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Tuesday 18 March 2025
East Liberty Man Sentenced to over Nine Years in Prison for Series of Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 110 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Rashon Coleman, 31, of the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
According to information presented to the Court, on April 10, 2023, a subject later identified as Coleman walked into a bank, shoved a white plastic grocery bag appearing to contain a gun at the teller, and demanded $50,000 in cash. Coleman left the bank with approximately $904 given to him by the teller. The following day, Coleman entered a different bank nearby the first and shouted at the tellers to give him all of the money. Upon receiving money from one of the tellers, Coleman ordered everyone to the ground, threatening to shoot them all if they did not comply. He examined the cash he’d received from the teller and then demanded more, threatening to shoot one of the tellers in the head if they didn’t follow his instructions. A teller went to the vault and returned with additional cash, which she gave to Coleman, who then fled through the bank’s front door, this time, with approximately $4,344.
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers responding to the alarm noticed Coleman, who matched the description of the robbery suspect, walking down the street from the bank. The officers stopped Coleman and found him in possession of a bag containing a toy gun and a large amount of cash. Coleman later confessed to robbing both banks, and subsequently was charged with the two robberies in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, where he was granted alternative housing at a community detention facility.
On May 20, 2023, Coleman was granted permission to leave that facility for a short period but failed to return at the designated time. The same day, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police officers responded to a bank robbery in progress at the same bank that Coleman had robbed on April 10, 2023, where the subject, again later determined to be Coleman, had walked in yelling that he was robbing the bank and instructing everyone to get down. He demanded $20,000 in cash and threatened to start “popping” people if he didn’t get the money, also forcing one of the bank’s employees to open a security door leading to the vault that Coleman had been unable to breach during his first robbery of the bank. Coleman fled with more than $25,000 and a short time later was found by police inside a nearby store, where he was positively identified and had a bag containing the cash.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Coleman.
Drug Dealer Sentenced to Four Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and HeroinRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Henry Jovany Sevilla, 26, a Honduran national, was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. U.S. District Judge James Donato handed down the sentence.
Sevilla was initially charged by complaint on May 15, 2024, and by information on May 30, 2024. In December 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. According to court documents, on May 14, 2024, officers observed Sevilla engaging in three hand-to-hand sales of drugs in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. When he was arrested, he was found in possession of various amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.
Sevilla has remained in custody since his arrest and was remanded into custody following sentencing. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Donato ordered Sevilla to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Yeh prosecuted the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA.
Dos hombres condenados y un tercero extraditado de Guatemala a Estados Unidos por su participación en contrabando masivo de extranjeros en 2022 en San Antonio, TexasRead the Press Release
Dos hombres han sido condenados hoy por un jurado federal por su participación en un caso de contrabando masivo de extranjeros ocurrido en 2022 en San Antonio (Texas), en el que fallecieron 53 personas y 11 extranjeros resultaron lesionados. Un tercer hombre presuntamente implicado en el mismo incidente mortal de contrabando fue extraditado de Guatemala a Estados Unidos para comparecer ante la justicia por este caso.
“Estas condenas y extradiciones representan el compromiso del Departamento de Justicia de perseguir a los líderes, organizadores y facilitadores clave de las redes de contrabando de extranjeros que introducen ilegalmente a personas, con un riesgo significativo para la vida, en Estados Unidos,” declaró el funcionario supervisor Matthew R. Galeotti, jefe de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia. “Es un potente ejemplo de la labor crucial de la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alpha (JTFA), que ha sido mejorada y facultada para perseguir a los cárteles y las organizaciones delictivas transnacionales así como para eliminar la lacra del contrabando y la trata de seres humanos.”
Según los documentos judiciales y las pruebas presentadas en el juicio, Felipe Orduna-Torres, también conocido como Cholo, Chuequito y Negro, de 30 años, y Armando González-Ortega, también conocido como El Don y Don Gon, de 55 años, conspiraron con otras personas como parte de una organización de contrabando de extranjeros que cargó a aproximadamente 66 extranjeros en un remolque de camión, que carecía de aire acondicionado en funcionamiento, y condujo a los extranjeros hacia el norte a través de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México y por una carretera interestatal de Texas. El 27 de junio de 2022, a medida que subía la temperatura, algunos de los migrantes que se encontraban en el interior del remolque perdieron el conocimiento, mientras que otros arañaban las paredes intentando escapar. Cuando el camión de remolque llegó a San Antonio, según las pruebas presentadas en el juicio, ya habían muerto 48 migrantes. Otros cinco murieron tras ser trasladados a hospitales locales. Entre los fallecidos había seis niños y una mujer embarazada. Los acusados conspiraron con otros para facilitar el viaje de los extranjeros desde México, Guatemala y Honduras a Estados Unidos, cobrando a los extranjeros y sus familias entre 12.000 y 15.000 dólares por el peligroso viaje.
Orduna-Torres y González-Ortega fueron condenados cada uno por un cargo de conspiración para el transporte de extranjeros ilegales con resultado de muerte, lesiones corporales graves y poner la vida en peligro, un cargo de transporte de extranjeros ilegales con resultado de muerte y un cargo de transporte de extranjeros ilegales con resultado de lesiones corporales graves y poner la vida en peligro. Por ambos cargos con resultado de muerte, se enfrentan a una pena máxima de cadena perpetua en la sentencia que se dictará el 27 de junio. Un juez federal de distrito determinará la sentencia tras considerar las directrices de Estados Unidos para la imposición de penas y otros factores estatutarios.
Además, la amplia coordinación y cooperación entre las autoridades policiales estadounidenses y guatemaltecas dio lugar a la extradición de Rigoberto Ramón Miranda-Orozco, de 48 años de edad, presunto dirigente de una organización de contrabando de extranjeros con sede en Guatemala, por su presunta participación en el incidente con fallecimientos masivos de San Antonio.
“La extradición de Miranda-Orozco a Estados Unidos es un paso importante en el desmantelamiento de una gran y compleja organización de contrabando de personas de la que presuntamente forma parte,” declaró la fiscal en funciones de Estados Unidos para el Distrito Oeste de Texas, Margaret Leachman. “Al igual que hemos demostrado a lo largo del juicio de Orduna-Torres y González-Ortega, continuaremos procesando este caso enérgicamente, buscando justicia para aquellos que han perecido, y responsabilizando a aquellos que ilegalmente valoran el beneficio económico por encima de la vida humana.”
“El Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) de Estados Unidos persigue enérgicamente a los traficantes de seres humanos, independientemente de dónde operen o de lo lejos que crean que pueden esconderse,” declaró el agente especial al mando Craig Larrabee, de la Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) del ICE en San Antonio. “Estos veredictos reflejan el alcance y la profundidad de nuestras investigaciones sobre el contrabando de personas. Desde el país de origen hasta el destino final, nuestros agentes especiales han trabajado incansablemente para localizar a estos delincuentes y desmantelar toda su red de contrabando. Uno a uno estamos viendo las consecuencias del contrabando de seres humanos a medida que se impone la justicia.”
Según los documentos judiciales, Miranda-Orozco conspiró con otros traficantes para facilitar el viaje de cuatro extranjeros desde Guatemala a través de México y, en última instancia, a Estados Unidos, cobrando a las familias entre 12,000 y 15,000 dólares por el mortal viaje. En particular, Miranda-Orozco es presuntamente responsable del contrabando de tres migrantes que perecieron en el remolque del camión.
En agosto de 2024, Miranda-Orozco fue detenido en Guatemala en respuesta a una solicitud de extradición de Estados Unidos. Su detención formó parte de una operación a gran escala durante la cual las fuerzas del orden guatemaltecas ejecutaron múltiples órdenes de registro y detención en Guatemala. Miranda-Orozco fue acusado bajo secreto de sumario en el Distrito Oeste de Texas (WDTX), y su acusación se hizo pública tras su detención. Miranda-Orozco compareció por primera vez el lunes ante el tribunal federal de distrito de San Antonio y fue acusado de un cargo de conspiración para introducir a un extranjero en Estados Unidos con resultado de muerte, tres cargos de complicidad para introducir a un extranjero en Estados Unidos con resultado de muerte, un cargo de conspiración para introducir a un extranjero en Estados Unidos causando lesiones corporales graves y poniendo vidas en peligro, y un cargo de complicidad para introducir a un extranjero en Estados Unidos causando lesiones corporales graves y poniendo vidas en peligro.
Las condenas y la extradición son el resultado de los esfuerzos coordinados de la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alpha (JTFA). La JTFA, una asociación con el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS), ha sido elevada y ampliada con el mandato de dirigirse contra los cárteles y organizaciones criminales transnacionales que operan en México, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panamá y Colombia para eliminar el contrabando y la trata de personas. En la actualidad, la JTFA está integrada por funcionarios de las fiscalías de Estados Unidos situadas a lo largo de la frontera suroeste, incluidos el Distrito Sur de California, el Distrito de Arizona, el Distrito de Nuevo México y los Distritos Oeste y Sur de Texas. Numerosos componentes de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia, dirigidos por la Sección de derechos humanos y procesos especiales (HRSP) y apoyados por la Sección de lavado de dinero y recuperación de activos, la Oficina de operaciones de aplicación de la ley y la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales, entre otros, prestan un apoyo específico. La JTFA también cuenta con una importante inversión de las fuerzas del orden procedentes del DHS, el FBI, la DEA y otros socios. Hasta la fecha, la labor de la JTFA se ha saldado con más de 355 detenciones nacionales e internacionales de dirigentes, organizadores y facilitadores importantes del contrabando de extranjeros; más de 315 condenas en Estados Unidos; más de 260 importantes penas de prisión impuestas; y decomisos de importantes bienes.
El HSI San Antonio dirigió los esfuerzos de investigación de Estados Unidos, trabajando conjuntamente con los valiosos miembros del equipo del HSI Guatemala y la Unidad contra el Contrabando de Personas del HSI en Washington D. C. El HSI recibió ayuda sustancial del Centro Nacional de Identificación/Operación Centinela de la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de Estados Unidos; la Patrulla Fronteriza de Estados Unidos; la Agencia de Alcohol, Tabaco, Armas de Fuego y Explosivos (ATF); el Departamento de Policía de San Antonio; el Departamento de Bomberos de San Antonio; y el Departamento de Policía de Palestina. La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia colaboró con las fuerzas del orden de Guatemala para lograr la detención y extradición de Miranda-Orozco y, junto con la Oficina de Desarrollo, Asistencia y Capacitación Fiscal en el Extranjero (OPDAT) de la División Penal, prestó una ayuda crucial en este asunto.
El caso contra Orduna-Torres y González-Ortega está siendo procesado por los fiscales federales adjuntos Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears y Amanda Brown para el Distrito Oeste de Texas. El caso contra Miranda-Orozco está siendo procesado por la abogada Alexandra Skinnion de la sección HRPS de la División Penal y el fiscal adjunto de Estados Unidos/fiscal JTFA José Luis Acosta para el Distrito Oeste de Texas, con la asistencia de la historiadora HRSP/especialista en América Latina Joanna Crandall.
El Departamento de Justicia agradece a sus socios guatemaltecos del sector policial, que fueron fundamentales para la detención de Miranda-Orozco, y a la Unidad contra el tráfico ilícito de migrantes del Ministerio Público de Guatemala por hacer posible la extradición.
Una acusación es simplemente una alegación. Se presume la inocencia de todos los acusados hasta que se prueben culpables sin lugar a dudas razonables en un tribunal de justicia.
DOJ Files Statement of Interest Supporting Equal Access to Educational Opportunities and Facilities for Jewish UCLA StudentsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism announced today that the Justice Department has filed a statement of interest in Los Angeles federal court to advance the appropriate interpretation of federal laws that prohibit colleges and universities from discriminating against students because of their religion or national origin.
The statement of interest – filed on Monday – is part of the Task Force’s nationwide effort to combat antisemitism in all its forms.
According to the allegations in Frankel et al. v. Regents of the University of California et al., in the spring of 2024 administrators of the University of California system allowed members of a protest encampment to physically prevent University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) students and faculty from accessing portions of the UCLA campus if they were wearing articles reflective of their Jewish faith or if they refused to denounce Israel.
The plaintiffs are Jewish students and a Jewish professor at UCLA who allege that the university knowingly acted in concert with or allowed members of the protest encampment to prevent them from accessing a central campus space and adjacent classrooms and library on the basis of their Jewish faith or national origin in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, and California state law. The United States’ statement of interest addresses the sufficiency of plaintiffs’ claims that defendant administrators violated Title VI and the Equal Protection Clause.
The Justice Department recently announced the formation of a multi-agency task force coordinated by the Civil Rights Division to combat antisemitism, which is visiting 10 university campuses that have experienced antisemitic events.
The Department also recently announced its investigation into the University of California to assess whether the university system engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, religion and national origin against its professors, staff and other employees by allowing an antisemitic hostile work environment to exist on its campuses, including UCLA.
The Task Force also recently announced that the Department, together with other federal agencies, would cancel $400 million in federal contracts and grants to Columbia University due to the school’s inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.
“Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated in our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally. “Our office will enforce anti-discrimination laws to address the issue of antisemitism affecting our residents.”
“The President, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the Task Force know that every student must be free to attend school without being discriminated against on the basis of their race, religion or national origin,” said Leading Task Force member and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Leo Terrell. “The Department of Justice is working to combat antisemitism using all of the tools at our disposal.”
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine M. Hikida of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section and Senior Trial Attorneys Peter W. Beauchamp and Laura C. Tayloe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Educational Opportunities Section are representing the United States in this matter.
To learn more about the Civil Rights Division visit www.justice.gov/crt, and to report possible violations of federal civil rights laws go to www.civilrights.justice.gov or call toll-free at (800) 253-3931.
Columbus man sentenced to 25 years in prison for exploiting minorRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man who sexually abused a young girl and created child pornography of the abuse was sentenced in federal court here today to 300 months in prison.
Arturo Navarrete-Juarez, 30, pleaded guilty in July to sexually exploiting a minor. He was charged federally by a criminal complaint in March 2023.
According to court documents, between October 2021 and December 2022, Navarrete-Juarez sexually abused a minor female and filmed some of the abuse. Specifically, the child was between the ages of 9 and 10 in the videos recovered by law enforcement.
In March of 2023, the FBI investigated child sexual abuse material on a Tor network that featured Navarrete-Juarez. The defendant’s face was visible in the videos. Investigators also linked Navarrete-Juarez’s identity to the videos by distinctive tattoos on his hands, arms and chest and by the apartment depicted in the background of the videos.
Navarrete-Juarez is a Mexican national and does not currently have legal status in the United States.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer M. Rausch and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.
Columbia Man and Prior Felon Indicted on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single-count indictment against Brandon Chanell Joyner, 28, of Columbia, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The indictment alleges that on July 18, 2023, Joyner possessed a firearm after having been convicted of a felony. On that date, Joyner was arrested on state charges from a shooting incident near Stoneridge Drive and Greystone Boulevard in Columbia that involved a significant law enforcement response from multiple agencies.
Joyner has previous felony convictions that prevent him from lawfully possessing a firearm. He is currently detained awaiting trial for the state charges related to the incident. He is only charged federally with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Joyner faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Columbia Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff's Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sanford is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Colorado Woman Found Guilty After Using Deceased Person’s Identity to Cash Counterfeit ChecksRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A federal jury today convicted Sarai Jamila Nyasha Freeman, 41, of Aurora, Colorado today for two counts of Passing and Uttering Counterfeit Obligations and Securities, two counts of Aggravated Identity Theft, and Failure to Appear.
According to court documents, Freeman was provided an airline ticket to appear for trial in December 2024. The day trial was set to begin, Freeman failed to appear resulting in a warrant being issued for her arrest.
Evidence presented at trial shows that in January 2020, Freeman fraudulently used a deceased person's identity to cash two counterfeit U.S. Treasury Checks.
Evidence showed that in 2023, Freeman pled guilty to four counts of uttering forged documents in 2019 in Tulsa County. In the state case, court documents further showed that two bench warrants were issued for her appearance.
Freeman was taken into custody where she will await sentencing at a later date.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration,
and Wal-Mart Global Investigations investigated the case, and the U.S. Marshals Service assisted in the arrest.Assistant U.S. Attorneys David D. Whipple and Charles Greenough prosecuted the case.
Brooklyn Park Felon Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl Mixture Resulting in Death on Mille Lacs ReservationRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Brooklyn Park man pleaded guilty to fentanyl trafficking that resulted in death, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on July 26, 2023, Allen Lee Goodwin, 50, sold a mixture of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl to a 38-year-old male victim who lived on the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. The next morning, Goodwin’s victim injected the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl substance and died minutes later. In his plea agreement, Goodwin admitted he intentionally transferred the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl mixture to his victim, and that the man would not have died but for the use of the fentanyl substance that he sold him.
“Deadly fentanyl is flooding our state and our country—resulting in the tragic loss of so many of our citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Overdose rates are highest on our Indian reservations. This is unacceptable. My heart breaks for the Minnesota parents who have lost their children, struggling with drug addiction, to the greed and callousness of drug dealers. My office will prosecute these purveyors of poison to the fullest extent of the law.”
Goodwin pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death in U.S. District Court today before Judge Donovan W. Frank. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.
Brazilian National Arrested for Selling Fake Social Security Cards and Green CardsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national, residing in Woburn, was arrested today for allegedly selling fraudulent Social Security cards and Legal Permanent Resident cards, often referred to as “Green Cards.”
Liene Tavares DeBarros, Jr., 39, is charged with one count of unlawful transfer of a document or authentication feature. Tavares DeBarros was arrested today and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester.
According to the charging documents, Tavares DeBarros sold a Social Security Number Card and a Green Card to an undercover officer in October 2024 in exchange for $250. In December 2024, Tavares DeBarros allegedly sold two more Social Security cards and Green Cards to the undercover officer in exchange for $500.
The charge of unlawful transfer of document or authentication feature and unlawful production of document or authentication feature provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, Northeast Region; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.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.
Biddeford Man Sentenced to 1 ½ Years in Prison for Cocaine PossessionRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Gage Barton, 26, to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on December 10, 2024.
According to court records, in September 2024, a Biddeford police officer responded to a call of a fight occurring at an apartment building. The officer encountered Barton walking away from the building. Barton was on probation for unlawful possession of cocaine and was also on bail conditions in the State of Maine District Court in York County. The officer searched Barton under his bail conditions. Barton was wearing a sling bag under his coat, and when the officer felt the bag, he discerned what he believed to be a weapon. When the officer looked inside the bag, he discovered a small digital scale and several clear plastic bags containing approximately 308 grams of cocaine.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department.
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Beaumont felon guilty of federal firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has pleaded guilty to a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Cydney James Dorsey, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a prohibited person before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on March 18, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on September 8, 2024, at approximately 3:30 a.m., law enforcement officers responded to the parking lot of SNS grocery store on Concord Avenue in Beaumont as a large crowd had gathered and refused to leave. As police attempted to dispel the crowd, Dorsey ran from them, and in the process, discarded a firearm. Dorsey was apprehended carrying a bag that had a magazine with ammunition. Further investigation revealed Dorsey had a previous felony conviction which prohibited him from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
Dorsey was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 6, 2024. Dorsey faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is a violent crime reduction strategy based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
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Attorney General Bondi Statement on Violent Attacks Against Tesla PropertyRead the Press Release
Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement this evening regarding a spate of recent attacks on Tesla property:
“The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism. The Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind, including in cases that involve charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences. We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.”
Armed Mexican national guilty of federal immigration and firearms violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Nacogdoches, has pleaded guilty to federal immigration and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Joel Bustamante Moreno, 25, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry by a deported alien and unlawful possession of a machine gun before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on March 18, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on February 1, 2024, Moreno was arrested after selling multiple firearms, including a 9mm pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device, also known as a Glock switch. Machine gun conversion devices are devices that once affixed to a pistol make the pistol capable of firing automatically by a single trigger pull. These devices allow a pistol to operate as a machine gun. After the purchase, law enforcement attempted to arrest Moreno as he fled the scene in his vehicle. Moreno wrecked the vehicle and fled on foot to a residence where he was arrested. Moreno had been previously deported in 2019 and 2020 and did not have permission to be in the United States.
Moreno was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 20, 2024. Moreno faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is a violent crime reduction strategy based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Nacogdoches Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Ardmore Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jacob Layton Earley, age 22, of Ardmore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by Prohibited Person.
The Indictment alleged that on December 21, 2022, Earley knowingly possessed a semi-automatic rifle and multiple rounds of ammunition despite being subject to, knowing of, and receiving actual notice of a protective order against him. At the time, Earley was subject to a court order issued on July 12, 2021, in the District Court of the Chickasaw Nation, State of Oklahoma, prohibiting him from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner, and explicitly prohibiting him from using, attempting to use, or threatening to use physical force that would reasonably be expected to cause bodily injury to that intimate partner.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Earley will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Albany Woman Pleads Guilty to Sending Synthetic Cannabinoids into Correctional Institutions Disguised as Legal MailRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Maya McIntosh, age 33, of Albany, pled guilty today to conspiracies to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and controlled substance analogue, distribution and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and controlled substance analogue, and unlawful possession and use of a means of identification.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, beginning no later than January 2023 through July 2024, the defendant manufactured, distributed, and possessed with intent to distribute the substance MDMB-4en-PINACA, and conspired to do so with others. MDMB-4en-PINACA is a synthetic cannabinoid. McIntosh ordered constituent chemicals, which were shipped to the residences of McIntosh and a coconspirator. McIntosh combined those chemicals in her residence to create MDMB-4en-PINACA, which was in liquid form. McIntosh then sprayed and soaked the liquid onto copy paper and business envelopes. McIntosh placed those documents into U.S. Priority Mail Express envelopes addressed to inmates at various correctional facilities in New York. McIntosh disguised the envelopes as legal mail by stamping the names of actual attorneys in the return address portion of the envelopes, without the attorneys’ knowledge or permission, to make it appear is if the parcels were sent by attorneys and contained legitimate legal paperwork instead of a controlled substance. McIntosh used social media to sell the sheets and envelopes soaked in MDMB-4en-PINACA to others. McIntosh’s customers paid her to mail the MDMB-4en-PINACA-soaked papers to inmates at the facilities.
McIntosh faces a maximum term of 20 years’ imprisonment on each count. She also faces a maximum fine of $1 million on the drug counts and a fine of $250,000 on the remaining counts. McIntosh also faces a term of supervised release of at least 3 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.
USPIS and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case.
Monday 17 March 2025
“Bearded Bandit” Bank Robber Sentenced for New Year’s Eve 2019 RobberyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Cranston man, previously referred to as the “Bearded Bandit,” and who served more than six years in federal prison for robbing nine banks in 2012, was sentenced on Friday to time served (62 months) for robbing an East Providence bank on New Year’s Eve in December 2019, and for violating the terms of his supervised release related to his previous convictions, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Justin Worley, 44, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith. In addition to the imposition of a sentence of times served, Worley is ordered to serve a term of three years of supervised release, the first six months in a residential reentry center. Additionally, he was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $11,569.
Worley pleaded guilty on October 30, 2024, to charges of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. He has been detained since his arrest on January 21, 2020.
In pleading guilty, Worley admitted to the court that on New Year’s Eve Day in December 2019, he and a co-defendant approached bank tellers inside an East Providence bank branch and demanded that they empty their money drawers. The second man, Nicholas Lage, 39, brandished a knife during the robbery. Between them, the two men fled the bank with approximately $11,569. They were located and arrested later that evening at Twin River casino.
The court found that Worley violated the terms of his federal supervised release imposed at sentencing related to his conviction for robbing nine banks in 2012.
Nicholas Lage pleaded guilty on April 1, 2021, to charges of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. He was sentenced on August 6, 2021, to 36 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
The matter was investigated by the East Providence Police Department and the FBI.
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Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Resulting in Finger AmputationsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man pleaded guilty in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon after he bit the victim multiple times, resulting in severe injuries that required the amputation of one finger and the partial amputation of another.
According to court documents, between December 16, 2021, and December 17, 2021, Darold Zuniefeathers, 28, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, and John Doe had been hanging out with friends when they decided to buy more cigarettes before the gas station closed. Instead of driving to the gas station, Zuniefeathers turned down a side dirt road and assaulted John Doe in the car.
During the assault, Zuniefeathers struck John Doe repeatedly and bit him multiple times on the torso, arm, and hand. The bites caused severe damage to John Doe's hand, resulting in the amputation of one finger and the partial amputation of another.
According to the plea agreement, Zuniefeathers faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing followed by three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin made the announcement today.
The Zuni Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Zuniefeathers).pdfWoman who Possessed “Sawed-Off” Shotgun and Shared Guns with Felon-Husband Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An Iowa woman who illegally possessed a sawed-off shotgun and shared multiple guns with her husband, a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms, was sentenced March 14, 2025, to 42 months’ imprisonment.
Sarah Kay Johnson, age 38, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 17, 2024 guilty plea to possession of a national firearms destructive device not registered to possessor.
In October 2023, law enforcement officers traffic stopped Ian Jon Duffy, Johnson’s then boyfriend, due to concerns about his wellbeing. At that time, he possessed multiple loaded firearms. Duffy had a prior domestic abuse conviction which prohibited him from possessing firearms. After the traffic stop, Duffy had Johnson obtain a Glock handgun for him. At this time, Duffy was also prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a felony conviction. Johnson obtained several firearms that she shared with Duffy in their residence, including a sawed-off shotgun.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Waterloo Police Department, and the Cedar Falls Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR- 02031-1.
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Wapato Man Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing Three ChildrenRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced that a jury returned a verdict in the trial of Jose Antonio Saldana, age 43 of Wapato, Washington. Saldana was found guilty of three counts of Abusive Sexual Contact and of Aggravated Sexual Abuse.
Based on court documents and evidence presented at trial, beginning in August 1999, and continuing to January 2014, Saldana sexually abused three children under the age of 13 in Wapato, Washington. During trial, the victims recounted the abuse they suffered, which included Saldana touching them under their clothing and attempting to sexually abuse one of the victims.
United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke presided over the trial for Saldana, which began March 10, 2024. Sentencing in this matter is set for June 16, 2025, in Yakima, Washington.
“The victims who came forward in this case demonstrated tremendous courage and bravery,” stated Acting United States Attorney Barker. “Many victims who experience childhood sexual abuse do not disclose the events to others soon after they occur. At the trial in this case, three young victims testified years after the abuse they had suffered and identified Mr. Saldana as their abuser. The jury heard their voices and found Mr. Saldana guilty of the abuse he inflicted for more than two decades. For his horrific crimes, Mr. Saldana will face a sentence of thirty years to life.”
“In this devastating case, Mr. Saldana abused multiple children for more than a decade on the Yakama Nation Reservation, even though he was not a tribal member himself,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “The FBI is committed to enforcing federal laws to protect our tribal communities, and all our communities, from abuse and violence, especially the most vulnerable members of our society: our children.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Yakama Nation Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy.
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Utah Man Admits to Defrauding his Employer of Approximately $1.7MRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Davis County man pleaded guilty in court today to embezzling approximately $1.7 million from his employer for his own benefit.Timothy Sean Edgar, 44, of Farmington, Utah, was charged by felony information March 11, 2025, for wire fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, beginning in 2021 and continuing until October 2024, Edgar defrauded his employer to obtain money and property by stealing and lying. As part of Edgar’s scheme, he fraudulently opened a sales channel through a popular online marketplace and used his employment credentials to access the vendor portal and redirect Automated Clearing House payments to his personal bank account. Edgar then made payments back to his employer using his personal credit card. Edgar embezzled approximately $1,778,251 from his employer.
Edgar is scheduled to be sentenced August 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the North Salt Lake City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf and Jacob J. Strain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
Trinitarios Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for drug offenses relating to an ongoing investigation of fentanyl distribution.
Ricardo Bratini-Perez, a/k/a “Rico,” a/k/a “Ricofromthesin,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 10 years years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Bratini-Perez pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analog and methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bratini-Perez on Oct. 3, 2024.
According to court papers, Bratini-Perez is a member of the Trinitarios gang and was on probation following his release in 2023 from state custody on armed robbery and firearm charges. While on state probation, Bratini-Perez sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer on three occasions in March 2024 and April 2024. On April 8, 2024, Bratini-Perez was arrested following a fourth sale to the undercover officer. A search of Bratini-Perez’s residence resulted in the recovery of over 5,000 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Tonasket Man Charged with Receiving and Possessing Sexually Explicit Material from MinorsRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced today that Daniel John Kraft, age 41, was charged by criminal complaint on one count of Receipt of Child Pornography and one count of Possession of Child Pornography. Kraft was arraigned in federal court on March 10, 2025.
According to court documents, in September 2024, the Sanders County Montana Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) developed information that Snapchat user “smokeweed5468” was soliciting sexual images from a minor. “Smokeweed5468” also told the minor he knew where they lived and threatened to kidnap the minor and take them to Mexico.
Investigators obtained a warrant for the Snapchat account for “smokeweed5468.” The records from Snapchat contained more than a dozen sexually explicit videos of minors. “Smokeweed5468” also used Snapchat to offer the minors drugs and money and asked if the minors would be willing to sneak out and meet with him.
Investigators learned the Snapchat account was allegedly being used at home in Tonasket, Washington, owned by Kraft. The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) confirmed Kraft lived at the home. OCSO also confirmed Kraft was a registered sex offender for violations committed in 2013.
On March 5, 2025, the Washington State Patrol took Kraft into custody at his home in Tonasket. Investigators seized several electronic devices. A search of Kraft’s cellphone allegedly revealed Snapchat running in the background of the device. In addition, investigators allegedly located several sexually explicit images involving minors on Kraft’s phone that were also on the “smokeweed5468” Snapchat account.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Seattle Police Department, Washington State Patrol, the Eastern Region Washington Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Sanders County Sheriff’s Office, and the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.
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A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas Man Sentenced to More than 3 Years in Federal Prison for Resisting Arrest During Alien Smuggling AttemptRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Texas man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 41 months in prison for resisting arrest and endangering a United States Border Patrol agent in 2022.
According to court documents, Draylon Floyd, 25, was driving on Highway 277 near Del Rio on May 26, 2022. A USBP agent noticed several passengers in the back seat, crouched down in an attempt to conceal themselves. The agent conducted a traffic stop and, instead of pulling onto the road’s shoulder, Floyd simply stopped in the righthand lane. The USBP agent conducted an immigration inspection on three backseat passengers, determining that they were Guatemalan nationals without any legal authority or documentation to have entered or remain in the U.S.
The agent instructed Floyd to turn off the engine and informed him that he was under arrest. Floyd opened his door just partially, and when the agent grabbed his wrist to remove him from the vehicle, Floyd pushed away, turned on the car’s ignition and shifted the car into drive. The vehicle moved several feet as the agent struggled with Floyd over control of the steering wheel and gear shift. He succeeded in shifting the vehicle into neutral just as Floyd slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The agent then turned off the vehicle, drew his service weapon, and arrested Floyd. During the arrest of Floyd’s passenger, Ryan Matthew Brashier, who is also a U.S. citizen, the agent discovered a cell phone that displayed their GPS route back home.
The three illegal aliens in the backseat were lawfully arrested and transported to the Border Patrol station for further investigation and processing. A plea agreement states that Floyd and Brashier had picked up the three aliens at a church around 11pm on May 25, honking four times per a pre-arranged signal. Each of the migrants had traveled for more than two weeks from Guatemala after their families paid at least $10,000 each to an alien smuggling organization.
Brashier was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison on July 10, 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
USBP investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Warsame Galaydh prosecuted the case.
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St. Louis Woman Accused of $177,000 Pandemic-Era Tax Credit SchemeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis, Missouri has been accused of fraudulently obtaining $177,000 in pandemic-era tax refunds.
Ayana J. Brown, 33, was indicted February 20 on two felony counts of theft of government property. She turned herself in Monday and pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.
The indictment says that on Dec. 22, 2022, Brown filed two fraudulent quarterly employment tax returns (IRS Form 941s) with the IRS on behalf of Yaya Flowtiques LLC. Brown falsely claimed the company had five employees and paid approximately $177,321 in wages for the first quarter of 2021 and $145,098 in wages for the second quarter, the indictment says. In fact, Yaya Flowtiques had no employees during this time, the indictment says. Brown fraudulently claimed credits under the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC) program, resulting in two U.S. Treasury checks totaling $177,000 in refunds that were mailed to Brown, the indictment says.
The ERC was a tax credit designed to encourage businesses to retain employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Generally, businesses qualified for the ERC if they were shut down by a government order, experienced a 50% decline in gross receipts or qualified as a recovery startup business and if they paid qualified wages to employees during the pandemic.
Each theft of government property charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and fine
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Spencer Woman Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Spencer woman was charged today in federal court in Worcester with scheming to fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits.
Gina Llerena-Donohue, 62, was charged with one count of bank fraud. Llerena-Donohue will make an appearance in federal court in Worcester at a later date.
The charging document alleges that from February 2006 through May 2021, Llerena-Donohue, fraudulently obtained approximately $41,954.20 in Social Security benefits. Llerena-Donohue is alleged to have held a power of attorney (POA) for a Social Security beneficiary that died in January 2006. She is further alleged to have not reported the beneficiary’s death to either the Social Security Administration or the bank where the benefits were deposited. Instead, Llerena-Donohue allegedly accessed the improperly paid benefits through several counter cash withdrawals. Further, she is alleged to have submitted four false affidavits to the bank in 2018 and 2019 stating that the POA was still in effect because it had not been terminated by the death of the beneficiary.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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 and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Southern Utah Man Facing Sex Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A man accused of forcing a victim to engage in commercial sex acts and forcing the victim to provide him with the proceeds while he was behind bars for an unrelated state offense appeared in court today for federal sex trafficking charges.
Aaron Kern, 27, most recently of St. George, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 11, 2025. During his initial appearance on the indictment, he was ordered detained by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Kohler in St. George.
According to court documents, from November 2023 to December 2024, Kern allegedly recruited and violently threatened a victim to engage in commercial sex acts and provide him with a large portion of the proceeds. Kern’s illegal acts to traffic an individual for sex acts were allegedly committed while Kern was incarcerated for an unrelated state offense. Kern also forced the victim to attempt to smuggle suboxone, a controlled substance, into the correctional facility where he was housed. When the victim demonstrated any resistance to Kern’s attempts to have her engage in commercial sex acts, he would threaten her. On one occasion, he told the victim, “obviously the only thing that is going to work is me breaking your face when you don’t want to listen,” and “you are going to have a lot of days where you are drinking through a straw.”
Kern also made threats to the victim regarding her family members’ safety. During the investigation, law enforcement found online prostitution advertisements that Kern dictated and ordered the victim to place. Investigators also found in Kern’s jail cell a handwritten contract that he wanted the victim to sign as well as handwritten notes and journal entries describing how he needed to break the victim down.
Acting United States Attorney Felice Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Washington County Drug/Gang Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Slingerlands Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Fuino, age 75, of Slingerlands, New York, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child who was 6 years old during the abuse. 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.
Last year, Fuino pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor and admitted that between the summer of 2022 and April 2023, he babysat a female child born in 2016 and used the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. According to statements previously made in court, the victim reported the abuse in May 2023 after attending an elementary school presentation on inappropriate touching and sexual contact. During the execution of a federal search warrant at Fuino’s residence in Slingerlands shortly after the child’s report, Fuino admitted having touched the victim’s genitals. Fuino has been incarcerated in pretrial detention since that time.
Today, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Fuino to 15 years’ incarceration, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Judge D’Agostino also ordered Fuino to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $36,962.25 and imposed special assessments totaling $5,100. Fuino will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI investigated this case, with assistance from the New York State Police and the Colonie Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Slidell Man Pleads Guilty of 10,593 Gram Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy, Firearm Possession by Felon, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that GREGORY SMITH (“SMITH”), age 41, of Slidell, pled guilty on March 13, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, over 400 grams of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846 (Count 1). SMITH also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8) (Count 2). Finally, SMITH pled guilty to engaging in monetary transactions derived from specified unlawful activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1957 (Counts 3-5).
According to court documents, SMITH conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere. On May 4, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) searched SMITH’s residence and seized approximately 10,593.572 grams of fentanyl, 3.76 grams of cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, including two digital scales with fentanyl residue, a rectangle cake pan with fentanyl residue, multiple blenders with fentanyl residue, and a vacuum sealer with fentanyl residue. Law enforcement also seized $15,520 in United States currency and a loaded Masterpiece Arms MPA Defender, nine-millimeter semi-automatic submachine gun, with an extended magazine. In July and August of 2021, SMITH structured cash deposits of his illegal narcotics proceeds into an account at a bank, then sent a wire to a credit union account using the funds to pay-off the balance on a car and purchase a $27,617.55 official check payable to a title company. This official check was used at the closing for the purchase of SMITH’s residence. SMITH also used $48,931 in illegal drug proceeds to purchase a 2018 Maserati Levante.
SMITH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least 5 years of supervised release for Count 1. SMITH also faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm. SMITH faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for each count of engaging in monetary transactions derived from specified unlawful activity. He also faces a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and André Jones of the Narcotics Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
Sikeston Man Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Selling FentanylRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – The United States Attorney's Office announced Monday that Steven K. Townsend, 33, of Sikeston, Missouri, was sentenced Friday to serve 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl.
At his guilty plea hearing in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau last year, Townsend admitted that he sold a quantity of fentanyl to an individual in Sikeston in July 2023. Unbeknownst to Townsend at the time, the individual purchasing the fentanyl was working as an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). According to court documents, Townsend was on parole supervision through the State of Missouri for a prior drug trafficking conviction when he sold the fentanyl. After his release from prison, Townsend will be placed on a three-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester prosecuted the case.
Shiprock Duo Sentenced for Violent Carjacking and High-Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Two individuals from Shiprock have been sentenced for their roles in a violent carjacking and high-speed police chase that occurred on the Navajo Nation in 2022.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on the afternoon of May 9, 2022, Jane Doe was driving on the Navajo Nation in the area of Nenahnezad, NM. As Jane Doe approached the area, Lindsey Yazzie, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, threw a large rock at her windshield, forcing her to stop. Brandon Barber, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, then attacked the vehicle with a machete and hatchet, shattering windows. Yazzie attempted to pull Jane Doe out of the vehicle by her hair, and Barber then held the sharp edge of a machete against the back of Doe's head. Barber then tried to strike Jane Doe with a hatchet.
After forcibly removing Jane Doe from her Jeep, Yazzie and Barber fled the scene in the stolen vehicle, nearly hitting Doe as they drove away. They led Navajo Nation police on a high-speed chase before abandoning the vehicle. Yazzie was found hiding nearby, while Barber was apprehended later.
Yazzie was sentenced to 46 months in prison and Barber was sentenced to 90 months in prison. Upon their release, both Barber and Yazzie will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
Schenectady County Man Arrested for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Gregory Magin, age 44, of Glenville, New York, was arrested on Friday on a criminal complaint charging him with distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
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.
The criminal complaint alleges that from on or about July 18 through July 20, 2024, Magin distributed CSAM videos over the internet. Magin sent CSAM videos to other users on an online chat application in order to get access to certain groups. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Magin initially appeared Friday in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday, March 18.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Allen J. Vickey is 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. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, and 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.
Santa Teresa Man Charged with Assaulting U.S. Customs and Border Protection EmployeesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Santa Teresa man faces federal charges for multiple incidents involving U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
According to court documents, on February 11, 2025, Andrew Josiah Segura, 28, allegedly verbally threatened a U.S. Border Patrol agent at a Love's Travel Stop, calling him a "traitor" and saying, "I will smack the shit out of you." This confrontation was followed by another incident on February 19, 2025, when Segura allegedly confronted two CBP employees wearing CBP-issued uniforms at a post office. He verbally threatened one employee, calling him a "traitor" and saying, "You better watch your back," before physically assaulting a second employee by pushing him and engaging in a physical altercation that left bruises on the employee’s arm.
Witnesses reported that Segura's actions appeared unprovoked and were specifically targeted at the CBP employees because of their employment, as he did not bother anyone else at the post office.
Segura will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Segura faces eight years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso investigated this case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard C. Williams and Grant Gardner are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A registered sex offender convicted in June 2024 on a charge of possession of child pornography has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Anthony Wertz, 32, of East Providence, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith to 120 months of incarceration to be followed by fifteen years of supervised release.
According to information presented to the court, in July 2022, while serving a term of Rhode Island state probation related to a 2019 conviction for possession of child pornography, Wertz was found by East Providence Police to be in possession of internet-accessible devices, a violation of the terms of his probation. Child sexual abuse material was discovered in plain view on a smartphone in Wertz’s possession.
Simultaneous to the East Providence Police Department investigation, the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an online account, later determined to be used by Wertz, had uploaded child sexual abuse material.
Prior to this conviction, Wertz had previously been convicted by the State of Rhode Island twice for possession of child pornography or related offenses.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. McAdams and Milind Shah.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc
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Prison Inmates Sentenced for Gang-Motivated StabbingRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Jonathan Barba and Abraham Gomez-Rodriguez were sentenced in federal court today to 51 months and 37 months, respectively, for assaulting and stabbing a fellow inmate at the federal jail downtown on orders from a Mexican Mafia gang associate.
According to the publicly-filed documents in the case, Barba, Gomez-Rodriguez and the victim in the case were all inmates at the Metropolitan Correction Center. On March 27, 2024, Barba came up from behind the victim and stabbed him repeatedly with a metal shank while Gomez-Rodriguez held the victim’s arms so he could not escape or defend himself. When the victim broke free and ran away, Gomez-Rodriguez chased and struck him numerous times.
The victim was stabbed in the abdomen, neck, head and eye area. One of the stab wounds was dangerously close to the victim’s eyeball. The victim was left lacerated, bloodied, bruised and had to be taken to the hospital.
After the assault, Barba and Gomez-Rodriguez admitted to the victim that they assaulted him to please another inmate named “Alex,” who was a “shot caller” for the Mexican Mafia. Below is a photo of the shank that was used to repeatedly stab the victim:
Barba has a criminal history that involves domestic violence and drug importation. In 2014, he was convicted of first-degree domestic battery in Nevada and was sentenced to 60 days in jail and community service. In 2022, he was convicted of importation of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Southern District of California. For that offense, Barba was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison. He was serving his federal drug trafficking sentence when he violently assaulted and stabbed the victim-inmate.
Gomez-Rodriguez was convicted in 2022 of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in the Southern District of California. He was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison. While he was serving his federal sentence, Gomez-Rodriguez, along with Barba, violently attacked the victim-inmate. The judge ordered that the sentences handed down be served consecutive to their existing sentences.
“Violence has no place in our correctional facilities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “We are fully committed to taking every legal action available to protect the safety and well-being of all inmates and to hold violent criminals accountable.”
“I want to applaud the FBI San Diego Violent Crime Task Force and MCC Special Investigations Unit’s commitment and dedication to hold the defendants accountable for their role in the violent and coordinated attack,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Houtan Moshrefi. “We remain steadfast in working with our partners to protect the integrity of our correctional institutions.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Sherwood and Shital Thakkar.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24cr843-AJB
Jonathan Barba Age: 32 Victorville, CA
Abraham Gomez-Rodriguez Age: 26 Imperial Beach, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Assault With a Dangerous Weapon within Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 113(a) and (7)(3)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for 2022 Armed Carjacking in City’s West Oak Lane SectionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Naseem Rashidi Clouden, 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on March 13 by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 121 months in prison and five years of supervised release for one count of carjacking and one count of carrying and using a firearm during, and in relation to, the commission of a crime of violence.
Clouden was indicted on those violations in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty in November of 2024, admitting to carjacking a woman who was sitting in her mother’s Toyota Camry at approximately 8 p.m. on November 3, 2022, in Philadelphia. As part of his plea, the defendant also admitted that a firearm was used during and in relation to the armed carjacking.
According to the publicly filed documents in this case, the victim reported that while sitting in her mother’s vehicle in the West Oak Lane section of Philadelphia, six men including the defendant approached the vehicle on foot. The defendant and his accomplices pulled on the door handles of the car and ordered the victim out of the vehicle and two of the men pointed guns at her. When she did not move fast enough, one of the men yelled: “shoot her” and the victim immediately complied and got out of the car. Four offenders then jumped into the vehicle and drove away.
The victim immediately called the police, and two officers enroute to the scene observed the victim’s mother’s vehicle. The officers pursued the vehicle until it stopped on the 6200 block of Old York Road and three men fled from the vehicle on foot. The officers then chased after the men, recovered a firearm on the block, and within a short time, located the defendant hiding under a van. The defendant was taken into custody and identified as one of the persons who committed the carjacking.
“Naseem Clouden terrorized our city at gunpoint. These offenses are a priority for my office and our partners on Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We simply won’t stand for these senseless acts of violence. The crime of federal carjacking brings significant prison time, as Clouden’s sentence shows: a decade in prison for a crime that took just moments to commit.”
“‘Shoot her!’ a carjacker yelled, as the victim scrambled to save her own life. Armed carjacking is a brutal, dangerous crime, and thanks to the responding police officers, Naseem Rashidi Clouden has been convicted and sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison for it,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Together with our Carjacking Task Force partners we are applying ATF’s unique forensic and investigative tools to stop criminals like this from terrorizing our neighborhoods.”
“This latest sentencing of a carjacker is a testament to the continued commitment of the Philadelphia Police Department and our law enforcement partners to stem the tide of violent crime in our city,” said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel. “Carjacking endangers the safety and peace of mind of our residents, and we will not tolerate it. Through our continued collaboration with federal agencies, we will ensure those who commit these crimes are pursued, prosecuted, and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stram.
Palm Coast Man Indicted for Distributing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Jonathan Albert Carter (44, Palm Coast) with one count of distribution, two counts of receiving, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted on all counts, Carter faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for each of the distribution and receipt charges, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, for the possession of CSAM.
According to the indictment, on or about August 13, 2021, Carter knowingly distributed CSAM. On or about December 12, 2022, and on or about November 19, 2023, Carter knowingly received CSAM, and on or about January 4, 2023, Carter possessed CSAM that depicted a minor who had not yet attained 12 years of age.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Orlando Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Jonen Castillo (24, Orlando) to two years in federal prison for smuggling goods from the United States. The court also ordered Castillo to forfeit two Glock pistols, which were involved in the offense. Castillo entered a guilty plea on November 25, 2024.
According to court records, in June 2023, Castillo concealed five firearms and nine firearm magazines inside record players and mailed them to a friend residing in Canada.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
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.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –BRYAN SPEARS (“SPEARS”) , age 21, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, on September 1, 2023, SPEARS was in the front passenger seat of a stolen car in Joe Brown Park in New Orleans. After he was ordered out of the car, New Orleans Police Department officers recovered a Glock Model 17 firearm that was partially hidden underneath SPEARS’s seat. The firearm was equipped with an extended magazine and loaded with 29 live rounds.
SPEARS faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Federal Drug and Machinegun OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –LOVON WHITE (“WHITE”), age 22, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to possession with the intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, WHITE used social media to sell drugs and machinegun conversion devices. These are devices that turn a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic firearm. In June of 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at WHITE’s residence and recovered an Anderson Manufacturing Model AM-15 pistol and a Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol, both equipped with machinegun conversion devices; tapentadol and marijuana that WHITE intended to sell; drug trafficking supplies; and hundreds of dollars in drug sale proceeds.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, WHITE will serve 10 years in prison. WHITE also faces a term of supervised release of at least three years up to life. Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Kensington Man Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison for Stealing Two Dozen FirearmsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 30 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of federal firearms charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Steyn Sarduy, 19.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about January 22, 2024, Sarduy and his co-defendant, Michael Guin, conspired to steal a truck from a business and used the stolen truck to crash into and gain access to a firearms store in New Kensington. The defendants broke multiple display cases and stole 24 firearms.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sarduy.
New Britain Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDDIE LIMAS, 35, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force received information that Limas and others were receiving kilogram quantities of fentanyl from sources in the Dominican Republic, storing the drug at a stash house in the Bronx, New York, and distributing it in central Connecticut. Between January and April 2022, investigators made five controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl from Limas.
On May 13, 2022, Connecticut State Police stopped a vehicle driven by Limas’ uncle, Hector Limas, on I-84 in Danbury after investigators suspected that he had delivered narcotics to Eddie Limas’ residence on Chapman Street in New Britain. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 700 grams of fentanyl and approximately $19,000 in cash.
Also on May 13, 2022, law enforcement attempted to arrest Eddie Limas in Hartford, but he crashed his vehicle into a Hartford police cruiser and fled at a high rate of speed. At the same time, investigators maintaining surveillance at Eddie Limas’ residence saw a neighbor remove bags and boxes from the residence, lock them in a car that was parked in front, and give the key fob to Carmen Hernandez, who had also exited the residence. A search of the car revealed more than two kilograms of fentanyl, more than 300 grams of cocaine, approximately one kilogram of marijuana, items used to process and package narcotics, and a .380 caliber pistol. Hernandez also possessed a quantity of fentanyl, and a search of Limas’ residence revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol and additional narcotics.
Eddie Limas eluded capture until May 9, 2023, when he was arrested in New Britain after conducting additional drug sales. He has been detained since his arrest. On September 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Hector Limas, 59, of the Bronx, and Hernandez, 61, of Hartford, pleaded guilty to related charges. On November 8, 2023, Hector Limas was sentenced to 90 months of imprisonment, and on January 14, 2025, Hernandez was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, the Hartford Police Department, the East Hartford Police Department, the New Britain Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.
Michigan Man Sentenced to25 Years in Federal Prison on Multiple Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Robert L. Northrup, 55, of Niles, Michigan, was sentenced last Friday to 25 years in federal prison after having pled guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, advertising child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, attempted transfer of obscene material to an individual under the age of sixteen, and committing an offense involving a minor while required to register as a sex offender, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Northrup will be required to continue registering as a sex offender.
“Stopping those who intend to prey on children is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” said Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney. “This sentence will make sure that Robert Northrup will not harm another child for a quarter century. I commend the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Morrison for their diligent pursuit of justice and drive to hold child sex offenders like Northrup accountable for their crimes.”
According to court records, between July 21, 2022, and August 22, 2022, Northrup communicated with an FBI online covert employee, who was posing as a thirteen-year-old girl, on an online dating application and by text message. Northrop’s status block on the online dating application made clear that he was looking for young girls. This was one of eight accounts Northrop had on this online dating application. While Northrop was communicating with the FBI employee, he requested sexually explicit photos of multiple minors, discussed engaging in sexually activity with the online covert employee, and sent photos of his penis and a masturbation video.
Northrup has prior convictions for a number of offenses including Criminal Sexual Conduct Third Degree, Child Solicitation, and Inappropriate Communication with a Child, which required him to register as a sex offender. He also has six convictions for Failure to Register or Attempted Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
After serving his sentence, Northrup will be on supervised release for the remainder of his life.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Clarksville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case.
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Michigan Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Davonta D. Brogdon, 32, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 150 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine as a part of a larger drug trafficking operation in Harrison County.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brogdon, also known as “Zone” and “Tay,” was one of the main conspirators, transporting large quantities of controlled substances from Detroit to Clarksburg, West Virginia. During one of Brogdon’s trips, a traffic stop recovered 443 grams of methamphetamine and more than 50 grams of fentanyl. Brogdon also recruited others to assist in the operation.
Brogdon will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Mexican National Sentenced to 45 Months’ Imprisonment for Illegally Reentering and Unlawfully Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Horus Samuel Marquez Villatoro (31) to three years and nine months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a removed alien, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally in the United States. The court also ordered the defendant to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that he illegally possessed. Marquez Villatoro pled guilty on December 18, 2024.
According to court documents, Marquez Villatoro, a citizen of Mexico with no legal status in the United States, was removed from the United States on three previous occasions before reentering unlawfully sometime after 2019. On January 23, 2024, the defendant was found in Hillsborough County driving a car that contained a black Glock 17 9mm pistol, an extended magazine, and over 100 rounds of ammunition. Marquez Villatoro knew that the firearm and ammunition were in the car, and that he was an alien and unlawfully in the United States.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey N. Schmidt.
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.
Mexican National Indicted for Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ENRIQUE TORRES-BEIZA, a/k/a “Enrique B. Torres,” age 39, a native of Mexico, was indicted on March 13, 2025, for re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to the filed indictment, on or about October 26, 2024, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, the defendant, ENRIQUE TORRES-BEIZA, a/k/a “Enrique B. Torres,”, was found in the United States, after having been officially deported and removed therefrom, on or about December 26, 2018
ENRIQUE TORRES-BEIZA, a/k/a “Enrique B. Torres,” faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00, if convicted of re-entry of a removed alien.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Memphis Man Sentenced to 220 Months Imprisonment for Trafficking 14-Year-Old Girl to New Orleans for Commercial SexRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JEREMY TALBERT (a/k/a “J-Nasty,” a/k/a “Jay Nastie”) (“TALBERT”), age 29, from Memphis, Tenn., was sentenced on March 12, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to Sex Trafficking of a Minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1), 1591(b)(2), 1594(a), and 2, by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 220 months in prison. TALBERT was also sentenced to ten (10) years of supervised release after release from prison. Judge Africk further ordered TALBERT to pay $47,000 in restitution to the victim, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. TALBERT will also have to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, TALBERT brought a fourteen-year-old female (“Minor Victim”) from Memphis to New Orleans to have her engage in commercial sex acts between in or about October 2020 and on or about December 17, 2020. During this time, TALBERT was aware of Minor Victim’s age from her mother, who informed TALBERT that Minor Victim was missing. TALBERT falsely told Minor Victim’s mother that he would help locate Minor Victim and bring her home.
Instead, TALBERT advertised Minor Victim on websites commonly used to advertise sexual services in exchange for money. TALBERT directed and supervised Minor Victim when she performed commercial sex acts including, setting the fee sexual acts, waiting in a nearby vehicle while Minor Victim solicited “dates,” requiring Minor Victim to share her location via phone with him, and providing condoms for her use during commercial sex dates. TALBERT required Minor Victim to earn approximately $1,000 per day from commercial sex acts and, kept all or most of the money she earned.
TALBERT trafficked Minor Victim until December 17, 2020, when law enforcement officers encountered them during the execution of a search warrant at a hotel in New Orleans. During the search warrant, agents seized approximately $1,223 in United States currency, a black handgun, and TALBERT’s Phone, which connected him to the trafficking of Minor Victim.
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.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit and Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl Using a RideshareRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Lawrence, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord in connection to his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Hamet Badia, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2025.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, between February 9, 2022, and June 2, 2022, Badia was a drug runner for his co-defendant. The co-defendant negotiated with an undercover agent to sell fentanyl powder and pressed oxycodone pills and directed Badia to deliver the drugs. For example, on June 2, 2022, the undercover agent arranged to purchase 400 grams of fentanyl, and 200 oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl from the co-defendant. Badia met the co-defendant and the undercover agent at the designated meeting spot, arriving by rideshare, to deliver a green shoebox containing fentanyl powder and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. Overall, Badia personally delivered 466.7 grams of fentanyl during the conspiracy.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Hampton Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
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Man Arraigned in Federal Court on Multiple Charges of Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – An Etowah County man has been arraigned in federal court on multiple child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank.
A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Kevin Glenn Golden, 58, of Altoona, Alabama, with three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the indictment, on various dates between September 2022 and August 2023, Golden coerced a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. From September 2022 to March 2024, Golden possessed child pornography.
The maximum penalty for a sexual exploitation conviction is 30 years in prison. The maximum penalty for a child pornography conviction is 10 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with substantial assistance from HSI Harrisonburg, VA, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Huntsville Police Department, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, and Gadsden Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Las Cruces Teen Charged with Possessing Machine Gun and Stolen Firearm After Instagram PostsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces teenager is facing charges in federal court for possessing a machine gun and a stolen firearm, after authorities discovered Instagram posts allegedly showing him with the illegal weapons.
According to court documents,on August 18, 2024, law enforcement became aware of an Instagram post depicting Jonathan Daniel Martinez, 18, an alleged member of the "East Side Locos" gang, holding a black handgun with the serial number visible. A subsequent check revealed that the firearm had been reported stolen to the Las Cruces Police Department on April 14, 2024. The handgun also had an aftermarket attachment, known as a machinegun conversion device (MCD), designed to convert the firearm into a fully automatic machine gun.
Further investigation of the Instagram account linked to Martinez revealed numerous posts featuring the same firearm, as well as other firearms.
A search warrant was executed on Martinez's residence on September 15, 2024, where the stolen black Glock 19 handgun with the Glock switch attached was found in his bedroom.
Martinez will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Martinez faces 20 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo is prosecuting the case.
View the Complaint (Martinez).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Kurt Alme to serve as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of MontanaRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – Kurt G. Alme has been appointed as the U. S. Attorney for the District of Montana by U. S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Mr. Alme was sworn in by Chief U. S. District Judge Brian Morris on March 17, 2025. He will serve on an interim basis as the U. S. Attorney for a period of 120 days or until a Presidential nominee has been confirmed by the Senate.
Mr. Alme brings over 30 years of legal experience to his new role. He previously served as an Assistant U. S. Attorney in Montana from 2003 to 2010, where he focused on financial investigations involving white collar fraud, government program fraud, bankruptcy fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. Mr. Alme also served as the First Assistant U. S. Attorney from 2006 to 2010, before leaving to serve as the Executive V. P. and, later, the President and General Counsel of the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation. In September 2017, Mr. Alme was unanimously confirmed as Montana’s U. S. Attorney, after being recommended by Senator Steve Daines and nominated by President Trump, a post he held until December 2020. Since then, he served as State Budget Director for Governor Greg Gianforte and most recently as the Executive V. P. for Planned Giving with the National Christian Foundation.
Mr. Alme is a native of Great Falls who graduated from Custer County District High School in Miles City. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado summa cum laude and his law degree from Harvard Law School cum laude. After graduation from law school, he clerked for Montana U. S. District Judge Charles Lovell, was a partner in the regional law firm now known as Crowley Fleck, and served as Director of the Montana Department of Revenue under Governor Judy Martz.
“I am grateful to Attorney General Bondi for the opportunity to serve again as United States Attorney for Montana,” Mr. Alme said. “The U. S. Attorney’s Office has an outstanding group of people who are giving their careers to make Montana safer and fairly represent the United States in legal matters. I look forward to again working with them and all of our dedicated federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement and prosecuting partners to continue the important work of combatting violent crime, the trafficking of methamphetamine and fentanyl, and illegal immigration.”
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