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Monday 17 March 2025
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in California Religious Land Use Lawsuit Brought by Small Christian ChurchRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in federal district court supporting a small Christian church’s claim that the City of Santa Ana violated its rights under the under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied the church’s zoning application to use space in the city’s professional district as a house of worship.
The statement of interest was filed in Anchor Stone Christian Church v. City of Santa Ana, a private lawsuit alleging that the City violated RLUIPA by enacting and enforcing zoning provisions that treat religious uses less favorably than secular places of assembly. The lawsuit alleges that the city’s professional district allows, as of right, nonreligious assembly uses like museums and art galleries, but only allows religious assembly uses with the city’s discretionary approval of a conditional use permit (CUP).
“Zoning practices that unfairly limit assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Municipalities cannot create zoning districts that treat houses of worship worse than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”
“RLUIPA prohibits local governments from treating religious assembly uses like the Anchor Stone Church worse than comparable nonreligious assemblies,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Zoning codes violate RLUIPA when they make it more difficult for people to gather for religious worship than for secular purposes. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce RLUIPA’s protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship as a community.”
The lawsuit alleges that Anchor Stone is a small Christian church of first-generation Chinese and Taiwanese Americans. It obtained space within the city’s professional district and applied for a CUP to operate a Church but was denied by the city. The Church filed a motion for preliminary injunction, seeking an order allowing it to worship at its property. The Department’s statement of interest supports the Church’s argument that the zoning code, on its face, treats religious uses less favorably than nonreligious assembly uses, in violation of RLUIPA’s equal terms provision, and that the city has failed to justify this unequal treatment.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.
As part of this initiative, the department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions. Additionally, as part of a series on combating religious discrimination and promoting awareness of RLUIPA, the department hosted an outreach forum last year with land use practitioners and religious leaders at Fowler School of Law at Chapman University in Orange County, California.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (213) 894-2879 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in California Religious Land Use Case Brought by Small Christian ChurchRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California supporting a small Christian church’s claim that the City of Santa Ana violated its rights under the under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied the church’s zoning application to use space in the city’s professional district as a house of worship.
The statement of interest was filed in Anchor Stone Christian Church v. City of Santa Ana, a private lawsuit alleging that the City violated RLUIPA by enacting and enforcing zoning provisions that treat religious uses less favorably than secular places of assembly. The lawsuit alleges that the city’s professional district allows, as of right, nonreligious assembly uses like museums and art galleries, but only allows religious assembly uses with the city’s discretionary approval of a conditional use permit (CUP).
“RLUIPA prohibits local governments from treating religious assembly uses like the Anchor Stone Church worse than comparable nonreligious assemblies,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Zoning codes violate RLUIPA when they make it more difficult for people to gather for religious worship than for secular purposes. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce RLUIPA’s protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship as a community.”
“Zoning practices that unfairly limit assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally for the Central District of California. “Municipalities cannot create zoning districts that treat houses of worship worse than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”
The lawsuit alleges that Anchor Stone is a small Christian church of first-generation Chinese and Taiwanese Americans. It obtained space within the city’s professional district and applied for a CUP to operate a Church but was denied by the city. The Church filed a motion for preliminary injunction, seeking an order allowing it to worship at its property. The Department’s statement of interest supports the Church’s argument that the zoning code, on its face, treats religious uses less favorably than nonreligious assembly uses, in violation of RLUIPA’s equal terms provision, and that the city has failed to justify this unequal treatment.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.
As part of this initiative, the department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions. Additionally, as part of a series on combating religious discrimination and promoting awareness of RLUIPA, the department hosted an outreach forum last year with land use practitioners and religious leaders at Fowler School of Law at Chapman University in Orange County, California.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (213) 894-2879 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Seeking Permanent Injunction Against Two Tax Preparers Based in Koreatown and ResedaRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against two defendants who allegedly prepared false federal tax returns under the names of a business with storefronts in the San Fernando Valley and the Koreatown area of Los Angeles.
Luis Alberto Mijangos and George Louis Montalvan are the defendants named in the lawsuit, which seeks to permanently stop them from preparing or filing federal tax returns.
According to the lawsuit, Mijangos and Montalvan prepared false tax returns under several business names, including Luismi Services Inc., Luismi Services, Luismi Income Tax Services, and CYL Professional Services. Mijangos and Montalvan allegedly used that business, which has storefronts in Koreatown and Reseda, to perpetuate an unlawful tax scheme in which they filed fraudulent tax returns that reported deductions, credits, exemptions, or other tax items for which their customers were not qualified to receive. From 2019 to 2022, the defendants filed at least 1,800 federal income tax returns with the IRS.
The IRS issued tax refunds based on the fabricated tax items, but customers did not receive the refunds. Instead, Mijangos and Montalvan allegedly diverted the refunds into bank accounts they owned or controlled.
For example, one customer paid $300 to the defendants to prepare and file her 2019 federal income tax return. The defendants provided this customer with a copy of a federal income tax return that reported a balance due in the amount of $364. The defendants indicated that version of the return would be filed with the IRS.
Instead, the defendants allegedly filed a tax return that reported a refund in the amount of $3,965. The claimed refund was based upon dependents and education credits that the defendants fabricated and falsely reported on the return. The customer never received the refund reported on the IRS version of her return. Instead, the defendants diverted the entire refund to a bank account owned or controlled by the defendants.
The claims mentioned in the lawsuit are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.
In the past decade, the Justice Department has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website and the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page.
Assistant United States Attorney John D. Ellis of the Civil Division’s Tax Section is representing the United States in this matter.
Justice Department Announces Launch of Joint Task Force October 7Read the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the leadership team and membership of Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), an initiative that will seek justice for the victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel and address the ongoing threat posed by Hamas and its affiliates.
“The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not win—and there will be consequences,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “As Attorney General, I have had the solemn honor of meeting with several families of U.S. citizens whose loved ones were kidnapped by Hamas on that dark day. This task force will strengthen the Department’s resolve to achieve justice for these families and their loved ones as we continue to fight antisemitism in all its forms.”
The Attorney General established JTF 10-7 on her first day in office, demonstrating the high priority the Justice Department is placing on honoring the memories of the approximately 1,200 people murdered by Hamas in the attack, including 47 U.S. citizens, and supporting the approximately 250 additional people that Hamas abducted, including 8 U.S. citizens.
JTF 10-7 will focus on targeting, charging, and securing for prosecution in the United States the direct perpetrators of the October 7 attack — the terrorists on the ground that day who murdered and kidnapped innocent civilians. JTF 10-7 will also assume responsibility for the pending charges against Hamas leadership relating to the October 7 attack and other acts of terrorism, and to bring those criminals to the United States to face justice for their reprehensible role in these atrocities. Finally, JTF 10-7 will investigate acts of terrorism and civil rights violations by individuals and entities providing support and financing to Hamas, related Iran proxies, and their affiliates, as well as acts of antisemitism by these groups.
“The victims of Hamas’s decades-long violent campaign of terrorism against Israel will always have the support of the U.S. government, and the Department will no longer permit illegal support of Hamas on our campuses and elsewhere in the homeland,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Antisemitic acts of terrorism – whether here or abroad – will never go unpunished. This task force represents our unyielding commitment to those who have suffered at the hands of these brutal terrorists.”
“The FBI is committed to establishing the Joint Task Force October 7 to continue the FBI’s investigative and victim assistance efforts related to the horrific acts of terror committed by Hamas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Working with our federal and international partners, this task force is a collaborative initiative between agencies, and together we will work to accomplish our vital counterterrorism mission.”
JTF 10-7 will be led by a senior counterterrorism prosecutor from the Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD), a senior FBI Special Agent as the Task Force Commander, and an FBI Intelligence Analyst as Deputy Task Force Commander, all under the supervision of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. JTF 10-7 will also include trial attorneys from NSD, the Civil Rights Division, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and other detailees, with additional dedicated support from the Department’s Office of International Affairs.
JTF 10-7 will be supported by dedicated FBI agents, analysts, forensic accountants, data scientists, and linguists who are mostly co-located in Virginia. These professionals will contribute to JTF 10‑7’s expertise in investigating and prosecuting domestic and extraterritorial terrorism cases, including terrorism-financing matters, and serve as points of contact with the FBI’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and Victim Services Division.
The FBI will coordinate with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies on JTF 10-7 activities, as well as foreign counterparts through the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Israel. FBI agents will be embedded with Israel’s National Bureau of Counter Terror Finance, which has already been a tremendous partner in the ongoing investigations.
These efforts will build on the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations into the perpetrators of these heinous acts and demonstrate the Department’s commitment to degrading and dismantling Hamas, holding Hamas supporters accountable, achieving justice for victims, and fighting terrorist-led antisemitism.
John A. Sarcone III’s Remarks Upon his Swearing-In as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III made these remarks today upon his swearing-in at the James T. Foley U.S. Courthouse:
Thank you, Chief Judge Sannes. Thank you to the Judges of the Northern District of New York, to Clerk of the Court John Domurad, and to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Hanlon, who has ably assisted me with the onboarding process.
I would like to first thank my family for the support and love throughout my life and career, My Wife Cecilia and Children who could not join us today, John Anthony (a Junior at Penn State) and Francesca (a freshman at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina) and Juliet, a sophomore at Croton Harmon High School who is missing school to be here.
Also present are my Mom Deann, my sister Jennifer Genes, Aunt Jane Fiorito and cousins Bill and Janet Tuttle, Cousin Bruce Fiorito and his wife Lorraine, thank you for your steadfast support.
To my brothers Michael and Raymond and their families who could not join us today and extended Sarcone, Fiorito and Hickey families and my wife Cecilia’s family, thank you for your love and support.
Thanks, and a big shout out to my close confidante and friend Ola Hawatmeh.
My dear friends Father Douglas Crawford and Rabbi Abraham Klein. Thank you for joining me today.
Thank you, Governor George Pataki, for all your support throughout the years.
I would like to recognize Senate Leader Rob Ortt, Senator Bill Weber, Assembly Leader Will Barclay, Assemblyman Robert Smullen, my dear friends Chairman Douglas Colety and Chairman Don Minichino, who took time out of their busy schedules to join me today.
Thank you, Ambassador Elise Stefanik, for your support of my appointment.
Also joining me are my Dear friend, mentor and former law partner, NYS Appellate Division 2nd Department Justice Mark Dillon and his wife Michelle, my longtime friend and colleague Maury Heller, Al Buonamici, and mentor in everything election law John Ciampoli.
Thanks to some very special friends who believed in me and fought with me in the political trenches for the past 10 years, Former Congressman John Sweeney, White House Counsel David Warrington, First Deputy White House Counsel Gineen Bresso, Deputy White House Counsel Stuart McCommas.
And to all friends and colleagues who traveled to Albany today to witness my swearing-in on this most sacred and blessed day, THANK YOU.
Incidentally, the family bible that I swore my oath on was passed down from my great grandmother Jennie Curtis Hickey to my grandmother Dorothy “Dot” Hickey Fiorito and to my mom Deann Sarcone. I chose today to be sworn in to honor my late grandmother Dot! I was also spiritually moved when my brother Raymond pointed out the date Attorney General Bondi signed the Order appointing me to this most prestigious position, February 28. That day would have been my father’s 87th birthday, whom we lost 35 years ago.
During the first Trump Administration, I had the privilege and honor of serving as the 14th Regional Administrator for the United States General Services Administration, Northeast Caribbean Region. My jurisdiction included the Northern District of New York and this historic courthouse.
These federal courthouses mean something – they project the majesty and authority of our government. Everyone knows that important work is going on inside.
I am honored to be welcomed again into this building, this time as U.S. Attorney, to lead the men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, who are doing the important work of representing the United States in enforcing its laws both civil and criminal.
Since I was appointed U.S. Attorney two weeks ago, here are just some of the great results this office has achieved:
- A Nigerian citizen, who has been illegally present in this country for decades and living under stolen identities, pled guilty to bank fraud and money laundering conspiracies that caused $1.7 million in losses;
- A North Country woman pled guilty to her role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that left a Romanian family of four dead in the St. Lawrence River; and
- A former music teacher was convicted after trial of transporting students across state lines, and raping and sexually abusing them.
These cases are each the result of close collaboration between AUSAs and our law enforcement partners. My goal is to continue this great work, and to implement the mandate by President Trump and task of Attorney General Pam Bondi to restore public confidence in our justice system. I am humbled and honored that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed their faith and trust in me to carry forth that mandate as the chief federal law enforcement officer in this district.
Which leads me to this subject – what makes a good prosecutor? It’s not what college or law school you went to, or whether you have been a career prosecutor, as recent events show. What matters is judgment.
A good prosecutor has wisdom, common sense, a strong moral and ethical compass, a sense of fairness and empathy, coupled with legal skills and acumen honed over time and from a diversity of representations and matters. As recent events have also shown, there’s just no substitute for common sense. For instance, we recently witnessed the heads of Ivy League institutions equivocate on whether calling for the genocide of Jews by a minority of its students and others violates their own rules.
I believe the prosecutorial power, and discretion, is best entrusted to those with the full breath of professional and life experiences, from which common sense, wisdom and informed judgment emerge. With these values in mind, I look forward to working together with everyone at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with our dedicated Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies, in pursuit of honest, transparent, non-political enforcement of federal laws and to restore public confidence in our federal government and our Justice Department.
As United States Attorney leading this office, I will prioritize our resources to keep our northern border secure; to work with federal, state and local authorities to maintain safe communities; root out public corruption; protect our seniors from being victimized by endless scams and consumer fraud; to end lawlessness and willful disregard for Federal laws; keep our kids safe from illegal drugs; and combat human trafficking.
I pledge to dedicate steadfast resources to root out hate crimes of all kinds and will not tolerate violations of college students’ rights to be free from harassment or threats because of their religious beliefs and I give fair warning to university leaders that our reach will not stop at prosecuting those who choose to violate our laws but also those who knowingly support any violations in any way, shape or form.
In conclusion, I am honored and humbled to be standing here before you, my family, friends, colleagues, distinguished guests and our amazing Judges of the Northern District of New York. Thank you all for honoring me with your presence.
Hot Springs Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Prison for Money Laundering and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS – An Arkansas man was sentenced on March 12, 2025, to 57 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $252,344.00 in restitution, followed by three years of supervised release following his guilty pleas to money laundering and wire fraud charges. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing, which took place in the United States District Court in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
According to court documents, John Christopher Bates, 57, waived indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty to an information charging him with money laundering and wire fraud. The two counts related to separate schemes, one involving false applications for benefits to the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, who administers the state’s distribution of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. The other related to Bates’s fraudulent applications for Economic Impact Disaster Loans, totaling more than $1 million.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.
The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trent Daniels and Hunter Bridges prosecuted the case.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Honduran National Indicted for Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, age 27, a native of Honduras, 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 March 7 2025, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, the defendant, EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, was found in the United States, after having been officially deported and removed therefrom, on or about June 8, 2018.
EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge, and 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, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Orleans 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.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Use of Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSE DAVID SANCHEZ (“SANCHEZ”), age 28, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on March 13, 2025 for illegally using a social security number to qualify for employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
United States District Court Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced SANCHEZ to time served (approximately 4 months), 1 year of supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee.
According to court documents, SANCHEZ used the Social Security number of a United States citizen in an initial application to obtain employment. On September 30, 2020, SANCHEZ arrived at the Gulf Coast Safety Council office in St. Rose, Louisiana to complete the safety course to finalize his employment with Company “A.” On that day, SANCHEZ presented a fraudulent United States Social Security card bearing the name and United States Social Security number of a United States citizen, which he represented to be his own, in order to obtain employment.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection and Social Security Administration agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Gorham Man Pleads Guilty to Using Handgun while Robbing Waterboro Bank Last SummerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Gorham man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to bank robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person.
According to court records, in June 2024, Timothy Riley, 41, demanded money from a bank teller at a Waterboro bank while brandishing a Glock Model 19 handgun. Riley then fled the bank with money, leaving the scene on a dirt bike. Responding York County Sheriff’s Office deputies spotted the vehicle, and Riley led them in a pursuit until heading off-road where law enforcement vehicles could no longer follow. During canine tracking, investigators recovered a handgun and dark-colored baseball cap consistent with items observed during the robbery. Once apprehended later that evening, Riley admitted to the robbery and said he was in debt and had shared the proceeds with another person.
Riley’s criminal history includes past state convictions for burglary and robbery, and a federal conviction for interfering with commerce by robbery. His criminal history precludes him from possessing any firearms.
Riley faces up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the bank robbery charge; a minimum consecutive sentence of at least 7 years to life, up to five years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the charge of brandishing a firearm during the bank robbery; and a minimum sentence of at least 15 years up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Riley will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the York County Sheriff’s Office and the Buxton Police Department.
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Fresno Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Sorondo Jr., 52, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 12 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine and cocaine as well as illegally possessing firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in January and February 2022, Sorondo conspired with others to possess and distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. On Feb. 1, 2022, when law enforcement officers tried to contact Sorondo, he fled and tossed a firearm over a chain-link fence. The officers apprehended Sorondo and then recovered the abandoned, loaded firearm. Two weeks later, a police officer arrested Sorondo in possession of another two firearms and about 100 counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Sorondo is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony convictions.
This case is the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Four Chinese Nationals Sentenced to Federal Prison in Scheme Targeting Hundreds of U.S. Consumers and Multiple U.S. RetailersRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Four Chinese nationals were sentenced to federal prison today for their participation in a complex scheme that involved the theft of hundreds of identities to defraud multiple domestic retailers out of at least $1.2 million.
A fifth co-conspirator was previously sentenced to more than four years in prison, and a sixth is awaiting sentencing following a guilty plea.
As part of the scheme, these six defendants stole the victims’ identities – including their Social Security numbers, dates of birth and home addresses – and used that information to make fake driver’s licenses that were used to access credit in the victims’ names at large national retailers, including Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Williams-Sonoma, Dillard’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
The four defendants, all Chinese nationals who entered the country under false pretenses, were sentenced today by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson. All four pleaded guilty on January 6. They are:
- Kar Kee “Steven” Cheung, 36, of Chino Hills, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of visa fraud, one count of possession of equipment used to manufacture false identification documents, and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud;
- Qian Guo, 37, of Chino Hills, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for one count of possession of equipment used to manufacture false identification documents and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud;
- Chongming “Ming” Wang, 28, of Temple City, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of aiding and abetting access device fraud in excess of $1,000; and
- Jiaozhu “Yanny” Yan, 30, of Alhambra, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for one count of visa fraud.
Previously in this case, Sizhen “Rachel” Liu, 35, also a Chinese national and a resident of Chino Hills, was sentenced on January 6 to 50 months in federal prison for one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of access device fraud in excess of $1,000.
The sixth defendant in the case, Hyun Woo “Scott” Jung, 30, of Ontario, pleaded guilty on February 10 to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of possession with intent to use unlawfully five or more false identification documents. Jung is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wilson on May 5.
The ongoing investigation in this matter is being conducted by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The DSS Los Angeles Field Office has created a tipline to solicit information confidentially from sources with information about this scheme. Security and loss prevention personnel from large national retailers, particularly those identified above, are encouraged to contact the DSS LA Retail Fraud Tipline if they have information about Los Angeles-area transactions closely matching this scheme. Suspects using fake driver’s licenses as part of this scheme may also be opening retail-branded credit accounts in the victims’ names.
During this investigation, DSS has received substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, with additional support coming from the Alhambra Police Department, the Arcadia Police Department, and the Bel Air, Maryland Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Kim Meyer of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Former Operations Manager Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Stealing over $2.5 Million from Employer, Covering up the Scheme with Tax FraudRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE— Marcie Jean Doty, 47, of Evansville, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud, failure to file tax returns, and filing false tax returns. Doty has also been ordered to pay $2,517,343.05 in restitution.
According to court documents, Doty was employed as an Operations Manager for a property management business located in Evansville, Indiana. Between May 2017 and June 2022, Doty ran a five-year wire fraud scheme, stealing approximately $1,803,466.38 from her employer via unauthorized checks and Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) transfers.
During this five-year period, Doty executed 99 unauthorized ACH transfers, totaling $503,151.59 and wrote 279 unauthorized checks to herself, totaling $1,300,314.79. The funds were transferred from her employer’s bank accounts to her personal bank accounts.
In an effort to conceal the unauthorized checks, Doty entered false information in the business accounting software, representing that the checks were written to her employer instead of herself. These false entries made it appear as if the business’s funds were being moved from one account to another for a legitimate business purpose.
In January 2017, Doty agreed to purchase a 25% equity share in her employer’s business. Doty used some of the money she stole via the wire fraud scheme to make payments towards her purchase of the 25% equity share.
Additionally, for tax years 2018 through 2020, Doty willfully failed to report the income derived from her fraud scheme on those returns, as required by law. In so doing, she willfully failed to report approximately $786,280.70 in income. The returns were therefore false.
Finally, Doty failed to file tax returns for tax years 2021 and 2022. In so doing, she willfully failed to report approximately $1,006,983.84 in income.
“Through the defendant’s egregious scheme, she used her position of trust to lie, cheat, and steal from her employer and the government- helping herself to millions and cooking the books to hide the evidence,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Fraud and embezzlement can have devastating effects on both individual victims and companies. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that those who commit financial crimes will pay a serious price.”
“The brazen fraud uncovered in this case is staggering and had serious consequences for those victimized by the defendant’s deceitful scheme.” said Special Agent in Charge Ike Barnes of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office. “I applaud the Internal Revenue Service, Evansville Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Secret Service personnel for their hard work and determination in securing the sentence imposed in this case.”
“Marcie Doty defrauded her employer for five years and now she will spend five years considering the consequences of her actions,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “In addition to harming her employer, Ms. Doty also evaded taxes she should have paid to the government. IRS-CI and our partners are committed to finding and prosecuting financial crimes in all forms.”
The U.S. Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.
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Former Fairfax District Resident Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Public Assistance Benefits via Identity TheftRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former resident of the Fairfax District of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison his role in a scheme that involved using illegal skimmers on ATMs to harvest data, creating counterfeit debit cards using the stolen account holders’ information, and then using the cards to make cash withdrawals from numerous victims’ accounts.
Sorin-Miguel Ghiorghe, 47, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who will schedule a restitution hearing to occur in the coming months.
Ghiorghe pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and one count of possession of device-making equipment.
Ghiorghe – a Romanian national whom prosecutors believe illegally entered the United States – admitted that he and his accomplices used counterfeit cards to fraudulently make withdrawals from the accounts of numerous victims, and that he specifically used the counterfeit cards to withdraw thousands of dollars from victims’ accounts.
The skimming ring focused on illegally accessing funds administered by the California Department of Social Services to low-income California residents through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts, including CalFresh and CalWorks benefits. When law enforcement searched the apartment Ghiorghe was living in, they located ATM-skimming equipment and EBT account numbers in other peoples’ names.
The United States Secret Service investigated this case and received significant assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Max A. Shapiro of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Fifth Defendant Charged in March 11 Assault on Metropolitan Police Department OfficersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ronald Butler, 44, of Washington, D.C., was arrested and charged today in D.C. Superior Court in relation to a March 11, 2025, assault on a group of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers in Southeast D.C. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Ronald Butler is charged with felony assault on a police officer. Butler turned himself into police custody this morning. Butler is the fifth defendant to be charged in relation to this matter. Previously charged are:
- Donte Butler, Sr., 47, of Washington, D.C., was charged with felony assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.
- Donte Butler, Jr., 21, of Washington, D.C., was charged with misdemeanor assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.
- Frederick Simms, 39, of Washington, D.C., was charged with misdemeanor assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.
- Jermaine Irving, 21, of Washington, D.C., was charged with resisting arrest and consumption of marijuana in public.
According to court documents, on March 11, at approximately 3:59 p.m., the MPD Seventh District’s Special Missions Unit made contact with a defendant allegedly consuming marijuana in public space in the 2600 block of Birney Place, Southeast. During that encounter, it is alleged that some of the defendants then assaulted the MPD officers.
These charges are announced as part of Make D.C. Safe Again, a comprehensive public safety initiative designed to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia.
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Albi is prosecuting this case.
These charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Court Finds Louisiana Tax Return Preparer in Contempt and Orders Disgorgement of Ill-Gotten Fees and Litigation Costs as SanctionsRead the Press Release
Note: View order here.
Last week, a federal court in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, found Whylithia R. Robinson in contempt for violating a permanent injunction that prohibited her and her business AAA Tax Service LLC from preparing, filing, or assisting in the preparation or filing of federal tax returns for others.
The United States filed a complaint against Robinson and AAA Tax Service on Jan. 23, 2023. According to the complaint, Robinson prepared and filed 2,629 federal income tax returns for customers though AAA Tax Service from 2019-2021. The complaint further alleged that Robinson displayed a pattern of filing tax returns during this period that understated the customer’s tax liabilities and overstated tax refunds by fabricating business losses, claiming false charitable donations, or falsely claiming education credits for customers who were not entitled to them. On April 23, 2023, the court issued a default judgment of permanent injunction that barred Robinson and AAA Tax Services from preparing tax returns for others.
Following a hearing last week, the court found that the United States demonstrated that Robinson violated the permanent injunction by continuing to prepare 227 tax returns for others. For these violations, the court held Robinson in civil contempt and ordered as sanctions that she disgorge $68,100 in ill-gotten fees she earned in violation of the injunction and reimburse the United States its costs of litigation and travel expenses.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways to safeguard personal information.
In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement to Federally Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Eugenio Gonzalez-Paredes (53, Dominican Republic) has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. Gonzalez-Paredes faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Gonzalez-Paredes attempted to purchase a Glock pistol from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Deltona, Florida. To purchase the firearm, Gonzalez-Paredes was required to complete a Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473. The Form 4473 asked whether Gonzalez-Paredes had ever been convicted of a felony, and Gonzalez-Paredes checked the answer “No.” At the time Gonzalez-Paredes filled out the Form 4473, he had twice previously been convicted in the United States District Court in the District of Puerto Rico for illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.
This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
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.
Davidson and Davie County Men Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, NC – Two North Carolina man have recently been sentenced to more than ten years in prison each for possession of child pornography by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC) in unrelated cases, announced Randall S. Galyon, Acting United States Attorney for the MDNC.
DAVID ARNOLD SHARPE, 41, of Davidson County, was sentenced today to 228 months in prison plus 20 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. The sentence will run consecutive to a 24-month sentence for the revocation of supervised release in a prior case.
According to court documents, SHARPE, a registered sex offender, was on federal supervised release when he admitted to his probation officer that he possessed an unauthorized device and child pornography. United States Probation Officers searched SHARPE’s residence where they located a cell phone that contained child pornography. Less than three weeks later, SHARPE was identified by investigators from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) after a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) tip revealed that a Facebook user in Davidson County was suspected of uploading images of suspected child pornography to the platform. After going to Sharpe’s residence, investigators discovered SHARPE’s unauthorized phone had already been seized and they contacted the United States Probation Office and took over the investigation. Further investigation revealed SHARPE had been trading child pornography in groups online.
On March 14, 2025, LUIGI CARCIATI, age 49, of Davie County, was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography in October 2023. He was also ordered to pay $74,000 in restitution. According to court documents, multiple tips from NCMEC led to the execution of a search warrant at CARCIATI’s Mocksville residence where investigators located a tablet and cell phone containing child pornography. A review of the devices also revealed CARCIATI had secretly recorded minors in the bathroom at La Vita e Bella, a Mocksville restaurant CARCIATI owned and operated. During execution of a search warrant at the restaurant, investigators located two hidden cameras in the women’s restroom, and a third one in a drawer under the cash register.
The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), the United States Probation Office, and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) assisted with the SHARPE investigation. The Davie County Sheriff’s Office, NCSBI, and HSI assisted in the CARCIATI investigation. Both cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kennedy Gates and Karla Painter.
The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and focuses on coordinating federal, state, and local resources to better identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Corpus Christi jury finds South Texas man guilty of transporting illegal aliensRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A jury has returned a guilty verdict against a 28-year-old Sullivan City resident on two counts of transporting illegal aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
They deliberated for less than 45 minutes before convicting Alberto Chavez Jr. following a one-day trial.
Testimony revealed that on Nov. 2, 2024, Chavez pulled up to the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint in Falfurrias for a routine immigration inspection with two passengers in the vehicle. He claimed they were all cousins and were going north to find work.
However, the jury heard that neither of the passengers were related to Chavez in any way. Both were actually citizens of Honduras who were illegally present in the United States.
The jury heard from both men who explained they had crossed the Rio Grande River approximately one month prior and had been placed in various stash houses until Chavez picked them up the night before they arrived at the checkpoint.
Testimony revealed Chavez bought them clothes to make them appear more “American” and coached them on what to say when trying to pass through the checkpoint. The aliens also stated they had specifically informed Chavez they were illegally present in the United States.
“Our Corpus Christi office has secured yet another guilty verdict against a smuggler of illegal aliens,” said Ganjei. “If people think they are going to lie or sneak their way past a Border Patrol checkpoint, they are setting themselves up for a prison stay. I thank the jury for their thoughtful consideration of the evidence in this case.”
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Chavez had simply agreed to give the aliens a ride. They did not believe those claims and found Chavez guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over trial and has set sentencing for June 18. At that time, Chavez faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Previously released on bond, the court ordered Chavez into custody pending sentencing.
BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Griffith and Zachary Bird are prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon was Recruited over Social Media to Smuggle Aliens, will now Spend More than 2 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – Alexzander JM Bisbee, 20, of Bryan, was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 27 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy.
According to court documents, on July 3, 2024, a U.S. Border Patrol agent initiated a lawful immigration stop of an SUV traveling south on U.S. Route 377. The driver, Mark Anthony Sanchez, Jr., 22, accompanied by Bisbee, stopped the vehicle to let three undocumented noncitizens exit and run into the brush. As the agent approached the vehicle, Sanchez quickly accelerated and fled from the immigration stop. The agent returned to his vehicle and gave pursuit before ultimately terminating the pursuit for safety reasons.
Sanchez and Bisbee were later pulled over by the Sonora Police Department for speeding and ordered to exit the vehicle. A lawful search of the vehicle uncovered two 9mm semiautomatic pistols, including an AR-15–style pistol. Agents canvassed the area where the passengers were observed fleeing and apprehended two of the undocumented noncitizens that were being transported by Sanchez and Bisbee.
Bisbee admitted that an unindicted coconspirator contacted him on Instagram and offered to pay him to transport undocumented noncitizens and that he would be paid $2,000 per person. Bisbee was a convicted felon at the time of the offense, having previously been convicted of burglary of a building.
Bisbee pleaded guilty Nov. 20, 2024. Sanchez pleaded guilty to the same charge Dec. 18. His sentence hearing is scheduled for May 13.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
USBP investigated the case with support from the Sutton County Sheriff’s Office and Sonora Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jayvee Rhoda and Joshua Banister prosecuted the case.
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Colombian Man Illegally in the United States Pleads Guilty to Participating in Armed Robbery at Hotel in Beverly Hills Last YearRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An illegal alien from Colombia pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for participating in the armed robbery of a victim at a Beverly Hills hotel and belonging to a robbery crew that possessed a firearm once registered to the late former Los Angeles Police Officer Christopher Dorner.
Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). Sepulveda has been in federal custody since August 2024.
According to his plea agreement, Sepulveda was the getaway driver during the August 7, 2024, armed robbery of a victim identified in court documents as “T.A.” On that date during dinnertime, two unidentified robbers held the victim at gunpoint inside the patio of “THE Blvd,” a restaurant located within the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The robbers stole a Patek Philippe Nautilus wristwatch from T.A. at gunpoint. T.A. reported that his watch was valued at approximately $1 million.
Sepulveda and his co-defendant, Jesus Eduardo Bryan Padron Rojas, 20, an illegal alien from Venezuela, cased the area two day before the robbery trying to find T.A.’s watch, which they and their co-conspirators valued at $1.3 million.
The crew coincidentally stumbled upon another victim walking in Beverly Hills wearing a $30,000 Rolex wristwatch. A member of Sepulveda’s crew stole that wristwatch at gunpoint.
During this time, the robbery crew stayed at an Airbnb and possessed multiple firearms, including a Glock .45-caliber handgun loaded with 12 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition. The gun previously was registered to Dorner, known for committing a series of murders before dying in a standoff with law enforcement in February 2013.
United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II scheduled a July 14 sentencing hearing, at which time Sepulveda will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Criminal charges are still pending against Padron.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Beverly Hills Police Department, and the Blythe (California) Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this matter.
Clay County Man Sentenced to 80 years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ANNISTON, Ala. – A Clay County man has been sentenced for his sexual crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge Cory L. Maze sentenced Michael James Baker, 32, of Ashland, to 960 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. In October 2024, Baker pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of child pornography. These convictions will require Baker to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents, between July 25, 2022, and July 25, 2023, Baker produced a video and an image of child pornography involving his rape of a small child and uploaded the child pornography online. In his chat communication with an undercover agent, Baker expressed his desires to engage in sexual acts with two other children, and he admitted to sexual acts with a 13-year-old child. After Baker’s arrest on the federal child pornography charges, another young child disclosed that Baker had also raped her.
FBI Birmingham Division and FBI New Orleans Division investigated the case along with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Internet Crimes Against Children, Lineville Police Department, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Oxford Police Department, Anniston Major Crimes Unit, Anniston Police Department, Alabama State Troopers, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Russell County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
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.
Citizen from People’s Republic of China Sentenced for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Saipan – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that HongJiang Yang, age 68, citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was sentenced on March 14, 2025 to 30 days imprisonment by the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Conspiracy and Aiding & Abetting Transportation of Illegal Aliens, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii), (v)(I), and (II). He was previously found guilty by jury verdict. The court also ordered one year of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and a $100 special assessment fee.
The following co-conspirators have pled guilty and were sentenced for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §1324(a)(I)(A)(ii) and (v)(I):
- Xiaohua Li – age 58: Sentenced on February 22, 2024, to one year probation, 50 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
- Kun Gao – age 44: Sentenced on March 15, 2024, to 30 days in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee
- YongBing Tang – age 55: Sentenced on July 2, 2024, to 30 days in prison, one year of supervised release, 50 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
- ChangCai Dong – age 61: Sentenced on July 2, 2024, to 30 days in prison, one year of supervised release, 50 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
- YingChun Wu – age 45: Sentenced on May 24, 2024, to 30 days imprisonment; one year of supervised release, 50 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
- Yan Juan Hu Taitano – age 61: Sentenced on September 9, 2024, to 15 months imprisonment one year of supervised release, 80 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
- Lee Jesse Omar Reyes – age 37: Sentenced on September 9, 2024, to time served, two years of supervised release, 80 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
- Ramon Jose Quitano Sablan – age 32: Sentenced on September 9, 2024, to time served, two years of supervised release, 80 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
- Maverick Ryan Iguel Marlik – age 31: Sentenced on September 9, 2024, to time served, one year of supervised release, 80 hours community service, and a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
On July 11, 2023, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Saipan received information that the United States Coast Guard conducted an emergency maritime rescue operation for 11 individuals in distress on a small vessel off the coast of Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The individuals included nine PRC citizens and two CNMI residents. HSI Saipan initiated an investigation into violations of Title 8 of the United States Code for bringing in and harboring aliens, in addition to other violations, for attempting to unlawfully bring non-United States citizens to Guam.
The evidence at trial established that two evenings prior, the boat departed Saipan and headed south. Overloaded and in high seas, it ran out of gas before sunrise and started drifting. Instead of immediately calling authorities for rescue, those on board made a last-ditch attempt to reach Guam by asking another boat to deliver more fuel. After that effort failed, they at last radioed the United States Coast Guard, triggering a search by military aircraft from the United States and two allied nations. The individuals were located at dusk and rescued by a Navy helicopter after midnight. By delaying their call for help, defendant Yang and the others made an already dangerous situation much more so, for themselves and their rescuers.
“Attorney General Bondi has made immigration enforcement the highest priority of the Department,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “We will fulfil our mission through federal, territorial, and commonwealth partnerships to deter unlawful migration and promote safety at sea. Anyone with information regarding this type of criminal activity should contact Homeland Security Investigations.”
“The sentencing of Mr. Yang and the co-conspirators highlights ICE-HSI’s commitment to stopping smuggling efforts and preventing the evasion of federal immigration law, said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “Stopping these crimes not only protects our communities, but also targets the inherent dangers present with human smuggling. ICE-HSI protects our borders through enforcing our immigration authority.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric S. O’Malley in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.
California Resident Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Fresno, California, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction for receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Alberto Padilla, 23.
According to information presented to the Court, between June and October of 2021, Padilla, while in California, communicated with a 13-year-old minor located in the Western District of Pennsylvania. During his communications with the minor, Padilla sought and received materials depicting the sexual exploitation of the minor.
During the imposition of sentence, Judge Hardy noted both the serious nature of Padilla’s conduct and the ongoing harm that such activity can have on children who are victims of such crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Department of Homeland Security and Peters Township Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Padilla.
Burlington Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington man was sentenced on March 13, 2025, to 192 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography.
According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with David Enrique Remigio, 30, received files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized Remigio’s cellular phone during a search of his residence. A forensic examination of the cellular phone showed that Remigio used the device to receive 143 images and 265 videos containing child sexual abuse material.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Remigio will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Remigio was also ordered to pay $39,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
Brown Brotherhood Gang Members Indicted for Drug and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On March 13, 2025, a federal grand jury returned four separate indictments against Brown Brotherhood Gang Members Leo Alphonzo Alonso-Medina, 32, of Vallejo; Jeremiah I’amafana Salanoa, 22, of Vallejo; Doroteo Suastegui, 47, of Vallejo; and Carlos Osvaldo Higuera-Aldana, 22, of Dixon, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, the Brown Brotherhood gang is a subset of the Sureño gang and has been a frequent target of investigations of the Vallejo Police Department and the Solano County Violent Crime Task Force. The primary criminal activities of this gang have included murder, robbery, extortion, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, burglary, and stolen vehicles. The current investigation began in February 2024 and led to searches and arrests on Feb. 27, 2025. FBI agents and task force officers arrested these four members of the Brown Brotherhood gang on that day for federal drug trafficking and firearms charges.
The indictment against Leo Alphonzo Alonso-Medina charges counts of distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, unlawful dealing in firearms, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Alonso-Medina faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
The indictment against Jeremiah I’amafana Salanoa charges three counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Salanoa faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
The indictment against Doroteo Suastegui charges counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and unlawful dealing in firearms. If convicted, Suastegui faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
Finally, the indictment against Carlos Osvaldo Higuera-Aldana charges three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Higuera-Aldana faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
These cases are the product of investigations by the FBI Violent Crime Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fairfield Police Department, the Vacaville Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, and the Solano County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, R. Alex Cárdenas, and Adrian Kinsella are prosecuting these four federal cases.
Any sentence imposed would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Broward Man Pleads Guilty to Impersonating U.S. Citizen to Vote in Federal ElectionRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Carlos Abreu, 36, of Sunrise, Fla., has pleaded guilty in two consolidated federal cases (24cr60155 and 25cr60015) to the following charges: (1) falsely claiming United States citizenship to register to vote; (2) using a United States citizen’s name to vote; (3) possessing firearms as an alien without lawful status; (4) making false statements in support of a passport application; and (5) aggravated identity theft.
According to the two factual proffers, Abreu entered the United States without inspection and, in 2007, assumed the identity of the victim, “C.R.V.” Between 2007 and his August 2024 arrest, Abreu held himself out as “C.R.V.” to Federal, state, and local government agencies. The victim, “C.R.V.,” is a United States citizen living in Puerto Rico who did not know Abreu.
Abreu obtained a Florida driver’s license in 2007. He registered to vote under the name “C.R.V.” in 2016, and renewed his registration in 2020. He admitted to voting in federal elections in 2016 and 2022. Abreu also admitted to obtaining a Florida concealed carry permit in “C.R.V.’s” name and purchasing four firearms. Abreu also conceded that, in 2021, he had attempted to obtain U.S. passports for his two minor daughters as well as himself, using “C.R.V.’s” name and personal identifying information, all without lawful authorization.
Abreu is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz. Abreu faces up to fifteen years on the gun possession count, ten years on the passport counts, five years on the voting counts, and a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Conklin of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
DSS’ Miami Field Office investigated the case. The DSS San Juan Resident Office in Puerto Rico and ATF Miami provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brianna Coakley and Daniel Rosenfeld are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadya Z. Cheatham is handling asset forfeiture.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 24-cr-60155 and 25-cr-60015.
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Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Beckley Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kimberly Rosetta Logan, 48, of Beckley, was sentenced today to two years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. Logan admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 10, 2024, Logan sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at her residence in Beckley. Logan admitted to the transaction and to distributing additional amounts of fentanyl and cocaine to other individuals while using some herself throughout May 2024. Logan ordered an average of 8 grams of fentanyl and 4 grams of cocaine per week from her Beckley-based supplier by phone during that time period, receiving the controlled substances at her residence.
Logan has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions including for battery, obstruction of an officer, numerous shoplifting offenses, and controlled substances offenses.
Logan is among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 have pleaded guilty, including two defendants who pleaded guilty to separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Maryland Unemployment Insurance SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Devante Smith, 30, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with his role in an unemployment insurance fraud scheme. Through the conspiracy, victims lost at least $298,685.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Baltimore Field Office.
According to the guilty plea, beginning in June of 2020, and continuing through at least May 2021, Smith engaged in a conspiracy to defraud and obtain money under fraudulent pretenses in connection with an unemployment insurance scheme. Smith obtained personal identifiable information of identity victims to fraudulently file claims for unemployment insurance with the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL).
Smith and his co-conspirators used the unemployment insurance benefits, which were designated to assist persons who were unemployed or underemployed due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their own personal use. Additionally, Smith sent co-defendant Tiia Woods, 47, of Jacksonville, Florida, text messages containing private information belonging to the identity victims such as identification cards and social security cards to use in support of the fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized increased unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits. UI benefits have historically been a state and federal program that provided monetary benefits to eligible workers. The CARES Act expanded states’ ability to provide UI benefits for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including self-employed workers or independent contractors, who would not normally be eligible for UI benefits.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI, along with Bank of America – Detection and Complex Investigations Fraud Rings and Analytics, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Harry M. Gruber who prosecuted the federal case
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Arkansas Man Convicted of Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted BRIAN KEITH MAYS, 58, of Arkansas, of committing armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On January 21, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Superseding Indictment, charging Mays with armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On March 13, 2025, after a three-day trial, a federal jury found Mays guilty of both counts.
According to evidence presented at trial, on July 5, 2024, Mays brandished a pistol at the FNB Community Bank in Harrah, Oklahoma, and demanded money from the tellers. The tellers complied, and Mays left the bank with $12,123.00. Agents with the FBI reviewed surveillance footage from the bank and an adjoining store, where they viewed Mays flee the scene. An eyewitness was able to obtain the tag number of the get-away vehicle, and an investigation into that car led authorities to Mays. Location data from Mays’s cell phone showed that Mays was in the area of the bank at the time of the robbery and visited a Walmart shortly after the robbery. While at Walmart, Mays transferred approximately $3,000.00 dollars to a person in Arkansas and could be seen on surveillance video pulling a large amount of cash from his pocket to pay for an item.
At sentencing, Mays faces up to life in federal prison and fines of up to $500,000.00.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City and Fort Smith Field Offices, Harrah Police Department, Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley and Drew E. Davis are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Airman Stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base Charged with Murder of Missing WomanRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged an airman stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, with Second Degree Murder.
Quinterius Charles Chappelle, age 24, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on March 17, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to a federal Criminal Complaint.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count. Restitution may also be ordered.
The complaint charges Chappelle with killing Sahela Toka Win Sangrait on Ellsworth Air Force Base in August 2024. Sangrait’s body was found earlier this month in a wooded area near Hill City, South Dakota.
“This charge, filed just ten days after the victim’s remains were discovered, reflects the dogged work of federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals who seamlessly collaborated to run down every lead with absolute expediency and care,” said Alison Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “Under the criminal justice system, this charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty; the facts and evidence in this case will be litigated before a federal judge and jury. At this time, our hearts are with the victim’s family and friends, who after many agonizing months of searching for answers, are now grieving the tragic death of their loved one.”
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Petersen and Benjamin Schroeder are prosecuting the case.
Chappelle was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Saturday 15 March 2025
Statement from Attorney General Pamela Bondi on Federal Judge Blocking DeportationsRead the Press Release
“Tonight, a DC trial judge supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans. TdA is represented by the ACLU. This order disregards well-established authority regarding President Trump’s power, and it puts the public and law enforcement at risk. The Department of Justice is undeterred in its efforts to work with the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and all of our partners to stop this invasion and Make America Safe Again.”
Friday 14 March 2025
Western District of Texas Exceeds 200 New Immigration Cases in 4 DaysRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 215 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from March 10 through March 13.
In Austin, several individuals were charged with illegal reentry after deportation, after being found in local area jails. Among those were Ricardo Hernandez-Hernandez, a Mexican national who had allegedly been previously removed from the United States to Mexico on two prior occasions and had been convicted of indecency with a child sexual contact and failure to register as a sex offender; Andres Garcia-Saldana, a Mexican national who had allegedly been previously removed from the United States on four occasions and had been convicted of intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury and driving while intoxicated three times—the third time being a felony conviction; Hernan Vasquez-Medina, a Mexican national who had allegedly been removed from the United States three times before and had been convicted of making a terroristic threat and driving while intoxicated three times—like Garcia-Saldana, Vasquez-Medina’s third DWI was charged as a felony as well; and Jaime Ricardo Lopez-Rojas, a Mexican national who had allegedly been removed from the United States a total eight times and had been convicted of illegal entry twice, illegal reentry after deportation four times, driving while intoxicated three times, and family violence assault causing bodily injury.
In the Midland-Odessa area, two individuals with prior federal convictions were found in local area jails and were charged with illegal entry after deportation. Mexican national Saul Villalobos-Vasquez was allegedly removed from the United States once before and convicted in the Eastern District of Texas for unauthorized use of a social security number for which he had been sentenced to 12-months imprisonment in 2016. Daniel Olivas-Nieto, also a Mexican national, had been allegedly removed from the United States and was previously convicted in the Western District of Texas for the illegal transportation of aliens for financial gain, for which he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Virginia Businessman Sentenced for Tax and Investment FraudRead the Press Release
A Virginia man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for tax crimes and his wire fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Rick Tariq Rahim, of Great Falls, owned and operated several businesses, including laser tag facilities and an Amazon reseller. From 2015 to 2021, Rahim did not pay the IRS the taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks or file the required quarterly employment tax returns reporting those withholdings.
Between October 2010 and October 2012, Rahim filed two personal income tax returns on which he reported owing substantial taxes, but did not pay all the taxes due. When the IRS attempted to collect the unpaid taxes, Rahim submitted a false statement that omitted valuable assets he owned, including a helicopter, a Bentley, a Lamborghini, and real estate in Great Falls. Approximately two weeks later, Rahim transferred ownership of the Great Falls property to his wife. He also paid personal expenses from his business bank accounts, including more than $889,000 toward his mortgages and more than $669,000 to purchase or lease cars, including three different Lamborghinis. Rahim withdrew more than $1.1 million in cash in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid triggering currency transaction reports from the bank. Rahim has not filed a personal income tax return since 2012 despite earning more than $34 million in gross income.
In total, Rahim caused a loss to the IRS of at least $4.4 million.
Rahim also defrauded customers who invested using his automated trading bots and by “copying” Rahim’s supposed trading activities that he posted to Discord. He marketed his products on websites named BotsforWealth, TradeAutomation, ProChartSignals, OptionCopier, CopyAndWin, SnipeAlgo, and QQQtrade. Rahim charged customers a subscription fee to access his bots and other software, and to copy his supposed trades. Rahim also offered a “lifetime membership” to which customers received access to Rahim’s private Discord channel, some of his products, and his “in-office” trading days. Rahim personally traded stocks for at least two individuals, claiming “We'll hit home runs and make $500k+ per day very very often.” Instead, Rahim lost over $300,000 of his clients’ funds in eight months.
Rahim induced customers to subscribe to his products by using social media tools, including TikTok, YouTube, and Discord. He also sought to induce customers by claiming he was extremely wealthy, boasting about trading millions of dollars and posting about his large home, pool, and luxury cars, including his Lamborghini. He posted false information to his websites and to his social media accounts claiming to “beat the stock market every day” and promising extreme profit margins. His claim of regularly beating the market was exaggerated. In reality, he did not post his trades that lost money. In fact, Rahim realized over $500,000 in losses from February 2021 through December 2022, and did not earn millions in the market during this time period as he had claimed. As part of his fraud scheme, Rahim also created at least 20 Discord user profiles where he posted emojis, likes, and symbols showing agreement and excitement regarding Rahim’s posts. Rahim earned at least $1,397,000 in subscription fees during the course of his schemes.
In addition to Rahim’s prison sentence, he agreed to forfeit over $1.3 million and must pay restitution to the IRS and to his investment fraud victims.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated Rahim’s tax fraud and FBI investigated his investment fraud. The case was consolidated for sentencing.
Trial Attorneys William Montague and Ashley Stein of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Shartar for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted Rahim for his tax fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shartar prosecuted Rahim for his investment fraud.
Utah Man Sentenced for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish sentenced Richard Villanueva Mitchell, 54, of Midvale, Utah, to two years’ probation for bankruptcy crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Utah recommended a sentence of 48 months' imprisonment followed by a term of supervised release after a federal jury found him guilty of bankruptcy fraud, false bankruptcy declaration, and bribery in bankruptcy in August 2024.
See prior press release here: Salt Lake County Man Found Guilty on All Counts for Bankruptcy Crimes
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Mitchell filed for bankruptcy in May 2017 and sought to eliminate over $600,000 in debts and disclosed little to no assets. In October 2017 it was discovered that Michell owned and controlled several storage trailers full of hundreds of new household appliances located at a storage facility. These appliances included dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, dryers and ranges, appliances that Mitchell had previously borrowed roughly $500,000 to purchase. Evidence at trial showed that Michell planned to hide the assets from the bankruptcy court and sell them for his own benefit. Mitchell was self-employed, supplying, installing and repairing appliances for building contractors.
“Mr. Mitchell attempted to selfishly deprive the bankruptcy system established for honest debtors seeking relief in a financial crisis,” said Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Fortunately, our hardworking law enforcement partners and prosecutors were able to gather strong evidence of Mitchell’s guilt and achieve a guilty verdict in this case.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Brent L. Andrus and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Kuhn of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
U.S. Department of Justice Dismisses Biden-Era Lawsuit Against Alabama in order to have more Secure ElectionsRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed a dismissal of the complaint in United States v. Alabama. The previous administration had filed the action in 2024 after the Secretary of State in Alabama had taken steps to remove ineligible alien voters from their voter rolls in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election.
“States are required to maintain accurate voting rolls and remove ineligible voters,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Administration supports the efforts of states like Alabama that engage in voting security measures that ensure only citizens are voting in our elections. We are dismissing this case from the prior Administration to permit Alabama the time and space to develop a legal, efficient, and effective process to remove noncitizens from their voting roll and secure the vote for their citizens in upcoming elections.”
In mid-August 2024, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen announced a “process to remove non-citizens registered to vote in Alabama,” citing over 3,200 people who he said registered to vote and were not U.S. citizens. The stipulated notice of dismissal filed today ends the lawsuit brought by the prior administration challenging that procedure. Because of that lawsuit, Alabama was forced to cease its process in 2024.
By ending the Department of Justice’s action against them, Alabama should now have the opportunity develop a new process to ensure that ineligible voters are removed from its voter rolls, as it is required to do under Section 8 of the NVRA.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed More than 100 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed more than 100 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, importation of controlled substances, and assault on a federal officer.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A representative sample of border-related arrests this week includes:
- On March 8, 2025, Gabriel Yeraldi Gaona, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with alien smuggling after he was caught attempting to smuggle two citizens of Mexico into the United States. Following his arrest, Gaona admitted that he crossed into the United States from Mexico by climbing over a ladder that was placed on the first border fence. The two Mexican citizens he was arrested with admitted that they are citizens of Mexico without lawful documents allowing them to enter the United States.
- On March 9, 2025, Antonio Lerma Cervantes, a Mexican citizen, was arrested on drug importation charges when he attempted to cross into the U.S. from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry with more than 60 pounds of cocaine hidden in the rear seat and quarter panels of his vehicle.
- On March 12, 2025, Edy Osorio-Berrelleza, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested after he was caught attempting to transport another citizen of Mexico within the United States. After running away from a Border Patrol Agent, Osorio allegedly threw rocks at both a Customs and Border Protection helicopter and also towards Border Patrol agents. Following his arrest, Osorio admitted that he was going to be paid for the smuggling activity, and that he threw rocks at the helicopter and the agents once they were close to him. He is currently charged with alien smuggling and assault on a federal officer.
Federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges over 230 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona This WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from March 8, 2025, through March 14, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has brought immigration-related criminal charges against 232 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 92 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 11 cases against 15 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol agent.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Edwin Andres Valdez-Gutierrez: On March 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a two-count indictment against Edwin Andres Valdez-Gutierrez, an illegal alien and citizen of Mexico, for Assault on a Federal Officer and Reentry of Removed Alien. On February 10, 2025, federal officers from the United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Response Team were investigating Valdez-Gutierrez’s unlawful presence in the United States. While ICE officers attempted to apprehend Valdez-Gutierrez, Valdez-Gutierrez reversed his vehicle into a vehicle occupied by ICE officers, causing significant damage. There were no injuries to the officers. Case No. CR-25-00392-PHX-DLR.
United States v. Jorge Fontes-Garcia: On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a four-count superseding indictment against Jorge Fontes-Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Sonora, Mexico, for Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death, Conspiracy to Bring Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, Bringing Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, and Reentry of Removed Alien. The superseding indictment alleges that on August 23, 2023, Fontes-Garcia acted as the foot guide, leading a group of eight aliens across the Mexico-United States border into southern Arizona. United States Border Patrol apprehended all but one of the illegal aliens in the open desert approximately 19 miles south of Tacna, Arizona. The remaining alien was found by Border Patrol agents shortly thereafter, already deceased due to excessive heat exposure. Case No. CR-23-01322-PHX-JAT.
United States v. Carlos Rene Montes and Miguel Angel Sesma: Carlos Rene Montes, 32, a United States Citizen from Tucson, and Miguel Angel Sesma, 30, a legal permanent resident from Mexico living in Phoenix, were charged on Tuesday by federal criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl after agents seized a combined total of approximately 700,000 blue M30 pills from Sesma’s truck and Montes’ residence. According to the criminal complaint, on March 10, 2025, DEA Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force (EVDETF) investigators observed Montes drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee into a Phoenix store parking lot and park next to a white Ford F250 bearing Sonora license plates. After speaking briefly with Sesma, the driver of the Ford F250, Montes transferred factory-sealed packages of roofing shingles from his vehicle to the bed of the Ford F250. After Montes left the parking lot, EVDETF investigators conducted traffic stops on both the Jeep Cherokee and Ford F250. A Mesa Police Department Canine Detective conducted an open-air sniff of the Ford F250 and alerted to narcotics in the vicinity of the truck bed. Investigators searched Sesma’s truck and seized approximately 52 kilograms (114 pounds) of blue M30 pills laced with fentanyl, which were concealed in the roofing shingles. Sesma and Montes were subsequently placed under arrest. According to the criminal complaint, Montes advised investigators that he possessed more drugs at his residence in Tucson. During a consensual search of Montes’ residence, investigators seized approximately 14.68 kilograms of blue M30 pills (32 pounds) containing fentanyl. Case No. 25-MJ-6099-PHX-ASB.
A criminal complaint and criminal indictment are simply methods by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00392-PHX-DLR
CR-23-01322-PHX-JAT
25-MJ-6099-PHX-ASBRELEASE NUMBER: 2025-036_March 14 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the one-week period ending March 14, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 38 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 5 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 22 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
In one significant case, on March 7, 2025, transnational criminal organization leader Guillermo Amaro-Rodriguez was extradited to New Mexico from Mexico on an 2022 indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
In another significant case, Alejandro Villalobos-Torres was arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with human smuggling and kidnapping two men in 2022.
Both of these cases are part of Operation Take Back America.
In a third case, Edgar Ivan Esparza-Labrador, a Mexican national previously convicted of burglary in 2012, was sentenced to 48 months in prison. U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended Esparza-Labrador in 2024 after he illegally re-entered the United States from Mexico.
Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border security. During this time period, federal prosecutors pursued a case involving assaults on federal officers in Santa Teresa. Andrew Josiah Segura was arrested on March 7, 2025, and is charged by a criminal complaint filed on February 28, 2025, for allegedly assaulting three U.S. Border Patrol agents in two separate incidents earlier that month.
Since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, 40 El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents have been assaulted, following 103 assaults in Fiscal Year 2024. U.S. Border Patrol is collaborating closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office to ensure that those who assault federal officers are brought to justice. This interagency cooperation is crucial in protecting the men and women who serve on the frontlines of our nation's border security efforts and in deterring future attacks on law enforcement personnel.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Announce Charges Against Suspect in Fatal Shooting of Navajo Nation MemberRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Georgia man faces federal charges after allegedly shooting and killing a Navajo woman, stealing her car, and engaging in a shootout with law enforcement officers in New Mexico.
According to court records, Jaquari Hezakiyah Porter, 24, allegedly shot and killed Jane Doe, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, at the Sky City Travel Center in Acoma, New Mexico. He then allegedly stole her car and drove towards Grants, where he encountered officers from the Cibola County Sheriff's Office and Grants Police Department.
Porter attempted to flee and reportedly fired at officers. In response, officers returned fire, striking Porter twice before he was apprehended and taken into custody.
Porter will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Porter faces mandatory life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Cibola County Sheriff's Office, Grants Police Department, and New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Elisa Dimas and Meg Tomlinson are prosecuting the case.
View the Complaint (Porter).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tyler County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jordan Tyler Kerns, 32, of Paden City, West Virginia, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Kerns was selling methamphetamine in Wetzel County. During the investigation, Kerns was observed traveling to the Morgantown area to obtain methamphetamine. Officers conducted a traffic stop during one of these trips and seized 80 grams of meth from his vehicle.
Kerns will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Two Executives of Louisiana Compounding Pharmacy Convicted of Defrauding TRICARE and New Jersey State Health Benefits Programs, Identity Theft, and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Two former executives of a Louisiana compounding pharmacy were found guilty of conspiring to use the pharmacy to defraud New Jersey and military health benefits programs of approximately $100 million, conspiring to commit identity theft in connection with the fraud, and conspiring to transact in the criminal proceeds, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.
Christopher Kyle Johnston, 46, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Trent Brockmeier, 62, of The Villages, Florida, were convicted on March 10, 2025 of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, one count of conspiring to commit identity theft by fraudulently using a means of identification, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering by transacting in criminal proceeds following a six-week trial before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Central Rexall Drugs was a pharmacy in Louisiana that prepared compounded medications, which are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. In 2013, Johnston and Brockmeier entered into an agreement to take over the management of the pharmacy and expand the compounding business in exchange for 90 percent of the profits. Brockmeier became chief operating officer of Central Rexall and Johnston became general counsel.
Johnston and Brockmeier learned that certain insurance plans would reimburse thousands of dollars for a one-month supply of certain compounded medications – including pain, scar, and antifungal creams, as well as vitamin combinations. The health plans for New Jersey state and local government and education employees, including teachers, firefighters, municipal police officers, and state troopers, covered these medications, as did TRICARE, which insures current and former members of the U.S. military and their families.
Johnston and Brockmeier designed compounded medications and manipulated the ingredients in the medications in order to obtain high insurance reimbursements rather than serve the medical needs of patients. To determine which ingredients and combinations resulted in high insurance reimbursements, Johnston and Brockmeier directed Central Rexall employees to submit false prescription claims to test out different combinations of ingredients, but they did not have a valid prescription signed by a doctor for these formulas. Central Rexall submitted these false claims using, without their consent, individuals’ names, dates of birth, and identifying information (including insurance information) from pre-existing Central Rexall prescriptions.
By use of these false claims, Johnston and Brockmeier designed compounded medications with combinations of ingredients that were chosen solely based on the amount of money that insurance would pay rather than on the medications’ ability to serve the medical needs of patients.
Johnston and Brockmeier retained and directed an outside sales force that used various methods to get doctors to prescribe these medications and patients to accept them, including having prescriptions signed without the patient seeing a doctor or knowing about the medications, having medications or refills ordered without the patients’ knowledge, paying patients to accept the medications, and paying doctors to prescribe them.
Johnston and Brockmeier caused approximately $100 million in fraudulent insurance claims for compounded medications that were not medically necessary. Johnston received approximately $34 million and Brockmeier received approximately $5 million in illicit profits.
50 people have been convicted or pled guilty in the overarching conspiracy.
The health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. The conspiracy to commit identity theft count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The conspiracy to commit money laundering charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense or not more than twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transactions. Sentencing is scheduled for July 21, 2025.
U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark; special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. David Walk, Jr. and Daniel A. Friedman of the Criminal Division.
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Defense counsel:
Johnston: Lawrence S. Lustberg, Anne Collart, and Andrew Marino, Esqs. (Newark, NJ)
Brockmeier: Marc Agnifilo and David Gelfand, Esqs. (New York, NY)
Two Defendants Extradited from Honduras Sentenced to Multiple Years for Drug Trafficking in the Bay AreaRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Two drug dealers extradited from Honduras to San Francisco were sentenced to multiple years in federal prison for drug trafficking offenses in the Bay Area. Jorge Viera-Chirinos, 35, was sentenced to 40 months in prison on March 5, 2025. Elmer Matute, 32, was sentenced to 36 months in prison on March 12, 2025. Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer handed down both sentences.
Jorge Viera-Chirinos was originally charged by criminal complaint on July 29, 2019, and arrested the same day. A federal grand jury indicted Viera-Chirinos and 13 co-defendants in August 2019 on charges of trafficking large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine in San Francisco. In September 2020, while released on bond, Viera-Chirinos fled to Honduras in violation of the terms of his bond. He was extradited to the United States in February 2024. On Oct. 16, 2024, Viera-Chirinos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, and cocaine beginning around June 2018 to about Aug. 7, 2019. According to the plea agreement, Viera-Chirinos helped arrange housing for street-level drug dealers who purchased drugs from him and other co-conspirators and then resold those drugs in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. Viera-Chirinos also coordinated sourcing drugs that other co-conspirators then provided to street-level dealers.
A federal grand jury indicted Elmer Bonilla Matute in December 2019 on charges of possession with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base, and a warrant issued for his arrest. Matute was later arrested in and extradited from Honduras to the United States in February 2024. On Nov. 26, 2024, Matute pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to the plea agreement, pursuant to a search warrant executed at Matute’s residence in Richmond on June 5, 2018, law enforcement seized approximately 663 grams of heroin, 168 grams of methamphetamine, 386 grams of cocaine base, and 175 grams of cocaine. Matute admitted that he was in possession of the substances at the time of the search, knew that they contained heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine base, cocaine, or some other federally controlled substance, and intended to distribute them to other people.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris made the announcements.
These investigations are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs). 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.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities to secure the extraditions of Viera-Chirinos and Matute to the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sailaja M. Paidipaty and Dan M. Karmel prosecuted the cases with the assistance of Madeline Wachs. The prosecutions are the result of investigations by DEA.
Twice Convicted Felon Indicted and Ordered Detained for Alleged Possession of a 9 mm PistolRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - An indictment was unsealed yesterday in federal court in Washington D.C. charging Kelon Von Dukes, 20, with being a convicted felon in illegal possession a firearm and ammunition.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr., Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
According to court documents, on March 1, 2025, at 5:25 p.m., members of the MPD’s Seventh District Special Missions Unit were on patrol in the Seventh District. They were in full uniform in a fully marked cruiser near 4700 South Capitol Street SE. As officers drove on the 400 Block of Southern Avenue SE, they observed a man standing near a gas station smoking what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette. When the man noticed the officers, he allegedly fled and tossed the cigarette and a black bag.
Officers pursued and apprehended the man on the 400 block of Southern Avenue. During a pat-down, an officer noted a solid, L-shaped object in the man’s left front pocket. It is alleged that the object was a loaded semi-automatic pistol that had been reported stolen.
The man later was identified as Kelon Von Dukes, who has two prior felony convictions for carrying a pistol without a license and was on supervised probation at the time of his March 1 arrest.
On March 11, Dukes was ordered to be detained pending trial by Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey.
This case is being investigated by the MPD and the ATF. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle McWaters.
The case is being prosecuted as part of Make D.C. Safe Again, a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin to address gun violence in the District of Columbia.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
View Dukes Indictment here:
dukesk_03-13-2025_indictment_0.pdfTransnational Criminal Organization That Dispatched Thousands of Kilograms of Cocaine from the Venezuela/Colombia Border DismantledRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the dismantlement of a transnational criminal organization (TCO) that operated out of La Guajira, a peninsula on the Venezuelan/Colombian border. From there, the organization dispatched thousands of kilograms of cocaine intended for the United States and Europe.
Socrates Barros-Fince Transnational Criminal Organization
Name
Age
Sentence Imposed
Socrates Gabriel Barros-Fince, a/k/a “Chunchun,” “Chun,” “Indio,” “El Loco,” “Tawara,” “Chupo”45
17 years, 6 monthsCristian Camilo Cordoba-Cuesta, a/k/a “Cris,” “El Primo”37
14 yearsJorge Leonardo Diaz-Ramos, a/k/a “40,” “Numerito”35
7 years, 3 monthsSantander Barros-Pulido, a/k/a “Pollo,” “Tio,” “Divino”57
15 years, 8 monthsNefer Alfonso Hinojosa-Larrada, a/k/a “El Negrito,” “Divino”45
15 years, 8 months
According to the plea agreements, the above-named individuals were part of a transnational criminal organization that dispatched cocaine-laden vessels to the Dominican Republic and Spain. From the Venezuela/Colombia border, the organization planned smuggling trips and recruited crewmembers for that purpose. It was foreseeable to the conspirators that some of the cocaine was intended for the United States.
The investigation resulted in several seizures totaling over 6,700 kilograms associated with the organization that were prosecuted in the United States and abroad, to include:
- Seizure of about 932 kilograms of cocaine near the Dominican Republic on August 15, 2016;
- Interdiction of a go-fast vessel in the Caribbean Sea on November 9-10, 2016, smuggling about 700 kilograms of cocaine and prosecuted in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico;
- Interdiction of a go-fast vessel in the Caribbean Sea on October 4, 2018, smuggling over 450 kilograms of cocaine and prosecuted in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida;
- Interdiction of the M/V KARAR carrying about 4,000 kilograms of cocaine off the coast of Galicia, Spain on April 25, 2020, resulting in the arrests of 15 crewmembers and a dozen Spanish organized crime members.
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.
This prosecution is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Panama Express Strike Force Initiative, whose mission is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Colombian National Police, Spanish National Police, and Spanish Coast Guard provided critical investigative support. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá assisted in the extradition of these defendants. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.
Toledo Man Convicted of Sexual Offenses Against a MinorRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted an Ohio man of attempting to entice and coerce a minor into illegal sexual activity and attempted production of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also known as child pornography. Derran Reebel, 52, of Toledo, was found guilty of committing criminal offenses that violate federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of children.
According to court documents, from Oct. 10-15, 2020, Reebel used a social media application to communicate with a minor, namely, an undercover agent purporting to be a 14-year old girl. Evidence presented at trial to the jury included the defendant’s sexually explicit communications which were sent through the app’s messaging function in repeated attempts to persuade the minor into sending him sexually explicit photos and commit sexual acts.
In November 2024, Reebel was convicted of receiving and distributing CSAM, for nearly eight years, from about Jan. 1, 2014 through Aug. 17, 2022. During a federal search warrant execution of his residence, investigators found numerous CSAM items that included visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct in his possession. Law enforcement officials also discovered that Reebel used social media for a number of years to chat with minors and send them sexually explicit messages and photos of himself.
Sentencing for both convictions has not yet been scheduled. Reebel faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI-Toledo. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was brought as part of the Justice Department’s “Project Safe Childhood,” a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the initiative 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, visit justice.gov/psc.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Three Pike County, Alabama Residents Charged with Federal Rental Assistance Program FraudRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala, – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that a federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama indicted three individuals for their roles in a scheme to defraud the United States government.
According to the indictment, 50-year-old Brundidge Police Chief Samuel Cornelius Green, 53-year-old Sharon Jones Green, and 40-year-old Schemillia Levera Fenn, all from Troy, Alabama, are facing federal charges for their roles in a conspiracy to fraudulently receive funds through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. When creating this program, Congress made up to $46 billion in funding available to assist households that were unable to pay rent or utilities due to financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is alleged that the conspiracy began on March 2, 2021, and continued through at least November 9, 2021.
Samuel Green is charged with 13 counts in the indictment, including one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; three counts of money laundering; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; six counts of wire fraud; and two counts of aggravated identity theft. The same indictment charges Sharon Green with nine counts, including one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; three counts of money laundering; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; three counts of wire fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. Schemillia Fenn is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tacoma man with lengthy criminal history pleads guilty to gun and drug chargesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A Tacoma resident, who was previously charged and acquitted in state court in a 2020 downtown Seattle mass shooting, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Seattle to drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Marquise Tolbert, 29, of Tacoma, Washington, was arrested in June 2023, and has been in federal custody since that time. Tolbert is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Tana Lin on June 18, 2025.
According to records in the case, Marquise Tolbert admits he possessed a firearm on June 1, 2023. On that day Tolbert was arrested at this Tacoma address on a Washington Department of Corrections (DOC) warrant. A Ruger 5.7 pistol and loaded magazine were found in his residence. Tolbert is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a September 2022 conviction in King County Superior Court for illegally possessing a firearm.
Investigators with the FBI Safe Streets task force, the DEA, and the Seattle Police Gun Violence Reduction Unit were investigating a drug trafficking organization when Tolbert and his coconspirators were heard on a wiretap discussing a shoot-out in Federal Way. From that point on, investigators worked to identify those who were possessing and using firearms as part of their criminal activity. Investigators heard Tolbert discussing his purchase of the Ruger firearm from another member of the conspiracy. On the day he bought the gun law enforcement, surveilled Tolbert, followed him to his residence, arrested him, and secured the firearm.
Additionally, the investigation determined that Tolbert was involved in distributing controlled substances including oxycodone that was being shipped to Washington State from Arizona.
Illegal firearms possession is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The drug distribution count is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend no more than seven years in prison for both counts of conviction. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Lin after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
In 2020, Tolbert was involved in a gang shootout at 3rd Avenue and Pine Street in downtown Seattle. One woman was killed, and seven other bystanders were injured in the gun battle. Tolbert was acquitted on murder and assault charges connected to the case. His attorney’s argued he was not the first to fire in the gang related shooting. He was convicted of illegal firearms possession.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Seattle Police Department, and the DEA as part of their focus on getting firearms off the streets.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Hobbs and Michelle Jensen.
Suspect Arrested in 2022 Human Smuggling and Kidnapping CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal arrest has been made in connection with a 2022 kidnapping case involving two aliens who were held against their will by a smuggling organization.
According to court documents, HSI opened an investigation in October 2022 following reports of two aliens being held against their will by a smuggling organization at a residence. A search of the residence led to the discovery of two men who were being held against their will.
Through interviews, HSI agents learned that Alejandro Villalobos-Torres allegedly worked with co-conspirators to smuggle aliens into the U.S. and detained the two men against their will. The victims were reportedly threatened with physical harm, and one victim's family member was contacted to request additional money for the victim's release.
Villalobos-Torres was arrested on March 11, 2025, at the ICE Otero Processing Center. He is charged with conspiracy to take a hostage and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which is set for March 17, 2025.
If convicted of the current charges, Villalobos-Torres faces up to life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Jason T. Stevens, Acting 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 the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s El Paso Field Office and U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Castellano and Alyson Hehr are prosecuting the case.
View the Complaint (Villalobos-Torres).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Summerville Brothers Sentenced to Federal Prison for $25M Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit ViagraRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Ibrahim Shedid, 29, and Ahmed Shedid, 35, of Summerville, were each sentenced to 26 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to sell and traffic counterfeit Viagra.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Ibrahim Shedid owned and operated Big Boss Puff Stuff and Ahmed Shedid owned and operated A2Z Warehouse. The brothers worked together to distribute and sell counterfeit Viagra to convenience stores, knowing the pills were counterfeit.
In January 2024, law enforcement intercepted a shipment of 20 boxes of counterfeit Viagra, which was being delivered to Big Boss Puff Stuff. The evidence revealed that the 20 boxes that were intercepted contained more than 9,000 bottles of counterfeit Viagra. After the January 2024 delivery was intercepted, more counterfeit Viagra was seized from a storage unit associated with both Ahmed Shedid and Ibrahim Shedid. In total, more than 10,000 bottles of counterfeit Viagra were seized from the brothers. The retail value of all counterfeit Viagra seized from the defendants was more than $25 million.
“Trafficking counterfeit medication not only defrauds buyers but presents a public health risk. The $25 million value of these seized counterfeit drugs highlights the scale of this illegal operation and the potential harm it could have inflicted,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute those who peddle these dangerous products, protecting the health and well-being of our community.”
“Counterfeit pharmaceuticals pose a serious threat to public health. This conviction sends a clear message- those who manufacture and distribute fake medication will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant who leads Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, covering North and South Carolina. “HSI and our partners remain committed to protecting consumers from dangerous drugs.”
“The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is committed to holding drug traffickers accountable for peddling poison in our communities,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “This case is a testament to the great law enforcement partnerships we have in South Carolina.”
U.S. District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced Ibrahim to 26 months to be followed by a three-year term of court ordered supervision. Ahmed was also sentenced to 26 months to be followed by a three-year term of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The brothers were also ordered to pay $25,584,130.85 in restitution pursuant to the Mandatory Victim Restitution Act.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.
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St. Louis County Man Admits Possessing Gun on School GroundsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County man on Thursday admitted threatening someone with a gun in a St. Louis early childhood education center’s parking lot
Leslie Wilkes, 26, of St. Louis County, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of a firearm in a school zone. He admitted that on May 5, 2023, he got into dispute with the father of a student at the center on Raymond Avenue in St. Louis. Wilkes was the boyfriend of the student’s mother. Wilkes told the principal that if she released the child to the father, the center would “have problems and he would be there every day.” Wilkes also threatened to shoot the father. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers arrived and told Wilkes to put the gun down before taking him into custody. Wilkes told officers that he grabbed the gun because his hand was injured and he could not physically fight the father. He was carrying a Palmetto State Armory PA-15 semiautomatic pistol.
Wilkes is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nauman Wadalawala is prosecuting the case.