own narcotics at those areas to increase their power and profits.
The defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, to include: leaders, drug point owners, enforcers, runners, sellers, drug processors, lookouts, and facilitators. The members of the gang used force, violence, and intimidation to intimidate rival drug trafficking organizations, and to discipline members of their own organization. The defendants charged in the drug trafficking conspiracy are:
[1] Jonathan Martínez González, a.k.a. “J/El Brother”
[2] Isaías Jaseph Molina Valle, a.k.a. “Simio/Simi”
[3] Juan A. Ortiz Mendoza, a.k.a. “Abuelo/Abu/Ablo”
[4] Fernando Manuel Torres Ruiz, a.k.a. “La M”
[5] Jonathan Enrique Rodríguez Acosta, a.k.a. “John Pri/Pri”
[6] Franschesca M. Rivera-Valle, a.k.a. “Cheska”
[7] Joseph G. Ríos Vélez
[8] Jomael Enrique Aponte Rivera, a.k.a. “Farru”
[9] Abdiel Sánchez Negrón
[10] Michael J. Marrero García, a.k.a. “Michael El Pato”
[11] Héctor A. Rosado Matías, a.k.a. “Bebo/Bebito”
[12] Christopher Santiago Rivera, a.k.a. “Gato”
[13] Jesus D. Rodríguez Soto, a.k.a. “John”
[14] Luis Joel Couret Clas, a.k.a. “Shaggy”
[15] Julio E. Mangual Vargas, a.k.a. “Julio Maraña”
[16] Fredwin Yomar Álvarez, a.k.a. “Bombilla”
[17] Héctor M. Cotto Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Tello”
[18] Ezequiel Soto Bonilla, a.k.a. “Bigote”
[19] Carlos Mikel Rodríguez Núñez, a.k.a. “Mikel/Fosforito”
[20] Carlos Obed La Llave Otero, a.k.a. “Security/El Gordo”
[21] Michael Concepción Soto
[22] Héctor Javier Surita Muñiz, a.k.a. “Coquito/Surita”
[23] Merchisede Rivera Pérez, a.k.a. “Merquisedec Rivera Pérez/Melchicede Rivera Pérez/El Negro/Melqui”
[24] José C. Colón-Félix, a.k.a. “Fresita”
[25] Antonio M. López Olivencia, a.k.a. “Delivery”
Fifteen defendants are charged in Count Seven with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and seven of those defendants are facing one count of possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The FBI thanks the PRPB Mayagüez Strike Force for their assistance in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares, and AUSAs Laura Díaz González, and Héctor Siaca Flores are prosecuting the case. If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. If convicted of both the drug and firearms charges in Count Seven, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to life in prison. The defendants charged with possession of machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking in Count Eight face a mandatory sentence of thirty years in prison to be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the drug trafficking charges. All defendants charged in the drug conspiracy are facing a narcotics forfeiture allegation of $19,710,000.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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28 April 2025
West Virginia Man Faces Federal Sexual Exploitation of a Minor ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Donald Robert Wilt Edwards, Sr., 29, of West Virginia, for sexually exploiting a minor. The former Baltimore resident is charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, three counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Colonel Jack Chambers, West Virginia State Police.
According to the indictment, on June 13, 2024 — while Edwards was still residing in Baltimore — Edwards persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor male to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Edwards produced and transmitted a visual depiction of the conduct. Further, the indictment alleges Edwards distributed the visual depictions using an internet-based account and he possessed child sexual abuse material on a digital device.
If convicted, Edwards faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor; a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years for each of the three counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material; and a maximum of 20 years for possession of child sexual abuse material. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
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 Attorney’s 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Click the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page to learn about Internet safety education.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, BPD, the West Virginia State Police, and West Virginia Parole and Probation Office for their work in the investigation. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reema Sood and Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Washington Man Indicted for Abusive Sexual Contact and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that on April 2, 2025, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Michael R. Trout, 45, with Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor, Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography, and Commission of a Felony Sex Offense by an Individual Required to Register as a Sex Offender.
Trout was arrested by federal and state law enforcement officers and made his initial appearance in federal court on April 4, 2025.
In late January 2025, the Investigative Services Branch of the National Park Service received a report of an assault that had occurred between July 18 and July 23, 2024, in Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.
Trout has prior Washington State convictions for Rape and Burglary with Sexual Motivation. Because of these convictions, Trout was required under state and federal law to register as a sex offender.
If members of the public have any information regarding related crimes that Trout may have committed, they are encouraged to call the NPS crime tip line at 888-653-0009, email [email protected], or submit a tip online.
This case is being investigated jointly by Nation Park Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Washington State Patrol, and Spokane Police Department, as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2:25-cr-00050-TOR
Wake Forest Woman Sentenced to Prison for $85K COVID FraudRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Wake Forest woman was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by one year of home confinement, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, for conspiring to defraud the United States government with respect to Covid-19 Paycheck Protection Program loans. Sonya Lenise Davis, 57, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on August 7, 2024.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Davis and others lied on applications to the Small Business Association for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. These loans were a form of Covid-19 relief funding to help keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic. Davis did not qualify for these loans, but nevertheless lied, and helped others to lie, to steal money from the program. On her own loan application, Davis falsified information about her company, Sonya’s Braiding, by inflating the number of employees and income. Davis also assisted others to acquire and submit fake documents to bolster wage claims on their own PPP loans using fake IRS forms. In some instances, Davis also assisted conspirators to obtain fake bank statements. As a result, Davis and others illegally obtained more than $85,000 in Covid relief loan money.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney William Gilmore and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Labresh prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00299.
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Virginia Man Sentenced for Firearm and Ammunition ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Virginia man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Ted Therrien, 54, of Newport News, Va., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to time served (356 days) plus two weeks in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. In November 2024, Therrien pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents, on or around July 30, 2021, when boarding a commercial fishing vessel in Fairhaven, Mass., Therrien unlawfully possessed a Ruger .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and at least nine rounds of Remington .40 caliber ammunition. While on board the fishing vessel, after an argument with fellow crew members, Therrien discharged the firearm into the air. The U.S. Coast Guard was called and removed him from the fishing vessel. Therrien is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Steven Firth, Special Agent in Charge of Coast Guard Investigative Service, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Fairhaven Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney announces launch of a task force to combat illegal debanking in the Eastern District of VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division today announced the formation of the Eastern District of Virginia Equal Access to Banking Task Force.
The Task Force will investigate allegations of “debanking,” when banks refuse customers access to credit and other financial services based on impermissible factors under current federal and state law. This initiative will address allegations of debanking in the Commonwealth of Virginia by investigating allegations of debanking actions taken against Virginians, and if appropriate, seeking civil relief against banking institutions in federal or state court. The Task Force is currently staffed with officials from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, and the Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“Access to banking services is essential in today’s modern economy, and unlawful debanking practices prevent citizens from achieving financial security,” said U.S. Attorney Siebert. “My office, along with our partners in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and the Virginia Office of the Attorney General, is dedicated to eliminating these unlawful actions and ensuring that all Virginians can realize their own personal American dream.”
“All Americans have the right to fair access to banking,” said Assistant Attorney General Dhillon. “No customer should be refused credit or other financial services for discriminatory or unlawful reasons. The Justice Department will work together with our federal and state partners to vigorously enforce these rights and protections to the fullest extent of the law.”
"The practice of unlawful debanking undermines public trust and erodes the foundational principle of equal treatment under the law," said Attorney General Jason Miyares. "When banks act without accountability, they threaten not only individual livelihoods but also the broader promise of fairness and freedom that makes Virginia, and America, strong. No American should ever be denied access to basic financial services because of their political views, religious beliefs, or lawful activities."
The Task Force will work in partnership with federal financial regulatory agencies to systematically address and combat unlawful debanking. As part of this effort, U.S. Attorney Siebert and Assistant Attorney General Dhillon will convene regulatory partners to bring the full power of the federal government to bear on this important issue.
Individuals or entities who believe that they have been the victim of inappropriate debanking practices in Virginia are also encouraged to submit a complaint directly to the Task Force at [email protected]. Complaints in other jurisdictions can be submitted to the Civil Rights Division’s complaint portal. The Task Force will investigate whether the allegations demonstrate violations of federal or state law that warrant government enforcement action and will refer matters for civil and criminal prosecution as appropriate.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
U.S. Attorney Ed Martin Jr. Credits President Trump’s First 100 Days with 25% Drop in D.C. Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia is marking President Donald J. Trump's first 100 days by highlighting a 25 percent drop year-to-date in violent crime across the District, credited in part to the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative and the U.S. Attorney’s partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Metropolitan Police Department.
"Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and the efforts of our 'Make D.C. Safe Again' initiative, the District has seen a significant decline in violent crime," said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr.
"We are proving that strong enforcement and smart policies can make our communities safer,” he said.
“When President Trump chose me to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, he could have picked anybody, but he picked me, because he knew I am committed to preparing the nation’s capital for America 250, when we welcome the rest of the country and the rest of the world to celebrate America’s founding,” Martin said.
Martin is also a member of the president’s “Making DC Safe and Beautiful” Task Force.
“Violent crime often negatively impacts an entire community, and the victims are often left to pick up the broken pieces. It is our job to ensure that there are far fewer victims, and more people are held accountable for the crimes they commit,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood.
“The safety of our communities is our number one priority, and our actions will continue to reflect just how committed we are. We remain in lockstep with our law enforcement partners as well as the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure that people who arbitrarily engage in acts of violence are prosecuted and held accountable for their actions.”
According to data provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, total violent crime has declined by 25 percent year-to-date in 2025, with significant decreases in robberies, assaults with a dangerous weapon, and homicides.
In March of 2025, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. launched 'Make D.C. Safe Again', a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The U.S. Attorney's Office has brought federal firearms charges against 35 defendants since the launch of the 'Make D.C. Safe Again' initiative.
Recent cases include:
- Defendant Charged with Illegal Gun Possession in Superior Court Now Faces Federal Firearm Charge.
- District Man Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession Following Arrest in Northeast D.C.
- Indictment Charges Maryland Man with Illegal Possession of a Firearm.
- Felon with Firearm Indicted After Arrest for Committing Lewd Act in Northeast.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.