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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Friday 7 March 2025
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty for his Role in a Conspiracy to Traffic Approximately 50 Pounds of Methamphetamine to New HampshireRead the Press Release
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty for his Role in a Conspiracy to Traffic Approximately 50 Pounds of Methamphetamine to New Hampshire
CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney John J. McCormack announces.
Riley Thibodeau, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, specifically methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Samantha D. Elliot scheduled sentencing for June 12, 2025. After also pleading guilty, co-defendant Ronny Ramos was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott on December 9, 2024 to 120 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Thibodeau conspired to traffic approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. From March through October 2023, Ramos received five separate orders of methamphetamine from Thibodeau, via an intermediary. The payments from Thibodeau for the methamphetamine were made via the same intermediary. The amounts per order ranged from 10-12 pounds at a price of approximately $20,000 for each order. The methamphetamine was delivered to Thibodeau in New Hampshire. On October 31, 2023, law enforcement agents arrested Ramos in Methuen, Massachusetts, and seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine destined for Thibodeau in New Hampshire.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Manchester Police Department, the Salem Police Department, and the Methuen Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar A. Vega is prosecuting the case.
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Man Sentenced After Kicking in Door and Shooting at ExRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Bryce Tyler Pyle, 36, for First Degree Burglary in Indian Country and Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Judge Russell ordered Pyle to 168 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
In July 2024, Pyle drove to his former girlfriend’s home with their child in the car. At some point, Pyle kicked open the former girlfriend’s door and pointed a handgun at her and another person in the home. The former girlfriend demanded that Pyle leave. When Pyle returned to his car, he intentionally fired his gun toward the house before leaving. The former girlfriend noticed their child crying in the backseat of the car when Pyle drove off.
The former girlfriend called Pyle and convinced him to return their child. Pyle then entered the home a second time and began destroying property. While Pyle was in the home, police officers intercepted and detained him.
Pyle is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell prosecuted the case.
Lawrence Man Sentenced to More Than One Year in Prison for Making False Statement in Passport Application and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston to falsely claiming to be a United States citizen in a passport application.
Ruben Dario Guerrero, 44, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 21 months in prison to be followed by two years of supervised release. Guerrero is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In November 2024, Guerrero pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in a passport application and one count of identity theft.
On Aug. 25, 2023, Guerrero submitted an application for a U.S. passport at a post office in Lawrence. Guerrero used the name, date of birth and social security number of a U.S. citizen who died in Puerto Rico in 1997 and signed the application under an attestation in which he declared under penalty of perjury that he was a United States citizen. In fact, however, identity documents from the Dominican Republic show Guerrero to be a Dominican citizen.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Lancaster County Man and Long-Distance Trucking Company Sentenced for Violations of Clean Air ActRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Leon Martin, age 42, of Lititz, PA, and Frock Brothers Trucking, Inc. (Frock Brothers), of New Oxford, PA, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia K. Munley for conspiracy and violations of the Clean Air Act.
Martin was sentenced to a two-year term of probation, with three months of a home curfew, and a $500,000 fine. Frock Brothers Trucking, Inc. was sentenced to a two-year term of probation and an $80,000 fine.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Martin was a mechanic who worked at a diesel repair shop, in Ephrata, PA. Between 2018 through October 2023, Martin provided “tuning” or “reprogramming” services in which he tuned the engine control modules (ECMs) on diesel trucks. The ECM is a computerized system that manages and controls the engine’s performance. During that time, Martin began tampering with the emissions diagnostic systems on the vehicles of many companies to prevent the diagnostic system software from monitoring the emission control system hardware, thereby defeating the systems’ ability to reduce pollutant gases and particulate matter being emitted to the atmosphere by the trucks.
In November and December 2018, Martin did work for Frock Brothers Trucking, Inc., a long-distance trucking company that delivers general freight and other products. At that time, Martin, Frock Brothers, and others, conspired to tamper with the emission control hardware on approximately eight diesel vehicles of Frock Brothers, in violation of the Clean Air Act. The illegal actions were for the purpose of obtaining economic benefits, including, among other things, reduced or avoidance of repair costs, fuel savings from improved fuel economy on modified vehicles, and reduced expenditures on diesel exhaust fluids required to operate emissions systems components. As part of the scheme, Frock Brothers removed the vehicles’ ECMs from their engines and shipped them to Leon Martin for reprogramming. Once the devices were “tuned,” Martin shipped them back to Frock Brothers, where they were reinstalled on the trucks. As a result of the emissions systems tampering, Frock Brothers vehicles emitted excess emissions, including nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, into the atmosphere.
“Tampering with required emissions monitoring devices in heavy duty vehicles results in a significant increase in air pollution,” said Allison Landsman, EPA-CID Special Agent in Charge. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that we will hold violators accountable for breaking our environmental laws.”
The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Behe prosecuted the case.
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Leflore County Man Sentenced for Knife Attack on Postal CarrierRead the Press Release
Greenville, Mississippi – Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Cordero Moore, aged 36, of Greenwood, Mississippi to serve a 70-month jail sentence for an August 2024 knife attack on a U.S. Postal Carrier as the Carrier delivered mail in Greenwood. Judge Brown also sentenced Moore to post-incarceration court supervision for 3 years.
On August 5, 2024, Moore chased down the Postal Carrier while waving a knife and forced the Carrier to enter a local business for her safety. Moore was later arrested in possession of two knives.
“This defendant made a violent, cowardly attack on a female postal employee who was just hard at work performing her duties,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “It is ludicrous that this dedicated letter carrier should have to fear for her life while simply doing her job, and we appreciate the collaboration of our law enforcement partners in holding the line against such conduct.”
“The safety and security of Postal Service employees is core to the mission of the Postal Inspection Service,” said Shameka Jackson, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Houston Division. “Today’s sentencing of Cordero Moore shows that the Judge has also taken the threat of physical violence against our Letter Carrier seriously. We extend our appreciation to the Greenwood Police Department that assisted with this investigation.”
This case was investigated by the Greenwood, Mississippi Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspector Charlie Tutor. The case was prosecuted by AUSA Paul Roberts.
Kentucky Man Sentenced for Sexually Exploiting Minors in the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
A Kentucky man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in the Philippines.
According to court documents, from February 2021 through November 2021, while living in the Philippines, Robert Maxwell Werner, 46, of Walton, purchased access from a Filipino individual to dozens of minor victims for in-person, livestreamed, and recorded sexual acts. For several months, Werner paid this individual for custom-created CSAM, in which the individual would sexually abuse these minors and force the minors to engage in sexual acts together for foreign customers like Werner. Werner also paid the individual for five in‑person meetings with minors at hotels and rental properties in the Philippines. During those meetings, Werner sexually abused multiple minors. In exchange, Werner would provide money, food, clothing, and basic necessities for the minors, who lived in desperate circumstances.
As part of his plea agreement, Werner admitted to engaging in sexually explicit conduct with at least one minor for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct between July 2021 and November 2021, while in the Philippines. Werner further admitted to transporting that sexually explicit material into the United States. Additionally, once he returned to the United States, Werner continued to solicit CSAM from the individual for at least another month.
Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth for the Eastern District of Kentucky prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Justice Department Dismisses Suit Against Denka, Delivering on President Trump’s Mandate to End Radical DEI ProgramsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), dismissed a lawsuit against Denka Performance Elastomer LLC (Denka) concerning its neoprene manufacturing facility in LaPlace, Louisiana. The dismissal fulfills President Trump’s day one executive order, “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” signed to eliminate ideological overreach and restore impartial enforcement of federal laws. Concurrently, EPA withdrew its referral of the case to the Justice Department to align with Administrator Lee Zeldin’s pledge to end the use of “environmental justice” as a tool for advancing ideological priorities.
The lawsuit, originally filed by the Biden Administration on Feb. 28, 2023, relied on the Clean Air Act’s rarely invoked “Emergency Powers” provision (42 U.S.C. § 7603). That statute authorizes EPA to seek immediate restraints on pollution sources presenting “an imminent and substantial endangerment” to public health or the environment. In an effort to satisfy this standard, the Biden-era complaint alleged a marginally increased risk of harm after prolonged exposure. The complaint did not allege that emissions from Denka’s LaPlace plant violated any regulatory air quality standard. The prior administration framed the case as part of its “ongoing effort to advance environmental justice in overburdened communities.” The Biden Administration EPA used its EJScreen tool to define such areas partly by the percentage of “people of color” present — a clear example of the racial preferencing now prohibited by President Trump’s executive order.
“Today’s dismissal reflects ENRD’s renewed commitment to enforce environmental laws as Congress intended — consistently, fairly and without regard to race,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We do not regulate through litigation, nor do we stretch statutes beyond their plain meaning to advance political agendas.”
“The dismissal of this case is a step toward ensuring that environmental enforcement is consistent with the law,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “While EPA’s core mission includes securing clean air for all Americans, we can fulfill that mission within well-established legal frameworks, without stretching the bounds of the law or improperly implementing so-called ‘environmental justice’.”
Denka’s LaPlace facility produces neoprene, a synthetic rubber essential for products like orthopedic braces, wetsuits and automotive components. Following a 2017 settlement with the State of Louisiana, Denka invested over $35 million to cut chloroprene emissions by 85 percent. Despite this progress, the Biden Administration sought a preliminary injunction to halt operations, a request effectively denied when the court deferred a hearing on the preliminary injunction to the bench trial.
On Feb. 21, ENRD reinstated enforcement principles which require that complaints be “well founded in existing law,” avoid “regulation by litigation,” and “seek relief authorized by . . . law.” By ending United States v. Denka, the Justice Department and EPA are delivering on President Trump’s promise to dismantle radical DEI programs and restore integrity to federal enforcement efforts.
Illegal aliens arrested for or convicted of violating immigration, firearms crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced today new immigration charges or convictions in four cases in the District.
On Monday, task force agents arrested Sergio Diego-Sevilla, 35, and charged him with being an illegal reentrant into the United States. Diego-Sevilla is a Mexican national with no legal status in the United States. He has been apprehended in Arizona in the past and deported to Mexico.
According to court documents, on Jan. 23, investigators with the Licking County Sheriff’s Office received information from Customs and Border Patrol located in Southern Arizona that a Toyota Highlander with an Arizona license plate was allegedly involved in human smuggling.
Sheriff’s deputies stopped the vehicle in Licking County and discovered Adalberto Calixto Tolentino, 21, was transporting four individuals in the vehicle, including Diego-Sevilla. Investigators also discovered an envelope with $8,000 cash in the car. When interviewed by law enforcement, one passenger said he had paid $10,000 to be helped crossing the border of Mexico into the United States. He was picked up in the desert in Arizona and eventually transported by Tolentino. These related cases are being prosecuted in Columbus.
On Tuesday, in Cincinnati, Edgar Palomares-Ventura, 38, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States. Palomares-Ventura is a citizen of Mexico and had been previously deported from the United States in 2022 from Texas. In February 2025, agents discovered the defendant in West Chester.
Palomares-Ventura has previous convictions in the United States, including trafficking marijuana in Hamilton County, and federal convictions in Ohio and Kentucky for visa, permit and passport fraud, as well as aggravated identity theft.
On Wednesday, another defendant pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati to illegally reentering the United States. Brayan Castaneda-Juarez, 32, also admitted to illegally possessing a firearm. Illegal aliens are prohibited from possessing firearms. The defendant forfeited a 9mm pistol.
Castaneda-Juarez is a Mexican national with no legal status in the United States. He had been previously removed from the country from a Port of Entry in Texas.
In December, loss prevention employees at Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati stopped the defendant because he was attempting to shoplift. Fairfield police officers were dispatched to the scene and discovered the 9mm pistol in a bag that Castaneda-Juarez was carrying. He was later arrested by ICE officers.
Today, new charges and a plea document were filed in the case against Ismael Rodriguez-Mojica, 47, a national of El Salvador with no legal status in the United States. A bill of information charges Rodriguez-Mojica with illegally reentering the United States. The defendant had been deported from the United States three times before, including once after being booked into the Franklin County Jail. In his current case, ICE officers encountered Rodriguez-Mojica in Columbus in January 2025. He was originally charged by a criminal complaint.
Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has a prior felony conviction (or multiple prior misdemeanor convictions of certain types), the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the charges. Criminal Chief Christy L. Muncy, Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez, and Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler J. Aagard and Matthew C. Singer are representing the United States in these cases.
Charging documents merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Southern District of Ohio Immigration Enforcement Task Force, which dedicates agents, attorneys and other staff to investigating and prosecuting immigration violations.
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Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tayvain Folkes, age 24, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by the U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to deliver fentanyl and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of one gram of fentanyl from Folkes on December 28, 2021. Based on that purchase, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Folkes’ residence, which yielded approximately 269 grams of fentanyl, a Glock 9mm pistol, and approximately $35,000 in cash. Folkes admitted to possessing the firearm and narcotics after his arrest.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Harrisburg, the Vice Unit, Dauphin County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
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Guilty Pleas in December 2023 Burglary of Dozens of Firearms from a Maryland Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vincent Lee Alston, 23, of Washington D.C. and Niquan Odum, 23, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with the December 2023 burglary of 34 firearms from a Maryland pawn shop.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department
Alston, aka “Vedo,” pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Odumn, aka “Stickz,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft from a firearms licensee and to possession of stolen firearms. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled a sentencing hearing for Alston on June 27, 2025 and for Odumn on June 13, 2025. Alston was arrested on December 15, 2023, and has been detained since. Odumn was arrested on March 25, 2024, and has been detained since.
Co-conspirator Juwon Markel Anderson, aka “Peezy,” 22, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty on March 4 to conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Others charged in the conspiracy are Cy’Juan Hemsley, 18, of District Heights, Maryland, and Tyjuan McNeal, 28, of Washington, D.C.
According to the court documents, on December 13, 2023, the co-conspirators drove from Washington, D.C. to the A&D Pawn Shop, a Federal Firearms Licensee, in Glen Burnie, Maryland. At the pawn shop, one of the co-conspirators used a portable saw to cut the locks on a pull-down security gate. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door. Once inside, the quintet grabbed an array of rifles, shotguns, and pistols from the shelves and display racks and fled with at least 34 of the firearms. The co-conspirators later used social media to advertise the sale of the stolen firearms. Two days after the burglary, on December 15, 2023, Alston was arrested with one of the stolen firearms.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes.
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Garantex cryptocurrency exchange disrupted in international operationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Justice Department announced today a coordinated action with Germany and Finland to disrupt and take down the online infrastructure used to operate Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly facilitated money laundering by transnational criminal organizations - including terrorist organizations - and sanctions violations. Since April 2019, Garantex has processed at least $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions.
In conjunction with the operation targeting Garantex, the Department also announced the unsealing of an indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia against Aleksej Besciokov, 46, a Lithuanian national and Russian resident, and Aleksandr Mira Serda (previously Aleksandr Ntifo-Siaw), 40, a Russian national and United Arab Emirates resident. Mira Serda and Besciokov are charged with money laundering conspiracy, and Besciokov is charged with conspiracy to violate sanctions and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to court documents, between 2019 and 2025, Besciokov and Mira Serda controlled and operated Garantex. Besciokov was Garantex’s primary technical administrator and responsible for obtaining and maintaining critical Garantex infrastructure, as well as reviewing and approving transactions. Mira Serda was Garantex’s co-founder and chief commercial officer.
Garantex received hundreds of millions in criminal proceeds and was used to facilitate various crimes, including hacking, ransomware, terrorism, and drug trafficking, often with substantial impact to U.S. victims. According to the indictment, Besciokov and Mira Serda knew that criminal proceeds were being laundered through Garantex and took steps to conceal the facilitation of illegal activities on its platform. For example, when Russian law enforcement sought records relating to an account registered to Mira Serda, Garantex provided incomplete information in response and falsely claimed the account was not verified. In reality, Garantex had associated the account with Mira Serda’s personal identifying documents, even while disclosing identifying information related to other accounts requested by Russian law enforcement.
On April 5, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Garantex for its role in facilitating money laundering of funds from ransomware actors and darknet markets. According to court documents, despite the widespread publicity of the sanctions and Garantex administrator’s personal knowledge of them, Besciokov and his co-conspirators violated those sanctions by continuing to transact with U.S.-based entities. Further, Besciokov and his co-conspirators redesigned Garantex’s operations to evade and violate U.S. sanctions and induce U.S. businesses to unwittingly transact with Garantex in violation of the sanctions. For example, Garantex moved its operational cryptocurrency wallets to different virtual currency addresses on a daily basis in order to make it difficult for U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges to identify and block transactions with Garantex accounts.
Despite doing substantial business in the United States and operating as a money transmitting business, Garantex failed to register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as required.
On March 6, U.S. law enforcement executed a seizure order authorized by a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia against three website domain names used to support Garantex’s operations. According to court records unsealed today, Garantex.org, Garantex.io, and Garantex.academy were associated with the administration and operation of Garantex. The seizure of these domains will prevent these sites from being used for money laundering and additional crimes. Individuals visiting those sites now will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by law enforcement.
As part of the coordinated actions, German and Finnish law enforcement seized servers hosting Garantex’s operations. U.S. law authorities have separately obtained earlier copies of Garantex’s servers, including customer and accounting databases. In addition, U.S. law enforcement has also frozen over $26 million in funds used to facilitate Garantex’s money laundering activities.
Besciokov and Mira Serda are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Besciokov is also charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Matthew R. Galeotti, Supervisory Official of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Michael Centrella, Assistant Directorof the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Office of Field Operations; and Bryan Vorndran, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, made the announcement.
USSS and the FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s National Security Division and Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.
The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of the German Federal Criminal Police Office, the Frankfurt General Prosecutor’s Office, the Dutch National Police, Europol, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, and the Estonian National Criminal Police.
Finally, the Department thanks Tether and blockchain analytics firm Elliptic for their proactive assistance in this investigation.
Any individual who believes he/she is a victim whose funds were laundered through Garantex or who may otherwise have a claim to restrained funds should contact law enforcement at [email protected].
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Garantex Cryptocurrency Exchange Disrupted in International OperationRead the Press Release
Note: View the indictment here.
The Justice Department announced today a coordinated action with Germany and Finland to disrupt and take down the online infrastructure used to operate Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly facilitated money laundering by transnational criminal organizations — including terrorist organizations — and sanctions violations. Since April 2019, Garantex has processed at least $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions.
Garantex Splash PageIn conjunction with the operation targeting Garantex, the Department also announced the unsealing of an indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia against Aleksej Besciokov, 46, a Lithuanian national and Russian resident, and Aleksandr Mira Serda (previously Aleksandr Ntifo-Siaw), 40, a Russian national and United Arab Emirates resident. Mira Serda and Besciokov are charged with money laundering conspiracy, and Besciokov is charged with conspiracy to violate sanctions and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to court documents, between 2019 and 2025, Besciokov and Mira Serda controlled and operated Garantex. Besciokov was Garantex’s primary technical administrator and responsible for obtaining and maintaining critical Garantex infrastructure, as well as reviewing and approving transactions. Mira Serda was Garantex’s co-founder and chief commercial officer.
Garantex received hundreds of millions in criminal proceeds and was used to facilitate various crimes, including hacking, ransomware, terrorism, and drug trafficking, often with substantial impact to U.S. victims. According to the indictment, Besciokov and Mira Serda knew that criminal proceeds were being laundered through Garantex and took steps to conceal the facilitation of illegal activities on its platform. For example, when Russian law enforcement sought records relating to an account registered to Mira Serda, Garantex provided incomplete information in response and falsely claimed the account was not verified. In reality, Garantex had associated the account with Mira Serda’s personal identifying documents, even while disclosing identifying information related to other accounts requested by Russian law enforcement.
On April 5, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Garantex for its role in facilitating money laundering of funds from ransomware actors and darknet markets. According to court documents, despite the widespread publicity of the sanctions and Garantex administrator’s personal knowledge of them, Besciokov and his co-conspirators violated those sanctions by continuing to transact with U.S.-based entities. Further, Besciokov and his co-conspirators redesigned Garantex’s operations to evade and violate U.S. sanctions and induce U.S. businesses to unwittingly transact with Garantex in violation of the sanctions. For example, Garantex moved its operational cryptocurrency wallets to different virtual currency addresses on a daily basis in order to make it difficult for U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges to identify and block transactions with Garantex accounts.
Despite doing substantial business in the United States and operating as a money transmitting business, Garantex failed to register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as required.
On March 6, U.S. law enforcement, led by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), executed a seizure order authorized by a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia against three website domain names used to support Garantex’s operations. According to court records unsealed today, Garantex.org, Garantex.io, and Garantex.academy were associated with the administration and operation of Garantex. The seizure of these domains will prevent these sites from being used for money laundering and additional crimes. Individuals visiting those sites now will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by law enforcement.
As part of the coordinated actions, German and Finnish law enforcement seized servers hosting Garantex’s operations. U.S. law authorities have separately obtained earlier copies of Garantex’s servers, including customer and accounting databases. In addition, U.S. law enforcement has also frozen over $26 million in funds used to facilitate Garantex’s money laundering activities.
Besciokov and Mira Serda are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Besciokov is also charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Michael Centrella of the USSS’ Office of Field Operations, and Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division made the announcement.
USSS and the FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s National Security Division and Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.
The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of the German Federal Criminal Police Office, the Frankfurt General Prosecutor’s Office, the Dutch National Police, Europol, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, and the Estonian National Criminal Police.
Finally, the Department thanks Tether and blockchain analytics firm Elliptic for their proactive assistance in this investigation.
Any individual who believes he/she is a victim whose funds were laundered through Garantex or who may otherwise have a claim to restrained funds should reach out to law enforcement via email address [email protected].
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Four Men Indicted on Kidnapping ChargeRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Darwin Veliz-Gonzalez, Jose Daniel Pineda-Moreno, Jeffrerson Balza-Delfin, and Yender Enrique Campos-Malave were each indicted by a federal grand jury on one count for unlawfully seizing, confining, kidnapping, abducting and holding for ransom an unidentified victim.
Balza-Delfin and Campos-Malave made their initial appearance in front of Magistrate Judge Cyrus Y. Chung today. Veliz-Gonzalez and Pineda-Moreno are scheduled to appear at a later date.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Denver Field Office and the Denver Police Department are handling the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement section of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Case Number: 25-cr-00077-JLK
Former refugee admits to supporting ISISRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 28-year-old former Iraqi refugee and legal permanent resident of Richmond has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Abdulrahman Mohammed Hafedh Alqaysi admitted to providing material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
From 2015 to 2020, Alqaysi provided his computer expertise to develop and post logos for a media arm of the ISIS group known as the Kalachnikov team. He further sent hacking videos and instructions to ISIS members in addition to stolen credit card information and fraudulently created identity documents.
“The Department of Justice and the Southern District of Texas are committed to rooting out terror elements in our communities, wherever they may be,” said Ganjei. “If you’re working to subvert the United States through violence, you will be found and you will be punished.”
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett accepted the plea and has set sentencing for June 5. At that time, Alqaysi faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI Houston Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case along with NSD Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe.
Former Wyoming County corrections officer going to prison for distributing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that James D. Sutton, 40, of Depew, NY, who was convicted of distribution child pornography, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison and 30 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring, who handled the case, stated that in October 2021, Sutton, a former Wyoming County Corrections Officer, used his cellular telephone to upload 22 video files containing child pornography, via the internet, to the social media platform Kik. The videos included prepubescent minors under the age of 12 years old, and depictions of violence.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
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Former Vice President of Pharmaceutical Company Admits to Insider TradingRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – George Demos, then-vice president at San Diego-based Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc., pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally selling 60,000 company shares, thus avoiding a $1.3 million loss by acting on insider knowledge about the labeling process for a prescription drug with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Demos, a medical doctor who was the Vice President of Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance and member of the drug label team at publicly-traded Acadia, admitted that he was able to avoid the loss by dumping his shares just two hours before negative news about the labeling process became public.
Through his positions, Demos had access to material information belonging to Acadia, including the drug approval and labeling process with the FDA, before the information was released to the investing public. As an employee of Acadia, Demos was subject to an insider trading policy that prohibited trading in company stock on the basis of material nonpublic information.
As of 2021, Acadia’s only fully FDA-approved pharmaceutical product was Pimavanserin, sold under the brand name Nuplazid, for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease psychosis. Demos admitted that in 2020, he learned inside information that Acadia had applied for FDA approval for the expansion of the label for Nuplazid to treat dementia-related psychosis. Expanding the label was expected to generate significant revenue for Acadia because it would allow the drug to treat a larger patient population.
Demos also admitted, however, that in March 2021, he learned additional inside information that discussions with the FDA had stalled, indicating a problem with the label. Acting on that inside information, Demos sold more than 60,000 shares of Acadia for $2,833,856.15 - less than two hours before Acadia issued a press release announcing deficiencies in its drug application with the FDA, preventing labeling discussions. Demos admitted that based on the inside information, he sold his Acadia stock for $46.61 per share, avoiding the 45 percent drop in stock price, to $25.02, that occurred the next day after the press release was issued to the public. Through this illegal trading, Demos avoided a loss of $1,313,263.
As part of his plea, Demos agreed to forfeit $1,313,263 – the loss he avoided through his insider trading.
Demos is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2025, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Robert Huie.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Janaki G. Chopra.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr00682
George Demos Age: 64 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Securities Fraud – 15 U.S.C. § 78j(b), 78ff; 17 CFR § 240.10b-5
Maximum penalty – Twenty years in prison and fine of $5 million or twice the gross gain or loss
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Former Tax Preparer Sentenced for Theft of Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for stealing federal funds by filing false tax returns to obtain fraudulent tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).
Valentina Martinez, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris to 12 months of supervised release under home confinement, with electronic monitoring for the first six months. Martinez was also ordered to pay $41,823 in restitution to the IRS. In December 2024, Martinez pleaded guilty to five counts of theft of government money.
Martinez previously worked for a national tax return preparation service. After preparing returns for clients and providing them copies of their returns, Martinez added fraudulent claims for business deductions to the clients’ returns without their knowledge and electronically filed the false returns in order to obtain fraudulent refunds. Martinez caused the tax refunds to be deposited onto debit cards that she used to make ATM withdrawals, including paying for a Florida vacation and other personal purchases. Martinez’s scheme was discovered and her employment terminated when a taxpayer client complained to the return preparation service about a missing refund. By then, Martinez had already filed at least 12 false returns and caused more than $40,000 in losses to the IRS.
The prosecution of Martinez is part of a Stolen Identity Refund Project (“SIRF”) program operated by the IRS to identify tax preparers who use stolen identities to steal money from the United States Treasury by filing false tax returns that claim tax refunds without the named taxpayer’s knowledge.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Refugee Pleads Guilty and Admits to Supporting ISISRead the Press Release
A former Iraqi refugee and legal permanent resident of Richmond, Texas, has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Abdulrahman Mohammed Hafedh Alqaysi, 28, admitted to providing material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
From 2015 to 2020, Alqaysi provided his computer expertise to develop and post logos for a media arm of the ISIS group known as the Kalachnikov team. He further sent hacking videos and instructions to ISIS members in addition to stolen credit card information and fraudulently created identity documents.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett accepted the plea and has set sentencing for June 5. Alqaysi faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Alqaysi has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI Houston Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter for the Southern District of Texas is prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
Former New Hampshire Woman Sentenced to 27 months for Defrauding Bedford Women’s Care AssociatesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A former New Hampshire woman was sentenced in federal court in connection with her conviction for defrauding her prior employer out of more than $140,000, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Elizabeth Morse, 56, currently of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliot to 27 months in federal prison and 2 years of supervised release. Morse was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $168,311.40. On November 26, 2024, Morse plead guilty to wire fraud.
“The defendant’s crime was a significant factor in the closure of the medical practice in early 2023, which had widespread ramifications on many individuals, including not only the medical partners but also their former employees,” said U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “While there is no way to make the victims whole under those circumstances, the court’s sentence today is a measure of justice reflecting the harm her crime caused others.”
“Elizabeth Morse betrayed the trust of the medical practice she worked for when she manipulated its payroll to divert tens of thousands of dollars for herself,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “This case demonstrates how the FBI will diligently investigate and bring to justice anyone engaged in such blatant financial fraud.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendant was a long-time employee of Bedford Women’s Care Associates (“BWCA”), a Bedford, NH-based medical group practice that specialized in Obstetrics & Gynecology until its closure in early 2023. Starting in 2020, the defendant became BWCA’s office manager and handled the processing of payroll through a third-party servicer. The defendant manipulated the payroll processes at BWCA by logging into the third-party servicer and changing her rate of pay to a higher amount than what she was entitled. The defendant’s scheme lasted approximately three years.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.
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Former CEO of Subprime Auto Lender Sentenced to Four Years in Prison in Connection with $67 Million Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former Chief Executive Officer of a suburban Chicago subprime auto lending company has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for participating in a pair of fraud schemes that resulted in approximately $67 million in losses.
JAMES COLLINS was the CEO of Evanston, Ill.-based Honor Finance LLC. From 2015 to 2018, Collins schemed with others to submit false information to a bank that had provided a $200 million warehouse line of credit to the company to fund its subprime loan portfolio. The false information allowed Collins to avoid posting additional collateral while maintaining funding from the line of credit that the company otherwise might have had to return to the bank. The false information also increased the amount of funding he received from a trust established by Honor and the bank to securitize thousands of loans in Honor’s portfolio and sell them as bonds to investors. Collins selected certain vehicle loans for the trust that he knew were delinquent and not eligible to be included in the portfolio because money had already been advanced to those borrowers through improper accounting entries. Collins hid the ineligibility of these loans from the bank, bond investors, and rating agencies. As a result of the false representations and omissions regarding the line of credit and the trust, the bank lost approximately $62 million.
Collins also engaged in a separate fraud scheme that involved the misappropriation of approximately $5.3 million from Honor. Collins and his co-schemers established a shell company called LHS Solutions that they used as a middleman between Honor and a third-party supplier of GPS devices. Instead of Honor buying the devices directly from the supplier, as it had previously done, Collins had LHS Solutions purchase the devices before selling them to Honor Finance at inflated prices, with Collins and the co-schemers keeping and using the difference. Collins also diverted commissions from the sales of vehicle warranties that should have gone to Honor.
Collins, 55, of Evanston, Ill., pleaded guilty in 2023 to a federal mail fraud charge and stipulated to bank fraud. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Franklin W. Valderrama imposed the prison sentence and ordered Collins to pay approximately $67 million in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Getter and Paige A. Nutini.
A co-defendant, Honor Finance’s former Chief Operating Officer ROBERT DIMEO, of Park Ridge, Ill., pleaded guilty in 2022 to a mail fraud charge. DiMeo is awaiting sentencing.
Former Border Patrol Agent Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights ViolationsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Shane Millan, age 53, of Jefferson County New York, pled guilty today in federal court in Syracuse to two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Vance Kuhner, Special Agent in Charge for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, New York, NY, made the announcement.
In pleading guilty today, Millan admitted that, while acting under color of law as a Border Patrol Agent, he willfully deprived multiple victims of their constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches when, during virtual processing concerning their admission to the United States, he commanded the victims to expose their bare chests to him via webcam. Millan further admitted that he told these women that his requests were for legitimate searches incident to admission into the United States, but he knew his demands to see the victims’ breasts were for his own gratification.
Millan is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2025, by United States Magistrate Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks. At sentencing, he faces up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $200,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility Investigative Operations Directorate is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael F. Perry and Michael D. Gadarian are prosecuting the case.
Foreign Nationals with Prior Convictions Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Mexican and El Salvadorian nationals residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Edwin Geovany Salazar-Giron, 40, and Javier Anaya-Acosta, 43, are both charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for both defendants are scheduled for March 20, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, Salazar-Giron, a citizen and national of El Salvador, and Anaya-Acosta, a citizen and national of Mexico, were both previously deported and removed from the United States and re-entered the United States illegally.
On February 25, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Salazar-Giron at the Henderson Police Department in Henderson, Nevada. Salazar-Giron had previously been deported on or about July 17, 2015. Salazar-Giron has prior felony convictions for Trafficking Cocaine and Possession of Firearm or Knife During Commission of or Attempt to Commit Certain Crimes. Both convictions were prior to his removal in 2015.
On February 27, 2025, ICE arrested Anaya-Acosta who had previously been deported on both March 5, 2010, and again on May 18, 2015. Prior to his first removal from the United States, Anaya-Acosta was convicted of Illegal Alien in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, a felony violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5)(A).
If convicted, Salazar-Giron and Anaya-Acosta both face the maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Foreign National Extradited from Spain to Face Charges for Alleged International “Tech Support Fraud Scheme"Read the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence J. Cameron announced today that Bikramjit Ahluwalia, 39, a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates living in Dubai, was extradited from Spain and will appear in federal court in Charlotte later today. Ahluwalia, also known as “Biku,” “Internetteam5000,” “Don Bonsa,” and “Bobby,” is charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to damage a protected computer, and wire fraud for his alleged role in an extensive “tech support fraud scheme.”
Generally, a tech support fraud scheme causes malicious pop-ups to appear on unsuspecting users’ computers, warning their devices have been infiltrated by a virus or another serious computer issue, convincing users to purchase unnecessary repair services or technical support using a telephone number or a link on the victims’ computer screens.
According to allegations in the indictment, Ahluwalia and his co-defendant, Andrew Brolese, owned Digital Marketing Support Services (DMSS), a Seychelles-based company that published and sold malicious pop-ups as a means of generating customer traffic for overseas call centers from victims of their tech support scheme. From April 2016 to March 2021, Ahluwalia and Brolese and their conspirators targeted victims throughout the United States, some of whom were 55 and older. It is alleged that the victims targeted in the scheme experienced computer pop-ups that mimicked fatal system-error screens, also known as “blue screens of death,” malicious pop-ups suggesting malware had been installed on their computers, or urgent warnings for technical issues related to the victims’ services, software, or devices. The indictment alleges that victims targeted by the malicious pop-ups were then instructed to call a number to receive technical services to help resolve their issues. As alleged in the indictment, the various overseas call centers, upon receipt of the victim call traffic, would use the misrepresentations in the pop-ups, false diagnoses of computer issues, and other deceptive sales techniques to trick the victims into paying hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars to the call centers to receive unnecessary technical support for the non-existent computer issues.
The indictment alleges that Ahluwalia and Brolese conspired with others to sell incoming calls from targeted victims seeking purported tech support to companies around the world, including to an individual who owned companies in the Western District of North Carolina. It is further alleged that Ahluwalia and Brolese received over $31.2 million in illicit payments from the tech support scheme, through wire transfers made to DMSS’s bank accounts located overseas.
Ahluwalia is expected to appear for his initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler in Charlotte at 10:15 a.m.
Ahluwalia’s charges for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The maximum sentence for money laundering is 20 years in prison, and for the charge of conspiracy to damage a protected computer is five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation was led by the Nashville Cyber Task Force which comprises the Knoxville Office of the FBI and the Knoxville Police Department. We thank the government of Spain for their substantial assistance arresting and extraditing Ahluwalia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the extradition of Ahluwalia from Spain.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Five More Sentenced in Federal Pandemic Fraud Unemployment Benefit SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – An additional five of the 17 defendants charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, commit program fraud, and commit mail fraud in connection to a scheme involving the filing of fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits, were sentenced this week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
On Thursday, Christopher Kirk Webb, 40, of Raven, Virginia was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison. Russell Eric Stiltner, 42, of Abingdon, Virginia, was sentenced to 24 months. Jessica Dawn Lester, 35, of North Tazewell, Virginia, and Cara Camille Bailey, 38, of Davenport, Virginia, were both sentenced to 19 months, and Justin Warren Meadows, 39, of Oakland, Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months. All defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission for the amount of their individual fraudulent claims.
Six Defendants were previously sentenced for their roles in the scheme.
Jonathan Webb, the individual charged with ‘recruiting’ others to file fraudulent claims, mostly inmates at local jails, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $150,218 in restitution.
Terrence Brooks Vilacha was sentenced to 18 months in prison and was ordered to pay $14,894 in restitution. Joseph Hass was sentenced to 27 months’ incarceration and was ordered to pay $19,316 in restitution. Brian Addair was sentenced to 24 months in prison and was ordered to pay $22,284.
Stephanie Amber Barton and Hayleigh McKenzie Wolfe were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day.
According to court documents, between March 2020 and September 2021, Josef Brown, Jonathan Webb, and Crystal Shaw developed a scheme to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment befits via the Virginia Employment Commission website. The scheme involved the collection of personal identification information (PII) of inmates housed at SWVRJA-Haysi, as well as personal friends and acquaintances of Brown, Webb, and Shaw. The conspirators used that information to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment benefits for incarcerated individuals and others who were ineligible for the benefits.
In all, the defendants stole $341,205 in pandemic relief to which they were not entitled.
As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentences.
Agencies that assisted with this investigation included the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority, the FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, and the Virginia Employment Commission.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Federal grand jury indicts Chautauqua County man for attempted production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jose Perez, 40, of Celeron, NY, with attempted production of child pornography and possession of child pornography, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 80 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint, on September 3, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Perez uploaded a file a suspected child pornography. On December 15, 2022, HSI executed a federal search warrant at Perez’s residence, seizing computers, a cellular telephone, and electronic storage devices, including a thumb drive, which contained two video files that appeared to be taken from a videocam located in Perez’s bathroom. One of the files included video of a naked minor victim who does not appear to be aware that the camera is present. In addition, the thumb drive contained 17,839 image files that appeared to be taken from the same bathroom videocam and included naked images of the minor victim. Images and videos of child pornography were also found on Perez’s cell phone.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Jury Convicts Joshua Aaron Holmes for Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.— On March 7, 2025, following a three-day trial in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Knoxville, a jury convicted Joshua Aaron Holmes, age 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1349, mail fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1341, and wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
Holmes faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. He will be sentenced by the Honorable Katherine A. Crytzer, United States District Judge in the United States District Court at Knoxville on a date to be determined.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Holmes participated in a scheme to defraud elderly victims. Evidence presented showed that Holmes and others worked to steal money from individuals intending to invest their money. The evidence further showed that Holmes and others then posed as federal agents who promised to help the victims recover money lost through investments; victims were induced to pay fake fees, taxes, and court costs, yet did not receive the return of any lost money—the victims only lost more.
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Nashville Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael S. Deel, David P. Lewen, Jr., and William A. Roach, Jr. represented the United States in this case.
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Federal Inmate Charged with Possession of A WeaponRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Antoine Tucker, age 22, originally from Washington D.C., was indicted on March 4, 2025, by a federal grand jury on a charge of possession of a weapon by a federal inmate.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on August 17, 2024, Tucker possessed a weapon, an approximate 5-inch piece of plastic sharpened to a point with a cloth handle, commonly known as a “shank” while an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute at Allenwood, Union County, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 5 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Federal Inmate Charged with Possessing WeaponsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jack Carroll, Jr., age 52, a federal inmate at the Federal Correction Institution Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, was charged on March 4, 2025, by a federal grand jury with possessing contraband in prison.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about December 11, 2024, while an inmate at FCI Schuylkill, Carroll possessed three inmate manufactured weapons, specifically a five-inch piece of glass sharpened to a point, and two six-inch pieces of plexiglass sharpened to a point, commonly referred to as “shanks.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Federal Inmate Charged with Possessing A WeaponRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tommy Clark, age 22, a federal inmate at the Federal Correction Institution Schuylkill (FCI Schuylkill), in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, was charged on March 4, 2025, by a federal grand jury with possessing contraband in prison.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about October 16, 2024, while an inmate at FCI Schuylkill, Clark possessed an inmate manufactured weapon, specifically a six-and-one-half inch piece of metal sharpened to a point with a lanyard, commonly referred to as a “shank.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Fayetteville Man Sentenced to 130 Months in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Chadiez White (24) was sentenced on Thursday to 130 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. White pled guilty to the offense on November 26, 2024.
According to court records and evidence presented at sentencing, White was stopped by the Fayetteville Police Department for a traffic infraction. Officers detected an odor of marijuana coming from the car and saw marijuana residue and paraphernalia in the lap of a passenger. White admitted to officers that there was marijuana and a firearm in the car. White’s vehicle was seized and searched, and the officers located a semiautomatic pistol with a large capacity magazine under the driver’s seat, ammunition in the center console, 77 grams of marijuana and a digital scale in backpack located behind the driver’s seat, and six empty marijuana graphic baggies from the passenger side. White claimed ownership of everything found in the vehicle.
White’s criminal history includes convictions for common law robbery, breaking and entering, and an unrelated prior conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
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.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. Agencies involved in the investigation include the Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaren E. Kelly and Jermaine Sellers prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-00282-D.
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Edgewood Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – An Edgewood, Ky. man, Eric Fultz, 52, was sentenced on Friday to 262 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, on June 29, 2024, law enforcement stopped Fultz’s vehicle travelling on Interstate 75 in Erlanger. Shortly thereafter, a K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and found 55.5 grams of actual methamphetamine. Fultz admitted in his plea agreement that he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.
Under federal law, Fultz 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 10 years.
Paul C. McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Director Scott Hardcorn, Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Winslow prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Eastern NC Man Sentenced to over Four Years for Role in $1 Million Covid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Snow Hill man was sentenced to 50 months in prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud related to Covid-19 loans. In March of 2024, TYREEK RASHEED EXUM, 26, was charged in a multi-count indictment alleging various offenses related to a Covid fraud scheme. On September 24, 2024, Exum pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Co-defendant Anthony Wandland, Jr., of Chicago, Illinois, pled guilty to the same charge on November 13, 2024.
Exum and Wandland conspired to use over 20 stolen identities and the identities of co-conspirators to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits. The indictment charged that Wandland provided Exum with the stolen identities, and, in exchange, Exum gave Wandland a percentage of the proceeds. Each loan application submitted by Exum contained false statements, misrepresentations, and omissions related to income, employment, and claimed business entities. Exum signed various financial documents, including loan and security agreements, in the names of those stolen identities and then had the loan proceeds deposited into his personal bank account, nominee bank accounts, bank accounts of family and friends, and into accounts in the names of stolen identities. Exum exercised control over these accounts by obtaining bank debit cards and by causing nominees to transfer the fraud proceeds to other accounts controlled by him via various digital mediums such as PayPal and CashApp. Exum also withdrew the cash at multiple ATMs. In total, the indictment alleged Exum received nearly $1 million in fraudulent loan proceeds. The Court ordered Exuma to pay more than $620,000 in restitution.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Labresh prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:21CR178-M and 5:23CR388-M.
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Duluth Felon Charged with Possession of Firearm, FentanylRead the Press Release
DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth woman has been indicted on illegal possession of a firearm and drug trafficking charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on December 8, 2023, Khadijah Denise Preston, 30, was found in possession of a Smith & Wesson model M&P Shield M2.0 handgun. On October 9, 2024, Preston possessed fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
Because Preston has a prior felony conviction in Hennepin County for second degree assault, she is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
The indictment charges Preston with one count of illegal possession of a firearm and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. She made her initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Leo I. Brisbois on March 6, 2025.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Duluth Police Department, the Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nichole J. Carter is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Misusing Identity of United States CitizenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Dorchester pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally using the personal identifying information of a United States citizen, which he used to obtain a driver’s license and United States passport.
Luis Alison Roa Lara, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in a U.S. passport application, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of misuse of a Social Security number. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2025. The defendant was arrested and charged in August 2024.
For nearly a decade, Luis Alison Roa Lara has been using the personal identifying information of a Puerto Rican citizen of the United States. Luis Alison Roa Lara used the misappropriated identifying information to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and attempted to use it to obtain a United States passport.
The charge of false statement in a passport application provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft calls for a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of misuse of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, Detroit Resident Office; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and the Lorain (Ohio) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Department of State employee charged for conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense informationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged participation in a criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information.
According to court documents, Schena is employed by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) working out of DOS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Schena held a Top Secret security clearance and had access to information up to the Secret level within his DOS workspace. Beginning in or about April 2022, Schena allegedly communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them with information they were not authorized to receive. In return, Schena allegedly received payments. On Feb. 27, Schena allegedly used a cellphone to take images of multiple documents, which were displayed on the monitor of his classified computer and marked as “SECRET.” Schena then allegedly left work and returned to his home in Alexandria, where the cellphone was seized.
Schena is charged with conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information and faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Richmond Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Counterintelligence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben’Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-mj-143.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Department of State Employee Charged for Conspiracy to Gather, Transmit, or Lose National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
View the complaint affidavit.
Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged participation in a criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information.
According to court documents, Schena is employed by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) working out of DOS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Schena held a top secret security clearance and had access to information up to the secret level within his DOS workspace. Beginning in or about April 2022, Schena allegedly communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them with information they were not authorized to receive. In return, Schena received payments. On Feb. 27, Schena allegedly used a cellphone to take images of multiple documents, which were displayed on the monitor of his classified computer and marked as “SECRET.” Schena then allegedly left work and returned to his home in Alexandria, where the cellphone was seized.
Schena is charged with conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information and faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Richmond Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Counterintelligence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben’Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Defendants Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Violating Big Cat Public Safety ActRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced that Keidrick Damond Usifo and Deon Johnson, were sentenced to probation on Thursday, March 6, 2025, by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr. for violation of the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
Judge Moody sentenced Usifo, 30, of Conway, Arkansas, to five years’ probation and a $5,000.00 fine, and Johnson, 29, of Little Rock, Arkansas, to 18 months’ probation, and a $1,000.00 fine. Usifo and Johnson were indicted by a federal grand jury on March 5, 2024. Usifo was indicted on one count of violation of the Big Cat Public Safety Act and Johnson was indicted on one count of misprision of a felony, which related to Johnson’s affirmative concealment of Usifo’s crime. On October 22, 2024, both Usifo and Johnson pled guilty to their counts in the indictment.
An investigation revealed that Usifo purchased and transported a tiger cub around March 16-18, 2023, from a tiger broker in Dallas, Texas. On April 7, 2023, the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission (AGFC) notified USFWS that they received a complaint of a tiger cub sighting in a residential neighborhood in Conway. On April 17, 2023, an agent with AGFC was notified that there was a man with a tiger in the backyard of a residence in Conway. There was also an anonymous tip posted on AGFC’s page about a tiger cub for sale in Conway. The Big Cat Public Safety Act makes it illegal to privately possess or breed big cats.
A further investigation revealed that on April 19, 2023, a second complaint was made to AGFC about a tiger at a residence in Conway. On April 21, 2023, a traffic stop was conducted and Usifo was arrested on a felony state warrant. The Conway Police Department executed a search warrant at Usifo’s residence and although they did not locate the tiger, there was evidence in the residence indicating the presence of a tiger, as well as matching rooms from Usifo’s Instagram posts that displayed a tiger cub.
While in the Pulaski County Detention Facility (PCDF), Usifo made several calls to Johnson. The investigation revealed that Johnson had knowledge of when Usifo was going to travel to Dallas to get the tiger and of Usifo’s possession of the tiger. Johnson also fed the tiger for Usifo during Usifo’s incarceration at PCDF. Johnson concealed any knowledge of the tiger when questioned by agents.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act was enacted on December 20, 2022, to protect the public by putting an end to the private ownership of big cats, such as tigers and lions, as pets and by prohibiting exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including tiger cubs. It has placed new restrictions on the commerce, breeding, possession, and use of certain big cat species. In order to legally possess privately owned big cats, the Act required individuals or entities to register any big cats before the date of enactment, that were in their possession with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
The case was investigated by the USFWS, with assistance from AGFC, Conway Police Department, and the Little Rock Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Walker with assistance from the United States Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
Decatur Siblings Sentenced to Multiple Decades in Prison for Kidnapping Local BusinessmanRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Two Decatur siblings, Ademeko Maclin-Carney, 26, and Ausarian Carney, 23, were sentenced on March 5, 2025, to thirty and twenty-four years in federal prison, respectively, to be followed by multi-year terms of supervised release, for kidnapping and seeking ransom for a Decatur businessman on March 24, 2022.
During a five-day jury trial from October 7-11, 2024, the government presented evidence that Maclin-Carney lured a local businessman to an abandoned house in Decatur under the pretense of seeking a flooring estimate for the home. When the victim arrived to provide the flooring estimate, Maclin-Carney greeted him using an alias and led him inside, where she pepper-sprayed him in the eyes as he stood up from taking a measurement. As this was happening, her brother, Carney, entered from another room, pressed a firearm into the victim, and told him it was going to be a “very bad day” for him. After ordering the victim to the ground while holding him at gunpoint, Carney then zip-tied the victim’s hands, duct-taped his face, and put a bag over his head. The siblings instructed the victim that they wanted $400,000 for his release, otherwise they would kill him.
The kidnappers moved the victim to various locations, at one point instructing him to make a ransom call to his wife at their family business. Though the victim instructed his wife not to call the police, she nonetheless called 911 and the Decatur Police Department responded and began their investigation. Maclin-Carney went to the victim’s business and saw members of the Decatur Police Department there, which spurred her and Carney to again move the victim and to eventually dump him, zip-tied with a bag over his head, in the back of an abandoned van. The victim, left alone on a bed of broken glass in the rain, eventually pried a hand free and escaped his zip ties. He ran to a local business, where the authorities were contacted and came to his aid.
Meanwhile, the Decatur Police Department was conducting an extensive investigation and had located the victim’s car, which the defendants had dumped in an alleyway in Decatur. The defendants also had placed the victim’s belongings in the car, along with a notebook that listed the address of the home from which he had been abducted, the alias that had been used by Maclin-Carney, and traces of pepper spray that had been used against the victim. Ultimately, law enforcement discovered that the notebook contained the fingerprints of both defendants. Using this information, the Decatur Police were able to locate and search the home where the victim had been abducted and find more evidence implicating the two defendants.
The victim identified Maclin-Carney before and during the trial as the kidnapper who lured him to the home for the flooring estimate. A variety of forensic evidence, including fingerprints, DNA, business video footage, trace fiber evidence, and cellular location data all demonstrated that the siblings perpetrated the kidnapping. The jury convicted both siblings of kidnapping on October 11, 2024.
At the sentencing hearings before U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn on March 5, 2025, Judge McGlynn noted that the victim and his family would suffer long-lasting psychological trauma from the incident. Judge McGlynn also noted that neither defendant expressed remorse for the crime.
In imposing the thirty-year sentence for Maclin-Carney, Judge McGlynn highlighted that she was the leader of the kidnapping, specifically noting her research about the victim, his family, and his business before the crime. The court also noted that Maclin-Carney had researched the penalty for “third-degree murder” in the leadup to the kidnapping. After her arrest, Maclin-Carney also took steps while in pretrial detention both to prevent the victims from testifying against her, and to manufacture an alibi through false testimony about her own and her brother’s whereabouts during the kidnapping. Maclin-Carney had two prior violent felony convictions, both for aggravated battery, prior to committing this kidnapping.
In imposing the twenty-four-year sentence for Carney, Judge McGlynn noted that although Maclin-Carney was the mastermind of the operation and had a more serious criminal history, Carney was still the gunman and the muscle. Carney had been, in every way, a partner to his sister’s crime, had pressed the firearm into the victim multiple times to force his compliance, and like his sister, never expressed regret or remorse for his actions.
“The defendants’ violent kidnapping of the victim in this case shows their avarice for ill-gotten gains at any cost, including the terror they inflicted on the victim and his family,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “The significant sentences here reflect the gravity of the defendants’ crimes. I want to thank our law enforcement partners – the Decatur Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service – who all did excellent work investigating this crime.”
“Kidnapping cases are incredibly traumatic, and this one was no different,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Freres. “The husband and wife victims of this offense showed immense courage throughout this ordeal, including testifying at the trial. Throughout, I was deeply moved by their strength and faith. I am also deeply appreciative for all the hard work of law enforcement in investigating this case.”
“This case is a testament to the outstanding dedication and collaboration between the Decatur Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing these suspects to justice,” said Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel. “The investigators worked tirelessly on this complex case, demonstrating exceptional skill and commitment to ensuring public safety. We are grateful for our strong partnerships and the unwavering pursuit of justice by the prosecutors who brought this case to a successful conclusion. Most importantly, our thoughts remain with the victim, and we hope this resolution brings them a measure of healing and justice.”
“Quite often, successful investigative outcomes require resources from a variety of law enforcement partners,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Karen Marinos. “The Decatur Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and FBI Springfield brought their best to the table. Those efforts held the offenders accountable and led to justice for the victim.”
The statutory penalty for kidnapping is up to life imprisonment, followed by up to five years of supervised release.
The Decatur Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan D. Freres and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the United States in the prosecution.
DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancelation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 MillionRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the immediate cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. These cancellations represent the first round of action and additional cancellations are expected to follow. The Task Force is continuing to review and coordinate across federal agencies to identify additional cancellations that could be made swiftly. DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA are taking this action as members of the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. Columbia University currently holds more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments.
On March 3rd, the Task Force notified the Acting President of Columbia University that it would conduct a comprehensive review of the university’s federal contracts and grants in light of ongoing investigations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Chaos and anti-Semitic harassment have continued on and near campus in the days since. Columbia has not responded to the Task Force.
"After the horrors of October 7th, Jewish students were shamefully targeted on American college campuses—including at Columbia University," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "Any university which fails to account for the discrimination of its students will not be tolerated. Comply with federal anti-discrimination laws and take action to protect students or expect consequences.”
“Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses – only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer.”
President Trump has been clear that any college or university that allows illegal protests and repeatedly fails to protect students from anti-Semitic harassment on campus will be subject to the loss of federal funding.
“Freezing the funds is one of the tools we are using to respond to this spike in anti-Semitism. This is only the beginning,” said Leo Terrell, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and head of the DOJ Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. “Cancelling these taxpayer funds is our strongest signal yet that the Federal Government is not going to be party to an educational institution like Columbia that does not protect Jewish students and staff.”
The decisive action by the DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA to cancel Columbia’s grants and contracts serves as a notice to every school and university that receives federal dollars that this Administration will use all the tools at its disposal to protect Jewish students and end anti-Semitism on college campuses.
“Anti-Semitism is clearly inconsistent with the fundamental values that should inform liberal education,” said Sean Keveney, HHS Acting General Counsel and Task Force member. “Columbia University’s complacency is unacceptable.”
GSA will assist HHS and ED in issuing stop-work orders on grants and contracts that Columbia holds with those agencies. These stop-work orders will immediately freeze the university’s access to these funds. Additionally, GSA will be assisting all agencies in issuing stop work orders and terminations for contracts held by Columbia University.
“Doing business with the Federal Government is a privilege,” said Josh Gruenbaum, FAS Commissioner and Task Force member. “Columbia University, through their continued and shameful inaction to stop radical protestors from taking over buildings on campus and lack of response to the safety issues for Jewish students, and for that matter - all students - are not upholding the ideals of this Administration or the American people. Columbia cannot expect to retain the privilege of receiving federal taxpayer dollars if they will not fulfill their civil rights responsibilities to protect Jewish students from harassment and anti-Semitism.”
For more information, read the HHS, ED, and GSA joint press release from Monday, March 3rd.
Colorado Woman Sentenced to Nearly 23 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Huge Quantities of Methamphetamine in Pierre, Rapid City, and in Several Indian Reservations in South DakotaRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Denver, Colorado, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 5, 2025.
Rikki Renee Barrowman, a/k/a Juree T Rials, age 34, was sentenced to 22 years and 11 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Barrowman was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in Febuary 2024. She pleaded guilty on December 5, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from a drug conspiracy beginning in January 2021 and continuing until July 2022. Barrowman was involved in an extensive conspiracy with several other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in and around western and central South Dakota, including within the Pine Ridge Sioux Indian Reservation, the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation, and the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, as well as in Rapid City and Pierre. This conspiracy involved approximately 65 kilograms of methamphetamine. Barrowman was the source of supply of methamphetamine in Denver. She would supply various individuals who would then transport the methamphetamine to South Dakota where it was further distributed. As part of the conspiracy firearms were traded for narcotics.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Barrowman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Colombian National Charged with Narco-Terrorism in Superseding IndictmentRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Geovany Andres Rojas, a suspected cocaine trafficker also known as Araña, was indicted by a federal grand jury today in a superseding Indictment with a new count of Narco-Terrorism.
Rojas was previously charged with one count of International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine. In that charge, Rojas is alleged to have agreed, in Colombia, Ecuador, and elsewhere, to distribute cocaine knowing that it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Today, the United States added a second charge of Narco-Terrorism that alleges that Rojas knowingly and intentionally provided anything of pecuniary value to persons and organizations he knew were engaged in terrorist activity and terrorism.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle B. Martin and Ashley E. Goff.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr0442-H
Giovany Andres Rojas, aka Araña Age: 43 Colombia
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison
Narco-Terrorism – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 960a and 841
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years and up to life in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Clinton, Indiana, Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-HireRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Clinton, Indiana, woman, Davetta Cox, 32, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2025, to using facilities of interstate commerce in a murder-for-hire scheme. Sentencing for Cox has been set for July 18, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
At the hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, Cox admitted to seeking to hire someone she believed to be a hitman to kill another individual. During the hearing, the government provided information that Cox had offered the supposed hitman $6,000 to murder another individual.
Cox was arrested in January 2024 and remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, pending sentencing. Cox faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment; up to a $500,000 fine; and up to a six-year term of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Champaign Resident Agency, and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Ritzer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Claremore Man Sentenced After Robbing and Assaulting Elderly WomanRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Teddy Lee Martin, 63, for Robbery in Indian Country and Assault with Intent to Commit a Felony in Indian Country. Judge Russell ordered Martin to be sentenced to 78 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and to pay $6,000 in restitution.
“Martin was a threat to our community, and behind bars is the best place for him,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This case is an excellent example of law enforcement using technology and working with prosecutors towards the same goal. With their swift action, Martin was in custody and off the streets.”
In August 2023, Creek County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a home in Sapulpa. Upon arrival, the 85-year-old victim told deputies that a masked man, later identified as Martin, entered the house with a handgun, demanded money, and threatened to kill the victim if she did not cooperate. Martin stole jewelry and physically assaulted the victim before leaving the home.
Neighborhood video surveillance and FLOCK cameras show Martin fleeing in a vehicle from the area. Law enforcement shared the vehicle information that Martin was seen fleeing in. Tulsa Police officers pulled over the vehicle and confirmed with Creek County that the vehicle occupants matched the description of the suspects seen fleeing the home.
Upon searching the vehicle, law enforcement found some of the jewelry taken from the home, the mask and the clothing seen on video footage.
Investigators discovered that Morgan Turley was driving the vehicle away from the victim's home. In December, she pled guilty in State Court for conspiring to commit robbery with Martin and falsely impersonation when she gave officers the incorrect name.
Martin is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and he will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI, Creek County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Dunn prosecuted the case.
Chinese National Arrested for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Jiaan Cao (33, China) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, Cao faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Cao is currently detained pending the resolution of this case.
According to the indictment, beginning in at least October 2024 and continuing through December 12, 2024, Cao conspired with others to commit wire fraud. Cao and other conspirators sought to accomplish the wire fraud by gaining access to a victim’s computer, fraudulently posing as a representative of a victim’s financial institution and informing the victim their account had been subjected to fraudulent or criminal activity. A member of the conspiracy would then direct the victim to withdraw money from their account and purchase gold to provide to a conspirator. A conspirator would then travel to the victim to obtain the gold. During the conspiracy, conspirators exchanged electronic communications with one another that included location details of the victim.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Chesterfield cocaine trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Chesterfield man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, on May 18, 2023, Urain Alexander Robinson, 52, was contacted by a co-conspirator (CC1), who was seeking to purchase cocaine from Robinson. That night, Robinson transported multiple kilograms of cocaine from his residence to CC1’s house in Hopewell and distributed it to CC1. Shortly after Robinson distributed the cocaine to CC1, another co-conspirator (CC2) arrived at CC1’s house and picked up three kilograms of the cocaine that Robinson had just distributed to CC1. CC2 was stopped by police shortly after leaving CC1’s house.
The cocaine was recovered by police. Law enforcement also seized $8,381 in drug-trafficking proceeds from Robinson’s residence on May 14, 2024.
Robinson was convicted in 1992 in Virginia of possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and unlawful wounding; in 1993 in New Jersey of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and in 2005 in the Eastern District of Virginia of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. The Chesterfield County Police Department assisted in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-117.
California Lawyer Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Matthew C. Browndorf, 54, of Irvine, California, to more than five years in federal prison for money laundering and wire fraud.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Baltimore Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Edwin Bonano, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office Inspector General (FHFA-OIG).
According to the guilty plea, the defendant served as an attorney licensed to practice law in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and was a named partner at a law firm. Browndorf was also majority owner and CEO of Plutos Sama, LLC, which operated as a holding company for his various business endeavors.
Plutos Sama, with Browndorf signing the purchase agreement as a managing member, procured the Fisher Law Group. After Plutos Sama acquired the Fisher Law Group, it changed the name to BP Fisher which served as an organization that represented lending and loan servicing clients in foreclosure proceedings. The newly acquired company had agreements with its clients to facilitate the foreclosure of a property, take out its expenses, and then return the remaining money.
BP Fisher also maintained an Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Account (IOLTA) and operating account, which the defendant oversaw. An IOLTA is maintained in a financial institution for the deposit of funds received or held by an attorney or law firm on behalf of a client or third person. All funds received into an IOLTA account must be delivered in whole or in part to a client, unless received as payment for fees owed to the lawyer by the client or in reimbursement for expenses that the lawyer properly advanced on behalf of the client.
Over several years, the defendant led clients to believe that they had immediate access to the money in the two BP Fisher IOLTA accounts. But Browndorf was directing employees to transfer the clients’ money into Plutos Sama accounts and other accounts that he controlled. The scheme caused more than $2.4 million in losses to BP Fisher’s clients. Browndorf used the stolen funds to pay for expenses such as his American Express credit card bill, car-lease payment to Ferrari and Maserati of Newport Beach, and mortgage.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and FHFA-OIG for their work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Sarma, Joshua Rosenthal, and Matthew Phelps, who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Bakersfield Man Charged with Laser Strikes of Police HelicopterRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Brett Curtis Hair, 22, of Bakersfield, was arrested today for aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to the indictment, on Sept. 11, 2024, Hair aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter (Air One).
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), laser exposure can result in visual impairment and therefore poses a serious hazard to the safe operation of an aircraft. In 2024, the FAA received 12,840 reports of laser strikes from pilots.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hair faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Attorney Charged with Providing Contraband to an Inmate at FDC PhiladelphiaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that Paul DiMaio, 56, of Turnersville, New Jersey, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of providing contraband to a prison inmate and aiding and abetting.
The criminal complaint alleges that on February 4, 2025, at 10:53 a.m., FDC surveillance video recorded the defendant, a practicing criminal defense attorney, entering the Federal Detention Center Philadelphia (FDC) with two “redweld” type folders. DiMaio then completed and signed a Bureau of Prisons form that warns against bringing prohibited objects, including drugs, intoxicants, telephones, and electronic devices, into the FDC.
As alleged in the complaint, FDC surveillance video shows that DiMaio carried the two folders into a legal visitation room, where he met with an inmate, who is not one of his clients, for 18 minutes. Further, FDC surveillance video shows that, following this meeting, DiMaio left the room with just one folder.
In addition, FDC surveillance video shows that the inmate did not carry any redweld folder into the meeting with DiMaio. However, the complaint alleges that, after the meeting between DiMaio and the inmate, FDC personnel observed the inmate carrying a redweld folder, stopped him, and searched the folder, which was found to contain a Motorola cell phone, a charging cord, 83 strips of suboxone, and 240 loose cigarettes. Suboxone is a Schedule III controlled substance.
Tanya Culver, 55, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was also arrested and charged by criminal complaint with one count of providing contraband to a prison inmate and aiding and abetting. The complaint alleges that Culver, the mother of a different inmate, took part in acquiring contraband, communicated with DiMaio, and traveled with him to the FDC on February 4.
If convicted, the defendants each face a sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Miller.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ambridge Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Ambridge, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Bradley J. Schrott, 42, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer on March 6, 2025.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on February 17, 2023, Schrott possessed a video depicting the sexual exploitation of a prepubescent minor. At the time of the offense, Schrott was serving a term of supervised release imposed for an earlier federal conviction for the same offense, for which he had been sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for June 3, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the Court ordered Schrott to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Schrott.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Financial Crimes
Ashley M. Patton-Spencer, 37, of University Park, Illinois, was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment with 2 years of supervised release for aiding and abetting the passing and uttering of a counterfeit U.S. obligation. According to court records, the defendant was responsible for aiding and abetting a scheme to pass a counterfeit U.S. Treasury check at a local Cheyenne bank in April 2024. Specifically, the defendant assisted in the crime by recruiting co-defendant Pamela Kubesh (see below) for the purpose of passing the counterfeit check, arranging for Kubesh’s travel to meet up with other co-conspirators, and coordinating with others in an effort to commit the crime. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Cheyenne Police Department investigated the crime. Patton-Spencer pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2024, and U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 3 in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00152
Pamela Kubesh, 56, of Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release for passing and uttering a counterfeit U.S. obligation. According to court records, on April 8, 2024, the defendant used a false name and false identification to open a bank account in Cheyenne and deposit a counterfeit U.S. Treasury check. Investigators subsequently identified several individuals who aided and abetted the defendant, to include Ashley Patton-Spencer (see above) and Dwayne Rogers, Jr. (see below). The defendant was arrested and subsequently plead guilty on Dec. 12, 2024. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Cheyenne Police Department investigated the crime. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 4 in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00152
Dwayne Rogers, Jr., 22, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment with 3 years of supervised release for aiding and abetting the passing and uttering of a counterfeit U.S. obligation. According to court records, on April 8, 2024, defendant aided and abetted co-conspirator Pamela Kubesh (see above) in the passing and uttering of a counterfeit U.S. Treasury check at a Cheyenne bank by providing a false name and false identification in bank account opening documents and by driving co-conspirators to and from the bank. The defendant was arrested and subsequently plead guilty on Dec. 5, 2024. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Cheyenne Police Department investigated the crime. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on February 25 in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00152
Illegal Reentry of a Previously Deported Alien
Luis Angel Giron-Zavala, 32, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced to six months of imprisonment to be followed by one year of unsupervised release with the condition that he not illegally return to the United States. Giron-Zavala will be returned to the State of Texas to finish serving a separate sentence, and then he will be deported from the United States. According to court documents, on March 24, 2024, Giron-Zavala was arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol in Sheridan County on a state warrant from Texas. Deputies from the Sheridan County Jail notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that Giron-Zavala claimed to be a citizen of Mexico. Agents with ICE determined that he had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in April 2018. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 7 in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00177
About the U.S. 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 the following:
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.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with the additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring that 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