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28 April 2025
Essex County Man Sentenced to Multiple Life Sentences in Prison for Murder and Other Crimes Committed in His Role as Leader of Sprawling Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man was sentenced to four life sentences on April 23, 2025 for ordering and committing three murders and for his role in a large-scale narcotics enterprise, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Michael Healy, 44, of Montclair, New Jersey, was convicted by a federal jury in April 2024 of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute narcotics, conspiring to murder a federal witness, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, and related firearms offenses following a four-week trial before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court.
“Michael Healy orchestrated three murders in order to silence the victims in this case. When Healy believed that someone in his drug trafficking enterprise was cooperating with law enforcement, he demonstrated that he was willing to go to the greatest lengths possible – to commit multiple acts of murder – to protect his profitable enterprise. This sentence will prevent Healy from harming any other members of our community and will send a message that attacks on the justice system will not be tolerated.”
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
“Healy spent much of his life building an illegal drug trafficking enterprise, fueled by greed and violence,” FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly said. “He used his power to destroy communities through the distribution of poisonous narcotics and murdered those who he perceived as a threat to his empire. Now, he will spend the rest of his life in federal prison, where his power and money won’t matter.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial:
In February 2018, Healy found out that one of his conspirators in the drug trafficking enterprise (DTE) was cooperating with law enforcement by providing information about the drug enterprise. Healy ordered members of the Bloods in East Orange to kill the informant, referenced in the Indictment as ‘A.S.” On Feb. 3, 2018, outside the informant’s residence in Bloomfield, New Jersey, Healy’s conspirators shot and killed a bystander, referenced in the Indictment as “Victim-1,” believing the bystander was the informant. Realizing they killed the wrong person, Healy ordered the Bloods to finish the job, and on March 12, 2018, in Bloomfield, the conspirators killed the informant while he was walking his dog in the area of his residence. On April 6, 2018, believing that another member of the enterprise – identified in the indictment as “J.C.” – might also pose a risk to the Enterprise, Healy himself shot and killed “J.C.” in Newark.
Healy’s DTE operated in and around Newark beginning in approximately 2012. Between 2003 and 2012, Healy became a member of the Tree Top PIRU set of the Bloods street gang in Maryland. In and around 2012, Healy formed and led the Healy DTE, a large and sophisticated drug distribution organization that obtained, transported and distributed large amounts of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and marijuana. Healy used his leadership status in the Tree Top PIRU Bloods to assist him with obtaining suppliers, recruiting and controlling enterprise members, and otherwise conducting the Healy DTE’s operations.
The Healy DTE transported multi-kilogram quantities of controlled substances from California to New Jersey by various means, including private aircraft, vehicles with hidden secret compartments, and the U.S. Postal Service. The Healy DTE then processed and repackaged the controlled substances at various “stash houses” in New Jersey. The Healy DTE distributed some of the controlled substances in New Jersey, including through Bloods gang members in East Orange.
The Court sentenced Healy to four life sentences plus 360 months’ imprisonment. On Counts One (Racketeering Conspiracy), Six (Murder of a Federal Witness), and Twelve (Drug Trafficking Conspiracy), Healy was sentenced to life in prison, each term ordered to run concurrent to each other and consecutive to the prison sentences imposed on the remaining counts. On Counts Two (Murder in Aid of Racketeering for the murder of Victim-1), Five (Murder in Aid of Racketeering for the murder of A.S.), and Nine (Murder in Aid of Racketeering for the murder of J.C.), the Court imposed life sentences on each count to run consecutively. On Counts Three, Seven, and Ten (each charging Discharge of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence), the Court imposed consecutive 10-year sentences for a total of 360 months, ordered to run consecutively to the sentences imposed on all other counts.
Thomas Zimmerman, Tyquan Daniels, and Ali Hill – all members of the Brick City Brims subset of the Bloods street gang in East Orange – previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy for their respective roles in the murders of Victim-1 and A.S. Zimmerman was sentenced to a 37-year term of imprisonment; Daniels was sentenced to a 35-year term of imprisonment; and Hill was sentenced to a 25-year term of imprisonment. In addition, on February 22, 2024, Leevander Wade pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy for his roles in all three murders, and was sentenced to a term of 36 years and 8 months’ imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Newark FBI Joint Organized Crime Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly; the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda; the Essex County Prosecutors Office, under the direction of Theodore N. Stephens, II; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of William A. Daniel, the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Phyllis L. Bindi; the Montclair Police Department, under the direction of Todd M. Conforti, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Intelligence and Investigative Division, under the direction of Secretary Robert Green; the Ohio State Highway Patrol, under the direction of Colonel Charles A. Jones.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Robert L. Frazer and Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha C. Fasanello.
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Defense counsel: Stephen Turano and Thomas Ambrosio
Ecuadorian National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that STANLIN DANIEL VASQUEZ-SALINAS, also known as “Stalin Vasquez-Salinas” and “Stalin Vasquez,” 25, a citizen of Ecuador recently residing in Danbury, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with unlawful reentry of a removed alien.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2025, Danbury Police arrested Vasquez-Salinas and charged him with conspiracy to commit commercial sexual abuse of a minor between the ages of 15 and 17 years old. Vasquez-Salinas identified himself as “Stalin D. Vasquez” at the time of his arrest. Analysis of Vasquez-Salinas’ fingerprints confirmed his true identity, and the investigation revealed that Vasquez-Salinas had illegally entered the U.S. in December 2019 and was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas. He was removed to Ecuador in May 2020.
It is further alleged that, on March 14, 2025, Vasquez-Salinas was released from state custody on bond. That same day, after a brief vehicle chase and subsequent foot pursuit, he was taken into ICE custody.
Vasquez-Salinas has been detained since March 14, 2025. He appeared today in Hartford federal court. The charge of unlawful reentry of a removed alien carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj. N. Patel.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Corpus Christi man guilty of sexual exploitation of a childRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 19-year-old Corpus Christi resident has admitted to distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The investigation began in December 2023, when Angel Valdez left a comment on a social media page supporting the work of an individual who had recently been sentenced to prison in Australia for animal cruelty.
Australian law enforcement investigated further and began conversations with Valdez in an undercover capacity. In those communications, Valdez spoke about his interest in animal cruelty which later developed into child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
On Feb. 14, 2024, Valdez sent a video depicting CSAM which included a video of a nude prepubescent girl and a nude adult female wearing a mask. The depiction showed the young child being forced to perform oral sex on the adult female.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant June 28, 2024, which resulted in the discovery of a laptop containing CSAM. Valdez also admitted he had participated in the online conversation and to distributing the CSAM.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Aug. 12. At the time, Valdez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of authorities in Australia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Connecticut Man Who Committed Narcotics Offense While on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Connecticut man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Hector Soto Gonzalez, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2025, Soto Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Beginning at least as early as June 2023, while Soto Gonzalez was on federal supervised release after serving a 10-year sentence for a narcotics conviction in the District of Puerto Rico, Soto Gonzalez became a source of supply for fentanyl for co-defendant Jose Mercado Aponte. Mercado Aponte travelled from Massachusetts to the area of Soto Gonzalez’s residence in Hartford, Conn., on multiple occasions to pick up drugs that Mercado Aponte then provided to a cooperating witness (CW).
On Nov. 13, 2023, Mercado Aponte arranged to sell a kilogram of fentanyl to the CW. On that date, Mercado Aponte communicated with the CW to coordinate the deal and then made three calls to Soto Gonzalez. Later that afternoon, law enforcement conducting surveillance of the residence observed Soto Gonzalez leave his residence and put something in his trunk. Soto Gonzalez subsequently departed his residence in his truck and travelled from Connecticut to Massachusetts where a traffic stop was conducted and approximately one kilogram of fentanyl was located inside the vehicle. Soto Gonzalez was released from federal custody in May 2022 after being sentenced and serving 10 years in prison.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police; and Commissioner Shawn Jenkins of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation New Haven Division, Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office and the Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson, Concord, Waltham, Fitchburg, Leominster and Hartford, Conn. Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.Complaint filed against Houston pharmacy and its owners for violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A civil complaint has been filed seeking monetary penalties against a local pharmacy and its owners following an investigation revealing numerous fraudulent controlled substance prescriptions, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The complaint seeks civil monetary penalties from Nnwood Pharmacy and names Nnwood’s owners Cheryl Brew Greenleaf and Wendell Kirk Greenleaf, both of Houston, as defendants.
According to the complaint, Nnwood Pharmacy registered as a retail pharmacy with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) May 21, 2007, and was authorized to dispense Schedule II through V controlled substances.
The investigation revealed Nnwood dispensed numerous dosage units of powerful controlled substances that physicians located hundreds of miles from the pharmacy’s location had allegedly prescribed. It also dispensed multiple dosages of Schedule II hydrocodone and Schedule IV carisoprodol pills to numerous male customers whose prescriptions originated from doctors specializing in obstetrics and gynecology care, according to the complaint.
Authorities executed an administrative inspection warrant July 16, 2021, at which time they seized 99 allegedly fraudulent patient prescriptions Nnwood had dispensed. The complaint alleges the prescriptions were for schedule II thru schedule IV-controlled substances and dispensed pursuant to several invalid DEA registration numbers.
Nnwood and the Greenleafs allegedly dispensed controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice by dispensing the fraudulent and invalid prescriptions.
Additionally, Nnwood and the Greenleafs allegedlt failed to make, keep and furnish records and reports The Controlled Substances Act and DEA regulations require.
According to the complaint, Nnwood was also the subject of a previous investigation in 2007.
“The Controlled Substances Act ensures that those who manufacture, prescribe, dispense, and distribute controlled substances do so in a safe and legitimate way. This prevents dangerous narcotics being diverted for illicit use, or for unsuspecting people to ingest dangerous drugs,” said Ganjei. The Southern District of Texas is committed to ensuring that those who endanger the public by violating the Act are held accountable.”
“Pharmacies are the final defense against prescription drugs being diverted to the black market and into the wrong hands devastating communities,” said acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the DEA-Houston Division. “Pharmacies have a fundamental responsibility to ensure safeguards are in place to prevent the diversion of controlled substances and ensure that they are dispensing controlled substances pursuant to legitimate prescriptions.”
The Controlled Substances Act and its implementing regulations seek to deter, detect and eliminate the diversion of controlled substances and listed chemicals into the illicit market while ensuring that an adequate supply of controlled substances and listed chemicals is available for legitimate medical, scientific, research and industrial purposes.
The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill O. Venezia is handling the case.
California Truck Driver Sentenced to Eleven Years in Prison for Trafficking $2.5 Million Worth of CocaineRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A California truck driver was sentenced today to eleven years in federal prison for trafficking $2.5 million worth of cocaine that was destined for Chicago.
RONALD COLEMAN, 45, of Barstow, Calif., pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing in federal court in Rockford.
Coleman admitted in a plea agreement that in April 2023 he was the driver of a semi-truck and trailer traveling through Whiteside County, Ill. on Interstate 88. Inside his semi-trailer, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute more than 91 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $2.5 million. Coleman was transporting the cocaine to a warehouse in Chicago, where he was to exchange the drugs for cash and transport the money back to California. Inside his semi-truck, Coleman also possessed a firearm to protect himself, the cocaine, and the cash during the transport. Coleman expected to be paid for transporting the cocaine from California to Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Illinois State Police provided assistance in the investigation.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ladd.
California Man Arrested and Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Devin Ravine, a/k/a Derek Johnson, age 20, of Riverside, California, was arrested on Friday on charges of sexual exploitation of a child. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
According to a criminal complaint, from on or about March 30, 2025 through April 1, 2025, Ravine persuaded and induced a Rensselaer County minor to create child sexual abuse material, which the child then sent to Ravine over the Internet. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “This case is the result of what I like to call ‘Operation It’s Not Your Fault’ – FBI agents visit schools all over the Northern District of New York to educate students about internet safety and sextortion. Our hope is to help students avoid these terrible situations, and also to encourage them to come forward if they believe they are a victim of a crime. Students may be embarrassed, ashamed, feeling that they’re at fault, afraid to tell their parents, and one of our messages is – no, it’s not your fault, and you should tell us if there are predators who have targeted you.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “This case truly exemplifies the strength and reach of the FBI. It should also put predators on notice, as it doesn’t matter where you’re committing these heinous crimes, we will use every resource we have to find you and ensure you can never hurt another child again.”
Ravine made an initial appearance on Friday in the Central District of California and has a detention hearing there scheduled for tomorrow. He faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a supervised release term of at least 5 years and up to life. Ravine may also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim of his offense and forfeit any devices used in the offense. 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. Ravine would also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI Albany Field Office is investigating this case with assistance from the FBI Riverside Field Office, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Rick Belliss and Mikayla Espinosa are prosecuting the 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.
Links to coverage of news conference:
WRGB/CBS:
https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/fbi-us-attorney-to-brief-on-new-case-child-online-safety-initiative-monday
WTEN/ABC:
https://www.news10.com/news/crime/california-man-accused-of-sexually-exploiting-capital-region-child/
WNYT/NBC:
https://wnyt.com/top-stories/california-man-accused-of-sending-sexually-explicit-messages-with-rensselaer-county-girl/
WRVO/Public Radio:
https://www.wrvo.org/2025-04-28/albany-u-s-attorney-wants-to-make-telecom-companies-monitor-texts-for-sexual-predators
WAMC/NPR:
https://www.wamc.org/news/2025-04-28/u-s-attorney-fbi-special-agent-in-charge-discuss-latest-efforts-on-childrens-online-safety-in-albany
Bucks County Attorney Sentenced to a Year and a Day in Prison in Connection with Multiple Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Alan Kane, 60, of Jamison, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson to 12 months and a day in prison and three years of supervised release for his actions linked to multiple fraud schemes. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $160,072 and a $1,000 fine.
In September, a federal jury convicted Kane, an attorney, on two counts of bankruptcy fraud, one count of filing a false claim in a bankruptcy proceeding, and one count of making a false statement to the FBI.
Kane and two co-defendants were charged in a 12-count indictment in January 2024 that laid out three different fraud schemes: (1) a scheme to steal a house from a dead man’s family; (2) a scheme to defraud the City of Philadelphia out of property taxes that were due on the stolen house; and (3) a scheme to defraud co-defendant Jonathan Barger’s creditors through bankruptcy.
In a suit filed by the family to get their house back, Kane represented the party who had stolen the house, Joseph Ruggiero[1], and made repeated false statements supporting Ruggiero’s claim to good title, despite knowing that the deeds transferring the property away from the family were fraudulent. Kane also filed a false counterclaim against the family, claiming Barger’s company was entitled to more than $133,000 for work purportedly done to improve the house after it had been stolen.
After claiming in the state court suit that Ruggiero had good title to the house, Kane represented Ruggiero before the Social Security Administration and represented that Ruggiero did not own the house because the deeds were fraudulent. This was done to ensure Ruggiero would still receive SSI benefits.
Kane next filed a bankruptcy for Ruggiero, in which they claimed that Ruggiero had valid title to the house. The bankruptcy served to stay the family’s state court suit and prevent them from winning back the house. Kane then filed a false claim against Ruggiero in the bankruptcy, on behalf of Barger’s company, in an effort to steal some of the equity in the house for Barger in the event that Ruggiero lost the house to the family.
Barger was implicated in all three schemes and pleaded guilty in June of last year to all counts with which he was charged. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12.
“As officers of the court, attorneys have an ethical and professional obligation to uphold the law,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Instead, Alan Kane used his law license to help three clients commit federal crimes. Today’s sentence holds Kane responsible for his outrageous conduct and underscores the importance of respect for the rule of law.”
“White-collar crimes may not involve physical violence, but they are far from victimless,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Crimes like bankruptcy fraud undermine trust in our financial systems and harm individuals, businesses, and communities alike. The FBI, working alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is firmly committed to protecting the integrity of our financial institutions and holding accountable those who manipulate, deceive, and defraud the public through complex and deceptive schemes.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Dubnoff and Special Assistant United States Attorney Hannah McCollum.
[1] Mr. Ruggiero died in June 2020.
Bryan Stirling to Serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of South CarolinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Bryan P. Stirling has been appointed as the United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Mr. Stirling took the oath of office before U.S. Circuit Court Judge Julius Richardson in a private ceremony this afternoon at the U.S. District Courthouse, where he was joined by friends, family, and federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.
Mr. Stirling most recently served as director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections for more than a decade, where he has been the longest serving prison director in the country. He led a department of more than 4,000 employees who cared for 16,500 inmates in 21 prisons. Mr. Stirling worked to create a systemic reentry and training focus for all custody levels, which has led South Carolina to have the lowest recidivism rate in the country since 2021.
Prior to joining the correctional system, Mr. Stirling served as Deputy Attorney General for nearly six years. He served Governor Nikki Haley as her Chief of Staff from October 2012 to September 2013, during which he oversaw management of the governor’s cabinet and the Office of Executive Policy and Programs. Mr. Stirling graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1991 and USC’s School of Law in 1996.
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Stirling will be responsible for overseeing federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the District of South Carolina. He will lead a dedicated team of 120 prosecutors and support professionals with offices located in Columbia, Charleston, Florence and Greenville.
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Bridgeville Resident Pleads Guilty to Production of Material Depicting Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on April 25, 2025, to one count of production and attempted production of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Matthew Trax, 25, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about November 30, 2023, Trax employed, used, and enticed a 14-year-old female to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, knowing that the visual depiction would be transported in and affect interstate commerce or created using a means and facility of interstate commerce. Specifically, Trax sent the minor nine images and one video of himself engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor, which Trax had recorded on his phone.
Judge Hardy scheduled Trax’s sentencing for August 21, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Trax remains detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mt. Lebanon Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Trax.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of MachinegunRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawful possession of a machinegun.
James Thelwell-Mullen, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun before U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs who scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2025. In July 2024, Thelwell-Mullen was indicted by a federal grand jury.
On or around April 28, 2023, Thelwell-Mullen unlawfully possessed a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch” – a device designed to enable a Glock semi-automatic pistol to fire automatically. According to court documents, a machinegun conversion device, as well as two privately made firearms, ammunition, firearm magazines, other firearm accessories, and one plastic bag of fentanyl, were recovered during a search of Thelwell-Mullen’s Boston residence. Messages on Thelwell-Mullen’s phone indicated that he was also selling machinegun conversion devices.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division.
Bethlehem Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Drug Distribution, Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Matthew Romig, 38, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. last week to 57 months’ imprisonment, six years of supervised release, and a $900 special assessment for drug and gun offenses.
Romig was charged by indictment in October 2024 with five counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of possession of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school or playground, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of possession of an unregistered machine gun. He pleaded guilty to all the charges against him in January.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Romig repeatedly sold cocaine in Bethlehem and often did so within a few hundred feet of a community playground near his residence.
On July 26, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at that residence, located on the 600 block of Hayes Street. In Romig’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered approximately $760 and more than three grams of cocaine. Inside Romig’s residence, authorities recovered approximately eight grams of cocaine, as well as a .45 caliber Military Armament Corp select-fire machine pistol model MAC-10, an extended magazine, and a suppressor. The MAC-10, which was unregistered, had an obliterated serial number and was switched to full-automatic mode.
In 2005, Romig was convicted of robbery in the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas and sentenced to 14 to 36 months’ imprisonment for the offense, a second-grade felony. As a result, he was not permitted to legally possess a firearm.
“Matthew Romig endangered his community, selling cocaine and arming himself with a deadly weapon,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He wasn’t allowed to have any firearm, let alone a submachine gun set to full automatic, with extended magazine and suppressor. It’s critical to get dangerous drugs off the street and illegal guns out of criminals’ hands, to crack down on violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.”
“Matthew Romig was selling drugs near a playground and armed with a fully automatic MAC-10 .45 submachine gun,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “This criminal is going to federal prison, where he will no longer endanger this community. Together with our state and local partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office, we continue to make Pennsylvania’s communities safer from such dangerous criminals.”
The case was investigated by the ATF, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and the Bethlehem Police Department as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca Kulik and Robert Schopf.
Armed Drug Store Robber Sentenced to 25 years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A felon involved in several Raleigh drug store robberies was sentenced on April 16, 2025, to 25 years in prison for Hobbs Act Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. Marvin Rashaad Cummings, 34, pled guilty to the charges on December 4, 2024.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded to a robbery at a CVS store on New Bern Avenue on December 29, 2022. Witnesses reported that a black male wearing a gray hoodie and a black mask approached the register to buy a pack of gum. The man showed the store clerk a black handgun and demanded all of the money in the register. The suspect then led the clerk upstairs to the store’s safe and stole a large sum of money from the safe that had a tracker attached to it. RPD tracked the money to a red sedan parked near the CVS. Cummings was in the driver’s seat wearing clothing that matched the description of the robbery suspect and was in possession of a mask and handgun that matched the description given by witnesses.
Cummings admitted to participating in six robberies in the Raleigh and Knightdale areas over the prior month and using a real handgun during the commission of the crimes. Cummings has prior convictions for Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, bank robbery, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Raleigh Police Department, and the Knightdale Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Newby and Sarah E. Nokes prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-cr-00319.
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Alleged Purse Thief Charged with Robbery, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mario Bustamante Leiva, 49, a Chilean National who is in the U.S. illegally, was arrested on April 26, 2025, on a criminal complaint charging wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and robbery in connection with three purse snatchings in the District and the unauthorized use of victim credit cards.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
An initial appearance in U.S. District Court is pending. Bustamante Leiva appeared in Superior Court today on an unrelated fugitive warrant. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against him.
According to court documents, on April 12, 2025, a victim reported to MPD that her purse was stolen from the back of her chair while she was dining at Nando’s restaurant, in the 800 block of F Street, NW. Law enforcement recovered video surveillance of the suspect who appeared to be acting in concert with a second individual (Suspect 2). An unauthorized transaction totaling more than $500 was made using the victim’s credit card.
On April 17, 2025, a victim at the Westin Hotel, in the 900 block of 9th Street, NW, reported her purse had been stolen while it was hanging on the back of her chair, while she was having dinner. Two unauthorized transactions for more than $400 were made using the victim’s credit card.
On April 20, 2025, a third victim, who was dining at the Capital Burger restaurant in the 1000 block of 7th Street, NW, reported that her purse, which she had placed at her feet while dining, had gone missing. Law enforcement recovered video surveillance of the suspect, who made unauthorized transactions, totaling more than $200, using the victim’s credit card. The victim also lost cash and personal documents.
“Thanks to the efforts of the Secret Service working in concert with the Metropolitan Police Department, this alleged thief was quickly identified, arrested, and, with the deft management of the Assistant US Attorney, charged,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “He will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“We began this investigation with only a grainy security video of a masked offender,” said U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge, Matt McCool. “The subsequent arrests in this case are a testament to the extraordinary investigative work by the analysts and special agents of the Washington Field Office, the USSS Uniformed Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. We also received valuable assistance from our partners at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned that on April 19, 2025, Bustamante Leiva had reported a robbery to Montgomery County (MD) Police, claiming a bag containing his belongings were stolen from him while he was asleep on a bench.
On April 26, 2025, law enforcement from the U.S. Secret Service and MPD went to a location where Bustamante Leiva was staying, located him, and placed him under arrest. Following his arrest, law enforcement interviewed Bustamante Leiva in connection with the purse thefts.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
Accountant Pleads Guilty to $8M Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A Colorado man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States and tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Rodney Ermel owned and managed a Colorado-based accounting firm. Along with co-defendant Kenneth Bacon, Ermel provided accounting and tax preparation services for Joseph LaForte and his entities. Ermel conspired with LaForte, Bacon, and others to hide approximately $20 million in income. He did this through various fraudulent accounting practices, such as fabricating shareholder loans and “bad debt” deductions. Ermel also filed tax returns which he knew underreported taxable income by over $20 million between 2016 and 2018. Ermel’s fraud caused a loss to the United States of over $8 million.
Ermel is the fourth defendant to plead guilty to criminal conduct related to this tax scheme. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 3.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Newcomer and John J. Boscia for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Accountant Pleads Guilty to $8 Million Tax FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Rodney Ermel, 71, of Colorado entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Mark Kearney on charges of tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ermel owned and managed a Colorado-based accounting firm. Along with co-defendant Kenneth Bacon, Ermel provided accounting and tax preparation services for co-defendant Joseph LaForte, LaForte’s wife and co-defendant Lisa McElhone, and their business entities. Ermel conspired with LaForte, Bacon, and others to hide approximately $20 million in income.
He did this through various fraudulent accounting practices, such as fabricating shareholder loans and “bad debt” deductions. Ermel also filed tax returns which he knew underreported taxable income by over $20 million between 2016 and 2018. Ermel’s fraud caused a loss to the United States of over $8 million.
Ermel is the fourth defendant to plead guilty to criminal conduct related to this tax scheme. Sentencing is scheduled for September 3.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Newcomer and John J. Boscia for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
2 felons sentenced for illegal reentry into the countryRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Two foreign nationals have been ordered to federal prison for returning to the United States without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Porfirio Martinez-Santos, 55, Mexico, pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2024, while Juan Esteban Zelaya-Hernandez, 42, Honduras, admitted his guilt Jan. 31.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Martinez-Santos and Zelaya-Hernandez to serve 42 and 21 months in federal prison, respectively. At their hearings, the court heard additional evidence regarding both men’s criminal histories. Zelaya-Hernandez has two convictions from 2023 for possession of a firearm by a felon and illegal reentry. In handing down the sentences, Judge Crane noted Martinez-Santos had previously served a 37-month sentence for illegal reentry.
Both are again expected to face removal proceedings following their prison terms.
Law enforcement found Martinez-Santos near Cuevitas Oct. 4, 2024, while they discovered Zelaya-Hernandez near La Homa the following month. Both had claimed they had illegally entered the United States on the same day of their respective discoveries near Hidalgo.
The investigation revealed Zelaya-Hernandez had been ordered removed in August 2024 after serving a federal prison sentence for two felonies. Martinez-Santos was removed in 2023.
Both men have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Avery Benitez prosecuted the cases.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
27 April 2025
Rhode Island Man Admits Role to Defraud New Hampshire Automobile DealershipRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man admitted to a federal judge in Rhode Island that he participated in a scheme to defraud automobile dealerships in Rhode Island and New Hampshire, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Adalberto Mauricio Romero, 28, admitted that he intended to defraud a New Hampshire dealership in May 2022, when he sought to take possession of a Land Rover valued at $95,713. Delivery of the vehicle to Romero was halted when he presented a fraudulent driver’s license containing information that was used as part of an online application to secure financing through a dealership financing program.
Romero pleaded guilty on April 24. 2025, to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matter was investigated by the Warwick, RI, Police Department, the Bedford, NH, Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
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25 April 2025
Windham Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Federal Prison for Scheme to Defraud the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack ValleyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Windham man was sentenced today in federal court in connection with his ownership of an international technology (IT) company that contracted with the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley (United Way) while being employed by United Way, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Imran Alrai, age 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante to 36 months in federal prison and 1 year of supervised release. Alrai was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2.3 million. In October 2024, Alrai was convicted by a federal jury of 12 counts of wire fraud and 6 counts of money laundering.
“For six years, the defendant carried out a calculated and sophisticated scheme to steal millions from a non-profit dedicated to uplifting our most vulnerable communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “He exploited the organization’s trust, fabricating companies, employees, and invoices– all to line his own pockets at the expense of those the non-profit was meant to serve.”
“The usual reward of nonprofit work is personal fulfillment, not financial enrichment,” said James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Imran Alrai, however, treated the United Way of Massachusetts and Merrimack Valley like his very own ATM, stealing millions of dollars and shortchanging their efforts and the community in the process. To anyone else engaged in a scheme like this, know that the FBI will work to shut you down and ensure you are held accountable for your actions.”
“Alrai’s ploy to enrich himself with millions of dollars stolen from an organization focused on improving the lives of those in need ended today. He used his technical expertise to craft an elaborate fraud scheme that went undetected for years, allowing him to siphon millions to fulfill his own greed,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “After today’s sentence, he’s finally facing the consequences of his crimes— a long term in federal prison.”
Between 2012 and June 2018, Alrai, an IT professional at the United Way, obtained approximately $6.7 million in payments for IT services supposedly provided to United Way by an independent outside contractor, DigitalNet Technology Solutions, Inc. Alrai misrepresented material facts about DigitalNet and fraudulently concealed that he owned and controlled DigitalNet. Through DigitalNet, Alrai overcharged United Way for the services he provided. In early 2013, Alrai rigged the bidding process for a major contract to provide managed IT services at the United Way so that DigitalNet was chosen. Alrai then gave fake references and false information about DigitalNet to United Way.
For the next five years, while serving as United Way’s Vice President for IT Services, Alrai steered additional IT work to DigitalNet, so that his company soon became United Way’s second largest outside vendor, receiving more than $1 million annually. Alrai concealed his connection with DigitalNet from his colleagues. He routinely sent emails with attached invoices from a fictitious person to himself at United Way.
After the fraud came to light, in June 2018, officials at the United Way confronted Alrai and terminated him. Federal agents executed search and seizure warrants and seized incriminating documents and data from Alrai’s home office in Windham, as well as approximately $2.2 million in fraud proceeds in bank and investment accounts.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. The Internal Revenue Service provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles L. Rombeau and John J. Kennedy prosecuted the case.
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Wilson Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Fentanyl and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Wilson man was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison for charges related to the sale of narcotics and possession of a firearm by convicted felon. Navon Shemar Freeman, 24, pled guilty on November 11, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information in July 2023 that Freeman was selling narcotics. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) and Nash County Probation Office conducted a search of Freeman’s house and located fentanyl pills and firearms. One of the firearms seized was equipped with a fully operational, 3-D printed “switch,” which is a device that can be placed into a semi-automatic firearm to make it fully automatic.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Nash County Probation Office, and the Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Childress, Jimmie Bellamy, and Nicholas Hartigan prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00252-FL.
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Washington Jury Finds Spokane Valley Couple Guilty of Fraud Charges in Connection to COVID-19 Relief LoanRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict in the trial of a Raymond Joe and Jennifer Lynn Hilderbrand, both age 54, of Spokane Valley, Washington. The Hilderbrands were found guilty on multiple fraud charges.
United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice presided over the trial, which began April 21, 2025. At sentencing, which is set for July 23, 2025, the Hilderbrands face a maximum term of 20 years in prison as well as restitution for fraudulently-obtained funds.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provided a number of programs through which eligible small businesses could request and obtain relief funding intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemic for small and local businesses. One such program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, provided low interest loans that could be deferred until the conclusion of the pandemic to provide “bridge” funding for small businesses to maintain their operations during shutdowns and other economic circumstances caused by the pandemic. The EIDL program have provided billions of dollars in aid, the vast majority of which have not been paid back, including hundreds of millions of dollars disbursed within Eastern Washington.
The evidence presented at trial established that the Hilderbrands engaged in elaborate scheme to obtain money from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to spend on their entertainment business called Poweline Enterprise LLC (Powerline), even though in September of 2021, the SBA had declined to fund a loan for the company.
To execute this scheme, in January of 2022, Raymond Hilderbrand completed a EIDL application in the name of Hilderbrand Auto Services, which was an automotive repair business, owned by the Raymond Hilderbrand, located at 10423 E. Trent Avenue, Spokane Valley. In the application he told the SBA the EIDL funds would be used as working capital for Hilderbrand Auto Services, and would not be used for another company. However, in February 2022, when SBA sent $320,000 to Hilderbrand Auto to be used by that business to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic, the Hilderbrands immediately transferred $311,000 to Powerline. The Hilderbrands then used $295,000 of the EIDL funds to purchase the Trent Avenue property in the name of Powerline, with Jennifer Hilderbrand as the only owner.
The Hilderbrands continued to attempt to obtain additional EIDL funds in the name of Powerline by making false representations about the company’s revenue on their EIDL application. The SBA declined the reconsideration of the Powerline EIDL application in early May of 2022. Shortly thereafter, the Hilderbrands requested a modification for the EIDL loan for Hilderbrand Auto. The SBA approved the request, and Raymond Hilderbrand again promised to use the money solely for Hilderbrand Auto. On May 17, 2022, the SBA disbursed an additional $43,000 in EIDL funds to the Hilderbrand Auto bank account, $35,000 of which was immediately withdrawn by check and transferred to Powerline.
In May 2022, the Hilderbrands submitted an application on behalf of Powerline for a license to sell alcohol and food at the Trent Avenue Property. Then, in the summer of 2022, the Hilderbrands began to host concerts at the Trent Avenue property. The advertisements billed the property as “The YARD, A New Upcoming Outdoor Venue in Spokane WA!” that included beer gardens and food vendors. The advertisement also indicated the concert was “brought to you by” “Powerline Enterprises” along with other companies.
In September 2022, the Hilderbrands applied for a new application for a snack bar license on behalf of Powerline for the Trent Avenue Property. During an interview with a license investigator, Raymond Hilderbrand stated the company’s hope was to host swap meets and multiple activities, with a snack bar inside a building with outside seating. Mr. Hilderbrand was asked if Powerline shared the property with any other businesses and he responded, “No,” even though the property was shared with Hilderbrand Auto. Mr. Hilderbrand also acknowledged that Powerline had bought the property for $295,000. The investigator asked if any of the funds for the purchase were “gifted or loaned from a business source,” to which Hilderbrand falsely responded “no.”
“I am grateful for the prosecutors and investigators that worked together to seek justice in this case,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rich Barker. “Our incredible trial team worked closely with the SBA to present a compelling case, establishing that both Raymond and Jennifer Hilderbrand were held accountable for the lies they told to obtain funding that was designed for small businesses in need of a lifeline. As a result of the Hilderbrands’ fraud, other small businesses were unable to obtain the help they needed during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
"These guilty verdicts demonstrate the commitment of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to investigate and bring to justice those who victimize the American taxpayer," said Daniel Dahl, TIGTA Acting Special Agent-in-Charge. “Fraudulently applying for loans through a federal program meant to assist Americans in need will be met with aggressive investigation and prosecution. I want to thank our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office for their commitment to this goal."
“Today’s verdict is a testament to the OIG’s unwavering commitment to bringing fraudsters targeting SBA’s programs to justice,” said SBA OIG’s Western Region Assistant Special Agent in Charge Wil Barras. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their diligence and pursuit of justice.”
This case was investigated by the Eastern District of Washington COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force and by TIGTA, SBA OIG, and IRS-CI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frieda K. Zimmerman, Jeremy J. Kelley, and Jacob Brooks.
2:23-cr-00114-TOR
Upstate Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. —Travis Legg, 43, of Woodruff, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams of fentanyl.
Evidence before the court established that in the late summer and fall of 2023, Legg worked with Maurice Canty to obtain over 500 grams of methamphetamine and over 40 grams of fentanyl for distribution. During the conspiracy, law enforcement surveilled a meeting where Canty distributed drugs to Legg, and Legg was found in possession of drugs upon his arrest in this case.
Travis Legg faces a maximum of life in federal prison, a $10 million fine, and a maximum of lifetime supervision.
United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., accepted the guilty plea and will sentence the defendant after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Judge Coggins has previously sentenced Maurice Canty to 292 months of imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy.
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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Border Enforcement Security Task Force – Upstate South Carolina, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office secures 2 immigration crimes convictions, charges new defendantRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced today two new immigration convictions and charges filed against an additional defendant. Two of the three defendants have a criminal history of domestic violence.
Eduardo Hernandez-Lopez, 37, is an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously arrested by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office for domestic violence, assault and violating a protection order. He pleaded guilty in federal court in Columbus on Wednesday to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
In Dayton, Gustavo Rodriguez-Piedra, 45, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to illegally reentering the United States after deportation. The defendant was previously deported from Texas in 2010. Rodriguez-Piedra was also sentenced on Tuesday to time served and will face deportation.
Luis Callejas-Rosas, 54, of Mexico, was arrested in Shelby County for domestic violence and strangulation. He was then taken into federal custody and charged with illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has a prior felony conviction (or multiple prior misdemeanor convictions of certain types), the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. Transporting illegal aliens is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Possessing a firearm as an illegal alien is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Detroit Field Division; announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler J. Aagard, Elizabeth Geraghty and Erica Lunderman are representing the United States in these cases.
Charging documents merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
These cases were investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending April 25, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:• 67 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
• 10 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
• 55 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for alien smuggling, drug trafficking, burglary and fraud.
In a significant case, former NM state magistrate judge Jose Luis Cano was charged with tampering with evidence in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1). Cano’s wife, Nancy Ann Cano, was charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(k). Jose Cano is accused of destroying a cellular telephone belonging to Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a suspected Tren de Aragua member charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. In a post-arrest interview, Cano admitted to destroying the cellular telephone because he believed it contained incriminating photographs of Ortega-Lopez with firearms. Nancy Cano is accused of conspiring with Ortega-Lopez to delete a social media account to conceal incriminating messages and photographs related to his possession of firearms. At the husband and wife’s initial appearances in federal court on April 25, 2025, they were both detained pending detention hearings on April 29, 2025.
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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney Martin Sends Letter to Green Theory Pot Dispensary for Violation of Federal LawRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., of the District of Columbia, sent a letter to the owners and operators of Green Theory, a city-permitted marijuana dispensary located at 4828 MacArthur Blvd., NW, for operating within 1,000 feet of several area schools.
“I am concerned that you are in violation of federal laws, which are intended to protect children. To that end, the need to address this issue is serious,” Martin said.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia wrote the letter in response to neighborhood concerns expressed to him from parents and other residents regarding the dispensary operating within 1,000 feet of several schools, including: Our Lady of Victory Catholic School, the River School, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School and Little Ivies preschool.
“As you likely know, there are numerous federal laws governing and even prohibiting the distribution and possession of marijuana, including provisions of the Controlled Substances Act,” he said.
“Your dispensary appears to be operating in violation of federal law, and the Department of Justice has the authority to enforce federal law even when such activities may be permitted under state or local law,” he said. “Persons and entities owning, operating, or facilitating such dispensaries (as well as premises grow centers) may be subject to criminal prosecution and civil enforcement actions under federal law.”
In the letter, Martin asked three questions of the dispensary owners:
- Are you aware of the federal laws related to marijuana dispensaries and their locations near schools?
- Have you addressed these issues with federal law enforcement officials?
- Can you produce documentation regarding your compliance with federal law?
A copy of the letter can be found here.
Two former laboratory sales executives sentenced to federal prison for roles in health care kickback conspiracyRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – Two former laboratory sales executives were sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Stephen Kash, 51, of Winnie, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $779,773.70 in criminal proceeds. Courtney Love, 46, of Dallas, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $217,268.75 in criminal proceeds. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on April 24, 2025.
On September 22, 2022, Christopher Grottenthaler, 46, of Dorado, Puerto Rico; Blake Whitaker, 54, of Frisco; Stephen Kash; Chrissy Alfaro, 39, of Frisco; Courtney Love; Charles Dickens, 45, of Beaumont; Marty Flores, 67, of Montgomery; and Frederick Brown, 52, of Missouri City, were indicted for conspiring to commit illegal remunerations in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. The statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs. The defendants were charged for their roles in a conspiracy through which physicians were incentivized to make referrals to rural hospitals and an affiliated lab in exchange for kickbacks which were disguised as investment returns; and in which marketers were incentivized to arrange for or recommend the ordering of services from rural hospitals and an affiliated lab.
Two rural Texas hospitals, Little River Healthcare (LRH) based in Rockdale, and Stamford Memorial Hospital based in Stamford, partnered with True Health Diagnostics (THD), a clinical laboratory based in Frisco, Texas, that specialized in advanced cardiovascular lipid testing. For a fee, THD processed the blood tests while the hospitals billed the tests to insurers as hospital outpatient services, with the hospitals charging insurers a much higher rate than THD could receive as a clinical laboratory. The hospitals utilized a network of marketers who in turn operated management services organizations (MSOs) that offered investment opportunities to physicians throughout the State of Texas. In reality, the MSOs were simply a means to facilitate payments to physicians in return for the physicians’ laboratory referrals. Pursuant to the kickback scheme, the hospitals paid a portion of their laboratory revenues to marketers, who in turn kicked back a portion of those funds to the referring physicians who ordered THD tests. THD executives and sales force personnel leveraged the MSO kickbacks to gain and increase referrals and, in turn, to increase their revenues, bonuses, and commissions.
On July 14, 2022, Kash was also indicted for conspiring to commit money laundering for his involvement in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the kickback conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Defense – Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce - Export Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian Garcia, Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld, Lucas Machicek, and Robert Austin Wells.
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Two North Dakota Men Charged with Credit Union Robbery in Eagle Butte, South DakotaRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted two New Town, North Dakota, men with Credit Union Robbery.
A federal grand jury indicted Jason Cook, age 40, and Conrad DeMarce, age 37, in April 2025. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 21, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
On April 8, 2025, Cook and DeMarce are alleged to have taken money from the Black Hills Federal Credit Union in Eagle Butte by force, violence, and intimidation.
The charge is merely an accusation and Cook and DeMarce are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen is prosecuting the case.
Cook and DeMarce were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been scheduled for June 30, 2025.
Two Foreign Nationals Arrested in Serbia for Directing Interstate Stalking and Harassment Scheme Targeting Los Angeles-Based Critic of Chinese President Xi JinpingRead the Press Release
Yesterday, Serbian law enforcement authorities arrested two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom, at the request of the United States. Today, the United States unsealed its criminal complaint alleging that Cui and Miller coordinated and directed a conspiracy to harass, intimidate, and threaten a Los Angeles resident (the Victim) who had been publicly critical of President Xi Jinping.
According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the Victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The Victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.
Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the Victim, to install a tracking device on the Victim’s car, to slash the tires on the Victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statutes created by the Victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.
A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the Victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statutes of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the Victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years for conspiracy and five years for interstate stalking.
The FBI is investigating the case. The United States thanks the Ministry of Justice of Serbia, the Ministry of Interior of Serbia, and the Republic Public Prosecutor’s Office of Serbia for the assistance in this matter. The United States will seek extradition of Cui and Miller and looks forward to working in partnership with the Republic of Serbia’s Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Ryan and Amanda B. Elbogen for the Central District of California, and Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin P. Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorney Goran Krnaich of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Defendants Arrested in Serbia for Allegedly Directing Interstate Stalking and Harassment of L.A.-Based Critic of China’s PresidentRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Serbian law enforcement authorities have arrested two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom, at the request of the United States, the Justice Department announced today.
The United States today unsealed its criminal complaint alleging that Cui and Miller coordinated and directed a conspiracy to harass, intimidate, and threaten a Los Angeles resident (the victim) who had been publicly critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.
Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statutes created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.
A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statutes of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in federal prison for conspiracy and five years in federal prison for interstate stalking.
The FBI is investigating the case. The United States thanks the Ministry of Justice of Serbia, the Ministry of Interior of Serbia, and the Republic Public Prosecutor’s Office of Serbia for the assistance in this matter. The United States will seek extradition of Cui and Miller and looks forward to working in partnership with the Republic of Serbia’s Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice.
Assistant United States Attorneys David Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division, and Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, along with Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin P. Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorney Goran Krnaich of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Troy Gang Leader Sentenced to 137 Months in Prison for Possessing Fentanyl, Cocaine, and a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Richawn McClain, age 26, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to 137 months in prison for possessing fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
McClain previously admitted to possessing a handgun that had been modified to make it into a machinegun to protect the 900 fentanyl pills, 32 grams of cocaine, and $22,770 in drug proceeds that he possessed. United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed 4 years of post-imprisonment supervised release including a special condition to avoid contact with the Young Gunnerz and 380 gangs, in which McClain held leadership roles. McClain also agreed to forfeit the firearm and drug money.
The DEA investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted.
Tampa Woman Pleads Guilty to Her Role in Two Convenience Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Leanna Bryant (28, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to two robberies, conspiracy to commit those robberies, and aiding and abetting the brandishing a firearm during those robberies. Bryant faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the robbery counts. For each of the firearms counts, she faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, in federal prison—consecutive to any other sentence. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents and proceedings, in August 2023, Bryant conspired with others to rob two convenience stores. A firearm was used and brandished during both robberies. During the investigation, officers discovered a vehicle’s license plate registering on license plate readers near both robbery locations, close in time to when each of the robberies had occurred. Bryant’s fingerprints were found in the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, the Temple Terrace Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, and the North Port Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
St. Francis Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Larceny in the Rosebud Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Larceny. The sentencing took place on April 22, 2025.
Larry White Lance, age 29 was sentenced to seven years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
White Lance was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 29, 2025.
The conviction stems from White Lance breaking into a home in St. Francis in June 2022 and steeling a tool chest, tools, and other property.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
White Lance was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Springfield Man Indicted for Drug and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mass., in connection with drug and firearms offenses.
Hector Navarro, 36, was indicted for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, being a felon in possession of ammunition and possessing a firearm if furtherance of a drug distribution felony. Navarro is currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Springfield at a later date.
According to the charging document, on Jan. 27, 2025, Navarro possessed cocaine intended for distribution, along with a 9-mm handgun with no serial number and approximately 47 rounds of ammunition.
Navarro is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to a number of prior convictions including heroin distribution, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and assault with a dangerous weapon.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition provides for a sentence of at least 15 years in prison and up to life in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking felony provides for a sentence of at least five years in prison and up to life in prison, no more than three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Superintendent Lawrence Akers of the Springfield Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Spree of Armed Carjackings in 2023 Nets District Man 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Junious Plummer, 36, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison in connection with a firearms offense and a spree of three armed carjackings in late 2023.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Plummer pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2025, to one count of brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Plummer to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Aug. 11, 2023, about 7:30 a.m., Plummer approached two men sleeping in a blue Hyundai Elantra parked in a lot on the 3900 block of Dix Street NE. Plummer, holding a black handgun, opened the driver’s side door and demanded that the person get out of the vehicle. The victim tried to close the door. Plummer struck him with the handgun and ordered the person in the passenger seat to get out. Plummer then took the car and drove away with the driver’s phone still in the vehicle.
On Oct.18, 2023, Plummer, brandishing a silver revolver, approached the owner of a white 2007 Toyota Camry as the owner refueled at a gas station on the 4100 block of Hunt Place, NE. Plummer demanded the keys, and when the owner hesitated, Plummer hit the owner in the head with the revolver, causing the owner to drop his keys, iPhone, and headphones. Plummer scooped up the items and fled in the Camry.
On Dec. 18, 2023, Plummer and another man approached a woman in the parking garage of her apartment building on the 400 block of Minnesota Ave., NE. The woman was getting into her black 2014 Chrysler 300. One of the men was armed with a rifle-style firearm. Plummer and his accomplice demanded the woman’s keys, forced her to the ground, and placed the gun against the side of her head. The woman told the men the keys were in the vehicle. Plummer and his accomplice took the Chrysler 300 and fled to Maryland. Shortly after, Plummer and the man used the woman’s credit cards to make purchases.
Between the last two known carjackings, on Oct. 30, 2023, Plummer was found to be in possession of a black Charter Arms .357 firearm loaded with five rounds.
This investigation was conducted by the MPD and the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer with valuable assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate MacLure Toth.
24cr294
South Bay Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Woman Addicted to Fentanyl and Admits to Raping Her in Angeles National ForestRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A South Bay man pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for forcing a fentanyl-addicted woman to work for him as a prostitute in Orange County, then raping her and abandoning her in the Angeles National Forest.
Leslie Anthony Bailey, 33, of Wilmington, pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking by force and coercion. He has been in custody since March 2024.
According to his plea agreement, in February 2022, Bailey exchanged messages with a victim on a social media platform. The victim told Bailey she was in a treatment facility for fentanyl addiction and was experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Bailey offered to pick her up and provide her with fentanyl.
On February 5, Bailey picked the victim up from the facility, took her to buy fentanyl pills, then brought her to his then-residence in Long Beach, where he provided some of the fentanyl pills.
The next day, Bailey drove the victim from his Long Beach home to an area in Anaheim that is known for prostitution. Bailey told the victim he expected her to engage in sex acts for money and that she would provide him the money she earned from those acts. Bailey also told the victim he would provide more fentanyl to her after she completed the sex transactions. After the victim engaged in approximately four or five sex transactions, Bailey gave her more fentanyl pills and drove her back to his Long Beach residence.
On February 7, Bailey prevented the victim from leaving his home and threatened to beat her up if she attempted to leave again. Later that day, he again drove her to Anaheim to engage in prostitution, after which time he provided her with more fentanyl.
On February 8, the victim asked Bailey to drive her back to the drug treatment facility in Los Angeles. Although he promised her that he would do so, Bailey instead drove the victim to a remote area in the Angeles National Forest, ordered her out of the car, punched and kicked her, then raped her, ultimately driving away and leaving her there.
Bailey further admitted in his plea agreement that in March 2023 he used social media to recruit another victim to work for him as a prostitute. In March and April of 2023, this victim worked for Bailey as a prostitute in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties. Bailey admitted that at times, he used force and threats of force to exert control over her.
United States District Judge John W. Holcomb scheduled a July 18 sentencing hearing, at which time Bailey will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter. The Task Force includes HSI, the FBI, the Anaheim Police Department, the Irvine Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristin N. Spencer of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Anthony Sindoni, age 37, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to possessing three firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division, made the announcement.
Sindoni admitted to possessing a Keltec P-32 .32 caliber pistol, a Polymer 80 PF940C 9mm pistol, and a Mossberg 20-gauge pump shotgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Sindoni also admitted to possessing with intent to distribute over 754 grams of methamphetamine, 520 grams of fentanyl, 454 grams of cocaine, and 17 grams of heroin.
Sindoni faces a prison term of at least 15 years and up to life, a fine of up to $10 million, and a supervised release term of at least 5 years and up to life. 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.
DEA is investigating the case with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Paulbeck is prosecuting the case.
San Gabriel Woman Indicted for Allegedly Trafficking Counterfeit Goods from Hong Kong and Selling Them at SuperstoreRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley woman was charged today in a four-count federal grand jury indictment alleging she imported and sold counterfeit luxury goods, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and others.
Chaoyan Zhang, 33, of San Gabriel, is charged with four counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods or services.
Her arraignment is scheduled for May 8 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to court documents, in February 2025, law enforcement learned that Mitchelle Inc., where defendant worked, was importing and distributing counterfeit luxury goods. The business was located inside a superstore in San Gabriel.
Amongst the counterfeit items allegedly trafficked were luxury-brand clothing, accessories, and other items, including Gucci, Valentino, Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, among others. The boxes listed Hong Kong as the sender location. Zhang allegedly sold approximately nine counterfeit luxury brand items to a buyer for approximately $490.
Zhang was arrested on April 9 on a federal criminal complaint. Law enforcement seized all counterfeit items from Mitchelle Inc., which – had they been the genuine article – would have been valued at approximately $1 million.
Indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Zhang would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count.
Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Global Trade Investigations Trade Fraud Group is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua J. Lee of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on April 14, 2025.
Sylvan Larrabee, age 32, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Larrabee was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 15, 2025.
Larrabee was required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment due to a federal sex offense conviction. After updating his registration to an address in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, on May 15, 2024, Larrabee moved to Rapid City, South Dakota, in June 2024 and failed to update his registration. Larrabee’s whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested in Rapid City on July 15, 2024.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Larrabee was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Postal carrier sentenced to two years in prison for stealing mailRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Hampton woman was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for mail theft.
According to court documents, Kiesha L. Brown, 32, worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a city carrier assistant at the LC Page Post Office in Norfolk. Beginning in June 2023, the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (OIG) began receiving complaints regarding mail theft and check fraud from customers utilizing the LC Page Postal Station.
In June 2023, a victim whose business was on Brown’s delivery route reported that 16 checks had been stolen from the mail. The victim reported that one check in the amount of $146.64 did not reach the intended recipient, but was altered and deposited in a bank account in the amount of $4,890.02. Numerous customers on Brown’s postal route complained of similar frauds occurring with checks they had mailed through the LC Page Post Office.
Brown was observed in her postal vehicle using drugs and rummaging through and stealing mail. Brown provided mail to an accomplice in exchange for cash to support her daughter and her drug habit. Investigators identified 37 people victimized by Brown. Brown’s theft caused an intended loss of approximately $245,000 and an actual loss of $155,297.91.
In addition to her term of imprisonment, the Court ordered that Brown is to pay restitution in the total amount of $155,297.91.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kathleen Woodson, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid Atlantic Area Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-117.
Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Armed Carjacking of 73-Year-Old Man in Broad Daylight in Spruce Hill, West PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Zyair Dangerfield-Hill, 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted Thursday at trial of participating in the gunpoint carjacking of a 73-year-old man in April 2021.
The defendant was charged by indictment in July of that year with one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting, and one count of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and aiding and abetting, and was found guilty of both.
As proven at trial, just after 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, the victim was walking his dog on Pine Street, in the Spruce Hill neighborhood of West Philadelphia, and had stopped to put something in his parked vehicle, when the defendant and his associate walked up and pointed loaded handguns at the victim. They demanded the victim’s car keys, cell phone, and wallet, and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t comply.
The victim told them that he didn’t have his wallet or phone on him, and handed over a $20 bill and his car keys. At that time, two other males approached, also pointing their guns at the victim. All four of the carjackers then jumped into the victim’s vehicle, with the defendant in the front passenger seat, and drove away.
The Philadelphia Police Department was alerted about the carjacking, with officers arriving on scene a few minutes later. They broadcast over police radio a description of the victim’s vehicle, the four carjackers, and their direction of travel, and two officers on patrol spotted a car matching that description about a mile from the carjacking scene.
The officers turned on their lights and sirens and pursued the stolen car, which was driving erratically and at a high rate of speed, soon crashing into yellow metal pillars at 52nd Street and Paschall Avenue. Four males jumped out of the car and took off running, with the officers giving chase on foot. A short time later, the defendant was found hiding behind a motorcycle about three and a half blocks from the crash scene. DNA, latent prints, location data, and other evidence subsequently linked the defendant to the crime.
Dangerfield-Hill is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14 and faces a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison and a maximum possible term of life imprisonment.
“It is tough to imagine yourself surrounded by armed strangers pointing their guns right at you,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Zyair Dangerfield-Hill used a firearm to terrorize an innocent 73-year-old man, in the middle of the afternoon on a residential block. We are committed to stopping such senseless acts of violence, which undermine Philadelphians’ public safety and quality of life. The jury’s verdict holds the defendant accountable and keeps him safely behind bars.”
“Carjackings are not just property crimes — they are dangerous acts that put innocent lives at risk,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue those who endanger public safety with relentless determination.”
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Jeanette Kang and Special Assistant United States Attorney David Weisberg.
Oswego County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Daniel LaRock, age 21, of Oswego, New York pled guilty today to three counts of possession of child pornography. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
During his guilty plea hearing, LaRock admitted that he was convicted of Promoting the Sexual Performance by a Child in June 2024 in Oswego County Court and sentenced to 10 years’ probation. Later that same month, he possessed and distributed child pornography on multiple social media accounts, including videos depicting very young children engaged in sex acts with adults.
At sentencing scheduled for August 26, 2025, before United States District Judge Anthony J. Brindisi, LaRock faces an imprisonment term of at least 10 and up to 20 years per count, a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, forfeiture of the property used to commit the offenses, and an order of restitution to the victims. In addition, LaRock will be required to register as sex offender upon release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by HSI with the assistance of the New York State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian 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.
Oregon Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Offense Related to Illegal Sexual Activity with Connecticut MinorRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CANYON BEASLEY, 21, of Gresham, Oregon, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in Bridgeport to a child exploitation offense involving his engaging in an online relationship and unlawful sexual activity with a minor in Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in approximately January 2023, Beasley began communicating with a minor victim in Connecticut primarily through text messaging and Snapchat. In July 2023, he began requesting sexually explicit images and videos from the minor victim. In August 2023, he learned that the minor victim was 13 years old. For more than a year, Beasley and the minor victim exchanged sexually explicit images through these online platforms. In June 2024, Beasley traveled to Connecticut to engage in sexual activity with the minor victim, and recorded the sexual activity using his phone.
Beasley was arrested on September 30, 2024.
Beasley pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Beasley is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Cheshire Police Department and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Old Town National City Gang Member Sentenced to 10 years for Distributing Methamphetamine Near SchoolRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Manuel Joseph Mariscal, an Old Town National City criminal street gang member known by the moniker “Pony,” was sentenced today in federal court to 120 months in prison.
In June of 2022, task force officers from the East County Regional Gang Task Force conducted two controlled purchases involving the distribution of methamphetamine, a Ruger Mini Thirty CAL. 7.62 x 39 rifle and several rounds of ammunition from Mariscal. The distribution occurred at Mariscal’s residence located just 852 feet away from Zamorano Elementary School in San Diego.
On June 21, 2023, a state search warrant was executed on Mariscal’s residence, wherein additional methamphetamine, a firearm, ammunition, a firearm silencer, a firearm laser sign with gun mount parts, heroin and a composition book with pay and own information common in the drug trafficking business were discovered. On that date, Mariscal was arrested on the federal charges stemming from the June 2022 controlled purchases.
In addition to the federal charges, Mariscal is currently facing state charges for the additional contraband seized in connection to the search warrant execution on his residence in San Diego County Superior Court, Dkt. No. CD301145, charging Mariscal with child abuse, possession for sale of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a possessor of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a felon, and a prohibited person owning firearm/ammunition.
Mariscal, a serial offender marking his fourth conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, entered a guilty plea on this federal case on September 17, 2024.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndzie M. Carter.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr1470-JLS
Manuel Jospeh Mariscal Age: 49 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of Methamphetamine Near a School – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1) and 860
Maximum penalty: Eighty years in prison and $10 million fine
Felon in Possession of a Firearm – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(1)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
Felon in Possession of Ammunition– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(1)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
East County Regional Gang Task Force
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
National City Police Department
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Conspiracy That Took Nearly $7M from InvestorsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – An Ohio man was sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison by U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese after being found guilty of conspiring to artificially inflate prices on a low-value stock being sold to investors. He was also ordered to pay a $200,000 fine. After imprisonment, he was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release. Restitution amounts are yet to be determined.
Last September, a federal jury convicted Paul Spivak, 66, of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Spivak was also found guilty on two counts of wire fraud. He then pleaded guilty to four other counts of wire fraud, two counts of securities fraud, and a separate count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. The jury also convicted codefendant Charles Scott, 70, of Alexandria, Virginia, of securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
According to court documents, trial testimony, and exhibits, Spivak was the majority owner and chief executive officer of U.S. Lighting Group, Inc. (USLG), a publicly traded Florida corporation based in Euclid, Ohio. At various times, the company designed and manufactured commercial LED lights, aftermarket auto parts, and fiberglass recreational campers, and boats. USLG traded on OTC Markets as a “penny” stock due to its low market value. Penny stocks are known to be vulnerable to price manipulation due to lower trading volume and because they draw less scrutiny than other stocks.
Between 2016 and 2019, Spivak and several co-conspirators took USLG public through a reverse merger with a shell company. Using a variety of tactics, they artificially inflated the price of USLG stock to facilitate getting the company listed on a stock exchange.
When the stock price was artificially high, Spivak had a team of co-conspirators use aliases to act as unlicensed stockbrokers to cold-call potential investors and persuade them to buy restricted stock shares. The brokers offered the stock at a steep discount relative to the apparent market price, convincing investors that the stock purchase was a great investment.
USLG took in approximately $6.9 million between 2016 and 2019 from investors throughout the country, including many who were elderly. Individuals paid anywhere between $4,000 and $1 million to purchase the restricted stock shares which they were led to believe were a good deal on the investment.
Spivak rewarded the success of these unlicensed stockbrokers with large, undisclosed commissions. He disguised their compensation as payments on invoices he asked them to submit for purported consulting services. In total, approximately 200 payments worth $2 million in undisclosed commissions were paid out to the unlicensed stockbrokers.
Additionally, in early 2021 Spivak and Scott worked with co-conspirators to continue manipulating stock value by having them receive USLG shares to sell at inflated prices. They arranged for co-conspirators to manipulate the price of the stock through the use of a call room, also known as a boiler room.
In covertly recorded discussions with one of the would-be co-conspirators, Spivak explained that, because of how few shares the investing public traded without manipulation, it “wouldn't take very much to get the stock to go very high. I mean like very high.” Spivak explained that securities regulators “don't care what we do out of the country.” So, for his long-term plans to get USLG’s stock price “going like crazy,” he hoped to set up a boiler room operation “someplace in Barcelona, someplace outta the United States.”
Spivak set up a cyclical arrangement for all participants to profit from this stock manipulation. At Spivak’s direction, co-conspirators Scott and Forrest Church, 62, of Haleyville, Alabama, acting as Spivak’s and USLG’s nominees, would sell stock they had acquired at a low price, to the boiler room operators at a higher price. Those operators would then sell that stock to unsuspecting investors at the inflated prices, also netting a profit. Scott and Church would then send about half of the funds they received back to USLG and receive additional low-priced stock, which they would later sell to the boiler room operators to start the cycle again.
The defendants would later learn that the co-conspirators who had agreed to run the boiler room and buy the stock from Scott and Church were, in fact, undercover agents investigating the case.
Spivak took numerous steps to conceal the scheme, hide evidence, and otherwise end the investigation and prosecution. He took many of those steps after he was arrested, which investigators discovered on recorded phone calls that he placed to his wife and employees from jail. For example, he repeatedly pressured his wife to have USLG’s chief financial officer call the FBI agent and offer to pay $200,000 “for this thing to go away.” On another call, Spivak outlined plans for USLG and its shareholders to “sue the FBI.”
Other co-conspirators involved in the scheme have previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and other charges, including Spivak’s wife, Church, and some of the unlicensed stockbrokers who Spivak employed. Two of those brokers, Larry Matyas, 43, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Christopher Bongiorno, 46, of Mayfield Heights, Ohio, were each sentenced to one year and one day in prison earlier this week. The remaining co-conspirators are scheduled to be sentenced on April 29 and 30, 2025.
On Feb. 12, 2025, Scott was sentenced to three years and five months in prison after a conviction for securities fraud conspiracy and one count of securities fraud. He was also ordered to pay $500,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Morrison, Megan Miller, and Stephanie Wojtasik for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report investment, financial, and related violations, visit https://www.sec.gov/submit-tip-or-complaint.
Oak Grove Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Committing Arson at a Federally Contracted Rehabilitation CenterRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Nathan James Hester will spend the next 71 months in federal prison after intentionally starting multiple fires at a federally contracted rehabilitation center in Searcy, Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on April 24, 2025, by Chief United States District Kristine G. Baker.
An investigation revealed that Hester, 39, of Oak Grove, was suspected of setting fire to several residences in the Oak Grove community in North Little Rock between September 2022 and October 2022. On October 20, 2022, Hester set fire to a business located in North Little Rock, for which he was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 2, 2022. While under indictment, Hester was released on pretrial supervision and resided at a federally contracted rehabilitation center. On November 27, 2022, while at the rehabilitation center, Hester set multiple fires inside of his assigned room while the center was occupied.
On October 3, 2023, in a superseding indictment, Hester was charged with arson relating to the fires at the federally contracted rehabilitation center. Hester pleaded guilty to the arson charge on August 8, 2024.
“Nathan James Hester is a serial arsonist who endangered others and caused property damage,” Ross said. “These crimes deserve federal attention, and if there are others who make the choice to endanger others and set fire to destroy properties and endanger others, this office will ensure you are held accountable.”
“ATF is dedicated to preventing and reducing violent crime involving the criminal misuse of arson like the kind Nathan James Hester inflicted on the residents of a rehabilitation center,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “ATF remains vigilant about working fire investigations with our partners to solve these crimes and hold those accountable who use this dangerous violent tactic to harm the public.”
Chief Judge Baker also sentenced Hester to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Maumelle Police Department, Maumelle Fire Department, Oak Grove Fire Department, Arkansas State Police, Searcy Police Department, and the Searcy Fire Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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Norfolk man sentenced to over eight years in prison for trafficking fentanylRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to eight years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on at least five occasions from November 2023 through January 2024, Brian Kahlil Jones Jr., 28, distributed a total of 159.93 grams of fentanyl during controlled purchases conducted by the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) and HIDTA Enforcement Group 72 at the DEA Norfolk District Office.
On Jan. 17, 2024, law enforcement took Jones into custody. Officers searched Jones’ vehicle and recovered 26 grams of crack cocaine, 55 grams of fentanyl, 102 grams of marijuana, and a handgun that had been reported stolen. Jones was on state probation at the time of his arrest.
Law enforcement then searched Jones’ residence in Norfolk and recovered 198.31 grams of fentanyl, 4.21 grams of heroin, 419 methamphetamine pills, seven oxycodone pills, a kilo press, packing material, cutting agents, a cellphone, ammunition, and another handgun.
Among other previous convictions, Jones was convicted in 2013 of malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony after he fired multiple shots at the home of rival gang members. As a convicted felon, Jones cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police; and Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin G. Bird and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Miller prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-65.
Norfolk man sentenced to over eight years in prison for federal drug and firearms convictionRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; being a felon in possession of a firearm; and using and carrying a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
According to court documents, from July 25, 2023, to Aug, 7, 2023, the Chesapeake Police Department (CPD) conducted four controlled purchases of narcotics and firearms from Donte Rodrick Mondy, aka Tae, 37. In total, Mondy sold a combined total of 2.9 grams of fentanyl and xylazine; 6.1 grams of fentanyl; 4.49 grams of fentanyl and xylazine; and 8.07 grams of parafluorofentanyl, cocaine, and xylazine.
On Aug. 29,2023, investigators with CPD, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Norfolk Police Department, searched locations associated with Mondy, including his residence in Norfolk. Law enforcement detained Mondy as he left his residence. Investigators searched Mondy and a satchel he was carrying and recovered a loaded handgun; a cellphone; 81 capsules containing parafiuorofentanyl, cocaine, fentanyl, and xylazine; 104 counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl; .96 grams of cocaine; and 3.33 grams of para-fluorofentanyl, cocaine, and xylazine.
From Mondy’s Norfolk residence, investigators recovered indicia consistent with drug distribution; 1.3 grams of methamphetamine, a sifter, a digital scale, a handgun, a loaded magazine, and six bags of marijuana.
Among other crimes, Mondy was previously convicted of felony possession of cocaine and assault and battery of a family member – third offense. As a previously convicted felon, Mondy cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-83.
Nebraska Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid CityRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Chadron, Nebraska, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Casey Lopez, age 51, was sentenced on April 21, 2025, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Lopez was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and pleaded guilty on January 17, 2025.
Lopez and others distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine in Pine Ridge and Rapid City. Lopez was a leader in the conspiracy, setting prices, organizing the distribution, and enabling a Mexican cartel to gain inroads into the Pine Ridge Reservation. In sentencing Lopez, Judge Schreier denounced how Lopez’ actions severely damaged the community. Judge Schreier also noted the drugs Lopez was distributing came from Mexican cartels and constituted 100% pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Lopez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing.
Missouri Sex Offender Sentenced to 27+ Years in Prison for New Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Friday sentenced a registered sex offender from St. Francois County, Missouri to 293 months in prison after the man was caught again with child sexual abuse material.
Judge Autrey added three more years to David Russell Darr Jr.’s sentence because he violated his supervised release in a 2010 case in which he pleaded guilty to production of child pornography.
Darr, 35, of St. Francois County near Farmington, pleaded guilty in June to one count of receipt of child pornography. The investigation into Darr began in February of 2023, when the Missouri State Highway Patrol received four separate CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Three tips indicated that Darr had uploaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and the fourth showed that he sent an image containing CSAM to someone on Instagram, his plea agreement says. A search of his room located a microSD card taped under his bed that also contained CSAM, with more found later on a cell phone, the plea says.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Becker prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Missouri Registered Sex Offender Charged with Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been charged in a federal criminal complaint for child pornography offenses.
Jeffrey Lynn Petrie, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a two-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, April 25.
The federal criminal complaint charges Petrie with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet in May 2024, and one count of possessing child pornography from Dec. 9, 2024, to April 24, 2025.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers received a Cybertip reporting that a user, “kinkypopper69,” was uploading video files depicting child sexual abuse materials. Petrie was later identified as the user “kinkypopper69.”
On Thursday, April 24, the FBI conducted a search at Petrie’s residence and seized a cell phone.
Petrie is a registered sex offender in Missouri based on prior convictions for child molestation in the 2nd degree.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Franklin County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."