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Thursday 20 March 2025
Former Dansville teacher going to prison for 20 years on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Derek Hagen, 33, of Batavia, NY, who was convicted of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison and 15 years of supervised by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between January 2018, and July 21, 2021, Hagen engaged in a pattern of prohibited sexual conduct with Victim 1, a minor between the ages of 4 and 8, during which Hagen photographed and videoed himself subjecting Victim 1 to sexual contact. Hagen then distributed the images of Victim 1 to other individuals over the internet.
In addition, between May 2018, and July 19, 2018, Hagen was employed as an Assistant Teacher at the Brockport Childhood Development Center in the infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms. During this time, he produced and possessed sexually explicit images of children entrusted to his care. The children ranged in age from six months to five years. Hagen produced these images while changing diapers and assisting children who were learning to use the bathroom. Hagen distributed the images of these children to other individuals over the internet. Hagen also possessed approximately 50,000 images and videos of child pornography that he received from others via the internet.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
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Former Crofton Pastor Sentenced to over Two Years in Federal Prison for Fraud and Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Crofton, Kentucky, man was sentenced last week to 2 years and 3 months in prison for fraud and tax offenses.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Cincinnati Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation made the announcement.
According to court documents, Marvin Upton, 58, was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for 3 counts of bank fraud and 3 counts of filing false tax returns. Until recently, Upton was the pastor at Crofton Pentecostal Church in Crofton, Kentucky. The bank fraud charges arose from Upton’s scheme during the years 2013 to 2016 to defraud one of his elderly parishioners who suffered from dementia. During that same time period Upton also submitted multiple false tax returns which omitted income from the fraud scheme.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Upton was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $500,000 to the victim’s estate and $222,037 in restitution to the IRS.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Madison T. Sewell and Corinne E. Keel prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the National Elder Justice Task Force and the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. The Department of Justice’s mission of its Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. In response to the growing need and targeting areas of greatest concern, the Department of Justice stood up 10 task forces made up of 11 federal districts to combat a variety of elder abuse, including elder financial exploitation. Kentucky’s federal districts make up two of the 11 districts under the Initiative. Kentucky’s task force is comprised of investigators, prosecutors, and others at the local, state, and federal level with a common objective of protecting seniors across Kentucky.
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Former Controller Indicted for Embezzling over $1 Million from Fresno Fruit WholesalerRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Feb. 27, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against Sergio Zacarias Lopez, 57, a Mexican citizen residing in Fresno, charging him with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following his arrest today.
According to court documents, between January 2016 and June 2023, Zacarias Lopez abused his position as the accounting supervisor and controller to defraud a family-run Fresno fruit wholesaler. Zacarias Lopez would write multiple company checks payable to “cash” and then deposit them into his own personal bank account through local ATMs. He signed the fraudulent checks using the signatures of other employees with signatory authority, including one of the founders of the company. Through this scheme, Zacarias Lopez embezzled more than $1 million before he was eventually detected by one of the banks and terminated by the company. To secure his accounting role in the first place, Zacarias Lopez stole a valid social security number and used that along with other falsified employment documents to conceal his lack of legal status. The indictment also states that Zacarias Lopez was previously removed from the United States in 2000 and has not been permitted to return to the United States.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of bank fraud, Zacarias Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted of aggravated identity theft or illegal re-entry of a removed alien, he faces a penalty of two years in prison. 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 is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Columbus, Ohio, Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to FBI Regarding Disclosure of Information on Client in Drug and Sex Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former Columbus, Ohio, lawyer pleaded guilty in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to charges of making false statements to the FBI, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Dennis W. McNamara, 74, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2025, to two counts before Chief United States District Judge Sarah D. Morrison.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that McNamara—then a practicing lawyer in the Southern District of Ohio—represented a cooperating witness who provided information into a drug trafficking and sex trafficking organization operating in Columbus. At the time, McNamara was separately engaged in a sexual relationship with a female sex worker. McNamara informed the sex worker that he represented the cooperating witness and provided the woman with details of his client’s cooperation, placing his client at great risk of potential harm. When agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation questioned him regarding his disclosures, McNamara lied to agents about having revealed the information.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio was recused from the investigation and prosecution of this matter; the matter then was assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
A date for sentencing will be determined by the Court. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to five 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents and officers from the FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and Columbus Division of Police. The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force also collaborated on this investigation.
Former CEO of Kubient, Inc. Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Accounting Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PAUL ROBERTS, the founder, former Chief Executive Officer, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kubient, Inc., a publicly traded digital advertising technology company, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison. ROBERTS previously pled guilty to securities fraud for his execution of a scheme to defraud investors and auditors of Kubient, during which he caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in financial statements at the time of Kubient’s initial public offering and made material misrepresentations about the efficacy of Kubient’s proprietary fraud detection tool, Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”). ROBERTS’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Paul Roberts cooked the books. He lied to investors and auditors about his company’s revenue and about his company’s premier product: an AI-powered tool that, ironically, was supposed to detect fraud in the digital advertising industry. This Office is committed to holding corporate executives who defraud the investing public accountable for their crimes.”
According to information in court filings:
From October 2019 through March 2021, ROBERTS knowingly caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements, which was over 94% of Kubient’s reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its initial public offering (“IPO”) in August 2020. With his scheme, ROBERTS misled Kubient’s auditors and deceived the investing public about Kubient’s financial condition.
At the core of ROBERTS’s accounting fraud scheme was a fraudulent $1.3 million transaction that ROBERTS arranged between Kubient and another digital advertising technology company (“Company-1”). Kubient and Company-1 agreed to provide certain services to the other for nearly identical fees. For its part, Kubient agreed to use its proprietary fraud detection tool, KAI, to scan data provided by Company-1 and an affiliate for instances of digital ad fraud and then deliver the results of KAI’s findings to Company-1 and its affiliate. Neither Kubient nor Company-1, however, provided the agreed-upon services, yet they still paid each other $1.3 million, which Kubient improperly recognized as revenue.
To conceal his fraudulent scheme, ROBERTS directed Kubient employees to generate fake KAI reports based on made-up metrics and no underlying data at all. ROBERTS used the fake reports to mislead Kubient’s independent certified public accountants (the “Audit Firm”) into believing that Kubient had performed its contractual obligations when, in fact, Kubient had not, so that Kubient could recognize the associated revenue in its financial statements.
ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings and in management representation letters submitted to the Audit Firm relating to Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition. ROBERTS also repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings about the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud, including in connection with Kubient’s initial and secondary public offerings when Kubient was touting KAI as one of the company’s premier products that would differentiate it from its competitors.
Fueled by the misrepresentations about Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition and the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud that ROBERTS made in Kubient’s SEC filings and elsewhere, Kubient raised more than $12.5 million in its IPO in August 2020, resulting in its shares being publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange, and more than $20 million in its secondary public offering in December 2020. Now, Kubient is in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.
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In addition to the prison term, ROBERTS, 48, of Melville, New York, was sentenced to one year of supervised release.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the SEC, which filed a civil action against ROBERTS after he pled guilty, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin V. Rodriguez is in charge of the prosecution.
Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Making Hate Crime Threats against the Council on American-Islamic Relations (“CAIR”) Michigan ChapterRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Michael Shapiro, 73, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for issuing death threats to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (“CAIR”) Michigan Chapter, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Chad Baugh, Chief of the Canton Police Department.
According to court documents, Shapiro, of West Palm Beach, Florida, placed three separate phone calls to CAIR’s office located in Canton, Michigan, and left voicemails containing the following threats:
- December 8, 2023: “I’m going to kill you bastards. I’m going to kill you bastards.”
- December 14, 2023: ““I’m going to kill you mother f*****g bastards. Muslims! I’m going to kill you mother f*****s. I’m going to kill you! I’m going to kill you! I’m going to kill you!”
- December 15, 2023: “You’re a violent people. Why do you come to America? Why do you come to Europe? Mother f*****s. You’re violent. You’re killers. You’re rapists. I’m going to kill you mother f*****s!”
Shapiro pleaded guilty on December 3, 2024 to transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. Shapiro also admitted that he intentionally selected CAIR as the victim of his threat because of the actual and perceived religion and national origin of the people who work at and are assisted by CAIR.
“No one should be able to instill fear on an entire community by threatening violence. Today’s sentence sends a strong message that people who do so, especially when motivated by bias, will be aggressively prosecuted and severely punished, ” Acting U.S. Attorney Beck said.
"Today's sentencing of Michael Shapiro highlights the severe consequences of hate-driven threats and sends a strong message to others with similar malicious intentions," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "The FBI in Michigan remains committed to investigating and dismantling individuals or groups that sow fear and hatred within our communities. Mr. Shapiro's sentence serves as a stark reminder of our critical role in investigating federal hate crimes. We are dedicated to fostering positive relationships with our community, including faith-based organizations. In partnership with the Canton Police Department and the successful prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, we have ensured justice was served by holding Mr. Shapiro accountable for his actions.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Canton Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Lee Carlson.
Final Member of Tennessee Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring SentencedRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Michael Bailey, 38, of Spring City, Tennessee, to 25 years in federal prison for his role in an organized drug trafficking scheme that spanned the state of Tennessee. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the sentence today.
According to evidence presented in court, in 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force began an investigation into the illegal distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl by members and associates of the Aryan Nation in the Western District of Tennessee. By using controlled purchases of narcotics, search warrants, and other investigative tactics, agents determined Bailey and others were responsible for transporting and distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout Tennessee. During the investigation, agents seized approximately 18 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.5 pounds of powder fentanyl, and 18 firearms.
On September 6, 2024, Bailey was convicted at trial for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. On March 18, 2025, United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Bailey to 25 years in federal prison and ordered Bailey to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bailey was the final co-defendant to be sentenced in this drug trafficking conspiracy. Each of the following co-conspirators pled guilty and were sentenced by Judge Anderson as follows:
- Gregory Fleenor, 44, of Kingsport, TN: 300 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release
- James Payne, 41, of Puryear, TN: 100 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release
- Rose Rhear, 58, of Spring City, TN: 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release
- Rebecca Lustre, 41, of Crossville, TN: 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release
- Jeffrey Watts, 40, of Bradford, TN: 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release
- Brian Kennon, 49, of Paris, TN: 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release
- Timothy Miller, 61, of Greenfield, TN: 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release
The case was investigated by the FBI Nashville, Jackson Resident Agency and the 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force.
Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Christie Hopper and Immanuel Chioco, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Final Defendant Sentenced in Meth Conspiracy Tied to Officer’s MurderRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – The final defendant who participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine tied to the murder of Big Stone Gap, Virginia Police Officer Michael Chandler, was sentenced this week in federal court.
Brian Carroll, 43, of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 108 months.
Previously sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy were: Timothy Ray Jones - 235 months; Charles Ryan Bowman - 120 months; Elicia Amber Burns - 172 months; James Brian Mullins - 180 months; Justin Dwayne Skaggs - 132 months; Anthony Curtis Steven Holmes – 130 months; Tyler Lee Westmoreland - 54 months; Hailee Dietz and Paul Jones, each sentenced to 121 months; James Ray Worley - 120 months; Kacie Lynn Werner - 36 months; Amanda Nicole Blanton - 36 months; Lucille Vanover - 24 months and 17 days; Christopher Adam Dewayne Bates – 78 months; Misty Lynn Ward – 30 months; Keri Leann Corbin – 24 months and 19 days; and Tiny Westmoreland - 60 months.
Michael White was sentenced to 100 years for his murder of Officer Chandler in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
A total of 19 defendants were charged and convicted of conspiring to distribute in total more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as heroin and fentanyl. According to court documents, beginning in August 2021 and continuing until their arrest, the 19 defendants participated in a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine from Tennessee and other states into southwest Virginia, and then further distribute it throughout Wise County, Virginia.
Tragically, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on November 13, 2021, Officer Chandler responded to a welfare check call at 2505 Orr Street in Big Stone Gap, known locally as “the red house.” Upon arriving at the Orr Street address, Officer Chandler encountered a vehicle outside the residence and was immediately shot by Michael Donivan White. Officer Chandler died later that evening from his injuries. White was later located at a motel in Kingsport, Tennessee, and a subsequent search of the motel room revealed a Taurus, 9mm pistol. Further testing ultimately proved this firearm to be the same one that fired the shots that killed Officer Chandler. Michael Donivan White was indicted on federal and state charges for killing Officer Chandler and has since pled guilty and been sentenced to 100 years of active incarceration in both cases.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Virginia Police Department, the Kingsport Tennessee Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the East Tennessee Drug Task Force, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Virginia State Police, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, City of Norton Police Department, and Big Stone Gap Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena L. Busscher and Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case.
Felon extradited from Mexico pleads guilty to illegally acquiring multiple firearmsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old resident of Laredo has entered a guilty plea for his role in a scheme to straw purchase multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Between the February 2021 and July 2021, Jesus Guadalupe Covarrubias aided and abetted the straw purchasing of multiple rifles.
In July 2021, authorities discovered the theft of approximately 10 AK-style and 20 AR-style rifles at a ranch Covarrubias owned. As a convicted felon, Covarrubias is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
Further investigation led law enforcement to his residence in Laredo where they observed Covarrubias and others placing items into nearby vehicles. Covarrubias left the house with two others and went to a second home.
At that location, authorities observed the movement of three rifles from a truck into the house and took Covarrubias and others into custody.
Covarrubias admitted to knowing he was a convicted felon and unable to possess firearms and ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, he acknowledged sending others to stores to purchase firearms on his behalf.
After his arrest in August 2021, Covarrubias was permitted release upon posting bond but fled to Mexico. Law enforcement eventually took him into custody. He was returned to U.S. authorities Feb. 21.
“This case is an important reminder to criminals that they may run from justice, but they can’t hide,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas is appreciative of the efforts of all those, both in the United States and in Mexico, that made Mr. Corvarrubias’ extradition happen, so he could face justice.”
“Straw purchasing is not only a direct violation of the law, but it also endangers our communities by enabling prohibited incidentals to gain access to firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “These dangerous actions jeopardize public safety and undermine the trust that we place in our justice system. It is imperative that we hold accountable those who engage in straw purchasing, ensuring that our laws are enforced, and that justice is served to prevent the illegal flow of firearms into the wrong hands.”
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Covarrubias faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum find.
Covarrubias will remain in custody pending that hearing.
ATF conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Covarrubias. U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Covarrubias from Mexico to the Southern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day prosecuted the case.
Felon Indicted for Possession of Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident who has prior felony convictions made his initial court appearance Wednesday before United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe for allegedly being in possession of nearly 30 stolen firearms.
According to allegations contained in the indictment and statements made in court, on or about January 25, 2025, Francisco Iniguez (37) possessed 28 stolen firearms. Some of the stolen firearms included handguns, rifles and shotguns. He has prior felony convictions including possession of a firearm by a felon, driving or taking a vehicle without consent, grand theft, identity theft, and burglary in the second degree, all occurring in Los Angeles County, California. Iniguez is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm due to his prior felony convictions.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Iniguez with one count of possession of stolen firearms and one count of prohibited person in possession of firearms. A jury trial has been scheduled to begin on May 19, 2025, before United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty is 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
This case was investigated by ATF and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Law Enforcement Officer Charged with Falsifying Military Records to Take Hundreds of Free FlightsRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging DIOR JAY-JARRETT with a scheme to defraud a major airline carrier of nearly $70,000 in free or discounted flights by claiming to be on military leave for years after he retired from the U.S. Marine Corps. JAY-JARRETT was arrested this morning and was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Jay-Jarrett—a federal law enforcement officer who currently serves as a Federal Air Marshal for the Department of Homeland Security—racked up thousands of dollars in free or discounted flights while pretending to be deployed on military missions around the world. He did so while simultaneously swearing an oath to protect and serve the public. Federal law enforcement officers are responsible for upholding our laws, and they will be held responsible when they break them.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint:[[1]]
JAY-JARRETT served on active-duty in the U.S. Marine Corps from on or about December 9, 2013, until on or about November 29, 2022. While still on active-duty, on or about October 20, 2021, JAY-JARRETT also began employment as a baggage handler for a major airline carrier (“Airline-1”). After completing approximately one week of training, JAY-JARRETT requested and received from Airline-1 an approximately eight-month period of military leave by submitting falsified documents purporting to be Marine Corps orders for deployment that he in fact had never been issued.
In or about June 2023, JAY-JARRETT again submitted falsified documents to Airline-1 in order to receive another extended, approximately two-and-a-half-year long period of further military leave. In those documents, JAY-JARRETT claimed to still be in active-duty military service, when in fact he had already retired from the military in or about November 2022. On or about July 17, 2024, JAY-JARRETT again submitted falsified military orders to Airline-1, forwarding the same orders he provided the previous year.
JAY-JARRETT remained on military leave at Airline-1 even when he became a Federal Air Marshal with the Department of Homeland Security in or about October 2022, shortly before he retired from the Marine Corps. By remaining on supposed long-term military leave at Airline-1, JAY-JARRETT remained entitled to travel benefits including the ability to take unlimited, free flights on Airline-1, alongside ticketed family members or travel companions. From in or about November 2021 through September 2024, JAY-JARRETT took at least 130 such flights at a value of nearly $70,000.
Over the course of the scheme, from at least in or about December 2021 through in or about September 2024, JAY-JARRETT took free first-class flights to Los Angeles, London, San Diego, St. George’s, Las Vegas, and Dublin, and dozens more standard class flights to destinations including Antigua (five times), Aruba (three times), Bermuda (three times), Curaçao (twice), Barbados (twice), Belize (twice), the Grand Caymans (twice), Grenada (twice), Guatemala (twice), and a variety of other destinations including Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, and St. Maarten.
On or about September 29, 2024, during an interview with law enforcement officials, JAY-JARRETT admitted, in sum and substance, that he had retired from the Marine Corps in November 2022 without notifying Airline-1 that he had done so, and that he had submitted falsified military orders to Airline-1 stating that he was on military leave even after he had retired from the Marine Corps.
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JAY-JARRETT, 29, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office, the Transportation Security Administration – Investigations, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection – New York Field Office, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan T. Nees is in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._jay-jarrett_complaint.pdf[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Indicts 16 Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned indictments on March 19, 2025, charging a total of 16 illegal aliens with criminal immigration violations. Fourteen of the illegal aliens are charged with illegal reentry after deportation or removal. Two of the 16 are also charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Two additional illegal aliens are charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, Sam Olson, Field Officer Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Acting Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and U.S. Marshal Gary B. Burman of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement.
According to the indictments:
Moises Archaga-Garcia, age 46, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 10, 2025, Archaga-Garcia was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about July 30, 2003. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Darwin Martinez-Figueroa, age 41, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Martinez-Figueroa was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about May 17, 2014, and April 11, 2018. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Roberto Cruz-Pacheco, age 34, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Cruz-Pacheco was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 31, 2008. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Jose Rodriguez, age 39, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Rodriguez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 1, 2011, and February 28, 2020. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Marcos Juarez-Morente, age 38 a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 13, 2025, Juarez-Morente was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about January 20, 2006, and May 19, 2006. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Lorenzo Perez-Perez, age 33, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 10, 2025, Perez-Perez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 7, 2011, and January 21, 2016. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Aroldo Rodriguez-Navarro, age 40, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 10, 2025, Rodriguez-Navarro was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about August 25, 2009, and June 5, 2014. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Ewin Cabrera-Cabrera, age 33, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Cabrera-Cabrera was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about April 10, 2014, and February 7, 2013. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Williams Josue Rodriguez-Calix, age 28, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Rodriguez-Calix was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 12, 2018. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Esteban Perez-Crisostomo, age 45, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 13, 2025, Perez-Crisostomo was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about January 21, 2010. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Ramiro Galeana-Arzate, age 28, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 13, 2025, Galeana-Arzate was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 4, 2020. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Luis Alberto Torres-Flores, age 35, a citizen of El Salvador, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 10, 2025, Torres-Flores was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about August 29, 2014. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison.
Angel David Zuniga-Baca, age 35, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and reentry after deportation or removal. On or about October 12, 2024, Zuniga-Baca possessed a firearm in Jefferson County, Kentucky, with knowledge that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. On or about March 10, 2025, Zuniga-Baca was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about November 16, 2009, and April 25, 2014. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison.
Zoiber Hernandez-Dominguez, age 50, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On or about December 16, 2024, Hernandez- Dominguez possessed a firearm in Jefferson County, Kentucky, with knowledge that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Humberto Avila-Duran, age 54, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 13, 2025, Avila-Duran possessed a firearm in Jefferson County, Kentucky, with knowledge that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. On the same day, Avila-Duran was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about January 21, 2011, March 3, 2011, March 8, 2011, August 14, 2012, May 9, 2014, May 13, 2014, and November 13, 2020. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison.
Humberto Avila-Murillo, age 28, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On or about March 13, 2025, Avila-Murillo possessed a firearm in Jefferson County, Kentucky, with knowledge that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Yannelli, Josh Porter, Spencer McKiness, Erwin Roberts, Stephanie Zimdahl, Corinne Keel, Jo Lawless, Erin McKenzie, Amy Sullivan, Rob Bonar, and Alicia Gomez are prosecuting the cases.
The cases are being investigated by the HSI, ICE ERO, FBI, ATF, DEA, and USMS.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Enfield Man Charged with Cocaine Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Enfield Police Chief Alaric Fox today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging RAHKEEM BLAKLEY, 34, of Enfield, with a cocaine trafficking offense.
The indictment was returned on February 13, 2025. Blakley appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and entered a plea of not guilty. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on September 12, 2024.
The indictment alleges that, on September 12, 2024, Blakley possessed with intent to distribute cocaine. On that date, a search of Blakley’s residence on Main Street in Enfield revealed five handguns, gun magazines, ammunition, and approximately $73,000 in cash, and a search of two safety deposit boxes at a bank in Springfield, which were connected to Blakley, revealed more than $280,000 in cash.
The indictment charges Blakley with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of the firearms and cash seized on September 12, 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Enfield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Elizabeth Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing A GunRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Elizabeth man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.
Stanley Claiborne, 28, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin to an Indictment charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Judge Padin imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On the morning of July 14, 2022, members of the United States Marshals Service apprehended Claiborne near Market and Broad Streets in downtown Newark based on two unrelated arrest warrants. Claiborne was in possession of a loaded gun at the time of his arrest. Claiborne was previously convicted of unlawful possession of a handgun in New Jersey Superior Court, among other felony convictions, and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin sentenced Claiborne to 3 years of supervised release.
“This case is an excellent example of state and federal authorities partnering together to aggressively combat illegal gun possession in New Jersey"
U.S. Attorney John Giordano
“The arrest of Stanley Claiborne and prosecution for possessing an illegal firearm is a testament to the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office commitment to justice and safety for our communities throughout the state,” said Juan Mattos Jr., U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey.
U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Newark Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the United States Marshals Service (USMS), under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The investigation was also conducted as part of the USMS’s New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force (NY/NJ RFTF). The NY/NJ RFTF was formed in 2002 and has made an extraordinary impact on the investigation and apprehension of the region’s most dangerous and violent fugitives.
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.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clara Kim and Thomas S. Kearney of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, Verona, New Jersey
Duncansville Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Duncansville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 33 months of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release, on his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws related to a six-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around Blair, Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties of Pennsylvania, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Douglas Hillegass, 62, on March 12, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, Hillegass was a methamphetamine distributor who obtained approximately six ounces of methamphetamine from a large-scale narcotics distributor. Hillegass then redistributed the methamphetamine to other individuals.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hillegass.
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.
Dracut Man Sentenced for Fraud Scheme Involving Online Sales of CosmeticsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dracut man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for carrying out a scheme to obtain products of an online cosmetics company through fraud and to resell those products on Amazon and eBay for a profit.
Nick Ashtar-Zadeh, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to six months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Ashtar-Zadeh was also ordered to pay $181,806 in restitution and forfeiture of $111,156. Ashtar-Zadeh was charged in September 2024 along with his brother, Nika Ashtar-Zadeh, and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in October 2024.
Between 2029 and 2021, Ashtar-Zadeh and his brother operated Amazon and eBay “stores” that offered various products for sale, including the products of a cosmetics company in Texas. The Ashtar-Zadehs offered the company’s products on these platforms to buyers for one-time payments that were typically equal to or below the company’s list prices for the same products. The Ashtar-Zadehs then enrolled these Amazon and eBay buyers in the company’s 30-day trial program for the same products. The brothers entered the buyers’ information on the company’s website, without the customers’ knowledge or consent, and caused the company to ship its products to those buyers for a trial period. For these orders, the Ashtar-Zadehs presented the company with forms of payment that fulfilled initial charges of $19.95 but were declined when the company attempted to charge later installments, after buyers had kept the products past 30 days. The brothers sold the company’s products in this manner to hundreds of buyers on Amazon and eBay, each time pocketing the difference between what the buyers paid them and the initial $19.95 upfront payment to the company. As a result of the conduct, the Ashtar-Zadehs cost the company hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In November 2024, Nika Ashtar-Zadeh pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing on May 21, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Entering the US After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to entering the United States after a prior removal.
According to court records, in January 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assisted the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) with a search warrant in Lewiston. During the warrant’s execution, investigators arrested Odanis Manuel Brea Mejia, 53, for drug trafficking. A records check showed that Brea Mejia was a Dominican national with an extensive criminal history who had been previously removed from the country in October 2021. He had not obtained consent to re-enter the United States. HSI notified U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and a Border Patrol agent transported Brea Mejia to the Rangeley Border Patrol Station.
Brea Mejia faces a maximum prison term of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from the MDEA.
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Dominican National Arrested for Role in Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Boston has been arrested for his involvement in a money laundering conspiracy.
Jose Miguel Pena de la Cruz, 32, was charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. He appeared in federal court on March 18, 2025.
According to the charging documents, between April 17, 2020, and May 14, 2020, Pena de la Cruz delivered $340,080 on behalf of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in Massachusetts so that the money could be laundered on behalf of a DTO based in Mexico.During the course of the conspiracy it is alleged that Pena de la Cruz laundered $340,080 by delivering bulk cash drug proceeds packaged in bundles to undercover law enforcement after DTO members communicated with the undercover officers to set up the transaction. Throughout the investigation more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl from the DTO for which Pena de la Cruz delivered the drug proceeds were seized.
The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 30 years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison for possessing firearms as a felon, possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in September 2023, Scott Eugene Smith, 43, led law enforcement on a car chase shortly before 10:15 am. The car chase concluded with Smith jumping out of a moving vehicle in a parking lot of a Des Moines hotel. Smith fired several shots at a Polk County Sheriff Deputy. Smith then hid his loaded pistol and threw away his cell phone. Smith hid inside the hotel office, where he was found and arrested several hours later. Methamphetamine, marijuana, pills containing fentanyl, and a second gun were found in the vehicle Smith drove during the car chase.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Smith will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Department of Defense civilian employee pleads guilty to taking classified documentsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A civilian electrical engineer for the Department of Defense pled guilty today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.
According to court documents, Gokhan Gun, 51, of Falls Church, was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and is a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States. Through his employment, Gun possessed a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and received training on the proper handling and storage of classified information.
Beginning in May 2024, Gun, without permission, removed at least five classified documents from his Department of Defense workspace with the intent to retain them at his primary residence, which was not an approved facility for the storage of classified information.
On Aug. 9, Gun was scheduled to depart the United States on a morning flight to Mexico. However, FBI agents observed a ride share service arrive at the defendant’s residence and approached Gun. Agents observed inside Gun’s residence a backpack inside which they located a Top Secret document and a notebook with handwritten notes that mirrored a Top Secret report. In the dining room, agents located additional classified documents, one of which Gun printed on August 7, 2024, just two days before his scheduled departure.
Gun is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 and faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Supervisory Official Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Phillip E. Bates, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office; and Lee M. Russ, Executive Director of Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Office of Special Projects, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the plea.
The FBI and AFOSI Office of Special Projects are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Gibbs for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Chantelle Dial for NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-199.
Department of Defense Civilian Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking Classified DocumentsRead the Press Release
A civilian electrical engineer for the Department of Defense pleaded guilty in federal court today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.
According to court documents, Gokhan Gun, 51, of Falls Church, Virginia, was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and is a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States. Through his employment, Gun possessed a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and received training on the proper handling and storage of classified information.
Beginning in May 2024, Gun, without permission, removed at least five classified documents from his Department of Defense workspace with the intent to retain them at his primary residence, which was not an approved facility for the storage of classified information.
On Aug. 9, 2024, Gun was scheduled to depart the United States on a morning flight to Mexico. However, FBI agents observed a ride share service arrive at the defendant’s residence and approached Gun. Agents observed inside Gun’s residence a backpack inside which they located a Top Secret document and a notebook with handwritten notes that mirrored a Top Secret report. In the dining room, agents located additional classified documents, one of which Gun printed on Aug. 7, 2024, just two days before his scheduled departure.
Gun is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 and faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Director in Charge Phillip E. Bates of the FBI Washington Field Office and Executive Director Lee M. Russ of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Special Projects (AFOSI) made the announcement.
The FBI and AFOSI Office of Special Projects are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Gibbs for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
Defense Contractor President Pleads Guilty to Bribery Scheme Involving $16 Million in Small Business Government ContractsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Philip Flores, the owner, president and chief executive of Intellipeak Solutions, Inc., a former defense contractor based out of Fredericksburg, Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he participated in a bribery scheme with former Naval Information Warfare Center employee James Soriano.
According to his plea agreement, Flores gave various things of value to Soriano, including expensive meals at restaurants in San Diego and Washington D.C., field level tickets and parking passes to Game 5 of the 2018 MLB World Series in Los Angeles, and tickets to the 2019 NFL Super Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia. The cost of tickets to these premier sporting events totaled over $18,000.
In return, Soriano used his position as a contracting officer’s representative at the Naval Information Warfare Center to ensure that Intellipeak was awarded numerous no-bid government contracts through the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program. Soriano secured the contracts by falsifying technical evaluations, providing high ratings to Intellipeak to do the contracted work, and approving Intellipeak’s invoices on the awarded contracts, despite knowing that Intellipeak was not doing the work but instead subcontracting out all or most of the work to non-8(a) companies in violation of the SBA 8(a) rules.
Soriano also exploited competitive contracting through the SBA 8(a) program to benefit Intellipeak over other contractors. For example, Soriano secretly allowed Flores to draft contract discriminators to ensure that Intellipeak was selected as a winning bidder on a competitive contract. Soriano also allowed Flores to secretly draft procurement documents for an $86 million competitive contract and then performed multiple steps to attempt to award the contract to Intellipeak even though its bid was $6 million higher than another contractor.
According to his plea agreement, Flores also exploited Intellipeak’s 8(a) small business status by marketing Intellipeak to other defense contractors, who were not part of the 8(a) program, as a way for those companies to get access to 8(a) sole source contracts, generally in exchange for “pass through” fee that was equal to 6 to 8 percent of the contract value. Flores charged his 6 to 8 percent fee to the government, which Soriano approved, even though both knew that Intellipeak was not doing the work on the contracts and the fee did not reflect performed work.
According to Flores’s plea agreement, as a result of the conspiracy, the government paid Intellipeak more than $16 million to perform work on approximately 26 government contracts and task orders. The profit Intellipeak made from these contracts and task orders was conservatively estimated to be between $550,000 and $1.5 million. Further, as part of his plea agreement, Flores has agreed to pay restitution to three small businesses that were foreseeable victims of the bribery scheme.
Flores is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson for sentencing on June 13, 2025.
“Those who undermine the integrity of the government procurement process will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “As this guilty plea demonstrates, we will continue to prosecute those individuals who put their own personal gain ahead of the system that supports our nation’s warfighters and at the expense of American taxpayers.”
“Mr. Flores’s plea agreement is a positive step toward accountability for his role in this illicit scheme,” said John E. Helsing, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “Mr. Flores sought to enrich himself and his company at the expense of the American taxpayers. DCIS remains committed to working jointly with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate and deter public corruption within the Department of Defense.”
“Mr. Flores’s participation in an illicit scheme to bribe a public official in exchange for unlawful enrichment in contract awards undermines the Department of the Navy’s commitment to a fair and unbiased procurement process,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our investigative partners remain committed to ensuring the continued integrity of the Department of the Navy’s acquisitions process.”
“Mr. Flores intentionally undermined the DoD contracting process,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “The DoD contracting process ensures our warfighters get the best equipment available and that American tax dollars are spent in a responsible manner. IRS-CI is committed to deterring and preventing this sort of fraud, in partnership with fellow law enforcement organizations, to ensure our servicemembers are properly equipped to fight and win in an increasingly complex battlespace.”
“Those who engage in bribery schemes to gain access to preferential small business contracts will be aggressively investigated,” said SBA OIG’s Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shafee Carnegie. “Our office will relentlessly pursue fraudsters who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs for small businesses. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.”
Soriano was charged as a co-defendant and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in 23-cr-2282-TWR. Soriano was also separately charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and fraud and false statement in filing a tax return in 24-cr-0341-TWR. Soriano is next scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson for sentencing on May 9, 2025.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Swan, Katherine E.A. McGrath, and Carling E. Donovan.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23-cr-2282-TWR-2
Philip Flores Age: 53 Fredericksburg, VA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Bribery - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison; a maximum $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest; and an order of restitution to victims of the offense of at least $50,000.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General
If you have information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse relating to Department of Defense personnel or operations, please contact the DoD Hotline at 800-424-9098.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 121 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm and Marijuana ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 121 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing a distribution quantity of marijuana.
According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, Demarcus Letrelle Culberson Jr., 22, possessed a distribution quantity of marijuana in his car and at his residence. At Culberson’s residence, law enforcement also found a loaded firearm. A shell casing found at the scene of an October 2023 shooting was identified as having been fired from the firearm found at Culberson’s residence. Culberson was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he is a felon.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Culberson will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.
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.
Cuban National Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Cuban national with an outstanding warrant of removal made his initial court appearance Wednesday before United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe for allegedly robbing a bank with a dangerous weapon.
According to allegations contained in the indictment and statements made in court, on February 1, 2025, Anoy Lopez-Bles, 50, robbed a bank with a replica firearm.
Lopez-Bles has six prior felony convictions including bank robbery in the District of Nevada, and multiple burglary and drug felonies in Nevada. He has five prior misdemeanor convictions including domestic violence, drug, and larceny convictions in Nevada. He failed to appear 20 times and has violated his probations or parole over 10 times.
Lopez-Bles is charged with one count of bank robbery. A jury trial has been scheduled to begin May 19, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon.
If convicted, Lopez-Bles faces the maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.
The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Conviction Affirmed for Man Who Kidnapped, Murdered 80-year-old Horry County WomanRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the 2022 conviction of Dominique Devonah Brand for kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder.
In a written opinion, the court affirmed Brand’s convictions following a multi-day bench trial in September 2022. Evidence presented at trial established that on Sunday, March 28, 2021, Brand entered the Nichols, South Carolina, home of Mary Ann Elvington, a retired elementary school teacher and stalwart in her church and community. In the days prior, Brand had burglarized another nearby residence, stealing a shotgun, in addition to burglarizing and vandalizing a local church. Brand forced Ms. Elvington to drive him from her house to Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, and back into South Carolina. During this trip, Brand sat behind Ms. Elvington with the shotgun before forcing her into the back seat and driving her to a remote crossroads in Marion County. Once there, he marched her behind an abandoned grocery store, held the shotgun to the back of her head, and pulled the trigger, executing her. Brand then drove Ms. Elvington’s car to Marion, where he hid it behind an abandoned club. Ms. Elvington’s body was located the following evening. During a post-arrest statement to authorities, Brand denied committing the murder, but his guilt was proven at trial with DNA evidence, cell phone analytics, and crime scene analysis.
“We are pleased that the Fourth Circuit has affirmed the convictions we proved beyond a reasonable doubt in the senseless kidnapping and murder of Ms. Mary Ann Elvington,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “This has been a painful ordeal for her loved ones, and we send our continued support to Ms. Elvington’s family.”
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over the trial and imposed two concurrent life sentences for the carjacking and kidnapping convictions, plus 10 consecutive years for using a firearm during the commission of these offenses. Brand, now 33, is in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons at USP Hazelton in West Virginia.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office with significant assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Horry County Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion Police Department, Lake View Police Department, and Nichols Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Kathleen Stoughton prosecuted the case along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson, who also serves as the Deputy Solicitor for the 15th Judicial Circuit.
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Convicted Felon Is Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of A Firearm and Possession of A MachinegunRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Trevaris Devar Kennedy, 21, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a machinegun, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on December 22, 2023, an officer with the Statesville Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle with an expired registration tag. Kennedy was a passenger in the vehicle. When the officer activated his blue lights, the driver of the vehicle sped away. Later, the vehicle came to a stop and the driver attempted to flee on foot. While the officer was attempting to apprehend the driver, two firearms were thrown from the vehicle’s passenger window into a wooded area at the side of the road. Later, officers searched the area and recovered two firearms: a Glock, Model 19, 9mm, and a stolen Glock, Model 26, 9mm. Both firearms had extended magazines and were modified with “Glock switches,” devices capable of converting conventional firearms into fully automatic weapons. A total of 55 rounds of 9mm ammunition was also recovered.
On January 5, 2024, law enforcement arrested Kennedy and seized his cell phone. Law enforcement forensically analyzed Kennedy’s cell phone and found videos and photos of the defendant holding various firearms, many of which were fitted with Glock switches. They also found messages and other communications indicating that Kennedy was selling Glock switches on social media. When Kennedy was arrested, he was on probation for prior criminal convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Kennedy is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Statesville Police Department with the investigation that led to Kennedy’s conviction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Kinlaw of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Stills and photos saved on the defendant’s phone showing him in possession of firearms & Glock switches
Colombian National Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Transport Hundreds of Kilograms of Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Colombian citizen was sentenced to 12 years in prison for conspiring to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.
Edgar Ruiz-Gomez, a/k/a “Gono,” 57, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to Count One of an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2016 through January 2020, Ruiz-Gomez and others conspired to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine. Ruiz-Gomez acknowledged holding a managerial role in this conspiracy, which involved more than five individuals.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Ruiz-Gomez to five years of supervised release.
“My office is fully committed to employing its considerable resources to prosecuting dangerous drug organizations,” said U.S. Attorney John Giordano.
U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, New Jersey, as well as special agents and task force officers with the DEA operating in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. He also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section Judicial Attachés in Bogotá, Colombia; Colombian law enforcement authorities; and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Coffee County Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm He Used in a ShootingRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Coffee County, Alabama man for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On March 18, 2025, a federal judge ordered that 33-year-old Michael Glenn Saizan serve 168 months in prison. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole.
According to court records, on January 18, 2024, law enforcement responded to reports of a shooting at a Daleville, Alabama residence. Upon arrival, witnesses told officers that Saizan and another man had been arguing. When the argument escalated, Saizan retrieved an AR-style rifle and shot the other man, then fled the scene. The shooting victim was not fatally injured. The next day investigators searched Saizan’s residence in Enterprise, Alabama and found the rifle as well as ammunition. Saizan has previous felony convictions and is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On December 10, 2024, Saizan pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case was prosecuted as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Daleville Police Department, and the Enterprise Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Russell T. Duraski prosecuted.
Cleveland Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Cleveland man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, Bryant Antonio Hester, 55 previously pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing fentanyl as well as possession of one or more firearms by a prohibited person. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Hester today to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Hester was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
“This defendant is a convicted felon who has once again committed crimes, and he has more than earned his sentence today,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We will continue working alongside our law enforcement partners to remove criminals from our streets and prevent them from illegally possessing firearms.”
“The ATF is working closely with local and state police agencies to address firearm trafficking by convicted felons and the scourge of deadly drugs, including fentanyl, flooding our communities,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “Alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF is dedicated to pursuing and combating these criminals to prevent them from doing harm to our communities and neighborhoods.”
“Great work by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and all other agencies involved in bringing this case to justice,” said Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “Thanks to these combined efforts, this dangerous criminal is off of our Mississippi streets.”
This case was investigated by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Bolivar County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
City Man Who Robbed Northeast Philadelphia Business, Carjacked a Mother and Daughter Outside Their Home Sentenced to Eight Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Amir Harvey, 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Paul S. Diamond to 96 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and restitution of $717, in connection with the armed robbery of a commercial business and a carjacking, both in Northeast Philadelphia.
Harvey was arrested and charged by complaint in September of 2022 and then indicted in October of that year. In October 2024, he pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery, carjacking, and possession of ammunition by a felon.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on September 9, 2022, at approximately 11 p.m., he and three others approached the Hook and Reel restaurant, located at 9763 Roosevelt Boulevard. Upon encountering an employee of the restaurant outside, Harvey entered and held the employee at gunpoint, ransacked the office, stole about $400 from the cash drawers, and fled.
In the early morning hours of September 19, 2022, Philadelphia police officers responded to a report of a robbery in progress on the 8900 block of Maxwell Place, where the victim reported that her car had just been stolen by an armed individual as she and her teenage daughter were about to leave for school.
The victim stated that around 6:15 a.m., she started her vehicle using an application on her cell phone. A short time later, she and her daughter exited their house and walked to the car parked in the front driveway, when they were approached by an armed individual, later identified as the defendant, who pointed an imitation firearm, fitted with a high-capacity magazine, at their heads.
The defendant grabbed the victim’s keys and purse and sped away in her vehicle. The victim then used its location tracking feature on her cell phone app and informed police, who responded to that location on the 2000 block of Griffith Street, about 2½ miles from the victim’s home. Using neighborhood video surveillance footage, investigators traced the movement of the victim’s vehicle and the defendant to a nearby apartment complex.
“This armed robbery and carjacking were violent crimes targeting absolutely innocent victims,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Amir Harvey ambushed a restaurant employee on a break, and a mother and daughter heading off to school. Offenses like these inject fear into our community and affect our quality of life. The Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force is working every day to hold perpetrators accountable. Public safety is our top priority.”
“Amir Harvey is going to federal prison for many years for this brazen and calculated carjacking and robbery,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “We hope this case deters those willing to use violence in our community. Working with our partners in our Carjacking Task Force and applying ATF’s unique forensic and investigative tools, we will continue to prevent and prosecute violent crime and make our streets safer.”
The swift action to investigate and federally charge this defendant is the work of the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force, which comprises members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crime Unit; the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Philadelphia Police Department. The goal of the Task Force is to stem the wave of armed carjackings and violent crimes through investigative and enforcement techniques meant to identify, and refer for federal prosecution, all who terrorize innocent victims through commission of these offenses within Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert E. Eckert and Lauren E. Stram.
Chautauqua county man going to prison for 10 years on meth chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Darin L. Butts, Jr., 31, of Celeron, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis A. Testani, who handled the case, stated that in July and August 2023, investigators conducted seven controlled purchases of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Butts. On August 23, 2023, search warrants were executed at Butts’ residence and his two vehicles. Law enforcement seized approximately 610 grams of methamphetamine, some of it packaged in smaller, individual-sized quantities, drug paraphernalia, and approximately $14,829.00 in cash, which represented proceeds of his methamphetamine trafficking. On May 3, 2024, law enforcement executed another search warrant at Butts’ residence, seizing multiple quantities of suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss Jr., and the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief David C. Ortolano.
Chatham County man sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to violent robbery, shooting of a store employeeRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Chatham County man has been sentenced to federal prison for the armed robbery of a grocery store employee that left two people wounded.
Jordan Richardson, 25, of Savannah, was sentenced to 240 months in prison after pleading guilty to Interference with Commerce by Robbery, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession and Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Richardson to pay $23,793 in restitution and to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Jordan Richardson wounded two people during his brief but violent criminal outburst,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “His crime illustrates the importance of keeping our community safe by taking guns out of the hands of those who are prohibited from possessing them.”
As described in court documents and testimony, in July 2022, Richardson waited outside the Jones Red and White Food Store on Ogeechee Road in Savannah for an employee to exit the business with a cash deposit. Richardson brandished a pistol and attempted to rob the employee, who drove away as Richardson fired a shot. Richardson, in his own vehicle, then chased the employee and fired at least six times at the employee’s vehicle when it stopped at an intersection, wounding the employee and a nearby worker. Richardson then took the deposit bag and fled.
Several days later, Savannah police officers captured Richardson after an extended vehicle chase through neighborhood streets in which he crashed into two patrol cars. During searches subsequent to the robbery, investigators found the Glock pistol used in the robbery and shootings.
At the time of the robbery, Richardson was on probation for a prior state conviction that included robbery and gun possession. His probation was revoked after his arrest, and Richardson was remanded to custody in the Georgia Department of Corrections pending federal sentencing.
“The blatant violence Richardson committed against these store employees followed by the complete disregard for the safety of the public and the police officers during the commission of his crimes is completely reprehensible,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI is proud to work with our local partners to convict repeat offenders, like Richardson, at the federal level, where he faces a stiff penalty with no opportunity for parole.”
“I am extremely proud of our officers, investigators, and our federal partners involved in this case,” said Lenny B. Gunther, Savannah Chief of Police. “Due to their hard work and expertise, Mr. Richardson is being held accountable for his actions.”
The case was investigated by the Savannah Police Department and the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley R. Thompson.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Casey Thomas Judd, 37, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two months in prison, to be followed by six months of home detention and five years of supervised release, for failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about June 14, 2024, Judd relocated from Charleston to Springfield, Ohio. Judd failed to register or update his registration as required by SORNA after his relocation.
Judd is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his prior conviction for third-degree sexual assault in Kanawha County Circuit Court on August 21, 2015.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-164.
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Career Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A career offender residing in Las Vegas was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 10 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for selling large amounts of methamphetamine from his residence and possessing several firearms.
According to court documents, between November 2021 and October 5, 2022, Eric Langpop conspired to sell methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, from his home. As part of the investigation, the DEA recovered over a pound of methamphetamine from the defendant. During the execution of a search warrant at Langpop’s residence, law enforcement found methamphetamine and several firearms, including pistols, shotguns, a rifle, an assault rifle, and two silencers.
Photographs of two firearms and a silencer recovered from defendant’s home
Photograph of methamphetamine near a hand and scissors for scale
Langpop has prior felony convictions for trafficking in controlled substances, including a felony sale of a controlled substance conviction in 2009; separate sale and transport of a controlled substance convictions in 2013; and a transport of a controlled substance conviction in 2016, all in Clark County, Nevada. He also has four separate domestic violence battery convictions. He is prohibited by law from possessing firearms due to his felony and domestic violence convictions.
Langpop pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the DEA Las Vegas District Office made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Career Criminal Sentenced to 12+ Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Tyrone Eugene Sitton a/k/a “Dirty,” 46, of Asheville, was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today for fentanyl trafficking and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Sheriff Quentin Miller of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, between November and December 2022, Sitton distributed 30.1 grams of fentanyl in the Asheville area. During the investigation, Sitton sold fentanyl at least three times to a confidential informant working with the ATF. In addition to selling fentanyl, on December 28, 2022, Sitton sold the informant three firearms: a shotgun, a rifle, and a pistol.
On July 29, 2024, Sitton pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Court records indicate Sitton has multiple state convictions in North Carolina for drug distribution. Because of these prior criminal convictions, Sitton qualified for an increased sentence as a career offender.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the ATF, the DEA, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
California Woman Sentenced to more than 14 Years’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matt R. Molsen announced that Elicia Grigsby, 54, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced March 20, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Grigsby to 170 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Grigsby’s release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On October 26, 2023, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration personnel received information from the Omaha United States Postal Inspection Service regarding an inbound mail parcel destined for an Omaha residence. Investigators served a court-authorized search warrant on the parcel, opened it, and discovered it contained approximately 119 grams of fentanyl pills and approximately 464 grams of methamphetamine. Investigators then repackaged some of methamphetamine into the parcel for the purposes of a controlled delivery operation at the intended delivery residence.
On the same date, investigators delivered the subject parcel to the residence where it was accepted by codefendant Shawn Robbins. Thereafter, investigators served a court-authorized search warrant on the residence, found the package, and arrested Robbins and Grigsby who were both found inside the residence.
In a post-Miranda interview Grigsby admitted to her involvement in the delivery of the parcel and knew it contained approximately (2) pounds of methamphetamine. Grigsby also admitted to previously accepting multiple packages containing narcotics. Robbins is scheduled to plead guilty at a later date.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Omaha Police Department.
CEO of Georgia HVAC Company Charged with Illegally Importing Harmful Greenhouse Gases into the United StatesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The chief executive officer of a Georgia-based HVAC company has been charged with illegally importing 500 cylinders of potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Peru, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced today. This case is the second prosecution in the United States under the AIM Act, and the first prosecution of a corporate executive.
William Randolph Hires a/k/a “Randy Hires,” 57, of Woodstock, Georgia and Lima, Peru, is charged by complaint with violating the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) by unlawfully importing 500 cylinders of HFCs. Hires appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.
HFCs include refrigerants used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems commonly known as “Freon.” The global warming impact of an HFC can be hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. Because of this, in 2020 Congress enacted the AIM Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent over time.
“The defendant’s actions in this case not only violated the AIM Act and created a threat to the environment they also unfairly disadvantaged other law-abiding U.S. businesses,” said Dan Meyers, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. "Today’s charges send a clear message: Enforcement of the law protects our air, land, and water, ensuring a brighter future for our citizens and a level playing field for American businesses and workers.”
“Hires disregarded our nation’s environmental laws and put our country at risk with shipments containing potent greenhouse gases,” said ICE HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “HSI Newark successfully conducts investigations into violations of U.S. import and export laws to ensure national security and protect the public’s health and safety. We will hold individuals and corporations accountable for violating global trade regulations.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:In April 2022, on behalf of his company, Hires purchased 500 cylinders of HFCs in Peru. Over the next several months, EPA officials explained to Hires’s employees that, under the AIM Act and its implementing regulations, Hires’s company could not lawfully import the HFCs to the United States because it did not have the required EPA-issued allowances. In a July 22, 2022 email to one of Hires’s employees, an EPA official stated, in substance, “it is not possible to import bulk HFCs without consumption allowances.”
Hires’s employees conveyed this information from the EPA to Hires on several occasions. On one occasion, an employee forwarded to Hires an email that the employee had received from an EPA official which stated, “[t]he HFC you listed (R-410A) is a regulated substance. So if you do not have allowances, you cannot import those bulk HFC refrigerants.” In another email exchange between Hires and an employee, the employee informed Hires that, based on a video conference the employee had with EPA officials, shipping without the necessary allowances would violate import laws so “[i]t is out of our hands.”
Hires nevertheless instructed his employees to illegally import the HFCs into the United States. In a July 28, 2022 email, Hires stated to his employees: “[y]eah you have to be careful what agencies you’re reaching out to because the EPA . . . can create a hassle and they can hold our stuff up in customs there[.]” In a subsequent email, Hires instructed his employees to “get [the HFCs] on the ship and get it out to sea . . . don’t care what it takes[.]” Hires later instructed his employees via email: “Do not call the EPA please do not.”
The violation of the AIM Act with which Hires is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Divisions, under the direction of Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dan Meyers; special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; and officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Francis J. Russo, Director of Field Operations, New York Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Bernard J. Cooney of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit, in Newark, and Trial Attorney Ronald A. Sarachan of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
hires.complaint.pdf
Burlington County Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Gunpoint Robberies in Passaic CountyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Burlington County man was sentenced in connection with his role in two armed robberies committed in August 2022 in Passaic County, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced today.
Kareem Powell, 32, of Willingboro, New Jersey, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court on March 20, 2025, to 120 months in prison. Powell previously pleaded guilty before Judge Cecchi to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In the evening of August 22, 2022, Powell, along with accomplices Carlos Diaz and Edward Porter, robbed a Passaic bodega of several thousand dollars while pointing guns at a victim and threatening to kill him. Later that night, Powell, Diaz, and Porter also robbed a Paterson business of several thousand dollars. During both robberies, Powell, Diaz, and Porter wore face masks and ordered customers at gunpoint to lie down on the ground.
Diaz and Porter have both admitted their guilt and pled guilty in connection with the two armed robberies described above, as well as in connection with two additional armed robberies committed the following day in Passaic County. Their sentencings are scheduled to take place later in 2025.
In addition to the prison term imposed on Powell, Judge Cecchi sentenced him to three years of supervised release and ordered him to make restitution to the victims of his crimes.
U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Thomas Adamo, with the investigation leading to the convictions and sentencing. U.S. Attorney Giordano also thanked officers of the Paterson Police Department and the Passaic Police Department for their work on this case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett Schuman of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, Verona, New Jersey
Broome County Sex Offender Sentenced to 27 Months for Failing to Disclose his Email Address and for Violating the Conditions of his Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Timmy Rifenburg, age 49, of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced yesterday to a total of 27 months in federal prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for failing to register and update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), and for violating the terms of his supervised release imposed as part of his 2020 conviction for failure to register as a sex offender. Rifenburg was required to register as a sex offender as the result of a 2007 federal conviction for possession of child pornography.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.
The imprisonment term consists of 16 months in federal prison on the new criminal offense of failing to register the email account as required under SORNA, and a consecutive imprisonment term of 11 months for the supervised release violations of failing to report to the probation office, moving to a residence that was not approved by the probation office, possessing three unreported internet capable cellphones, viewing adult pornography on the unreported cellphones, and for being unsuccessfully discharged from sex offender treatment.
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case and Assistant United States Attorney Tamara Thomson prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Bronx Man Admits Fleeing Port of Entry, Ammunition PossessionRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Miguel Rodriguez, age 36, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty yesterday to high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Ogdensburg Port of Entry Director Thomas Trimboli made the announcement.
Rodriguez admitted that on January 20, 2025, he arrived from Canada to the U.S. Customs Port of Entry in Ogdensburg, New York, driving a red Infinity sedan, but sped away without stopping and reporting for inspection. A short time later, a St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Deputy found Rodriguez driving the Infinity in Ogdensburg and attempted to stop him. Rodriguez refused to pull over and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, which ended when Rodriguez struck a pickup truck occupied by three people and then crashed into a residence in Ogdensburg; no one was injured. A search of the Infinity revealed a 12-round handgun magazine containing four 9mm bullets. Rodriguez was prohibited from possessing the ammunition because of a prior felony conviction for assault.
At sentencing, scheduled for July 17, 2025, Rodriguez faces a maximum term of 15 years in prison for the ammunition possession and a maximum of 5 years in prison for fleeing from the Port of Entry, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
HSI and CBP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case.
Broken Arrow Resident Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dale Lynn Taylor, age 59, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.
The Indictment alleged that Taylor was convicted of Rape—Second Degree in the State of Oklahoma on May 28, 2014, and was required to register as a sex offender. From April 2, 2019, until July 8, 2024, Taylor failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, 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. Taylor will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Boyd County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland, Ky. man, Jere Rason Black, 31, was sentenced on Wednesday, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 70 months for three counts of distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement received information that Black was distributing methamphetamine in the Greenup County area. Using a confidential informant, agents conducted three controlled purchases from Black, who distributed a total of 145.23 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, Black must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Black’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Director Scott Hardcorn, Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, and the Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Birmingham Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for CarjackingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been sentenced for carjackings, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Christon John Wayman, 21, to 68 months in prison. In November 2024, Wayman pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking.
According to the plea agreement, Wayman committed carjackings at two different locations in Birmingham. The carjackings occurred in September and October 2023. Wayman selected his victims from a dating application and used a firearm during at least one of the carjackings.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler prosecuted the case.
Belgium National and Utah Business Owner Charged After Allegedly Running a $5M Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A Belgium national and the owner of K & K Strategies is facing federal charges after he allegedly operated a $5 million Ponzi scheme. The Utah investment owner, who was not licensed to sell securities, allegedly defrauded approximately 75 investors, and used at least $3 million on real estate purchases, investor payouts, a personal chef, a 2002 Chevrolet Corvette, and other personal expenses.
Kenny Dirk Van Der Spek, aka Kenny Vanderspek, 35, of South Jordan, Utah, was charged by complaint on March 12, 2025. He was charged by way of felony information on March 19, 2025.
According to court documents, Van Der Spek, who was the owner and manager of K & K Strategies, LLC, defrauded at least 75 investors in his company between December 2017 and December 2023. K & K Strategies was a Utah limited liability company with a principal address in Salt Lake County and had investors in Utah and across the country. The stated purpose of the business was to help people who were not wealthy invest and teach about stock trading. However, Van Der Spek was not licensed to sell securities.
As part of the scheme to defraud, Van Der Spek lied and manipulated clients to convince them to invest with K & K Strategies. He told them that K & K Strategies was legally operating a hedge fund and that he was licensed to do so. He represented to investors that their investments with K & K Strategies LLC were succeeding, showing them fabricated financial records, when in reality, investors were suffering losses. He also displayed an alleged “live stream” of trades on knkstrategies.com so that investors could “watch [their] money grow.”
Van Der Spek is charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. His initial appearance on the felony information is scheduled for March 20, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. in courtroom 7.1 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office, and the Utah Division of Securities.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko J. Jepson and Assistant United States Attorney Mark Y. Hirata, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
A felony information is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi Announces Severe Charges Against Violent Tesla ArsonistsRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced charges against three individuals responsible for the violent destruction of Tesla properties. All three defendants will face the full force of the law for using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations.
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
- One defendant, also armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle, was arrested after throwing approximately eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership located in Salem, Oregon.
- Another was arrested in Loveland, Colorado after attempting to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails. The defendant was later found in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons.
- In Charleston, South Carolina, a third defendant wrote profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting the charging stations on fire with Molotov cocktails.
- Each defendant faces serious charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison.
The Department of Justice is committed to ending all acts of violence and arson directed at Tesla properties and otherwise.
Albany Felon Arrested for Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Wright, age 37, of Albany, was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with possession of firearms as a previously convicted felon.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division, made the announcement.
According to the criminal complaint, Wright possessed seven firearms (four pistols, a revolver, a rifle, and a shotgun) in his residence, along with ammunition and suspected narcotics. Wright has a prior felony conviction in New York that prevented him from lawfully possessing those firearms. One firearm had been reported stolen in July 2024. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge filed against Wright carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Wright made an initial appearance today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for March 25, 2025.
ATF and DEA are investigating the case, with assistance from the Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
11 Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Cleveland Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has announced sentencings in connection with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that transported suitcases stuffed with illegal drugs from California to Ohio. Eleven defendants were charged with numerous federal crime violations, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, in a superseding indictment on Feb. 22, 2024, with the initial indictment issued on Sept. 20, 2023.
According to court documents, from about May 2021 to about Nov. 29, 2022, the defendants played different roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Jerry Baker, aka Jerry Bogarty, 34, of Cleveland, established a criminal organization primarily active on the city's east side. He led the day-to-day operations of the organization, directing members and associates to generate income by engaging in illegal activities including drug trafficking, extortion, and robbery. Baker determined who was allowed to traffic narcotics on behalf of the enterprise and who was permitted to collect and launder the proceeds. Some enterprise members conspired and attempted to threaten others with acts of violence, including extortion, robbery, and assault, in attempts to collect outstanding debts.
Overall, the DTO received more than 600 pounds of marijuana from a major supplier based in California. Walter Sornoza, 50, of Los Angeles, led a nationwide distribution network that he named “Empire Genetics.” To get the drugs to Cleveland, enterprise associates would fly from California to Ohio and check-in their baggage, which were suitcases filled with packaged marijuana. The drugs would then be delivered to Cleveland-based members of the organization. Baker directed associates to launder the cash profits from the marijuana sales by converting the proceeds into money orders. Another associate was responsible for flying from Cleveland to Los Angeles to hand the money orders and cash over to the Sornoza enterprise as payment for the marijuana supply received.
Baker also purchased a small business in Cleveland, “In & Out Tires,” which served as a hub for members and associates to store and distribute drugs. During the investigation, agents also seized several firearms scattered throughout the business, which were intended to be used for protection of the drug enterprise. Other items recovered included money order receipts, packing materials, suitcases, and other supplies used to transport, store and distribute marijuana.
The defendants were each sentenced to imprisonment and/or probation by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after pleading guilty to their roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
- Baker was sentenced to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder money, RICO conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, maintaining a drug premise, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Deshaun Martin, 36, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, RICO conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine base (crack), and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Sornoza was sentenced to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of marijuana. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Noblys Garcia, aka Flaco, 43, of Studio City, California, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, distribution of marijuana, and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of marijuana. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Sidne Spencer, 28, of North Hollywood, California, was sentenced to two years of probation for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and marijuana.
- Keveon Lewis, 44, of Corona, California, was sentenced to six months in prison and six months location monitoring for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of marijuana. He was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Moniqka Hazzard, 32, of Riverside, California, was sentenced to 30 days in prison and seven months location monitoring for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Jerry Baker Sr., 55, of Cleveland, was sentenced to three years of probation for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and for maintaining a drug premise.
- Antonio Lanier, 35, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and RICO conspiracy. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Herman Wilson, 43, of Katy, Texas, was sentenced to two years of probation for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
- Ajeremiah Baker, aka AJ, 20, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for RICO conspiracy. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), along with task force officers from numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Division of Police. Prosecutions are led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, IRS Criminal Investigation, ATF Cleveland Division, U.S. Marshals Service Cleveland, the Cleveland Division of Police, and the Los Angeles Police Department Narcotics Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Brian Lynch of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
Wednesday 19 March 2025
Warren Man Sentenced to Prison for Hate Crime of Defacing Predominantly Black ChurchRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Warren, Michigan man was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for spray-painting swastikas, the word “die,” and other graffiti on a predominantly Black church in Roseville, Michigan, Acting United States Attorney Julie Beck announced.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Acting Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Chevoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, David Bluer, 34, pleaded guilty on December 3, 2024, to one count of damaging religious property. As part of his guilty plea, Bluer admitted that in October 2021, he spray-painted several swastikas, the word “die,” and other graffiti on the Roseville church, because of the race and color of individuals associated with the church. Specifically, the defendant admitted that he intentionally defaced the church because the church serves a predominantly Black congregation and has a Black pastor. In addition, Bluer spray-painted swastikas, a racist slur and symbols, and other graffiti on the public bathroom of Trombly Park, in Warren, Michigan. The racist graffiti included the statement “DaviD KiLLS Ni**ERS.”
“The defendant’s attack, motivated by race and color, instilled fear in not only the mostly Black congregants of the church, but damaged the entire community’s sense of safety. Our office will always vigorously prosecute those who commit unlawful bias-motivated acts and seek justice for the victims,” Acting U.S. Attorney Beck said.
“The sentence of David Bluer sends a stern warning to anyone who seeks to invoke fear and hatred towards a specific group of individuals. The FBI is committed to upholding the U.S. Constitution, investigating civil rights violations and the protection of the American People,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. The hate-driven criminal acts committed by Mr. Bluer were halted through the relentless investigative efforts of members from the FBI Detroit’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Roseville P.D., Warren P.D., as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, whose collaboration was crucial in securing this successful prosecution."
The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Carlson for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Vancouver, Washington, high volume tax preparer indicted for aiding and assisting false tax returnsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A high-volume tax preparer in Vancouver, Washington was indicted last week for sixteen counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent returns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Keith Altamirano, 52, operated Integrity Investments, LLC, doing business as Servicios Latinos. Between 2017 and 2021, Altamirano prepared at least 12,000 tax returns. The grand jury alleges that his false entries on customer tax returns cost the U.S. Treasury more than $5 million in tax loss.
Altamirano was arrested late yesterday and will make his initial appearance on the indictment today at 1:00 in Tacoma.
According to the indictment, Altamirano falsified clients’ income tax submissions by listing fake medical expenses, and charitable donations for deductions, listing fake cars for depreciation and expense deductions, and by listing fabricated and inflated business expenses. Altamirano concealed his fraud by using “White Out” and omitting his name on his clients’ filed returns.
In an unrelated matter, Altamirano was charged last month in Clark County Superior Court, with attempted murder for intentionally crashing into the motorcycle that his son was riding. Altamirano allegedly claimed his car had been stolen and used to hit his son on February 18, 2025. Dash cam video from the vehicle told a different story and Altamirano was arrested and charged.
Aiding and assisting with filing a false or fraudulent tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison per count and a $100,000 fine.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The tax fraud case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The tax fraud case is being prosecuted by the Economic Crimes Unit.
Utah County Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison After Running a $1.6M Affinity Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Jacob Welch Dalton, 28, of Saratoga Springs, Utah, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and ordered by the court to pay $1,553,806 in restitution. Dalton defrauded approximately 45 investors in a securities fraud scheme by obtaining investments from people that he knew personally or through social media.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish, comes after Dalton pleaded guilty to securities fraud on September 30, 2024.
According to court documents and statement made at Dalton’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from October 2022 to December 2023, Dalton lied to investors to unlawfully obtain money and property by selling securities, that is investments in his company, Rogue Liquidity, LLC. As part of the scheme, Dalton provided falsified documents and fictitious information to investors electronically and by telephone. Dalton lied to investors about Rogue Liquidity, LLC, and its success by claiming it operated as an investment liquidity fund that pooled investor funds for guaranteed risk free return on principal and investment of up to 60%. Rather, the company had no liquidity pool and investors’ funds were used almost entirely for his own use. He also lied and created fictitious investor track records to obtain investor funds.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Woolf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.