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15 April 2025
Brunswick County Man Sentenced to over 15 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. – A Brunswick County man was sentenced today to 190 months imprisonment followed by life supervised release for Distribution of Child Pornography.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Tyler Samuel Godfrey, 33 was simultaneously investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office in 2022 for child sexual exploitation offenses. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received cybertips from social media websites that one of its users was uploading child sexual abuse material. The IP addresses used to upload the illegal material was traced back to Godfrey’s parent’s residence in Cameron and his own residence in Shallotte.
In the investigation, law enforcement learned he had previously been investigated for similar conduct in 2018 and 2021. Search warrants were executed on Godfrey’s social media accounts, his parent’s residence, and his own residence. A forensic analysis of the digital devices and content seized showed since 2013, Godfrey has been communicating with underage children over the internet. Godfrey successfully received child sexual abuse material from a least two children and attempted to get child sexual abuse material from other children who refused to do so. During one attempt in October 2021, he sent a 13-year-old child images and videos of child pornography while encouraging her to view and enjoy the material. During his conversations with the 13-year-old child, he graphically discussed fantasies to rape a 10-year-old child.
While the evidence of his communication showed he targeted pre-teens and teenage children, his collection of child sexual abuse material included images and videos depicting the rape of infants and toddlers.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Homeland Security investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson 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. 7:24-CR-32-BO.
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Browning sex offender sentenced to over a year in prison for not registering and attempting to elude law enforcementRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Browning man accused of not registering as a sex offender as required and attempting to flee law enforcement by leading officers on a high-speed chase was sentenced today to 15 months in prison to be followed by 5 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Austin Kade Goings, 27, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to failure to register as a sex offender, a felony, and attempting to elude a peace officer, a misdemeanor.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents, the government alleged Goings was on federal supervised release following his conviction by a guilty plea to sexual abuse of a minor. In April 2021, Goings was sentenced to 21 months of custody, followed by five years of supervised release. Goings was last released from federal custody following a revocation in early January 2024. Upon his release, Goings failed to update his sex offender registration as required by Montana state law and a warrant was issued for his arrest for violations of supervised release.
On July 25, 2024, an undercover law enforcement officer observed Goings driving a vehicle on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Knowing of Goings’ federal arrest warrant, the officer notified other nearby law enforcement. Officers with Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office attempted to initiate a traffic stop of Goings and activated their emergency lights. Goings drove through a stop sign without stopping and reached 80 mph in a 25-mph zone. The pursuit reached 100 mph in a 65-mph zone, with Goings traveling at 100 mph through the Starr School community. Goings was observed swerving and driving down the center lane, and he approached another vehicle head on, forcing the vehicle into a ditch. Law enforcement called the Border Patrol for assistance. Goings led officers on a 45-mile pursuit that stopped just short of the border. There were three other occupants in the vehicle at the time of the stop, including two minors. Officers arrested Goings on his federal warrant.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Marshals Service, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation.
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Brazilian National Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national, who previously resided in Massachusetts unlawfully, was sentenced yesterday for trafficking firearms.
Matheus Peroba, 21, who last resided in Summerville, S.C., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 30 months in prison. He is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In December 2024, Peroba pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in firearms and one count of unlawful shipment of a firearm through the United States mail.
Peroba is a Brazilian national who illegally entered the United States in approximately 2019. Peroba previously resided in Fall River and Braintree, Mass. from approximately 2019-2022, before relocating to South Carolina.
Peroba was identified as a source of supply for firearms being illegally shipped from South Carolina to Massachusetts. Some of the firearms seized over the course of an investigation included: a Glock 26, model Gen5, 9mm semiautomatic pistol; a Diamondback Firearms, model DB9, 9mm semiautomatic pistol; a 31-round large capacity 9mm magazine; and a 10-round 9mm magazine:
In addition, law enforcement seized: a Glock 43, 9mm semiautomatic pistol; two 6-round 9mm magazines; and approximately 51 rounds of 9mm ammunition:
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Milford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Biddeford Man Sentenced for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced on Monday in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child sex abuse materials.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Jeffrey Gray, 63, to 10 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Gray pleaded guilty on February 13, 2023.
According to court records, in September 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Gray’s residence following reports that he had shared child sexual abuse material over a peer-to-peer file sharing network. Investigators seized eight electronic devices, and based on material recovered from several of those devices, executed a second search warrant in November 2022, recovering three additional devices. A forensic examination of the devices revealed hundreds of child sexual abuse images. Gray has a previous conviction in Rockingham (New Hampshire) Superior Court in 2012 for aggravated felonious sexual assault.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Maine State Police investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Ashland Doctor Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Misbranded SemaglutideRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland physician and owner of Lewis Family Care, Matthew Lewis, 44, pleaded guilty on Monday, before Chief U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning to receiving a misbranded drug and offering it for sale with the intent to defraud or mislead.
According to the charges against Lewis, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three drugs with semaglutide as the active ingredient – Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy – to improve blood sugar levels in adult patients with diabetes or, in the case of Wegovy, for weight loss. The FDA did not approve any generic semaglutide drugs. In his plea agreement, Lewis admitted that beginning in May 2023, he purchased non-FDA approved semaglutide from suppliers in California and Georgia to administer to patients at a weight loss clinic. These companies were not registered with the FDA as drug manufacturers or outsourcing facilities of compounded drugs, were not authorized to distribute semaglutide, and were not licensed pharmacies or licensed prescription drug wholesalers. Lewis obtained the semaglutide from these unauthorized suppliers at a significantly lower cost than the legitimate prescription drugs.
This non-FDA approved semaglutide sometimes arrived at Lewis Family Care packaged in a vial that contained a warning that the drugs were intended for lab research and development only. The labels failed to provide adequate directions for use, adequate warnings, failed to contain an expiration date, and failed to list its active and inactive ingredients. Lewis took measures to disguise and mislead others as to the unauthorized sources of the semaglutide. For example, he purchased the semaglutide using Venmo, Afterpay, or via phone, and he described the orders on his Venmo payments as “Meal Prep.” Lewis stored the drugs in his office, separate from Lewis Family Care’s other legally obtained medications. He did not inform his patients that he was administering non-FDA approved semaglutide to them. Between May 2023 and February 2024, Lewis Family Care’s weight loss clinic earned $249,044.40 from the administration of this unapproved semaglutide.
“Prescription drugs are highly regulated in this country in order to keep patients safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey. “At a time of increased public interest in weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, Lewis chose profit margins over patient safety when he purchased non-FDA approved semaglutide and administered it to his patients.”
“Physicians who administer misbranded drugs that come from outside the secure and regulated supply chain—particularly products that are injectable and pose sterility concerns—not only puts their patients’ health at risk but also violate their patients’ trust,” said George Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who would disregard and jeopardize public health and safety by selling misbranded drugs.”
Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey and FDA Special Agent in Charge Scavdis, jointly announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the FDA-OCI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Dunn-Pirio is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on August 18. He faces a maximum of three years in prison and any applicable restitution. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
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Arizona Man Sentenced to 15 years after Kidnapping a 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tadashi Kura Kojima, also known as Aaron Michael Zeman, 29, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, after he kidnapped a Utah teenager to engage in illegal sexual activity.
The sentence, imposed by Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., comes after Kojima pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to court documents and statements made at Kojima’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Kojima admitted that between December 26, 2022 to December 28, 2022, he traveled from Arizona and kidnapped a 13-year-old from Utah. They were located in Nebraska and Kojima was arrested. The purpose of traveling was to engage in sexual activity with the victim. See prior press release: Arizona Man Arrested for Kidnapping a Utah Teenager is Facing Federal Charges Including Intent to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor.
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Layton Police Department and Grand Island Police Department in Nebraska.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Anderson Man Found Guilty of Impersonating Homeland Security Officer and Possessing Molotov CocktailsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— A federal jury has found Joshua W. Stearman, 42, of Anderson, Indiana, guilty of unlawfully possessing incendiary bombs, commonly referred to as Molotov cocktails, and falsely impersonating an officer or employee of the United States.
According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, on December 12, 2023, at approximately 1:47 a.m., a police officer in Ingalls, Indiana, was dispatched to an address that had recently been vandalized multiple times, including with fires set in the driveway and inside the mailbox at that address. Dispatch received a report of a suspicious man walking toward the house carrying something but who ran back to his red Toyota RAV4 when the house’s security lights came on.
The officer located the RAV4 and pulled it over. As the officer approached, Stearman pressed against the window his ID as well as an unknown government identification that included a government seal at the bottom. Repeatedly, Stearman claimed he was a Homeland Security Officer returning from a “mission.” Stearman was wearing black gloves with black duct tape around his wrists.
Eventually, Stearman exited the vehicle and was placed in custody. Inside the vehicle, officers found four bottles containing a yellow-brown liquid that gave off an odor of fuel, as well as what appeared to be small pieces of wood or kindling inside of them. All four had a piece of cloth or fabric sticking out from under the cap. Officers also found a lighter in the vehicle.
During the trial, experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) testified about their analysis of the four bottles. An ATF Forensic Chemist testified that she had analyzed the liquid inside the bottles, and each was found to contain gasoline. Then, an ATF Destructive Device Examiner testified how each of the bottles was designed to be used as an incendiary bomb: The wick is ignited by an open flame and the device is thrown against a surface, with the intent that the ignitable liquid and wooden sticks inside will spread fire to a combustible surface against which it was thrown. Incendiary bombs, commonly known as Molotov cocktails, are a type of destructive device that is generally unlawful to possess under federal law.
The ATF and Ingalls Police Department investigated this case, with valuable assistance provided by Lapel, Indiana Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt presided over the trial and will sentence Stearman at a later date.
Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nate Walter, who are prosecuting this case.
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Adel Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Adel man was sentenced on March 6, 2025 to 18 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Charles Adam Bradshaw, 41, drove from Adel to Omaha, Nebraska to pick up methamphetamine from a Mexican-based source of supply, who facilitated the transactions through local couriers. Bradshaw was on parole for 2021 convictions for eluding and possession of methamphetamine in the Iowa District Court for Dallas County at the time he committed this offense.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Bradshaw will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and DEA.
24 Charged with Federal Gun Crimes Under ‘Make D.C. Safe Again’ InitiativeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought federal firearms charges against 24 defendants since the launch of the ‘Make D.C. Safe Again’ initiative, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr.
“Make no mistake: our mission is to Make D.C. Safe Again by getting felons with guns off our streets and out of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. “The President’s Executive Order demands law and order and a safe national capital. That’s exactly what we’re delivering.”
In the month of April, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged six new federal firearms cases. As a result of the Make D.C. Safe Again surge, more dangerous offenders are off the streets. An example of these cases include:
- Defendant Previously Convicted of Manslaughter Indicted for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.
- District Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm as a Felon Following Arrest Near Recreation Center.
- District Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm as a Felon Following Arrest in Southwest.
Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating these cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
20 Arrested in Waco on Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A group of 20 federally indicted individuals were arrested Friday in Waco on criminal charges related to their alleged drug trafficking conspiracy that had been in operation since April 2024.
The following defendants are indicted for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine and face 10 years to life in federal prison:
- Osvaldo Vences
- Brenda Lou Brasher
- Juan Delgado
- Anthony Mark Fimple
- Brian Quinn Knox
- Ronald Vincent Rodriguez, Jr.
- James Holland Young
- Tandy Jay Day
- William Brett Lafferty
- Michael Earl McDonald
The following defendants are indicted for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 1 kilogram of heroin and face 10 years to life in federal prison:
- Arthur Lee Pimpton
- Quincy Shun Cook
- Osvaldo Vences
- Reginald Dewayne Bible
- Reginald Vernard Branch
- Deordrick Derrion Brown
- Direshia Marie McDaniel
- Reginald Lionel Thornton
- Kevin Eugene Hubby
- Rockelle Lashan Parker
- Marvin Lydell Starks
The following defendants are indicted for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine and face five to 40 years in federal prison:
- Juan Delgado
- Anthony Mark Fimple
- Ronald Vincent Rodriguez, Jr.
- Fabian Angel Fabela
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The FBI, Waco Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and McLennan County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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14 April 2025
‘Kilo Weight Dealer’ Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts man described in court documents as being a “kilo weight dealer” of cocaine has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Juan Betancourt Sosa, 29, pleaded guilty on October 16, 2024, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 70 months of incarceration to be followed by four years of federal supervised release.
At the time of his guilty plea, Betancourt admitted that he was a source of supply of cocaine to a person who was providing kilograms of cocaine to a Rhode Island-based conspiracy that trafficked crack cocaine and fentanyl.
According to information presented to the court, Betancourt supplied at least six kilograms of cocaine to a person who then delivered the drugs to the leader of the conspiracy. At the time of his arrest, two kilos of cocaine were found inside the trunk of a car in which Betancourt was traveling.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey A. Erickson .
The matter was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, DEA, and Providence Police Department, with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service and East Providence Police Department.
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Worcester Man Charged for Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
WORCESTER – A Worcester man has been charged in federal court in Worcester for drug offenses involving methamphetamine and materials for pressing illicit pills.
Tong Tran, 34, was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Tran made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon before Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy.
According to the charging documents, on or about Sept. 19, 2024, Tran was allegedly identified shipping a package at a Worcester Post Office. A search of the package allegedly revealed it to contain approximately 2.4 kilograms of orange pills concealed within packaging for a children’s toy. It is alleged that a partial fingerprint on the wrapping materials inside the children’s toy box belongs to Tran. The pills field tested positive for methamphetamine. On April 14, 2025, a search was conducted at Tran’s residence where a pill press, binding agent and additional equipment used to manufacture pills, including pill dyes were located. The search also resulted in the seizure of 3.3 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately $8,000 in cash.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $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.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Auburn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin J. Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Winter Haven Man Indicted for Narcotics and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Dontavious Grant (31, Winter Haven) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted on all counts, Grant faces a minimum penalty of five years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Grant that the United States intends to forfeit a Glock firearm used in the commission of the offense.
According to the indictment, on September 18, 2024, Grant possessed a Glock firearm knowing he had been convicted of multiple felonies, including robbery, attempted manslaughter, armed false imprisonment, attempted robbery, and a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, Grant is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. On the same day, Grant also possessed marijuana with the intent to distribute it and his possession of the Glock firearm was in furtherance of that offense.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Waterbury Gang Member Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
JUSTIN CABRERA, also known as “J.U.,” 26, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 204 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses stemming from his participation in the 960 gang, a violent Waterbury street gang.
Today’s announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Maureen T. Platt, State’s Attorney for the Waterbury Judicial District; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address drug trafficking and related violence in Waterbury, the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police have been investigating multiple Waterbury-based groups, including the 960 gang. On September 14, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a 36-count indictment charging Cabrera and 15 other alleged 960 gang members with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearm possession, murder, attempted murder and assault, and obstruction of justice offenses.
On October 31, 2017, four 960 members used a stolen car to carry out a drive-by shooting of members of ATM, a rival gang, at the corner of Bank Street and Porter Street in Waterbury. An ATM member was shot and wounded in the attack. Cabrera drove a second vehicle, or “trail car,” used in the shooting, conducted surveillance of ATM members prior to the shooting, and picked up the shooters after the event.
Cabrera has been detained since September 16, 2021. On September 16, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Waterbury Police Department, ATF, and U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Southington Police Department, Watertown Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, and the DEA Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone, John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Natasha M. Freismuth, and Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don E. Therkildesen, Jr. and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Alexandra Arroyo, who were cross-designated as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this matter.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Virginia Man Sentenced for Ginseng Poaching at National ParkRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Coby Brummett pleaded recently to unlawfully digging ginseng within the boundaries of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and was sentenced to 30 days of imprisonment.
“Our national parks and the resources within, like Ginseng, are natural resources maintained for the benefit of all our citizens and not forms of currency to be poached and sold-off for profit,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “One of our core missions is to protect the resources and natural wonders that are found in abundance on the national park lands found in the Western District of Virginia and enjoyed by millions of visitors every year. This case is a warning to those who may try to use these resources for their own benefit. I am grateful to the National Park Service for their diligence in keeping our national parks vibrant and safe.”
“Preserving natural and cultural resources like these on behalf of current and future generations of Americans is a central part of our mission,” said Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Superintendent Lisa Baldwin. “We are proud of the work of our staff and partners that led to this outcome.”
After a thorough investigation, rangers with the National Park Service determined that Brummett dug up over 300 Ginseng roots from within the confines of the park.
Brummett was ordered to pay $6,240.25 in restitution to the National Park Service, and he is banned from the park for a period of three years.
The National Park Service investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Hall prosecuted the case for the United States.
United States seizes assets related to $126 million illegal staffing, money laundering investigationRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced today that the United States filed a civil forfeiture complaint against assets related to an investigation into a potential $126 million illegal staffing and money laundering operation.
In July 2024, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, in collaboration with IRS Criminal Investigations and other law enforcement agencies, executed federal search warrants at Fuyao Glass America (“FGA”) in Moraine, Ohio, and 27 other locations in the Dayton area.
The civil complaint alleges that multiple suspects created roughly 40 entities (the “target entities”) that facilitate the harboring, transportation and employment of illegal aliens at various factories. The suspects used these target entities to augment the workforces of several factories with individuals who illegally entered the United States, who are unlawfully present in the United States and/or who are working without required employment authorizations. One of these factories is FGA in Moraine.
It is alleged that many of the workers were illegally smuggled into the United States, primarily through Mexico, and encouraged to travel to the Dayton area to be employed by one of the target entities and serve as a workforce at the various factories. Most of the workers are of Chinese or Hispanic nationality. Workers allegedly lived at “family style hotels” (boarding houses) owned by the target entities and were driven to and from work in transportation provided by the target entities.
“We will continue to investigate allegations of unfair labor practices,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “Collaboration across multiple law enforcement agencies helps to ensure accountability for both employers and the workforce.”
The 74-page complaint details that the target entities allegedly engaged in money laundering to conceal the multi-million-dollar income generated by the workers. Within days of receiving direct payments from FGA, the suspects would extensively wire funds between their various LLCs. In total, FGA has paid more than $126 million to LLCs controlled by the suspects. The money was allegedly used by the suspects for private financial gain and to purchase real estate, vehicles and luxury goods.
In the civil complaint filed on April 2, the United States alleges that the following property is subject to forfeiture: seven bank accounts, 12 properties in the Dayton area, two properties outside of Ohio, 15 vehicles and luxury goods, including a Cartier watch.
The related criminal investigation remains ongoing.
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 Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigations; announced the filing. The FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office have assisted in the criminal investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam C. Tieger and Deborah D. Grimes are representing the United States in the civil forfeiture action.
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United States Department of Justice Transfers 13 Mexican Nationals with Drug Convictions to Mexico Pursuant to the U.S.-Mexico International Prisoner Transfer TreatyRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs with the assistance of the Department’s Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) transferred 13 Mexican nationals, serving prison sentences for drug distribution-related convictions in the United States, to their home country on Friday.
“Friday’s transfer of 13 federal inmates to correctional authorities in Mexico has saved the United States over $3 million by eliminating the need to pay incarceration costs for the 75 years remaining on their combined sentences,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department’s International Prisoner Transfer Program, which is administered by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, enhances offender rehabilitation, reduces incarceration costs, and relieves overcrowding in federal prisons. The transfer is pursuant to the Treaty between the United States of America and the United Mexican States on the Execution of the Penal Sentences.”
All 13 inmates transferred today were serving sentences relating to the distribution of controlled substances, including cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. The inmates will complete the remainder of their sentences in Mexico pursuant to the treaty. The inmates requested to be transferred to their home country, and the governments of both the United States and Mexico approved these transfers.
The U.S. Congress enacted legislation authorizing the International Prisoner Transfer Program in October 1977, which also set the requirements of the transfer program. The United States signed its first transfer treaty with Mexico in 1976, which entered into force in November 1977, and since that time has entered into 10 additional bilateral transfer agreements and two multilateral transfer conventions. These international agreements give the United States transfer treaty relationships with more than 85 countries.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs’s International Prisoner Transfer Unit (IPTU) administers the program. Under the program, approved foreign national inmates in federal and state prisons are permitted, under certain circumstances, to complete their prison terms in their home countries’ prisons.
This is the 184th such transfer since the treaty entered into force in 1977. The last transfer prior to today, which took place in December 2024, transferred nine inmates to Mexico pursuant to the treaty. To learn more about the International Prisoner Transfer Program, visit: https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-oia/iptu
U.K. Man Sentenced for Lying to Immigration AuthoritiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A U.K. man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for making false statements in an immigration matter.
Duncan Hollands, a/k/a Duncan Herd, 58, a citizen of the United Kingdom residing in Cambridge, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to time served (one day) and two years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to removal proceedings as a result of the conviction. In January 2025, Hollands pleaded guilty to one count of false swearing in an immigration matter. In August 2024, Hollands was charged by criminal complaint.
In May 2021, Hollands applied for lawful permanent residence status (more commonly known as a Green Card) and attended an interview for the application. The application form requires applicants to answer various background questions, such as prior names or aliases and any criminal history, so that immigration authorities can determine whether the applicant is eligible for the sought status. On his application and during his interview in February 2022, Hollands falsely reported that he had never used another name and denied having any history with the criminal justice system. However, Hollands did in fact have a prior name, Duncan Herd, under which he was previously convicted and sentenced to over three years in prison for obtaining property by deception along with other charges. Hollands also had other interactions with the criminal justice systems in the United Kingdom and France.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; 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 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Cambridge and Woburn, Mass. Police Departments; and U.K. law enforcement authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Two Kilos of Cocaine Seized, Providence Man Detained on a Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A joint federal, state, and local law enforcement drug trafficking investigation has resulted in the seizure of two kilos of cocaine and the arrest and detention of a Providence man, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Eluid Rosa-Escudero, 35, is detained in federal custody charged by way of a criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
It is alleged in charging documents that a three-month, multi-agency investigation into Rosa-Escudero’s drug trafficking activities culminated on April 10, 2025, with the execution of a court-authorized search of his Providence residence and the seizure of two kilograms of cocaine, $10,000 in cash, and other items associated with the trafficking of narcotics.
As reflected in court documents, law enforcement surveilled the retrieval of a package delivered by the U.S. Postal Service to the front porch of a Providence residence. The package was retrieved by a person who arrived by car and allegedly then drove to a nearby gas station where he met with Rosa-Escudero, who was in a separate vehicle parked at a gas pump. As the two vehicles pulled away, the defendant was followed by a law enforcement surveillance team to his residence. East Providence Police effected an investigative stop of the car driven by the person who allegedly retrieved the package from the porch of the residence, who they then identified as being 15 years old.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine D. Lowell, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
The matter is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service Contraband Interdiction and Investigations Task Force, with the assistance of the Providence Police Department, the Pawtucket Police Department, and the Rhode Island State Police.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Two Cedar Rapids Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
In recent days, two men who conspired to distribute controlled substances pled guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Isaiah Pirtle, also known as “Pudge,” age 33, from Cedar Rapids was convicted today of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Daxxton Cook, age 36, from Cedar Rapids was convicted on April 10, 2025, of one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement, Cook admitted that he agreed with other people to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. On February 7, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Cook sold someone 16 fentanyl pills. On February 8, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Cook sold someone 1.93 grams of cocaine and 5.37 grams of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl. On May 28, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, Cook sold someone 12.55 grams of cocaine and 20.75 grams of fentanyl. Cook was previously convicted of a felony drug offense.
In a plea agreement, Pirtle admitted that he agreed with other people to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, as well as a detectable amount of cocaine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated as part of the Northern Iowa Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center. 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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Pirtle and Cook remain in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Pirtle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. Cook faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-4.
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Texas Man Sentenced to More than Seven Years for Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy and Using a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
A Texas man was sentenced last week to seven years and 10 months in prison for conspiring with four co-defendants to commit a Hobbs Act robbery and using a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Harry Keith Dwyan Goffney, 23, of Houston, conspired to rob a semi-truck trailer, which he believed contained approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine and 400 firearms. When Goffney and co-conspirators approached the trailer, armed with firearms, they were caught on surveillance camera wearing masks and gloves. Goffney and two co-defendants opened the trailer but did not find the cocaine and firearms, so they left.
Co-defendant Tracy Lee Stevenson, 31, of Houston, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Houston Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah J. Rasalam and Justin G. Bish of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Tennessee Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Rock Island, Tenn., man, Mark Dillon Mason, 32, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning on Monday to 324 months in prison for production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, Mason traveled to Morehead, Ky., on three occasions in2022 and engaged in sexual intercourse with a minor victim during each visit. Mason used his cellphone and the victim’s cellphone to record the sexually explicit conduct.
Under federal law, Mason 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 20 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Derrick Blevins, Morehead Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HSI, Morehead Police Department, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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St. Tammany Man Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –RICARDO JORDAN (“JORDAN”), age 22, of St. Tammany Parish, was sentenced on April 10, 2025 by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier, for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to court documents, on August 3, August 10, and September 19, 2023, JORDAN sold forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl to an undercover Louisiana State Police Trooper. On September 28, 2023, a search warrant was executed at JORDAN’S Covington, La. residence where law enforcement officials recovered approximately 101 grams of fentanyl.
As a result of this criminal conduct, JORDAN was indicted on four counts related to the drug trafficking and drug possession and subsequently pled guilty.
Judge Barbier sentenced JORDAN to 60 months imprisonment, a 4-year term of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $400.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Williams of the Narcotics Unit.
Shiprock Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing Two Children over Six-Year PeriodRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison for sexually abusing two children under 12 years old in separate incidents spanning 2014 and 2020.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, Roderick Bitsilly, 61, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, admitted to engaging in unlawful sexual contact with Jane Doe 1, a child under 12 years old, between February and August 2014. Bitsilly also pleaded guilty to similar charges involving Jane Doe 2, also under 12, between September 2019 and September 2020.
Upon his release, Bitsilly will be subject to 15 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Scranton Man Sentenced to 24 years in Prison for Drug Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Federico Rosario, age 30, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on April 11, 2025, to 24 years’ imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and drug distribution resulting in death.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, in July of 2021, Rosario sold small quantities of cocaine to a 17-year-old minor. On August 11, 2021, Rosario sold the minor victim .4 grams of a substance represented to be cocaine. Less than 30 minutes later, after consuming a portion of the substance, the victim sent Rosario a message asking what was in the substance because it had him “spinning” as though he was drunk. Receiving no response from Rosario, the minor victim sent a follow-up message eight seconds later. Rosario never responded or took any other action in response to the victim’s messages. The next morning, the minor victim was found dead in his room.
Laboratory analysis of the substance sold to the victim by Rosario revealed it to be a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl. Autopsy and post-mortem toxicology confirmed the presence of fatal levels of fentanyl in the minor victim’s system at death. During a four-day jury trial, expert testimony established that but for the toxic level of fentanyl, which is 50-100 times more potent than morphine, the otherwise healthy minor victim would not have died. At the conclusion of trial, the jury returned a verdict finding Rosario guilty on three counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of drug distribution resulting in death.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Scranton Police Department. Former Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara and Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Restaurant and Owner Agree to Pay over $1.5 Million to Settle Allegations of Pandemic Relief Fund MisuseRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that Bobby Gerald Duncan (“Duncan”) and DE & E Foods, Inc. d/b/a Hillbilly’s Barbeque and Steaks (“Hillbilly’s BBQ”) have agreed to pay $1,530,682.26 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly obtaining $762,903 in pandemic relief funds, and then misusing those funds for Duncan’s own personal gain. The settlement further resolves allegations that Duncan and Hillbilly’s BBQ knowingly made false statements to obtain the relief funds, as well as obtain loan forgiveness of the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) portion of the funds.
The United States civil complaint alleged that Duncan, through his restaurant Hillbilly’s BBQ, obtained the relief funds through an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) and two PPP loans. Rather than using the funds for authorized purposes, including for payroll and other business-related expenses, Duncan misappropriated the funds for his own benefit, specifically to purchase a separate FedEx business with Duncan’s longtime friend.
Duncan did so by first transferring $100,000 of the relief funds from a Hillbilly’s BBQ corporate account to a personal account entitled “Vacation Account,” and then adding his friend as an account holder to artificially boost the friend's credit score for a separate SBA loan intended for the FedEx business purchase. When that failed, Duncan used the pandemic relief funds to buy the FedEx business outright for $750,000, by writing two large checks for its purchase directly from the Hillbilly’s BBQ business account (one for $400,000 and another for $350,000).
“Pandemic relief funds were meant to provide a financial lifeline to small businesses struggling to stay afloat during the unprecedented COVID crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “Where those funds were misused, we will pursue their return as part of our ongoing effort to curb waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Johnson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of this case.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Gary Hammond Jackson, III, 33, of Pasadena, Maryland, to 35 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for the sexual exploitation of a minor and the commission of a felony involving a minor by a registered sex offender.
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, Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP), and State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess, Office of the State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
According to his guilty plea, in 2020 and 2022, Jackson sexually abused two minor females, ages 6 and 3, and produced child sexual abuse material. In November 2020, Jackson sexually abused the first victim —who was 6 at the time — and used his cell phone to produce three images of the act. It was discovered that Jackson sexually assaulted the same victim numerous times between January 2020 and December 2020. As a result, Jackson was convicted of a fourth-degree sex offense and second-degree assault in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Following his release in June 2022, Jackson was placed on probation and required to register as a sex offender. But in November 2022, Jackson produced child sexual abuse material, in the form of images, with the 3-year-old victim.
This case is 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 Attorney’s 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Learn more about Internet safety education by clicking on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, MSP, and the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Spencer L. Todd and Paul E. Budlow who prosecuted the 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Pike County Man Sentenced to 30 Years’ Imprisonment for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Anthony Westemeyer, 37, of Nebo, Illinois, was sentenced on April 9, 2025, to 30 years’ imprisonment for sexual exploitation of a child. The term of imprisonment is to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Westemeyer created a coercive environment of physical and emotional abuse. He forced the minor victim, through threats of violence, into engaging in sexual acts while he filmed the victim. Westemeyer provided compensation to other men, including two co-defendants, in exchange for their participation in sexual acts with the minor victim; some of these men knew they were being filmed and others did not. Westemeyer became verbally and physically abusive if the minor victim was not successful in filming the videos – even if it was one of the men who ended the contact. The government also presented evidence at sentencing that Westemeyer provided methamphetamine to others to entice them to or compensate them for engaging in sexual activity with the minor victim. He also provided methamphetamine to the minor victim.
Also at the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless found that multiple sentencing enhancements applied including one based on Westemeyer’s role as the leader of the offense and another based on the fact that the minor victim was in Westemeyer’s custody, care or supervisory control. Judge Lawless also referred to the “level of cruelty and abuse” to which the victim was subjected and noted the “heinous nature” of the crime.
“This case highlights that many children are victimized by someone known to them,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Seberger. “I applaud the victim’s resilience and courage throughout this prosecution. We are also grateful for our partnerships with state and local law, enforcement, which led to this outcome. It was a team effort.”
“Children should never be subjected to the depraved behavior demonstrated by this defendant,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “Thanks to the outstanding teamwork and tireless effort by HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners, this child predator has been removed from the community and put in federal prison for a 30-year sentence.”
The defendant pleaded guilty in July 2024. He has been detained since his arrest. The statutory penalties for a count of sexual exploitation of a child are 15 to 30 years’ imprisonment, up to a life term of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and various special assessments.
Agencies participating in the investigation include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; the Illinois Attorney General’s Office; the Pike County Sheriff’s Office; and the Pike County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Seberger and Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl Resulting in Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – A Columbus, Ohio, man, Angelo Dre Clifton, 31, was sentenced on Monday, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 25 years in prison, for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in an overdose death.
According to Clifton’s plea agreement, on June 9, 2019, law enforcement responded to reports of an unresponsive victim in Boyd County, Ky. When law enforcement arrived, the victim was pronounced dead; her cause was death was later determined to be a fentanyl overdose.
Law enforcement searched the victim’s phone and found messages between the victim and Clifton discussing the purchase of controlled substances. When Clifton learned of the victim’s death, he admitted to a friend via video message that the victim had overdosed on “[his] dope.” In his plea agreement, Clifton also admitted that from May 2019 through June 2019, he routinely offered to distribute and distributed heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine to others in the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Under federal law, Clifton 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 six years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Sheriff Jamie Reihs, Boyd County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by DEA and Boyd County Sheriff’s Office.
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North Andover Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Possessing over 30 Firearms and Explosives as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A North Andover, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing over 30 firearms and explosives as a convicted felon.
Daniel Medina, 65, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 63 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2024, Medina pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machine gun, unlawful possession of explosive materials and felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Sentencing is scheduled for April 3, 2025. In October 2024, Medina was charged by criminal complaint.
On July 1, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to the area of Medina’s North Andover residence after receiving a report of an explosion. Upon arrival, damage to two vehicles was observed as well as a piece of mail addressed to Medina beneath the damaged rear passenger door of one vehicle. The damage to the vehicles and materials left behind were consistent with common items used in manufacturing homemade explosive devices, specifically ball bearings or shrapnel. Witnesses observed Medina running from the damaged vehicles toward his residence following the explosion.
During a search of Medina’s residence, the following items were seized: more than 32 firearms, including 12 rifles, 15 pistols, three shotguns and two antique firearms; 9,000 rounds of various calibers of modern ammunition manufactured outside of Massachusetts; 75 magazines for various caliber firearms; various firearm parts; a Glock switch device; books pertaining to the building of firearms and manufacturing of explosives and drugs; shrapnel accessories such as BB’s and ball bearings; multiple firework containers; and various containers of powders produced and shipped in interstate commerce.Potassium chlorate and aluminum powder – the same flash powder found in the suspected explosive material used in the explosion – were found in the containers.
Medina is prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition and explosive material due to a 2002 state conviction of assault and battery in Lawrence District Court, for which he was sentenced to two and a half years in jail.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the North Andover Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Nicholas County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nathaniel Martin, 50, of Fenwick, was sentenced today to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 6, 2021, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle traveling in the Monongahela National Forest in Nicholas County that was blocking a one-lane bridge. Martin was a passenger in the vehicle. The officer located two firearms in the vehicle during the traffic stop. Martin possessed one of the firearms, a Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield .40-caliber handgun.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Martin knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for two counts of delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance in Nicholas County Circuit Court on June 2, 2009.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Forest Service.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-25.
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New Mexico Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Setting San Bernardino County Church and Preschool on Fire Last YearRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A New Mexico man was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison for setting a San Bernardino County church and preschool on fire last year while children and school employees were inside.
Jonathan A. Barajas Nava, 37, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered him to pay $7,008 in restitution.
Nava pleaded guilty on January 17 to one count of damage to a religious property.
On April 24, 2024, Nava set fire to the Retreat Church and Yucaipa Christian Preschool in Yucaipa. Before setting the church on fire, Nava traveled to a nearby gasoline station and purchased a gasoline can and filled it with gasoline. He then traveled to the church with the can and poured the liquid on the church’s front door. Then, he used an open-flame device to set the area on fire.
The resulting fire damaged the church’s interior carpet, the doorframe seal, and an outdoor mat. Staff and children inside evacuated the building.
Nava then traveled to a nearby strip mall and set fire to the exterior wall, which resulted in no damage. He was arrested later that day.
Nava admitted in his plea agreement that he set fire to the church because of its religious character.
“This arson was planned and targeted,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “[Nava] did not commit this crime in the heat of passion.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Peter Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
New Hampshire Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sex Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAVID EDDY, 59, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 210 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for child exploitation offenses stemming from his sexual abuse of a young girl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2022, Eddy sexually abused a minor girl, who was approximately five years old, and used his cell phone to take photographs of his sexual abuse. Analysis of Eddy’s phone revealed more than 150 child sexual abuse images and videos of the minor victim and other child victims of sexual abuse.
Eddy was arrested on related state charges on October 5, 2022. On September 25, 2024, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
Eddy has been detained since his arrest. The state charges are pending.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Simsbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Manchester (N.H.) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anastasia E. King and Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Muskegon Cocaine Dealer Sentenced to 32 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Conspirators used the U.S. Postal Service to Mail Kilograms of Cocaine from Texas to Michigan
LANSING – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that Srecko Darnell Walker, 35, of Muskegon, has been sentenced to a total of 32 years in federal prison. At sentencing, Chief United States District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou remarked on Walker’s extensive criminal history, which now includes a total of seven drug-related convictions, and instances of criminal dishonesty. Before pronouncing its sentence, the Court told Walker, “You’ve spent most of your life lying. You’ve spent most of your life committing crimes . . . You have earned the sentence that you’re going to get.”
The Court imposed concurrent terms of 30 years for each of the three crimes a federal jury found Walker guilty of in November 2024: (1) conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine; (2) distribution of cocaine; and (3) possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The Court also imposed a consecutive 2-year sentence for violations Walker committed while on supervised release following a previous federal cocaine trafficking conviction.
Evidence admitted at trial showed that in 2021 and 2022, Walker worked with Steven Rasic, a Muskegon-based U.S. Postal Service mail carrier, to import kilograms of cocaine into West Michigan from Hugo Benavides, a Texas-based cocaine supplier. Walker coordinated the cocaine shipments, which were sent to vacant addresses on Rasic’s mail route. Both Rasic and Benavides pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge prior to trial and have been sentenced separately.
During trial, the jury heard that over the course of the investigation, law enforcement agents seized five kilograms of cocaine from the mail that Walker and his co-conspirators intended to distribute in West Michigan. In March 2022, investigators seized two kilograms of cocaine. After the seizure, Rasic tried to recover the parcel containing cocaine, falsely stating that he was acting on behalf of the U.S. Postal Service. In fact, Rasic was trying to recover the cocaine on Walker’s behalf, and text messages from Rasic’s phone showed that Rasic had alerted Walker to the cocaine seizure. Months later, in October 2022, investigators saw Walker distribute cocaine to a woman in Muskegon, and later, inside Walker’s residence, investigators found more cocaine, a cutting agent, and digital scale used to weigh cocaine.
The jury also learned that after the search of his residence, Walker admitted to importing cocaine through the mail, and told investigators that he sold his first kilogram of cocaine sometime in 2021. Walker also admitted to tracking some of the mail parcels that contained cocaine, including one parcel with over one kilogram of cocaine inside.
“This sentence reflects the hard work and dedication of USPS OIG Special Agents, U.S. Postal Inspectors and DEA Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant narcotics investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The USPS OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
“As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Inspection Service prioritizes the safety and security of postal employees and customers above all else,” said Detroit Division Acting Inspector in Charge Sean McStravick. “Let the severity of this sentence be a warning to those who abuse the nation’s mail system to transport narcotics and other dangerous or illegal substances: We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will seek to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The DEA remains committed to continue to dismantle criminal organizations—domestic and foreign,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Lawton, DEA Detroit Field Division. “This operation is a testament to the power of collaboration between agencies to ensure justice is served and our communities are protected.”
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), The United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General (USPS OIG), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Michigan State Police (MSP) West Michigan Enforcement Team (WEMET) investigated this case, and it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin J. Hakes and Stephanie M. Carowan.
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Monrovia Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley man was sentenced today to 360 months in federal prison for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting himself sexually abusing a toddler.
David Lisandro Perez Figueroa, 23, of Monrovia, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered Perez Figueroa to pay $2,799 in restitution and placed him on lifetime supervised release.
Perez Figueroa pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.
From an unknown date until December 2023, Perez Figueroa recorded his sexual abuse of a 2-year-old child for the purpose of making a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct.
In July 2023, Perez Figueroa distributed the CSAM via the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in an account linked to Perez Figueroa.
British law enforcement investigating a target in the United Kingdom discovered the X chat logs with CSAM and, soon after, notified federal law enforcement in the United States, according to court documents. Based on this information, federal agents executed a search warrant at Perez Figueroa’s residence on December 5, 2023 and arrested him.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jenna W. Long of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, Mirelle N. Raza of the General Crimes Section, Amy E. Pomerantz of the Criminal Appeals Section, and Sarah E. Spielberger of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section prosecuted this case.
Mexican National Sentenced after Smuggling Illegal Aliens into the United States and Encouraging them to Claim Asylum under False PretensesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ivan Mauricio Hernandez-Mosqueda, 32, a Mexican national from Penjamo, Guanajuato, Mexico, illegally present in the United States, was sentenced on April 2, 2025, by United States District Judge Krissa M. Lanham to 46 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States.
Court documents show that federal agents identified well over 100 individuals who used Hernandez-Mosqueda’s organization to be smuggled illegally into the United States through Arizona.
Beginning in early 2023, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered many Mexican nationals who entered the United States illegally and were claiming asylum. A number of the encounters involved family units who stated that Hernandez-Mosqueda was known in their hometown of Penjamo as someone who would guide individuals from Penjamo to Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico. From Sonoyta, the illegal aliens were smuggled into the United States by associates of Hernandez-Mosqueda. These aliens were referred to Hernandez-Mosqueda via Facebook and WhatsApp by individuals who had already been successfully smuggled illegally into the United States through his organization.
In addition to coordinating their illegal entry into the United States, Hernandez-Mosqueda coached the illegal aliens on how to claim asylum under false pretenses to gain legal status in the United States.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence Unit conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Stuart Zander and Matthew Doyle, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00820-PHX-KML
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-056_Hernandez-Mosqueda# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Maryland Settlement Processor Pleads Guilty to Submitting False Settlement Statements to Financial InstitutionsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Rebecca Marie Cohn, aka Rebecca Marie Stanton, 38, of Fallston, Maryland, pled guilty in federal court to knowingly and willfully making false statements to financial institutions in connection with real-estate settlements.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Pittano, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Region.
From 2013 through 2019, Cohn worked as a settlement and title processor for Residential Title & Escrow Company, a real estate title company located in Owings Mills, Maryland. As part of her job handling real estate property settlements, Cohn created, reviewed, and submitted HUD-1 Settlement Statements to financial institutions. Cohn was also responsible for documenting incoming funds and disbursements in connection with real-estate closings, along with providing financial institutions with documentation of equity injections utilized in real-estate transactions.
At Residential, Cohn engaged in settlement work in connection with co-defendants Mehul Ramesh Khatiwala, aka “Mike Khatiwala,” 43, of Voorhees, New Jersey, Rajendra G. Parikh, 64, of Monroe, New Jersey, Jennifer H. Watkins, 48, of Marlton, New Jersey, and entities associated with them. Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins recently pled guilty to a conspiracy to obtain loan proceeds to buy and sell hotels in connection with a hotel-flipping scheme.
“Flipping” is a real-estate investment strategy that involves purchasing property to hold for a short period before selling it to make a quick profit. Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins created limited liability companies with no significant business activity (“shell entities” or “selling entities”) to purchase hotel properties. They then created a second company to purchase the hotels from the shell companies at substantially higher prices. Cohn performed settlement work for the second part of the flip transaction.
Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins sought loans for those transactions through the SBA’s Section 7(a) Program, which guaranteed and insured approximately 75-85 percent of these loans, and required that the small business owner/borrower invest a certain amount of their own money into the business to qualify for the loan.
From June 2019 until August 2019, Cohn worked with Khatiwala, Watkins, and Parikh, handling settlement transactions that she knew the information represented on the HUD-1 Settlement Statements was materially false. Cohn also made false statements to financial institutions by sending them information about buyers’ equity injections in the form of checks, bank records, and other documents.
Through these false statements Cohn claimed to show that various equity injections occurred, knowing that those funds had already been represented as used for a previous real-estate hotel settlement. Cohn knew that the financial institutions relied on the false statements to decide to extend the loans to the borrowing entities.
On July 23, 2019, Cohn knowingly submitted a materially false HUD-1 Settlement Statement in connection with an SBA guaranteed loan to North State Bank. The statement substantially overrepresented the deposit or earnest money that the borrowing entity actually utilized in the transaction.
Additionally, in the statement she provided for the loan settlement, she falsely claimed that the settlement took place on July 23, 2019. But the settlement could not have taken place on that date because the selling entity did not own the hotel until July 24, 2019. Cohn knew that the selling entity did not own the hotel on July 23, 2019, as she used the loan proceeds provided by North State Bank to help the selling entity purchase the hotel.
Cohn is facing a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for making false statements to a financial institution. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FHFA-OIG and FDIC-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Evelyn L. Cusson, and Ari D. Evans, who are prosecuting the federal case, and recognized Paralegal Specialists Joanna B.N. Huber and Zharde Todman.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
Man Who Staged Auto Accidents and Committed Insurance Fraud Sentenced to 18 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Monday sentenced a man who defrauded insurance companies by staging vehicle accidents and injuries to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay $107,951 in restitution.
From September 2021 to January 2023, Adrian Peebles staged auto accidents, usually at night and in remote areas to minimize his chances of getting caught. Peebles nearly always claimed to have been injured and went to the emergency room complaining of “pain that required expensive tests that never identified any particular injury,” according to his plea agreement. Peebles insisted that the resulting payments from the vehicle insurance companies be made to him rather than the hospital and then did not pay his medical bills. His scheme cost two insurance companies $107,951.
Peebles, now 32, pleaded guilty in January to one count of mail fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Kidnapping Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jordan Nathaniel Hedden, 32, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for the 2023 kidnapping of an elderly victim, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Hedden’s co-conspirator, Stephanie Miranda Neace, 32, of Blairsville, Georgia, is currently awaiting sentencing, after a federal jury last week convicted her of kidnapping.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed documents, court proceedings, and trial evidence presented at Neace’s trial, on November 30, 2023, the victim, a 71-year-old female, was driving from Georgia to North Carolina, when she saw the defendants walking. The victim offered the defendants a ride because it was cold outside. The defendants accepted the ride, and soon after they entered North Carolina, Hedden instructed the victim to drive to his car. When they arrived at the location, a car was not there. Hedden then ordered the victim to stop the vehicle, and when the victim refused, Hedden forced the victim to stop the car and get in the back seat. Hedden then took over driving.
According to court records, the victim began to cry and Hedden yelled at her and told her to shut up. Hedden appeared to be high and agitated and became paranoid that the victim had a tracking device. At one point, Hedden stopped the vehicle, and he and Neace searched the car and the victim herself for tracking devices. Then, they took the victim’s phone and disabled it. Hedden also demanded money from the victim, but the victim only had $2. Fearing for her safety, the victim told the defendants to take her to an ATM and the defendants agreed. During the drive into Tennessee, Hedden made the victim promise that she would not identify them to the police.
During the drive to the ATM, the victim convinced Hedden to let her withdraw money from a gas station ATM instead of a bank. The victim also told Hedden that she would give the defendants the money if they let her stay behind safely at the gas station. When they arrived at the gas station, the victim took her purse and her car key fob. She told Hedden to turn off the car so the headlights could not be seen from the people inside the gas station, and Hedden complied. As the victim and Hedden were walking toward the gas station, the victim began to run to the door and scream for help. Hedden ran back to the car, attempted to use it to flee but was unable to start the car without the key fob. Hedden and Neace then fled on foot and escaped into the woods but were apprehended days later.
On November 13, 2024, Hedden pleaded guilty to kidnapping and aiding and abetting. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Gast and Alexis Solheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are in charge of the prosecution.
Man Charged with Threatening Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and her FamilyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Aliakbar Mohammad Amin has been arrested and charged pursuant to a criminal complaint with transmitting interstate threats to injure Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard and her family.
“Threatening to harm public officials is a criminal act that cannot be excused as political discourse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously prosecute individuals who commit these acts of violence.”
“The FBI sees all threatening communications as a serious federal offense. We will employ every investigative tool and resource available to identify those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Let this arrest serve as a clear warning: if you engage in this kind of criminal behavior, you will be caught and you will go to prison.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the complaint, and other information presented in court: Between March 29 and April 1, 2025, Amin allegedly sent text messages that included threats against DNI Gabbard and her husband, including the following statements:
- “You and your family are going to die soon” and “I will personally do the job if necessary.”
- “Death to America means death to America literally, Tulsi is living on borrowed time.
- “The home you two own . . . is a legitimate target and will be hit at a time and place of our choosing.”
- “Prepare to die, you, Tulsi, and everyone you hold dear. America will burn.”
During the investigation, federal agents also discovered similar threats allegedly made by Amin in social media posts, including an image depicting a firearm pointed at a photograph of DNI Gabbard, and a second image of a firearm pointed at a photograph of DNI Gabbard and her husband. Federal agents later recovered a firearm while executing a warrant to search Amin’s home.
Aliakbar Mohammad Amin, 24, of Lilburn, Georgia, was charged on April 11, 2025, via a previously sealed criminal complaint alleging a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). He was ordered detained pending trial by a U.S. Magistrate Judge after making his initial appearance in federal court.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Lee County Woman Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Madelyn Hernandez (49, Lehigh Acres) to 10 years in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering. As part of her sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $4,199,498.42, the proceeds of the wire fraud. Hernandez entered a guilty plea on January 28, 2025.
According to court documents, while Hernandez was employed by a textile and apparel supply chain company, she made false and fraudulent representations to the company to obtain money. Hernandez submitted fraudulent invoices via email from purported fabric supply companies and directed payment be sent to bank accounts that she controlled. As part of her scheme, Hernandez created and submitted false invoices purporting money due and owing to a fictitious company and another that was a defunct company for goods purportedly ordered and received. As a result of her scheme, between 2018 and 2024, Hernandez received a total of $4,199,498.42 from her employer.
Hernandez’s fraud came to light after the owner of the company found discrepancies in the company’s financial records, including inventory discrepancies and falsified business records. In June 2024, the company became aware that invoices, proof of delivery records, and inventory reports that Hernandez had submitted were fraudulent. As the company was investigating and unraveling the fraudulent records, Hernandez sent a message to her employer from a purported family member stating that she had died after an illness and complications with surgery. The company contacted law enforcement.
In October 2024, agents with the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation executed a search warrant at Hernandez’s residence. Hernandez admitted to agents that she had emailed invoices to the company for payment and had used the money deposited into her account, held in a fictitious company name, for her own personal expenses and for gambling. Further, she admitted to sending the message to her employer stating that she had died.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, MO man pled guilty in federal court today to conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to illegally trafficking firearms, to include a handgun that was converted into a machinegun.
Antonio Manning, 23, pled guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to the aforementioned charges.
By pleading guilty today, Antonio Manning admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to sell firearms to individuals who were prohibited from possessing them under federal law. According to the plea agreement, the defendants trafficked at least 22 firearms to persons who were known felons or they sold firearms that were converted into unregistered machineguns in violation of federal law. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Antonio Manning admitted that he was personally involved in illegally selling at least nine firearms and one of those firearms was an unregistered machinegun.
On Jan. 22, 2025, co-defendant Sheron Manning, the brother of Antonio Manning, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.
On April 07, 2025, co-defendant Michael Dewayne Hardy pled guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.
Under federal statutes, Antonio Manning is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based upon the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Jury Convicts Home Health Agency Executive of Fixing Wages and Fraudulently Concealing Criminal InvestigationRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Nevada man today for participating in a three-year conspiracy to fix the wages for home healthcare nurses in Las Vegas and for fraudulently failing to disclose the criminal antitrust investigation during the sale of his home healthcare staffing company.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas, Nevada conspired to artificially cap the wages of home healthcare nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019. The three-year conspiracy affected the wages of hundreds of Las Vegas registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who provide care to patients in their homes. During the pendency of the government’s investigation, Lopez then sold his home healthcare staffing company for over $10 million while fraudulently concealing the government’s criminal investigation from the buyer.
“Wage-fixing agreements are nakedly unlawful attempts at unjustly profiting off American workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail A. Slater of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. “Today’s verdict highlights what should be a clear message with antitrust crimes: the agreement is the crime. The Antitrust Division will zealously prosecute those who seek to unjustly profit off their employees. The nurses here deserved better and, under President Trump’s leadership, they will be protected.”
“Hundreds of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses were affected by the defendant’s three-year conspiracy to fix wages,” said U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting executives who seek to line their own pockets.”
"The FBI, along with our partners, will not condone fraud schemes that undermine the wages of dedicated nurses and licensed practical nurses," said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. "This guilty verdict serves as an important reminder that illegal activities will face strict consequences. We will remain committed to diligently pursuing individuals who exploit others for personal gain."
Lopez was convicted of one count of participating in a wage-fixing conspiracy and five counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14. A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals. A violation of the wire fraud statute carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Senior Litigation Counsel Jeffrey Cramer and Mikal Condon, Assistant Chief Andrew Mast, and Trial Attorneys Paradi Javandel and Conor Bradley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.
Inmate Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy While Serving Time for Prior Drug CasesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A man serving twenty years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for several prior drug offenses was sentenced today for federal Drug Conspiracy charges, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Shane Eugene Miller, 39, to 252 months followed by five years of supervised release.
“Miller ran an extensive drug conspiracy from prison with the aid of contraband cell phones and other co-conspirators,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “The use of a contraband cellphone by prisoners cannot be tolerated. The actions of Miller threatened our communities with dangerous narcotics. My office, in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, will continue to prosecute individuals who deal drugs, whether they are in prison or out.”
“This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to ensuring those who pollute our communities with dangerous drugs are brought to justice,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “We will continue to work side by side with our law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal enterprises, regardless of where they operate.”
Miller conspired with others to operate a drug conspiracy while in custody at the Department of Corrections. Court documents show that Miller used contraband cellphones to communicate about the drug distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Miller further directed others to negotiate with buyers and collect payments.
Brenda Raelene Blakeley, 65, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced in March 2025 for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Judge Hill ordered Blakeley to 235 months imprisonment, followed by five years supervised release. Blakely was stopped by law enforcement in 2023. Officers found methamphetamine concealed in the vehicle.
Cierra Michelle Warner, 32, of Ponca City, was sentenced in March 2025 for Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony. Judge Hill ordered Warner to 24 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release. Warner helped communicate with co-conspirators to coordinate the distribution of fentanyl.
Johnathan Allen Perryman, 43, pleaded guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl and is awaiting sentencing.
Miller will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Bailey, Attila Bogdan, and Joel-lyn McCormick prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Indiana Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Tashod Miller (33, Indiana) to 12 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. Miller pleaded guilty on February 4, 2025.
According to court documents, Miller traveled from Indiana to southwest Florida with more than 11,000 fentanyl pills in his checked luggage, which he had planned to sell for $15,000. Miller then met with an undercover DEA agent at a hotel, where he handed over the pills. After his arrest, Miller, who had multiple prior drug convictions, admitted that he had been selling fentanyl for approximately one year.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Illinois Woman Sentenced for Misprision of FelonyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Mia Armani Williams, 22, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on April 14, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for misprision of a felony. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Williams to two years of probation. There is no parole in the federal system.
On October 1, 2022, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper saw two nearly identical black Mercedes SUVs with Illinois plates traveling eastbound on I-80 in Seward County. A traffic stop was made on one SUV which was driven by co-defendant Jennilee Velez. Velez’s passenger was Mia Williams. The other SUV sped away and was later stopped by a Saline County deputy who was working with the Seward County Task Force. That SUV was driven by co-defendant Samantha Francisco, and her sister, co-defendant Julany Rivera, was her passenger.
Both SUVs were searched after Williams and Francisco admitted having marijuana. In the SUV driven by Velez, more than 16 pounds of cocaine were found along with 393 oxycodone pills. In the other SUV, more than 24 pounds of cocaine and 66 oxycodone pills were found. Searches of Velez’s and Francisco’s phones showed the four women had traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles, where other persons loaded the drugs into the two SUVs. The four were headed back to Chicago at the time they were stopped. Williams failed to notify law enforcement about Velez’s illegal activities when initially contacted.
Jennilee Velez was previously sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment and two years of supervised release on April 29, 2024. The other co-defendants’ cases remain pending.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, the Seward County Sheriff’s Department, the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced for Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Honduran national was sentenced today for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported.
According to court documents, Tomas Rivera-Melgar, 39, was encountered by agents from United States Border Patrol and Homeland Security while he was working at a construction site. Agents were able to determine that Rivera-Melgar had previously been removed from the United States in 2011 and in 2016. Rivera-Melgar has prior convictions for Illegal Entry, Driving While Intoxicated, and Assault Causing Bodily Injury.
At sentencing, Chief Judge Beaverstock imposed a time-served sentence and a 1-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Rivera-Melgar had been in custody since his arrest on February 26, 2025. Upon his release from prison, Rivera-Melgar is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Rivera-Melgar was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Honduran National Sentenced for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DANIEL IGNACIO MEJIA-CASTILLO (“MEJIA”), age 32, a native of Honduras, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to 144 months in imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, an armed robbery occurred on the evening of February 8, 2022, in the parking lot of El Milagro Church located on 440 N. Dorgenois Street in New Orleans. New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers responded to the scene and searched the area for potential suspects. During their search, officers discovered MEJIA crouching in a patch of overgrown grass near the 2500 block of St. Louis Street. MEJIA, an illegal alien from Honduras, was found in possession of a firearm. The firearm was identified as a Kel-Tec Model PF-9, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol. MEJIA was subsequently detained by police.
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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Inspector General - Social Security Administration and, the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
Honduran National Sentenced to Sixteen Months in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Edwin Analfi Mejia (39), a Honduran national, to 16 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. Mejia pleaded guilty on January 14, 2025.
According to court documents, Mejia is a native and citizen of Honduras. He has been removed from the United States on three occasions: on September 22, 2006, on February 21, 2014, and April 21, 2014. Mejia then voluntarily reentered the United States without permission. Federal law enforcement found Mejia when the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested him for contempt of court and burglary with assault.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.
Harlan County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Kenvir, Ky., man, Anthony Carr, 54, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier to 78 months in prison, for distribution of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, on August 17, 2023, law enforcement used a confidential informant to purchase approximately 54 grams of a methamphetamine mixture from Carr. On August 23, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Carr’s residence and found approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine, baggies, and three sets of digital scales.
Under federal law, Carr 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 four years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Chris Brewer, Harlan County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, and Harlan County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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