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18 April 2025
Illegal Alien and Convicted Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— Juan Morales, 49, of Mexico, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien after deportation.
According to court documents, on November 6, 2024, Morales was convicted of operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license. Further investigation revealed that Morales had been removed from the United States on two separate occasions in 2007 and 2018.
Morales has a lengthy criminal history, including two previous federal convictions for illegal reentry, as well as two convictions in Indiana and Illinois for dealing cocaine and methamphetamine.
“While in the United States unlawfully for a third time, this defendant has repeatedly broken the law, demonstrating time and time again a fundamental lack of respect for this country,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our office is committed to working with ICE and our other law enforcement partners to ensure criminal defendants like Mr. Morales cannot continue to pose danger to our communities.”U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany J. Preston and Samantha Spiro, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)
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Houston ISD official and contractor guilty in nine-year, multimillion-dollar fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Houston federal jury has returned guilty verdicts against the former chief operating officer of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and an HISD contractor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX).
The jury deliberated for only six hours before convicting Brian Busby and Anthony Hutchison following a four-week trial. Both were convicted of conspiracy, bribery, filing false tax returns and witness tampering. Hutchison was also convicted of seven counts of wire fraud.
Over the course of the trial, the jury heard testimony from over 50 witnesses regarding the 33 charged counts involving bribery, false invoicing schemes, witness tampering and tax violations. Five former HISD officials testified, all of whom received bribe payments - Rhonda Skillern-Jones, former HISD Board of Education president; Derrick Sanders, officer of construction services; Alfred Hoskins, general manager of facilities, maintenance and operations; Gerron Hall, area manager for maintenance – south; and Luis Tovar, area manager for maintenance - north.
They described the pressure Busby put on them to provide Hutchison’s companies more work with HISD as well as larger projects following Hurricane Harvey. They recounted how they received tens of thousands of dollars over the course of 2017 and 2018 or longer.
Skillern-Jones testified Busby told her she should use Hutchison’s company on school projects with the funds remaining from the school bond passed in 2012. They agreed that if the contract was given to Hutchison, then they could make some money off the projects. Following completion of the Holland Middle School and Pleasantville Elementary School projects, Busby met with Skillern-Jones outside of a Walmart parking lot to give her $12,000 in cash from Hutchison as the bribery payment for allocating her district’s portion of bond funds for projects Hutchison performed.
Sanders, who also socialized with Busby and Hutchison, described taking trips to Las Vegas with them where he would be paid bribes and recounted their lavish purchases. On one occasion when Hutchison paid him, he exclaimed “next,” signaling Busby to come into the room for his payment.
Hoskins testified his maintenance team did not want to use Just Construction because it was often more expensive than other vendors, but Busby pressured him to give Hutchison’s company more work. Testimony further revealed they would bypass the rotation or bid process in selecting vendors and just provide work directly to Hutchison’s companies.
The jury also saw a handwritten ledger seized from Hutchison’s residence which contained detailed notes of all HISD projects awarded to Just Construction. It included entries for bribe payments and locations where they were made.
Detailed evidence also revealed the extensive invoicing fraud scheme Hutchison perpetrated through his company Southwest Wholesale. Since 2015, Southwest Wholesale had been the exclusive mowing and landscape contractor for HISD. The jury heard testimony demonstrating how Hutchison continuously overbilled for years for the approximately 150 schools he was contracted to mow. He also similarly charged HISD over twice the cost of what he paid for the supplies and marked that inflated charge up 20%. He consistently overbilled HISD over the course of years for a loss in excess of $6 million.
Busby also made excessive cash deposits to over 18 bank accounts which was far more than his legitimate income. He attempted to explain it based on other sources of income, but the jury was not convinced it accounted for the close to $3 million cash deposits made over the course of five years that were not declared in his income tax returns for 2015-2019.
Hutchison similarly filed false tax returns in 2017 and 2018 wherein he deducted improper business expenses. Specifically, Hutchison obtained cash he used to pay bribes to HISD officials by writing company checks to vendors, who cashed the checks and provided the cash to him. He falsely stated on the memo line that they were in payment for work performed on HISD properties. He then caused the checks to be improperly deducted on corporate tax returns as business expenses. In reality, they were cashed to pay extensive gambling debts and cash bribe payments.
Hoskins also testified about the steps Busby and Hutchison took to interfere with the investigation. Specifically, Busby called Hoskins and told him to tell investigators Busby had nothing to do with the award of the maintenance contract to Hutchison and his company. Hoskins also described how Hutchison advised him that police had a handwritten ledger with numbers on it and that Hoskins should say it was for gambling.
“HISD is the largest school district in the state, and the people of Houston trusted that district officials would spend their tax dollars wisely and carefully. Instead, Busby and Hutchinson defrauded the school district and the taxpayers of millions of dollars, doing so to line their own pockets,” said Ganjei. “People need to have faith in their public institutions, and they can become understandably cynical when they hear of public servants stealing from school kids by taking bribes and over-billing. SDTX aimed to restore that public trust by bringing this multi-year investigation to trial, which lasted over four weeks and involved over 50 witnesses. I’m proud of the trial team for delivering justice here, and I thank our incredible law enforcement partners. Most of all, I’d like to thank the jury for devoting their precious time and attention over the past month. This case demonstrates that theft from schools won’t be tolerated and that the public can have confidence in their institutions.”
“For years, Busby and Hutchison defrauded the largest public school system in Texas out of millions of dollars - money that was intended to benefit the students of HISD,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “In turn, Busby and Hutchison also defrauded the taxpayers whose hard-earned dollars were fraudulently diverted for their greed and personal gain. Public corruption cases like this one are challenging to investigate and prove and erode the trust we place on our public servants. At the end of the day, we want to make sure corrupt individuals like Busby and Hutchison are brought to justice. Today’s guilty verdict is a step towards that justice. I’m proud of FBI Houston’s public corruption squad for the results of its years-long investigation and thank them, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, for their commitment to this case and to its thousands of victims.”
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen presided over the trial and has set sentencing for July 28. At that time, Busby and Hutchison face up to five, 10 and 20 years, respectively, for the conspiracy, bribery and witness tampering charges. Hutchison also faces up to 20 years for each count of wire fraud. All charges also carry a $250,000 maximum possible fine.
Skillern-Jones, 39, Houston; Sanders, 50, Hoskins, 58, Hall, 48, all of Missouri City; and Tovar, 39, Huffman have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charges. They face up to five years in prison.
Busby and Hutchison were permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI and IRS - Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Johnson and Heather R. Winter are prosecuting the case.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national pleaded guilty on April 16, 2025 in federal court in Boston to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Manuel A. Padilla, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 18, 2025. In February 2025, Padilla was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Padilla was previously deported twice, on March 15, 2010 and on June 28, 2013. According to the indictment, sometime after his 2013 removal, Padilla unlawfully reentered the United States.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez and David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Honduran Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Reentry by a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
GULFPORT, MS – A Honduran man pleaded guilty on April 16, 2025, to Unlawful Reentry into the United States by a Deported or Removed Alien. According to court documents, Denis Ramon Flores Ortez, age 40, of Honduras pleaded guilty to this federal felony offense in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.
Flores Ortez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Federal law also provides for Flores Ortez to face Homeland Security removal proceedings after serving any sentence of imprisonment.
On February 3, 2025, the U.S. Border Patrol encountered Flores Ortez, at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center in Gulfport. As a result of official records checks, Flores Ortez was found to be an illegal alien from Honduras who had been lawfully removed from the United States.
Flores Ortez illegally entered the U.S. in 2004, and was afforded the privilege of a voluntary departure in lieu of removal. In 2010, Flores Ortez illegally reentered the U.S. and was apprehended by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) after his arrest in Jackson County. A removal order was issued against him, and he was physically removed from the U.S. Thereafter, he unlawfully reentered the U.S. after removal and was arrested in Gulfport, MS, in 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Patrick A. Lemon, praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Border Patrol. Lemon and Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline 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).
Highland Park Man Involved in Violent Robberies Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Christopher Bey, a 50-year old from Highland Park, Michigan, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to Interference with Commerce by Robbery, Use of a Firearm in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm relating to an armed robbery, shooting, and attempted armed robbery, all of which occurred in the City of Pontiac, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced today.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James Dier of the ATF’s Detroit Division and Sheriff Michael Bouchard of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
“Removing violent offenders from our community is one the office’s top priorities,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck. “We will not stop being laser-focused on aggressively prosecuting dangerous individuals who persist in terrorizing our citizens. The strategies we use to identify the drivers of violence, who we then prosecute, works. We are truly making our community safer,” she stated.
“This 20-year sentence is RIGHTEOUS. Mr. Bey is a sociopathic serial shooter who has consistently shown an inability to follow societal rules. It most certainly sends a clear message: if you use a firearm to shoot an innocent member of our community, there is absolutely no limit on the resources ATF will expend to hunt you down and hold you accountable for your cowardly conduct,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “Everyone deserves to feel safe when they go to work to provide for their family. Armed criminals motivated by greed have no place in our Michigan community, and ATF will tirelessly work with our state and local partners to remove the most dangerous offenders off our streets and put them where they belong: behind bars.”
Bey robbed a Boost Mobile store in the city of Pontiac on February 4, 2023. After entering the store, Bey brandished a firearm and demanded money from the store employee. The employee fully complied with Bey’s demands. Nevertheless, Bey pulled a potato from his pants, affixed it to the barrel of the revolver, and shot the victim twice in the stomach. The victim was in the hospital for approximately one month. Bey later admitted to the ATF that he got the idea to use the potato as a silencer from watching a movie.
Bey attempted to rob a Dollar General Store in the City of Pontiac on March 24, 2023. After entering the store, Bey handed a store employee a note while pointing a gun at the employee. He ordered the employee to the storeroom and directed the employee to apply handcuffs to himself. A customer accidentally entered the storeroom and fought with Bey, who ran out of the store.
Bey was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records, during the robbery investigations, law enforcement observed social media posts of Bey holding a firearm with his face obscured by a ski mask. Law enforcement was able to use other images from his social media accounts to determine Bey’s identity.
On July 26, 2023, the Pontiac Gun Violence Task Force (GVTF), assisted by, Oakland County Sheriff’s Office’s K9 Unit, Customs Border Protection - Aviation Enforcement, and the Detroit Police Department, arrested Christopher Lee Bey. Bey has been in custody since his arrest.
The GVTF was established by the ATF and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The GVTF is tasked with investigating the unlawful possession of firearms and the use of firearms to commit violent crimes within Pontiac, Oakland County, and the Eastern District of Michigan.
This case was prosecuted by the Violent & Organized Crime Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Houston, Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl OffensesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Houston, Texas man pleaded guilty today to traveling from Houston, Texas to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, Jeffrey Daster Torres, 38, traveled from Houston, Texas to Gulfport, Mississippi, with Roberto Renteria-Guerrero, 53, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Columbia, South America, to distribute almost 200 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. Unfortunately for Torres and Guerrero, law enforcement officers were made aware of their plans, and stopped the vehicle in which they were traveling. After the traffic stop, officers found the fentanyl, photos of which are below.
Officers also discovered that Torres was traveling with a fake driver’s license. Subsequent analysis of Torres’ and Guerrero’s phones confirmed that they were involved in drug trafficking, and had made at least one prior trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In fact, in electronic messages Torres and Guerrero shared at least one photos of a substance that appeared consistent with the fentanyl seized.
Torres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment. Guerrero previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and similarly faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment. Guerrero is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.
The DEA, with assistance from the Biloxi Police Department and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Hunter McCreight are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), 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).
Guatemalan Man Unlawfully Residing in the United States and Convicted of Sexual Battery Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Custody of an Unaccompanied Alien Child in the United StatesRead the Press Release
On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted a man for his alleged role in smuggling an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) to the United States and for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of the minor after she entered the United States.
“The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis.”
According to the indictment, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Cleveland, illegally entered the United States in 2023. Thereafter, Tiul Xi allegedly encouraged and induced a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to illegally enter the United States and to use the identity of Tiul Xi’s sister as her alias. As a UAC, the Guatemalan girl was placed in the care and custody of ORR. As alleged, Tiul Xi then falsely stated on documents submitted to ORR when he applied to sponsor and obtain custody of the girl that he was the UAC’s brother and that her alias was her actual name. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s alleged false statements when, on or about Sept. 5, 2023, ORR released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care.
Tiul Xi is charged with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the illegal entry count, a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “We are making every effort to ensure the safety of children released to sponsors across the United States. This is vital work and through their victim centered approach, ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents are perfectly positioned to uncover any similar crimes by predatory sponsors.”
“The Office of Refugee Resettlement is committed to continuing vital policy changes that promote the safety and welfare of unaccompanied alien children related into the Unites States,” said ORR Acting Director Angie M. Salazar. “We have significantly increased sponsor vetting with the wellbeing of the child at the core of our process. We hope that our commitment is evident by our collaboration with law enforcement to right previous wrongs and help bring these crimes to light.”
The indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 325 U.S. convictions; more than 270 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C. and ORR have provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
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 other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Grant County Man Sentenced for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Dry Ridge, Ky., man, Rodney Ruggles, 45, was sentenced on Thursday to 120 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and oxycodone and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, on December 13, 2023, law enforcement stopped a vehicle operated by Ruggles for several driving violations. After Ruggles consented to a search of the vehicle, law enforcement found a firearm safe containing five grams of methamphetamine, a small bag of marijuana, 3.5 oxycodone pills, 50 to 100 baggies, and a pistol. Ruggles admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and oxycodone with the intent to distribute and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Ruggles also admitted to distributing methamphetamine for several weeks before he was arrested. Specifically, he admitted from November 2023 to December 2023, he obtained approximately one ounce of methamphetamine from his source of supply, every two days.
Under federal law, Ruggles must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Michael Helmig, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel King is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Garvin County Woman Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Assaulting Child in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – AMANDA STOWERS, 40, of Garvin County, has been sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison for sexually abusing a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On May 4, 2021, a federal Grand Jury returned a three-count Indictment against Stowers, charging her with three counts of sexual abuse of a minor. According to public record, in April of 2020, officers with the Stratford Police Department began investigating a possible sexual assault involving a minor victim. The investigation, conducted by the FBI and Stratford Police Department, determined that Stowers had sexually assaulted the victim between April 20, 2017, and April 19, 2020.
This case is in federal court because the victim is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and the crimes took place within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
On September 10, 2024, Stowers pleaded guilty, and admitted she sexually assaulted the minor victim between the dates referenced.
At the sentencing hearing on April 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Stowers to serve 180 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Dishman noted that the lengthy term of incarceration was warranted due to the serious nature of the offense.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Stratford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvo Mikkanen prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Former Keolis Assistant Chief Engineer Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Defrauding Keolis Computer ServicesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Assistant Chief Engineer of Facilities for Keolis Commuter Services (Keolis) was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for defrauding Keolis of over $8.5 million and for defrauding the IRS of over $2.6 million.
John P. Pigsley, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 70 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $8,580,311 restitution to Keolis and $2,689,206 to the Internal Revenue Service, forfeiture of three real properties and a $7,687,083.70 money judgment. In January 2025, Pigsley pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of tax evasion, one count of filing a false tax return and four counts of structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements. Pigsley and his co-conspirator John Rafferty were charged in April 2023.
Keolis has operated the MBTA commuter rail system since 2014 under an annual contract of $291–$349 million. Between 2014 and November 2021, Pigsley was employed as Keolis’ Assistant Chief Engineer of Facilities and was responsible for the maintenance of MBTA Commuter Rail Facilities and their engineering operations, including corrective repair and project management for assets and maintenance and ordering and approving his subordinates’ orders of electrical supplies from outside vendors for Keolis. Pigsley also operated a separate construction company called Pigman Group. Rafferty was the general manager of LJ Electric, Inc., an electrical supply vendor to which Keolis paid over $17 million between 2014 through 2021.
Between July 2014 and November 2021, Pigsley and Rafferty defrauded Keolis of over $4 million through a false LJ Electric invoicing scheme. Specifically, Rafferty purchased vehicles, construction equipment, construction supplies and other items for Pigsley, Pigman Group and others, and Pigsley directed Rafferty to recover the cost of these items by submitting false and fraudulent LJ Electric invoices to Keolis. Rafferty spent more than $3 million on items for Pigsley and others – including: at least nine trucks; construction equipment including at least seven Bobcat machines; at least $1 million in home building supplies and services; and a $54,000 camper– for which Keolis paid Rafferty more than $4 million based on false LJ Electric invoices.
In addition to the false invoicing scheme, Pigsley directed Keolis to purchase copper wire which he then stole and sold to scrap metal businesses, keeping the cash proceeds for himself. To conceal the theft, Pigsley personally picked up the copper wire orders from vendors or had the orders delivered to his Beverly home. Pigsley then personally transported the wire to scrap yards where he traded it for thousands of dollars in cash several times a month and sometimes more than once a day. Pigsley obtained more than $4.5 million in cash by stealing and scrapping the copper wire.
In addition, Pigsley defrauded the IRS by failing to withhold and pay federal income taxes on income he received from the LJ Electric invoicing scheme and from scrapping copper wire. Pigsley also filed a false tax return for the tax year 2016. Additionally, Pigsley deposited over $1.9 million in cash into his bank accounts between 2014 and 2021 and structured some of those deposits to evade currency transaction reporting requirements applicable to financial institutions.
In June 2023, Rafferty pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle Kaye of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the cases.
Felon with Firearm Indicted After Arrest for Committing Lewd Act in NortheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lawrence A. Jordan, 44, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on a federal firearm charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Jordan was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
According to court documents, on Nov. 16, 2023, MPD officers were dispatched to the 700 block of 2nd Street, NE, for reports of disorderly conduct. Police encountered the defendant and later removed him from an apartment complex for being a non-resident. Police later escorted the defendant out of a fitness center attached to the apartments. Approximately 40 minutes later, police were called to respond to the same fitness center for reports of a man, later identified as the defendant, committing a lewd act; however, the defendant had left the scene.
Days later, on Nov. 23, 2023, police responded to a call of aggressive panhandling in the 1300 block of H Street, NE. There, police arrested a man, later identified as the defendant, for lewd, indecent, or obscene acts. Police then searched the defendant and allegedly discovered him concealing a loaded, semi-automatic pistol on his person.
The defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a previous felony conviction.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Felon Indicted for Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Traffic Stop Arrest on Constitution AveRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy Clark, 30, of the District, has been indicted on a federal firearms charge as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Clark is charged in an indictment unsealed in federal court with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents, on May 10, 2024, an individual, identified as Timothy Clark, was arrested following a traffic stop on Constitution Avenue. A United States Capitol Police (USCP) officer on routine patrol observed a vehicle with a temporary registration that appeared to be expired. A subsequent check revealed no vehicle was found for the plate and no registration was on file. The officer conducted a traffic stop, and the driver was unable to provide a license or registration.
Court documents say that Clark was arrested for having no permit and counterfeit tags. During processing, a check revealed Clark had outstanding warrants from Queen Anne's County Sheriff and a Failure to Appear warrant in D.C.
An inventory search of the vehicle uncovered a black backpack in the rear cargo area containing an alleged handgun and ammunition.
Clark is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous felony convictions in Superior Court and the Circuit Court for Queen Anne's County, Maryland.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tortorice.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Felon Charged with Possession of Stolen Firearm and Oxycodone Following U Street ArrestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Don Diego Chase, 25, of the District has been indicted on federal firearms and drug charges as part of the "Make D.C. Safe Again" initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Chase is charged in a three-count indictment unsealed in federal court with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to distribute Oxycodone, and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
According to court documents, on July 24, 2024, officers from the Third District Crime Suppression Unit were patrolling the U Street Corridor when they encountered an individual, later identified as Chase. When officers attempted to engage Chase, Chase fled on foot, leading to a brief pursuit. It is alleged that during the pursuit, officers observed a black, L-shaped object fall from Chase. The object was recovered and subsequently confirmed to be a 9mm HS Product (imported by Springfield Armory) XDM firearm, which had been reported stolen out of Atlanta, Georgia. At the time of Chase’s arrest, the firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber and fifteen additional rounds in a large-capacity magazine.
A search incident to arrest revealed that Chase was also carrying over 500 Oxycodone pills and $11,621.96 in U.S. currency.
Officers determined that Chase did not have a license to carry a firearm in the District of Columbia and that Chase had prior convictions which prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Authorities also discovered that Chase had several outstanding arrest warrants for carjacking and armed robbery.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Indicts Honduran National for Illegal Reentry, Social Security Fraud, and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned a superseding indictment this week charging an illegal alien with illegal reentry after deportation or removal, social security number fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement made the announcement.
According to the original indictment, Vidal Ricardo Murillo-Zuniga, age 34, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about January 22, 2025,Murillo-Zuniga was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about May 29, 2013.
According to the superseding indictment, on or about June 13, 2024, Murillo-Zuniga committed social security number fraud in Nelson County, Kentucky when he used another person’s social security number to obtain employment at Mammy’s Kitchen. On that same date, he committed aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory 2-year prison sentence, when he used another person’s name, date of birth, and social security number during and in relation to the social security number fraud to obtain employment.
The defendant previously made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on a federal complaint and arrest warrant. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years and a maximum sentence of 9 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by HSI and ICE ERO.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Executive Vice President of Insurance Brokerage Pleads Guilty in $133M Affordable Care Act Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Florida executive pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to submit fraudulent applications to enroll consumers in Affordable Care Act insurance plans (ACA plans) that were fully subsidized by the government. The purpose of the scheme was to obtain millions of dollars in commission payments from the insurance company that operated the ACA plans. The federal government paid at least $133,900,000 in subsidies for fraudulently enrolled individuals.
According to court documents, Dafud Iza, 54, an executive vice president of an insurance brokerage firm, participated in a scheme to fraudulently enroll ineligible individuals into ACA plans that offered tax credits to eligible enrollees. These tax credits, or “subsidies,” could be paid by the federal government directly to insurance plans as a payment toward the plan’s monthly premium. The scheme involved submitting false and fraudulent applications for individuals whose income did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the subsidies. Iza and his accomplices deceptively marketed subsidized ACA plans to ineligible consumers and falsely inflated consumers’ incomes to obtain the federal subsidies.
In furtherance of the scheme, Iza and his accomplices targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and knew that “street marketers” working on their behalf offered bribes to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans. Marketers working for Iza’s accomplices coached consumers on how to respond to application questions to maximize the subsidy amount paid by the federal government and provided addresses and social security numbers that did not match the consumers purportedly applying.
Iza pleaded guilty to one count of major fraud against the United States and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office; and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Jamie de Boer and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ethiopian Man Sentenced to Armed Robbery of a Gulfport SupermarketRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – An Ethiopian national was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for armed robbery of a local supermarket in Gulfport.
According to court documents, Milki Ibrahim walked into the supermarket on February 23, 2024, pulled out a black handgun and said, “Give me the money or I will shoot y’all right now.” The employee behind the cash register complied and gave Ibrahim $1200. Ibrahim threatened to come back and kill the people in the store if they went to the police.
Employees of the store were able to positively identify Ibrahim as the armed robber. A subsequent review of Ibrahim’s cellphone showed he took pictures of himself wearing the same clothes that were worn during the robbery just one day prior. Those same clothes were found in the defendant’s residence along with a firearm that matched the description to the one used in the robbery.
In December 2024, Ibrahim pled guilty to the charge.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Gulfport Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith is prosecuting the case.
For non- HSTF cases pursuant to Op. TBA
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), 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).
Edmond Resident Sentenced for Attempted Coercion and EnticementRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lee Edward Redman, age 52, of Edmond, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Attempted Coercion and Enticement.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On November 7, 2024, Redman pleaded guilty to attempting to use the internet to entice an individual who he believed to be under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity. According to investigators, between October 21 and October 24 of 2022, Redman initiated contact with an account appearing to belong to a young female. That account was actually operated as part of an undercover operation conducted by Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office Investigators. After a conversation in which Redman learned that his intended target was 15 years of age, Redman arranged to meet the account holder for sexual intercourse. On October 24, 2022, deputies arrested Redman in the parking lot of a Muskogee mall where he had arranged to meet the 15 year old intended victim.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Redman will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan A. Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on April 15, 2025 to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents, Rafael Partida, 47, attempted to elude law enforcement while armed with a loaded pistol. On May 19, 2024, an Iowa State Patrol Trooper attempted to stop Partida on his motorcycle. Partida eventually crashed the motorcycle, fled on foot, tossed his backpack, and was apprehended. In Partida’s backpack was a loaded handgun and 23 additional rounds of ammunition.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Partida will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety—Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Iowa State Patrol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Possessing A Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - United States District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Darrius Lovett (28, St. Petersburg) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Lovett pleaded guilty on January 14, 2025.
According to court documents, on November 2, 2023, the St. Petersburg Police Department Surveillance Unit located Lovett to arrest him on a felony warrant. A police officer who located Lovett told him to get on the ground, and Lovett refused and ran away from the officer. During the short pursuit, the officer observed Lovett toss a firearm from his right hand. The firearm was located in the area of Lovett’s arrest. A second witness, who was working construction in the area, also observed Lovett toss the firearm. Lovett has numerous felony convictions, including a prior felony conviction for felonious possession of a firearm. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
California Man Sentenced to 38 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Juan Demetrio Villalpando Dominguez, 65, of California, was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to the plea agreement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted long-term, overlapping investigations of Villalpando Dominguez’s son, Juan Demetrio Villalpando, Jr. a/k/a “Junior,” and others. Two confidential sources made controlled purchases of narcotics in furtherance of the investigations. These controlled purchases were often negotiated with Mexico-based sources of supply and carried out by the suppliers’ associates in the Denver metropolitan area.
Drug proceeds collected from Juan Demetrio Villalpando Jr.’s customers by one confidential informant were aggregated and then sent in packages addressed to an uncharged person. The true recipient of the money, however, was Villalpando Dominguez. Villalpando Dominguez would then arrange for his son, Juan Demetrio Villalpando Jr., to receive the money in Mexico.
“Money laundering is a serious offense that enables drug traffickers to peddle their deadly wares,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “We will hold offenders accountable.”
“Facilitating drug trafficking by funneling illegal proceeds back to Mexico perpetuates the scourge of the drug epidemic in our communities,” said Amanda Prestegard, IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office. “Removing these money launderers from the streets and putting them in prison is a result of the hard work of CI special agents, who proudly provide financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice and keep our communities safe.”
“Dismantling cartels requires more than seizing drugs – it includes cutting off the flow of illicit money that fuels their operations. That’s why targeting the money laundering component of these networks is a key priority,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “With our partners at IRS-CI and ICE, the FBI continues to take a strategic, coordinated approach to bring these complex criminal enterprises to justice and safeguard all Americans from the devastating impact of illegal drugs.”
United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing.
The FBI, IRS-CI, and DHS conducted the investigation in this case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Duncan and Michael Houlihan, as well as by former Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Case No.: 23-cr-00106-CNS
Caldwell Couple Sentenced to 133 and 96 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Michael Paul Lacasse, 48, and Venetia Dawn Trischan, 47, of Caldwell, were sentenced to 133 months and 96 months, respectively, in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.
According to court records, in December 2023, law enforcement learned that Lacasse and Trischan were involved in distributing drugs. Lacasse provided his “customers” a 3x5 card, which contained different types and amounts of illicit controlled substances, and the “customers” could order from this “menu.” Lacasse traveled to California and Washington to purchase fentanyl and concealed the drugs in the engine of his truck. Trischan weighed and packaged drugs and maintained a ledger of the transactions.
On January 11, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lacasse and Trischan’s shared residence and storage unit. In the residence, law enforcement found five firearms, a homemade suppressor attachment, ammunition, a detailed drug ledger, and approximately $21,000 cash. A search of the storage unit revealed six firearms, ammunition, and pounds of illegal narcotics, including methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, ketamine, MDMA, and mushrooms. In total, Lacasse and Trischan intended to distribute 2,919.88 grams of methamphetamine, 1,054.76 grams of heroin, and 2,499.48 grams of cocaine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Meridian Police Department, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kane Venecia prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Boone County Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Burlington, Ky., man, Juan Velazquez-Rodriguez, 48, was sentenced on Thursday to 85 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for illegal possession of a machine gun.
According to his plea agreement, in January 2024, a law enforcement source reported that Rodriguez offered to sell the source, who was a convicted felon, a machinegun conversion device (MCD). Law enforcement searched Rodriguez’ residence and found a MCD in his dresser. The MCD was not marked with a serial number, and Rodriguez admitted he knew it was designed to convert a firearm into a machinegun.
A search of Rodriguez’ social media and cell phone revealed messages between Rodriguez and another individual about 3D printing firearm parts. Rodriguez later messaged this same associate from jail, and instructed him to remove everything that had to do with the 3D printer from the associate’s apartment. Rodriguez also offered to sell MCDs to multiple other individuals, explaining that the “switch,” or MCD, would convert a Glock handgun or AR-15 rifle to fully automatic.
Under federal law, Rodriguez must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Sheriff Les Hill, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HSI and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel King is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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.
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Belcourt, ND, Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor ChildRead the Press Release
Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that Cole Jeanotte age 41, formerly from Belcourt, ND, appeared in federal court on April 17, 2025, before District Court Judge Peter Welte and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for the offenses of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age. In addition, Judge Welte ordered Jeanotte to pay $100 in special assessment fees.
As reflected in court documents, Jane Doe disclosed to her mother in May 2020 that Jeanotte had sexually abused her. Jane Doe reported that Jeanotte began sexually abusing her in 2012 continuing until 2013 when Jane Doe was approximately 7 years of age. Following the incidents, Jeanotte threatened to hurt Jane Doe’s mother if Jane Doe told her mother about him sexually abusing her.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who sexually abuse children, regardless of when the disclosure is made,” Puhl said. “This sentence reflects the egregious nature of Jeanotte’s conduct, and it will ensure the protection of other children.”
“Jeanotte committed a heinous crime against a defenseless child, and today’s sentence reflect the gravity of that offense,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society — especially children — is one of the FBI’s highest priorities. We remain steadfast in our commitment to working with our partners to bring predators to justice and protect children from harm.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of North Dakota.
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Aliquippa Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to five years of imprisonment on his conviction for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on James Louis Peronis, 61, on April 15, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, beginning in May 2021, Peronis was the subject of a joint investigation by local, state, and federal law enforcement related to cocaine trafficking. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that Peronis would obtain kilogram quantities of cocaine in Ohio and then distribute the cocaine in Pennsylvania. On July 1, 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Peronis as he entered the Western District of Pennsylvania from Ohio. During the traffic stop, law enforcement conducted a consensual search of the vehicle, which resulted in the seizure of nearly two kilograms of cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program of Beaver County for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Peronis.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Tax Fraud
Adriana Terrazas-Pacheco, 25, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to one month in federal prison, five months of home confinement, and one year of supervised release for the Willful Failure to File a Tax Return. She was also ordered to pay $48,039 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, $4,387 for the costs of prosecution, and a $4,000 fine. According to court documents, Terrazas-Pacheco failed to file tax returns for tax years 2017-2022. When she learned she was being investigated, she filed delinquent tax returns, two of which were false because she underreported her true income. IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the federal tax investigation. The defendant waived indictment and pleaded guilty on Jan. 14. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on April 17 in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00003
Drug Trafficking
Curtis Wesley Rogers, 48, of Douglas, Wyoming, was sentenced in two separate criminal cases to 240 months’ imprisonment with 5 years of supervised release. In one criminal case, Rogers was charged with the distribution of fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Wyoming resident. In the second criminal case, the defendant was charged in the Eastern District of Texas with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The court ordered the defendant to pay $9,219.78 to the Wyoming victim’s family. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Douglas Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the crimes. Chief U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Casper on April 15, 2025.
Drug Trafficking & Firearms
Dustin Trosper, 22, a transient on the Wind River Reservation, was sentenced to 60 months with three years of supervised release to follow for carrying a firearm during in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, on Aug. 14, 2024, the defendant met several people in the parking lot of a convenience store with the intent to sell them fentanyl. According to witness testimony, the victim attempted to attack Trosper by placing him in a chokehold from the backseat. Trosper dragged the victim out of the car and fired a pistol three to four times, hitting the victim. All parties took off, but the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) was able to locate the victim and take him to the hospital. The BIA and FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Trosper was indicted on Sept. 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 27. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 17. Case No. 24-00151
Benjamin Cisneros, 65, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months with five years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Cisneros was identified as a source of supply for drugs in Southeast Wyoming. On Nov. 12, 2024, officers witnessed Cisneros park at the Horse Palace at Swan Ranch outside of Cheyenne. Officers received permission to run a drug detection dog through the parking lot, and the dog positively alerted to Mr. Cisneros’ vehicle. Officers seized approximately 111.6 grams of cocaine. A search warrant was executed at Mr. Cisneros’ residence where officers seized another 27.3 grams of cocaine, over 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, digital scales and packaging, all associated with distribution. A Heritage Rough Rider .22 caliber revolver, with an obliterated serial number, was also located in Mr. Cisneros’ bedroom. He is a convicted felon and not allowed to possess firearms. The Cheyenne Police Department Community Action Team investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. On Jan. 14, Cisneros waived indictment and pleaded guilty to an Information. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 15. Case No. 25-00004
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Alfredo Carlos Chong-Licea, 51, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Jan. 27, Chong-Licea was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) in Carbon County for no driver’s license, failure to maintain a single lane, and fleeing/eluding the police. The defendant’s fingerprints were examined against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) database, and a match was found. ICE was contacted. They determined that Chong-Licea had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in October 2016. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Morrison prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 18, 2025. Case No. 25-CR-00034Julio Lopez-Vazquez, 37, of Zacatecas, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Oct. 26, 2024, Lopez-Vazquez was arrested by the Teton County Sheriff’s Office for driving under the influence of alcohol and not having a driver’s license. The defendant’s fingerprints were examined against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) database, and a match was found. ICE was contacted. They determined that Lopez-Vazquez had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in December 2019. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore investigated the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 15. Case No. 25-CR-00032
Miguel Ramos-Perez, 33, of Chiapas, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Feb. 24, Ramos-Perez was arrested in Campbell County for failure to appear. ICE was contacted when he admitted to being a citizen of Mexico. They determined that Ramos-Perez had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in July 2022. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore investigated the case. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Cheyenne on April 15. Case No. 25-CR-00038
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
378 Immigration Cases Filed in the Western District of Texas This WeekRead 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 378 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from April 11 through April 17.
Among the new cases, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE ERO) agents in San Antonio received notification that Mexican national Netsai Moreno-Suarez was arrested for a traffic violation on April 11. Moreno-Suarez was transferred into ICE ERO custody, charged with illegal re-entry. She was previously removed from the United States in August 2023 after being convicted for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and being sentenced to five years of probation. If convicted, Moreno-Suarez faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
On April 12, Janet Amanda Gonzales, of San Antonio, was arrested in Kinney County for allegedly transporting five illegal aliens further into the United States. A criminal complaint alleges that U.S. Border Patrol agents observed several individuals laying on top of each other on the backseat of Gonzales’s vehicle as she arrived at an immigration checkpoint near Brackettville. Gonzales allegedly admitted that she was conspiring with other subjects to transport the illegal aliens for monetary gain. A convicted felon, Gonzales was sentenced in April 2021 to two years of probation for exploitation of child/elderly/disabled.
The following day, April 13, a USBP agent observed multiple people running away from the brush and enter a pickup truck on the side of Highway 277 near Texas Loop 79. The agent performed an immigration inspection on the individuals, allegedly discovering four illegal aliens and U.S. Citizen Roberto Hernandez. A criminal complaint alleges that Hernandez was contacted by a co-conspirator and asked to pick up a group of illegal aliens to transport them to a residence in Del Rio.
USBP agents arrested Mexican national Arturo Mendoza-Yerbafria near Sanderson on April 15 for illegal re-entry. Mendoza-Yerbafria has been thrice deported, most recently on May 15, 2024 through Laredo Columbia Bridge. He was convicted in March 2018 and sentenced to 366 days in prison for one count of bringing in and harboring aliens.
Honduran national Efrain Antonio Corroto-Herrera was arrested near Eagle Pass after records indicated he had been previously deported twice, the most recent removal being to Honduras on March 12 through Laredo. Corroto-Herrera was convicted in Austin on Feb. 26 for assault causing bodily injury, for which he received a sentence of 180 days confinement.
Mexican national Zacarias Bautista-Emiliano was arrested by USBP agents for being an alien illegally present in the U.S, having been previously deported as recently as October 2024 through San Ysidro, California. The October removal was Bautista-Emiliano’s fifth deportation and his criminal history includes a felony conviction in 2013 for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14. His criminal record also includes two additional felony convictions: illegal re-entry in New Mexico in 2014 and illegal re-entry in Arizona in 2022. Bautista-Emiliano received sentences of 46 months in prison and 40 months in prison, respectively, for those convictions.
In Austin, Honduran national Elvin Alexis Canelas-Morillo was placed into federal custody April 17. He pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury in a 2023 Travis County case and was sentenced to 179 days confinement. Canelas-Morillo has four prior removals, most recently in April 2022, and a lengthy criminal history that includes multiple immigration convictions, burglary of a building, and evading arrest. He now faces a charge of illegal re-entry.
Mexican national Heber Vivero-Martinez was also transferred to federal custody in Austin on April 17. Along with three prior convictions for illegal entry, Vivero-Martinez was convicted in 2019 for assault causing bodily injury. At the time of his transfer, he was serving 20 days in the Travis County Jail for a DWI charge. Vivero-Martinez’s immigration record includes two removals in 2013 and four voluntary returns between 2007 and 2009.
In El Paso, Mexican national Adolfo Martinez-Padron was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry. He has been previously removed six times, most recently March 27 through Del Rio. Martinez-Padron’s extensive criminal history includes two felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, two DWIs, and assault causing bodily injury to a family member.
Mexican national Santa Cruz Garcia-Morales was arrested in El Paso as well, having been previously removed from the U.S. four times and granted two voluntary removals. In 2023, Garcia-Morales was convicted in Salt Lake, Utah and sentenced to 180 days in jail for domestic violence in the presence of a child. In May 2024, he was sentenced to 18 months of probation in West Jordan, Utah for aggravated assault.
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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36-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Paul Graf, 36, of the 1000 block of West Willow Lane, was sentenced in federal court on April 17, 2025, to 120 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, it was established that Graf initiated contact with a purported 13-year-old minor female on multiple occasions, and the two corresponded between April 8 to April 18, 2024. During that time frame, Graf expressed a sexual interest in the alleged child and discussed specific sexual acts.
On April 18, 2024, Graf traveled to a prearranged location to meet with the presumed minor and was subsequently arrested. During his arrest, Graf was in possession of a cell phone, and a bag that contained multiple sex items.
Also at the hearing, the government presented testimony that a minor reported to an officer with the Peoria, Illinois, Police Department allegations of sexual abuse by Graf on multiple occasions and several years. Items removed from Graf’s home during a search following Graf’s arrest corroborated the minor’s statement. This finding resulted in a sentencing enhancement as a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors.
“Crimes against children are particularly heinous.” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Ortiz. “This case is a reminder of the inherent dangers the children of our community face every day, on the internet and elsewhere. The U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois and its law enforcement partners prioritize the protection of children, and we remain committed to fully seeking justice for these most vulnerable of victims.”
"This individual used the internet to prey on the vulnerable, believing anonymity would protect him. It didn’t.” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher J.S. Johnson. “Our agents, in collaboration with our partners, worked tirelessly to bring him to justice. Let this be a message to anyone else who would attempt to harm our children, you will be held accountable."
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are not less than ten years and up to life in prison; not less than five years and up to life on supervised release; and up to a $250,000 fine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Peoria Police Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Graf was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the 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, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
205 charged with illegal entry or reentry as part of new cases filed this week in efforts to secure southern borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 216 more cases have been filed in immigration and border security-related matters from April 11-17, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
As part of those cases, 86 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, firearms or sexual offenses, or prior immigration crimes. A total of 119 people face charges of illegally entering the country while 11 cases involve various instances of human smuggling.
Some of those charged with felony reentry include Mexican national Alejandro Contreras-Zapata, who was allegedly found near Roma. The charges allege he had been previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon before his removal March 7.
Erika Camacho-Rodriguez is also a convicted felon and illegally returned recently, according to the complaint. Authorities found her near Roma, having been removed March 31 following a conviction for transporting illegal aliens as the charges allege. She is also from Mexico.
Another case charges Cesar Garcia-Rivas, a Mexican male found in the United States near Rio Grande City. He had allegedly been removed Oct. 21, 202o, and had previously received a 70-month sentence for kidnapping.
Three other men were apprehended near Laredo and had just been removed within the last five months, according to their charges. The criminal complaints allege Daniel Fimbres and Jose Alejandro Rodriguez-Panjol had just been removed Feb. 19 and 28, respectively, while Delfino Lopez-Roque was removed Nov. 24, 2024.
All six of these illegal aliens and others charged in some of the cases filed this week face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of illegally returning to the United States without authorization.
Other relevant matters this week include the jury conviction of a 25-year-old Laredo woman for conspiracy to transport, attempting to transport and bringing in and attempting to bring a three-year-old minor to the United States. Salma Galilea Veliz planned to have the boy assume the identity of her biological son in an effort to smuggle him into the United States. In exchange, she would be paid $2,500.
In another jury trial resulting in a guilty verdict, a known human smuggler was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The jury deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before finding Jose Rodriguez Jr. guilty after a one-day trial. When he was initially arrested in August 2024 for transporting aliens, authorities also discovered 150 images of CSAM on his phone. The evidence included numerous files depicting sexual assaults of prepubescent children.
Also announced this week was the indictment of two illegal aliens and a Laredo man for various firearms offenses. The investigation began March 21 when law enforcement discovered the location of a firearm allegedly used in a crime. Upon searching the residence, authorities allegedly discovered two machine gun conversion devices, a backpack that contained magazines and ammunition as well a .38 special and .22LR ammunition. Also on the property was a grey backpack containing a 9mm S&W handgun, according to the complaint. Erick Lopez Jr., 18, Laredo, is charged with possession of a machine gun, while Erick Lopez-Rivera Sr., 37, and Marcos Lora-Morales, 24, both illegal aliens unlawfully residing in Laredo, are facing charges of alien in possession of ammunition and alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, respectively. Lopez-Rivera Sr. is also charged with felony reentry of an alien.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). 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 SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
17 April 2025
Warren County Man Charged for Possession of Videos and Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Warren County man was charged with possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Marc Panchenko, 53, of Washington Township, New Jersey, was charged in a one-count complaint with possession of child pornography. He had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court and was ordered detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Following Panchenko’s release from federal custody in November 2023 for a prior offense, Panchenko was placed on supervised release and a monitoring software was installed on his cellular telephone to detect any images of child sexual abuse materials (“CSAM”). On or about March 3, 2025, the software alerted the authorities to the existence of CSAM on Panchenko’s phone. A further examination of the contents of the phone revealed the presence of over 600 videos of varying length and over 12,000 digital photos, an ongoing review of which has revealed numerous images of CSAM, including images depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct as further outlined in the complaint.
The charge of possession of child pornography carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, but due to his prior conviction on a similar charge, Panchenko is also facing a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. He is also facing a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force—Newark Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the Washington Township Police Department, Warren County, under the direction of Chief of Police Christopher M. Jones, and the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jessica Cardone, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek of the Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Candace Hom, Esq.
panchenko.complaint.pdfViolent Armed Drug Trafficker from Boise's North End Sentenced to 262 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Evan Nickolai Ernstson, 48, of Boise, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. Senior U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill also sentenced Ernstson to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence and pay a $2000 fine.
According to court records, Ernstson, originally from San Francisco, California, led a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine and cocaine between October 2023 and March 2024 out of a residence and various other locations in Boise’s North End neighborhood. A lengthy investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which included a wiretap, culminated in the seizure of ten pounds of methamphetamine, a kilogram of cocaine, and four firearms. On March 20, 2024, Ernstson was arrested as he returned to Idaho after picking up a load of methamphetamine and cocaine from the Portland, Oregon area. He was armed with a loaded 9mm handgun.
Law enforcement, while conducting the wiretap, learned that someone stole approximately $65,000 in drug proceeds from Ernstson while he was out of town. DEA Agents intercepted Ernstson’s calls and texts and learned Ernstson planned to kidnap two individuals, zip-tie them and torture them until the money was returned. Agents intervened and prevented the kidnapping and seized approximately $42,000 of the stolen drug proceeds.
Ernstson is the third member of the drug trafficking organization to be sentenced to prison. Co-defendant Eva Spikes pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and was sentenced to five years in prison on November 5, 2024. Co-defendant Leandru Stephens pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and was sentenced to five years in prison on December 11, 2024. The remaining four co-defendants have pleaded guilty to various drug trafficking charges and will be sentenced in May 2025.
The investigation into Ernstson’s drug trafficking organization also resulted in the conviction and sentence of three other individuals involved in drug trafficking. Dustin Wyatt Peymon, 53, of Boise, pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and was sentenced to 33 months in prison on November 6, 2024. Kristine Marie Shern, 28, of Mountain Home, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and was sentenced to three years’ probation on February 4, 2025. Brian Earl Polk, 26, of Boise, pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine and was sentenced to 77 months in prison and four years of supervised release on April 15, 2025.
“Our federal and state partners work together tirelessly to ensure that drug traffickers, especially those who are violent or armed, find no safe harbor in Idaho,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott.
“Mr. Ernstson led a drug trafficking ring that not only poisoned Idaho with large quantities of methamphetamine and other drugs, but was poised to kidnap and torture to further his criminal enterprise,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle. “This lengthy sentence ensures our community’s safety and demonstrates law enforcement’s steadfast resolve to protect our citizens from people like Mr. Ernstson.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Boise Police Department, the Nampa Police Special Investigations Unit, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin C. Blackadar and Christian S. Nafzger prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Union County man sentenced to federal prison for gun offensesRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A federal district judge sentenced a Wolf Lake man to 150 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to possessing firearms as a felon.
Kyle M. Bond, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm. Following imprisonment, Bond will serve three years of supervised release.
“In an effort to protect the public and help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals, convicted felons lose their right to legally possess firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “As this case demonstrates, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work to remove repeat criminal offenders who threaten the safety of our communities.”
According to court documents, on January 5, 2023, deputies with the Union County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Union County in connection to an investigation and located nine firearms on his property—six rifles and three handguns. Four of the nine firearms Bond possessed had obliterated serial numbers.
One of the firearms recovered by law enforcement was a short-barrel semi-automatic rifle, with an approximate barrel length of 12 ½ inches, that Bond did not register in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Prior to Bond’s indictment in 2023, he had been convicted of a felony offense in Missouri and therefore unable to legally possess firearms.
“Mr. Bond showed blatant disregard of federal laws that have been put in place to assure public safety,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge, Bernard Hansen. “As we did in this case, we will continue to work with the Union County Sheriff’s Office to ensure that safety of our communities.”
The Union County Sheriff’s Office and ATF contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. David Sanders prosecuted the case.
USAO Committed to Prosecuting Those Who Sexually Exploit and Abuse ChildrenRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio is raising awareness of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April by bringing attention to the some of the youngest victims of crime.
While child abuse can take many forms, the USAO specifically handles online cases where children have been sexually exploited by adults. Federal law prohibits the production, advertisement, transportation, distribution, receipt, sale, access or possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) utilizing a means of interstate commerce. The law further prohibits the online coercion or enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. The USAO also prosecutes cases where offenders travel to engage in sexual activity with a minor under 16 or who transport a minor across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
Although the term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes, the term “pornography” can conjure up a false connection to adult pornography that is created by consenting adults 18 years and older. Instead, child pornography consists of videos and images of victims ranging in age from newborn to 17 years old, and who are physically tortured, sexually abused, extorted, manipulated, or simply incapable of comprehending the ramifications of their material posted online. Therefore, organizations who work to combat child exploitation prefer that these actions be referred to as “CSAM” as it reflects the abuse and exploitation depicted in the images and videos that result in prolonged trauma to children.
“Offenders use the easy access of the internet to perpetuate this type of criminal behavior against our most vulnerable. Unbeknownst to parents, they connect with children online through social media, video games and other apps. In other cases, victims know their abuser. It could be a trusted friend, neighbor, coach, religious leader, babysitter −or even a parent−committing these crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “Our office is determined to go after these perpetrators and will continue to dedicate time and resources to investigate and prosecute CSAM offenders so that we can protect and rescue the children of our District as well as those in the worldwide internet community.”
With the proliferation of the internet, the Department of Justice launched the Project Safe Childhood initiative in 2006 to combat technology-facilitated crimes that involve the sexual exploitation of children. Sexual predators use online avenues such as social media, to solicit children for physical sexual contact. Increasingly, offenders entice, coerce or groom minors into producing CSAM. They accomplish this by gaining their trust in a number of ways quickly. Some minors report chatting with offenders for less than an hour before being asked to provide sexually explicit photos of themselves. Minors who comply with the request oftentimes become the victims of sextortion, where the perpetrator threatens to blackmail them in some way.
Recent USAO cases involving child exploitation and sexual abuse include:
U.S v. Rudra - A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He admitted to picking her up in his vehicle to drive her to a hotel for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual acts with her. He was also found to possess CSAM on his electronic devices.
U.S. v. Chesser – A former firefighter from Maumee, Ohio, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a two-year-old and produced child pornography of the toddler. He sexually exploited a second minor who was a teenager.
U.S. v. Walker – A Rocky River, Ohio, man was sentenced to 35 years in prison after admitted to harming his victims and recording the sexual abuse on his cellphone. He connected with an 11-year-old victim through a children’s app and coerced her to send him sexually explicit photos. Two additional victims were identified as toddlers at a home daycare where he visited a friend who resided there.
U.S. v. Patterson – A Canton, Ohio, man was sentenced to 26 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges including possessing hundreds of CSAM images that included children under the age of 12. Some of the images were of a minor who was unaware that she was being surreptitiously recorded by a hidden camera.
U.S. v. Hughes – A Piqua, Ohio, man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for admitting his intention to engage in sexual activity with a purported seven-year-old daughter of an undercover agent.
U.S. v. Reebel – A federal jury convicted a Toledo, Ohio, man of receiving and distributing CSAM, for nearly eight years. Investigators also discovered that he used social media for years to chat with minors and send them sexually explicit messages and photos of himself. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 23, 2025.
U.S. v. Greulich – A Cleveland man pleaded guilty to gaining the trust of a 14-year-old girl through a social media app and then driving to her home in New York on two separate occasions to take her to a hotel where he violently and sexually abused her which he recorded on a digital device. Sentencing is scheduled for June 23, 2025.
To report child sexual abuse, please visit www.cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Tucson Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Firearms Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Julian Canastillo, 23, of Tucson, was sentenced on April 15, 2025, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to six years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Canastillo previously pleaded guilty to six counts of Smuggling Goods from the United States and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Canastillo was the lead defendant in a 51-count indictment filed on September 15, 2022, charging 10 individuals involved in a firearms trafficking organization based in Tucson. An investigation leading to the indictment revealed a series of transactions linked to the organization for firearms that were later seized in the Republic of Mexico. In total, the Tucson-based organization is connected to more than 200 firearms transactions, and Canastillo alone admitted to smuggling 36 firearms into Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela W. Woolridge, Craig H. Russell, and Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01857-001-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-058_Canastillo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Three Nampa-Area Residents Plead Guilty to COVID-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
BOISE – Miguel Vittorio, Yessenia Casillas, and Luis Vasquez pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges in separate federal cases for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other related business expenses.
Miguel Vittorio
According to court records, Vittorio admitted that he submitted two PPP loan applications in March 2021 that contained false and fraudulent information. In both applications, Vittorio included false information about the number employees and the amount of monthly payroll. He also submitted false and fraudulent documentation in connection with these loans in an effort to substantiate the false information included on the applications. Vittorio additionally admitted that he submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of another individual which also included false information and fraudulent supporting documentation. In total, as a result of the fraudulent loans, Vittorio and others received approximately $126,800 in fraudulent PPP loan proceeds.
Vittorio pleaded guilty to bank fraud last week and Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill will sentence Vittorio on June 16, 2025. The charge in this case is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to 5 years of supervised release.
Yessenia Casillas
During her change of plea hearing, Casillas admitted that in February 2021, she submitted two PPP loan applications on behalf of two businesses that contained false information about the number of employees and the amount of payroll. Casillas also submitted fraudulent documentation with the PPP loan applications in an effort to substantiate the false information included on the loans. As a result of the fraudulent loan applications, Casillas and others received approximately $74,500 in fraudulent loan proceeds.
Casillas pleaded guilty to bank fraud in January and Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill will sentence Casillas on April 29, 2025. The charge in this case is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to 5 years of supervised release.
Luis Vasquez
According to facts admitted at his change of plea, Vasquez engaged in a bank fraud scheme in April 2021 to fraudulently obtain a PPP loan by submitting an application that contained false information about the purported business’s employees and amount of payroll. Additionally, false and fraudulent documentation was submitted in connection with the loan application including falsified tax documents and payroll reports. As a result of the fraudulent PPP loan application, Vasquez and others received approximately $51,614.
Vasquez pleaded guilty in January and U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford will sentence Vasquez on April 16, 2025. The charge in this case is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to 5 years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the investigations by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S Attorney Brittney Campbell prosecuted the cases.
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Three Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Three men were sentenced to federal prison for their role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
According to public court documents, three men were involved in fentanyl distribution in the Des Moines metro throughout 2024: Chuol Peter Mai, 32, of Des Moines, Rickey Raymone Hayes, also known as “Dee,” of Des Moines, formerly of Detroit, and Keith Holliday, 35, of Detroit. In 2024, law enforcement purchased fentanyl pills from Mai using a confidential informant. Mai introduced the confidential informant to Hayes, Mai’s drug source of supply. Hayes directed Holliday to distribute the fentanyl pills to the confidential informant. In June 2024, Hayes’ vehicle and Des Moines residence were searched and law enforcement located more than $21,000 in cash in his vehicle, and a firearm and more than 200 grams of fentanyl at his residence.
Mai was sentenced on April 2, 2025 to 60 months in federal prison. After completing his term of imprisonment, Mai will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release.
Hayes was sentenced on March 28, 2025 to 150 months in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
Holliday was sentenced on April 17, 2025 to 60 months in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department.
Texas Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Roles in Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery While Posing as DEA AgentsRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—Two San Antonio, Texas men were sentenced to federal prison and another San Antonio man pleaded guilty Wednesday for conspiring to travel from Texas to Southern Oregon to commit an armed robbery while disguised as agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Nevin Cuevas Morales, 23, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release, and Michael Rey Acuna, 23, was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. The sum of restitution they each must pay to victims will be determined at a later date.
Juan Carlos Conchas, 23, pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and conspiring to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute. Conchas faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and four years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on July 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai.
According to court documents, on March 12, 2022, deputies from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a rural address in Josephine County, Oregon after receiving reports of an armed robbery in progress. The deputies found a residence with a closed driveway gate and two empty vehicles with Texas license plates in the driveway with their doors open. Deputies saw several people running toward the back of the property and found victims inside the house. The victims reported that armed individuals dressed in what appeared to be DEA attire and wearing body armor arrived at the property and used zip ties and duct tape to restrain several of them.
The deputies searched the property and found large plastic totes containing packaged marijuana in the buildings and vehicles. They also found body armor, firearms, ammunition, shell casings, and badges that resembled those carried by DEA agents along the path that Morales, Acuna, Conchas and others used to flee the property.
Investigators learned that in late February 2022, the group traveled from San Antonio to Southern Oregon to steal over 200 pounds of marijuana and recovered photographs taken by the group in which they posed with firearms while dressed as DEA agents.
On October 6, 2022, Morales and Acuna were located and arrested in San Antonio. One week later, on October 13, 2022, Conchas was also arrested in San Antonio.
On September 1, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a three-count indictment charging Morales, Acuna, Conchas and co-conspirators with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On February 2, 2024, Morales pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On November 6, 2024, Acuna pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and conspiring to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute.
In addition, three co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from their roles in the conspiracy. Two have been sentenced to federal prison and the third is awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. It is being prosecuted by Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Suburban Chicago Man Charged with Preparing and Filing More Than 50 Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been charged in federal court with preparing and filing more than 50 fraudulent tax returns for himself and others.
An indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago accuses CEDRICK TAYLOR of preparing and assisting in the preparation of 45 individual tax returns on behalf of numerous individuals for the calendar years 2018 to 2023. Taylor helped prepare returns that fraudulently overstated and misrepresented tax credits, deductions, and expenses in order to fraudulently reduce the individuals’ tax liabilities and claim refund amounts to which they were not entitled, the indictment states. Taylor also filed several individual tax returns for himself that misrepresented tax credits and underreported his income, the indictment alleges.
Taylor, 40, of Winfield, Ill., is charged with 45 counts of willfully preparing a false tax return for others and six counts of filing false tax returns for himself. Each count is punishable by up to three years in federal prison. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Snell.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
taylor_indictment.pdfSt. Louis County Tax Preparer Admits Falsifying Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County tax preparer on Thursday admitted falsifying 42 federal income tax returns for clients.
Elisa Y. Brown, 60, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. She admitted preparing false tax returns from 2016-2020. Brown prepared the returns with commercial tax preparation software from her home in exchange for between $150 and $250 per return. She did not have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), which is issued by the IRS and required on returns prepared for compensation. Brown digitally signed each tax return in the name of the taxpayer, making it appear to the IRS that the taxpayer had prepared the return. Brown claimed false medical and dental expenses and cash donations as deductibles and included false schedule C forms reflecting tens of thousands of dollars of false business expenses.
Brown admitted filing false tax returns for 11 clients from 2016-2020, resulting in a tax loss to the IRS of $171,866. During the same time, she prepared and submitted a total of 560 tax returns, many of which contained similar false deductible expenses.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced July 22. Each charge carries a penalty of up to three years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
The case was investigated by IRS - Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
South Bend Woman Sentenced to 210 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Jennifer Krueger, 42 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Krueger was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in July 2024, law enforcement found Krueger, who had an active state arrest warrant for dealing a narcotic drug, at a hotel in Mishawaka with over 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine, thousands of fentanyl pills weighing over 400 grams, and over $58,000 cash. Krueger’s criminal history includes two prior convictions for dealing narcotic drugs.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration including the DEA North Central Laboratory with assistance from the Mishawaka Police Department, the Indiana State Police, and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
South Bend Man Sentenced to 128 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – James Dockins, 37 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Dockins was sentenced to 128 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in February 2024, Dockins received a package that contained over 400 grams of fentanyl pills. He stored the fentanyl pills in his home in a cabinet alongside other fentanyl pills that were packaged and ready for distribution. When Dockins left his home, law enforcement attempted to stop him, but he fled in his car through a residential neighborhood and surrendered after he had crashed his car into a fire hydrant.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service including the USPIS Forensic Laboratory, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, the Mishawaka Police Department, the St. Joseph County Police Department, and the Indiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
Sixteen charged in East Texas federal methamphetamine conspiracyRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A federal indictment in the Eastern District of Texas has resulted in the arrest of 16 individuals charged with various violations related to a wide-spread methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2025, in the Eastern District of Texas, charges the defendants with federal drug and gun violations. A multi-agency law enforcement action was held on April 16, 2025, resulting in those arrests. Since the investigation began in November 2022, law enforcement has seized over 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and 14 firearms. Those in custody began making initial appearances in federal court on April 16, 2025, in Beaumont.
According to information provided in court, the following individuals are alleged to have been involved in the methamphetamine conspiracy in the Angelina, Nacogdoches, and Polk counties area:
• Albert Lopez, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;
• Adaryl Douglas, 45, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;
• Hector Gomez, 40, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• Oscar Padilla, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• Leanna Jean Busby, 45, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• Amanda McBride, 43, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• John Christopher Rios, 53, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• Jose Pedro Guzman Jr., 34, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• Lorene Michelle Baker, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• David Davis, Jr., 48, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• Penny Ann King, 51, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• Jodi Calvin Sparkman, 53, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• Christopher Dewayne Harvey, 51, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
• Gary Mills, 65, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm;
• Clifton Collin-Dakota Smith, 32, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; and
• Corey Mullan, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
If convicted, defendants face from 10 years to life in federal prison.
As part of the operation, Eduardo Barajas-Macias, 32, a close associate of the criminal conspiracy, was also arrested and charged with unlawful reentry by a removed or deported alien.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case is being investigated by the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; FBI; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; Lufkin Police Department; Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office; Texas Department of Public Safety; and U.S. Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Sixteen Defendants Arrested for Alleged Involvement in Drug Trafficking within the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY, SD – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a multi-agency law enforcement operation has resulted in 16 federal arrests in Rapid City, South Dakota, and within the Pine Ridge Reservation. Operation Snowy Ridge was organized by the FBI to clear outstanding warrants related to federally indicted drug trafficking cases. The operation began on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, and continued through the morning of Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
“Operation Snowy Ridge brought together vast resources from federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies for a two-day takedown of alleged drug traffickers living within the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City, South Dakota,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Thanks to law enforcement’s sophisticated planning and extraordinary collaboration, the operation accomplished its intended goal—improve public safety in tribal communities by removing individuals who drive violence and facilitate drug addiction in Indian country.”
“This operation disrupted the networks fueling violence and trafficking deadly drugs on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Through strong and sustained partnerships with our federal, state, tribal, and local counterparts, we are committed to holding violent offenders accountable and protecting our communities.”
“The success of this operation reflects the strength of our partnerships and our shared dedication to protecting the people of Pine Ridge,” said Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Chief of Police Danielle Means. “By targeting violent offenders and drug trafficking networks, this effort directly addressed the threats impacting our community. We are appreciative for the unified effort and remain committed to working together to ensure safety for our community.”
As a result of the operation, the following individuals were arrested: Echo Winters (35, Pine Ridge, SD); Esther Winters (43, Pine Ridge, SD); Garren Wilson, Sr. (42, Pine Ridge, SD); Gabriel Gibbons (52, Pine Ridge, SD); Michaela Peoples (44, Pine Ridge, SD); Reed Brown (68, Wanblee, SD); Jackie Black Bear (60, Pine Ridge, SD); Skyler Red Cloud (31, Wounded Knee, SD); Theodore Coomes, Jr., a/k/a TC (38, Pine Ridge, SD); Abe Marshall (39, Batesland, SD); Laquetta Rouillard (34, Pine Ridge, SD); Anja Little Hawk (35, Pine Ridge, SD); Lisa Mills (33, Pine Ridge, SD); Demitre Ecoffey (30, Wounded Knee, SD); Tucker Fischbach (29, Rapid City, SD); Sesalie Red Owl (41, Rapid City, SD). Federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office have charged each of these individuals for their involvement in various drug conspiracies.
“The combined effort of law enforcement agencies involved in this operation allowed for the removal of life-threatening substances including cocaine and methamphetamine,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “For DEA, the goal at the end of the day is to keep our communities safe from the harm associated with these drugs.”
“This operation reflects the very best of what sustained, strategic partnership between law enforcement can accomplish,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Stephen Houghtaling. “Together, we targeted those driving violence and drug trafficking on the Pine Ridge Reservation and we did so with one goal in mind—to protect the community. We are proud of the successful outcome of this operation and remain committed to the pursuit of justice.”
“This operation exemplifies the power of collaboration and the effectiveness of agencies uniting their resources toward a shared goal,” said Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services Deputy Bureau Director Richard “Glen” Melville. “BIA-OJS remains steadfast in its commitment to Indian Country and its mission to combat the drug crisis gripping tribal communities.” Director Melville also praised the Oglala Sioux Tribe for their unwavering dedication and partnership in this large-scale operation. “The success of this initiative is a testament to the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s willingness to work in partnership with other law enforcement agencies including FBI, DEA, US Marshal’s Service, and BIA Division of Drug Enforcement to protect their communities. Their cooperation was instrumental in making this operation possible.”
The operation was spearheaded by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Task Force (Task Force), which is comprised of agents from the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Division of Drug Enforcement (BIA DDE), the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Martin Police Department. In executing this takedown, the Task Force received critical assistance from the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
Investigations are currently underway to determine if any of those arrested in this operation will be charged with additional crimes. Charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Tarbay and Meghan Dilges.
Sixteen Charged in Takedown of Drug Trafficking NetworkRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Four indictments were unsealed in federal court charging 16 individuals throughout San Diego County with distributing large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin and laundering drug-trafficking proceeds.
In a coordinated takedown yesterday, more than 115 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested 10 defendants and executed three search warrants in the Nestor, Palm City, and Encanto neighborhoods within the City of San Diego. Six defendants were still being sought.
Including seizures today and throughout this investigation, authorities have confiscated 26.8 kilograms of powdered fentanyl; 5.7 kilograms of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl (estimated to be 57,000 pills); 25.7 kilograms of methamphetamine; 1.5 kilograms of cocaine; 1.1 kilograms of heroin; ketamine; MDMA; more than $40,000 in U.S. currency; a Maserati Ghibili; and nine firearms including an AK-47.
U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said: “Together with our law enforcement partners, this office will disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations throughout the district. We are focused on the Department’s Take Back America priorities, and this investigation shows the direct results of implementing these priorities.”
“Drug trafficking organizations fuel addiction and erode the safety of our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “This extensive drug trafficking investigation exposed a criminal network that peddled poison from coast to coast. Law enforcement put their collective authorities together to dismantle this organization brick by brick. We stand with our fellow law enforcement partners to ensure the community is safe and those involved in drug trafficking are brought to justice.”
“The indictments unsealed today paint a picture of an organization responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs into our communities – drugs that are killing Americans daily,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “These indictments should send a clear signal to drug trafficking organizations that where there’s money, there’s a trail, and IRS-CI is the best in the world at finding and following those trails. We are proud to partner with fellow law enforcement agencies to flush out DTOs that put our communities at risk.”
Today’s charges are the result of a 16-month investigation that included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, undercover agents, and confidential sources. According to the indictments, the defendants distributed dangerous drugs such as fentanyl throughout the U.S., including in Ohio and Kansas, on behalf of a San Diego County-based drug trafficking organization. The investigation uncovered the use of shell companies to gather and launder the proceeds of the drug trafficking enterprise from other states, including Colorado, Minnesota and Nebraska.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Deshong.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 25cr0818-BAS
Rodrigo Maciel-Cortez Age: 25
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison; $1 million fine.
Criminal Forfeiture; Title 21 U.S.C. § 853
Case Number 25cr0819-BAS
Elijah Roman Age: 28
Leonela Veronica Leal Age: 26
Cindy Camarena-Gonzalez Age: 27
Adan Antonio Sandoval-Luna Age: 30
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual) and more than 400 grams of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine
Distribution of more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual), in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine
Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual), in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1956
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison; $5,000 fine
Criminal Forfeiture; Title 21 U.S.C. § 853
Case Number 25cr0820-AJB
Luis Carlos Franco Age: 24
Jesus Adrian Garcia Jr. Age: 32
Jose Alexander Flores Age: 23
Andres Emilio Arce-Corrales Age: 18
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute more than 100 Grams of Heroin, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10,000,000 fine
Distribution of more than 100 Grams of Heroin, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine
Conspiracy to Distribute more than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine
Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 500 Grams of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine
Criminal Forfeiture; Title 21 U.S.C. § 853
Case Number 25cr0821-WQH
Diego Hernandez Age: 24
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of more than 400 Grams of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine
Criminal Forfeiture; Title 21 U.S.C. § 853
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Oceanside Police Department
IRS Criminal Investigation
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
San Diego Police Department
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
Carlsbad Police Department
United States Marshals Service
* Six defendants are still being sought
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
This investigation 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).
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Sheep Springs Couple Faces Federal Charges for Assault and Reckless Child EndangermentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A couple from Sheep Springs is facing federal charges related to an alleged assault and subsequent medical neglect of a minor.
According to court records, on September 9, 2024, Raeshawn Doctor, 24, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted Jane Doe, a minor, causing serious bodily injury. Additionally, between September 9, 2024, and January 31, 2025, Doctor and Harley Nelson, 45, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, are accused of knowingly and recklessly endangering Jane Doe’s life and health through medical neglect.
Doctor and Nelson will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted, Doctor faces up to 10 years in prison and Nelson faces up to three years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Marshall is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Doctor and Nelson).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to More than 11 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio - Hershel Winbush, 68, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced to prison by U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary after he pleaded guilty to four counts of bank robbery in Lucas County, Ohio, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release for a prior conviction. Imprisonment will be for a total term of 140 months (more than 11 years) for each count to run concurrently and pay $8,210 in restitution. Upon release from imprisonment, the defendant was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release.
According to court documents and court records, Winbush entered several financial institutions in the Toledo, Ohio, area from 2019 through 2024 and threatened bank employees with violence by presenting notes such as “I have a gun, give me all the cash available,” and “This is a hold up. I have a gun.” Federally insured banking institutions that were affected included:
- Woodforest National Bank, Glendale Ave., Oct. 24, 2019
- Woodforest National Bank, Glendale Ave., Nov. 5, 2019
- Jeep Federal Credit Union, Manhattan Blvd., April 8, 2024
- Key Bank, Secor Rd., April 22, 2024
During the investigation, authorities discovered that Winbush had a decades-long pattern of bank robberies and had multiple incarcerations and prior convictions for crimes of violence in Michigan. Winbush was classified as a Career-Offender by Judge Jack Zouhary.
This case was investigated by the FBI Toledo Field Office and the Toledo Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Simko for the Northern District of Ohio.
Romanian National Unlawfully Residing in California Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in Oregon and MaineRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Romanian national unlawfully residing in Garden Grove, California, was sentenced to federal prison today for stealing more than $176,000 by installing Automated Teller Machine (ATM) skimming devices throughout Oregon and Maine.
Florin George Ionita, 45, was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $176,922 in restitution to his victims.
According to court documents, between June and August 2023, Ionita installed skimming devices on ATMs and used the devices to steal account information and Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) from customers who conducted transactions at the ATMs. Ionita used the stolen information to produce counterfeit debit cards and withdraw cash from victims’ accounts. Over the course of his scheme, Ionita accessed hundreds of bank accounts and stole more than $176,000 from victims in Oregon and Maine.
On August 22, 2023, the Medford Police Department (MPD) received a report of a masked individual installing a skimming device. Investigators received photos of the man and distributed a law enforcement bulletin to identify the unknown individual. The following day, investigators from Kennebunk Police Department in Kennebunk, Maine, identified Ionita and informed MPD investigators of their investigation of Ionita installing skimming devices in Maine. Investigators learned that due to his immigration status, Ionita was required to wear a Global Positioning System (GPS) monitor which confirmed his location at several banks where the ATM skimming devices were installed.
On November 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a nine-count indictment charging Ionita with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
On March 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Maine returned a fifteen-count indictment charging Ionita with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
On December 6, 2024, Ionita pleaded guilty to one count each of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for his crimes in Oregon, and one count each of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for his crimes in Maine.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service New England Cyber Fraud Task Force, the Medford Police Department Criminal Investigative Division, the Kennebunk Police Department, and the Freeport Police Department. It is being prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.
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, multiagency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.Rochester woman pleads guilty to defrauding Social SecurityRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Wendy Stone, 63, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to conversion/unlawful conveyance of government money, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that in December 2022, Victim 1 was a recipient of benefits under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program. On December 28, 2022, Victim 1 died at a residence in Rochester. Stone discovered Victim 1’s body days after Victim 1 died. She was also aware that Victim 1 collected SSI Program benefits. But rather than inform authorities of Victim 1’s death, Stone took Victim 1’s debit card and spent SSI Program money still being deposited into Victim 1’s account for her own benefit. In furtherance of this scheme, Stone used Victim 1’s social security number to activate a new debit card in the name of Victim 1. In order to conceal Victim 1’s death and continue receiving Victim 1’s SSI Program benefits, Stone moved Victim 1’s corpse into the basement of the residence Victim 1 died in. She wrapped Victim 1’s corpse in plastic, placed it in a recycling bin, and periodically poured bleach on it. Victim 1’s corpse remained in the basement from December 2022 to September 2023. Between January 2023 and September 2023, Stone improperly collected $7,902.00 in SSI Program benefits intended for Victim 1. In addition, on February 6, 2023, Stone recertified SNAP benefits. In her recertification, Stone stated that Victim 1 still resided with her. As a result of this false information, Stone received an additional $1,072.00 in SNAP benefits that she was not entitled to receive.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Amy Connelly and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2025, at 11:30 a.m., before Judge Geraci.
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Repeat Offender Sentenced for Methamphetamine PossessionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Hannie Rice, 67, formerly of Oakland, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 16, 2025 in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Rice to 188 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Rice’s release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release.
In January 2023, a Burt County sheriff’s deputy received information from arrested individuals that Rice was a meth distributor. On May 6, 2023, sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at Rice’s home in Oakland. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Rice told a deputy that there was meth in his bedroom. Rice took the deputy to his bedroom, where the deputy found approximately 35 grams of meth inside of a lock box.
Postal records showed that eight packages, weighing from four ounces up to four pounds seven ounces, were mailed from California to Rice’s residence since the fall of 2022. These postal records corroborated the information deputies received from the arrested individuals that Rice was receiving three-pound packages of meth through the mail from California.
At sentencing, Rice’s advisory sentencing range was increased because of multiple California convictions involving possessing meth and marijuana for sale.
This case was investigated by the Burt County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Repeat Gun Offender Sentenced to 58 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tre Enrique Jackson, 31, of the District, was sentenced to 58 months in federal prison today after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes ordered that Jackson serve three years on supervised release when he is released from prison.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On Sept. 18, 2023, MPD detectives and officers executed a search warrant at a residence where Jackson was staying. While searching the residence, detectives looked inside a backpack that Jackson had been seen carrying earlier that day and discovered a Glock-style Privately Manufactured Firearm– commonly referred to as a ghost gun.
The firearm was chambered for 9mm ammunition and was loaded with one round in the chamber and 12 rounds in a 17-round capacity magazine.
A review of Jackson’s criminal history revealed that he was on supervised release in D.C. Superior Court for a prior gun conviction, and Jackson was placed under arrest. DNA testing confirmed the presence of Jackson’s DNA on the firearm seized from his backpack.
This case was investigated by MPD and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 11, 2025.
Dakota Jolley, age 28, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jolley was indicted on the possession charge in February 2024, and he pleaded guilty on January 8, 2025.
In November 2023, the defendant got into an argument with his spouse, who was holding the couple’s small child. During the argument, the defendant initially threatened to hit his spouse and small child with a belt. The defendant then obtained a loaded Springfield Armory, model 1911, .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, threatened to kill his spouse, and held the loaded firearm to her head on several occasions while she worked to protect their child. Jolley is prohibited from possessing firearms due to several prior felony conviction.
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).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Jolley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.