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Wednesday 5 March 2025
West Virginia Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A West Virginia man pleaded guilty today to one count of willful failure to pay over employment taxes on behalf of his business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dean E. Dawson operated RPC Group LLC, a Hurricane, West Virginia, real estate appraisal business. Dawson was responsible for withholding employment taxes from RPC Group’s employees and paying over those funds to the IRS. Between 2015 and 2022, however, Dawson willfully failed to pay over to the IRS the employment taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks. He also used the RPC Group’s business accounts to pay for personal expenses, including personal credit cards and his wife’s home mortgage, and issued checks to his wife from RPC Group even though she was not an employee of the business. In addition, from 2018 to 2023, Dawson did not file personal tax returns or pay income taxes. In total, Dawson caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $250,000.
Dawson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Brian E. Flanagan and Rebecca A. Caruso of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan T. Storage for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney Durham Launches the Eastern District of New York’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike ForceRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York John J. Durham announced today the creation and launch of the Eastern District of New York’s Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) Strike Force. Capitalizing on the Office’s preeminence in this area, the Strike Force will focus on investigating, prosecuting and dismantling cartels and TCOs, and their senior leadership by bringing charges that include terrorism, racketeering and operating a continuing criminal enterprise.
“I am establishing this Strike Force with immense pride in what this Office has already accomplished, as well as the knowledge that there is much more work to be done in the fight against TCOs,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Because of my Office’s significant experience and expertise in this area, we have a responsibility to our community and our country to dismantle these ruthless organizations from the top down in order to stop the violence, flow of drugs, and dangers they unleash in our District and across the nation.”
For more than two decades, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has been a nationwide leader in prosecuting many of the most significant TCOs in the country and the world, including innovative indictments of the highest-ranking international leaders of the La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Sinaloa Cartel, Guadalajara Cartel, Juarez Cartel, H-2 Drug Cartel, Clan de Golfo and others. In addition, this Office has investigated and prosecuted numerous other TCOs that have a significant operating presence in our district, including the Trinitarios, 18th Street and, more recently, Tren de Aragua (TdA). Notably, United States Attorney Durham has been at the forefront of these prosecutions, leading and serving on the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force Subcommittee for MS-13 and directing Joint Task Force Vulcan, while other AUSAs in the Office have served on the subcommittees for Sinaloa, Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) Cartel, Hezbollah and Clan de Golfo.
Consistent with the Attorney General’s memorandum titled “TOTAL ELIMINATION OF CARTELS AND TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS” issued on February 5, 2025, which provided further guidance regarding President Trump’s January 20, 2025 Executive Order regarding TCOs such as TdA and MS-13, the Strike Force’s mission is as follows:
Investigating, prosecuting and dismantling cartels and TCOs, with a particular focus on their senior leadership and management, including without limitation: Mexican drug cartels such as the Sinaloa, H-2, Juarez, CJNG and Clan de Golfo cartels, and TCOs that have a significant operating presence in the District, such as MS-13, the Trinitarios, the 18th Street gang and TdA.
Disrupting the criminal activities of TCOs, particularly those operating in the United States and/or that impact United States victims at home or abroad, including TCOs engaged in criminal activity involving terrorism; racketeering; drug trafficking, particularly with respect to fentanyl and fentanyl precursors; violent crime; human trafficking and smuggling; corruption of foreign officials; money laundering; immigration crimes; and fraud and cybercrime schemes.
Identifying the sources and methods of illicit funds related to TCO financing and profits, and seizing and forfeiting bank accounts, digital assets, real property and other assets that are criminally derived, commingled with criminal proceeds, or otherwise involved in money laundering by or in support of TCOs.
Coordinating the investigative efforts of the Office’s federal law enforcement partners in the Eastern District and beyond, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service, as well as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA), state and local police departments and district attorneys’ offices.
Strengthening the Office’s partnerships and coordination with other Department of Justice components, including the National Security Division, Criminal Division, Joint Task Force Vulcan, Joint Task Force 10-7, Joint Task Force Alpha, OCDETF, MLARS, NDDS, OIA and other United States Attorney’s Offices.
The Chief of the International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section Francisco J. Navarro has been selected to serve as Director of the EDNY TCO Strike Force, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan E. Farrell and Gabriel Park have been selected as Deputy Directors. In addition, the Strike Force will have at least one representative from each section of the Office’s Criminal Division to capitalize on existing experience, coordinate strategic focus and maximize resources to make an even more significant impact combatting TCOs. The Strike Force will also include OCDETF-designated AUSAs, Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) coordinators, as well as a designated representative from the Civil Division to ensure the Strike Force leverages civil remedies as appropriate. The Strike Force will also coordinate closely with the Office’s Immigration Enforcement Working Group.
Francisco J. Navarro
AUSA Navarro joined the Department in 2013 and the Office in 2018 after serving as an AUSA in the District of New Jersey. He has been in charge of INML since April 2023. He received his B.A. from Boston University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
AUSA Navarro has prosecuted several significant narcotics, national security and material support cases. He has also prosecuted significant white collar cases involving sanctions evasion, money laundering and the Bank Secrecy Act. For example, AUSA Navarro is part of the team prosecuting Rafael Caro Quintero for leading a continuing criminal enterprise, including his role in the kidnapping, torture and murder of DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. He is also leading the team prosecuting Ismael Zambada Garcia (aka “El Mayo”) for his founding and two-decade leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel—a continuing criminal enterprise—and one of the most violent and powerful drug cartels in the world. In United States v. Usuga David, et al., he led the team that obtained a 45-year prison sentence against Dairo Usuga David (aka “Otoniel”) who was the supreme leader of the Clan del Golfo and was considered the most dangerous narco-terrorist in Colombia since Pablo Escobar. AUSA Navarro also led the team that obtained the first indictments in the nation against Chinese chemical manufacturing companies and employees for importing fentanyl precursors into the United States and working with Mexican cartels to manufacture and distribute fentanyl in the United States. In addition, AUSA Navarro is also leading the prosecution of Mohammad Bazzi, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and financier for Hizballah, a foreign terrorist organization on sanctions evasion and money laundering charges. AUSA Navarro has been involved in multiple prosecutions of individuals and institutions for failing to follow United States laws regarding maintaining effective anti-money laundering programs, the prohibition on the provision of material support to designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, or other financial regulations.
Megan E. Farrell
AUSA Farrell joined the Office in 2018, and currently serves in the Office’s Long Island Criminal Section. She is one of the Office’s Human Trafficking Coordinators and previously served as an Acting Deputy Chief in the Office’s General Crimes Section. She received her B.A. from Boston College and her J.D. from St. John’s University.
AUSA Farrell has prosecuted significant organized crime, gang and sex trafficking cases during her time in the Office. In United States v. Canales-Rivera et al. and United States v. Arevalo-Chavez et al., she is part of the team prosecuting the highest-ranking members of MS-13’s international command and control structure, including the body known as the Ranfla Nacional, with charges that include conspiracy to provide and conceal material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, conspiracy to finance terrorism and narco-terrorism conspiracy. In United States v. Alexi Saenz et al., AUSA Farrell was part of a team that secured the convictions of two MS-13 defendants to racketeering and other charges in connection with eight murders. In United States v. Blanco et al., she was a member of the team that secured the convictions of three high-ranking MS-13 gang members to racketeering charges in connection with nine murders. In United States v. Escobar, AUSA Farrell was part of the team that secured a sentence of 50 years after the defendant was convicted on April 8, 2022, following a four-week trial, of racketeering, including predicate acts of murder, conspiracy to murder rival gang members, and obstruction of justice and murder in aid-of racketeering, in relation to the deaths of four young men who were hacked to death with machetes and other sharp objects by more than a dozen MS-13 members and associates after Escobar lured them to a local park in 2017. In United States v. Lampley-Reid, AUSA Farrell was part of the team leading to a Bloods gang member being sentenced to 23 years in prison for sex trafficking of minors. Additionally, AUSA Farrell is part of the team charging former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch and two other individuals with sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.
Gabriel Park
AUSA Park joined the Office in 2022 after serving in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He received his B.A. from Wake Forest University and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and clerked for the Honorable Dora L. Irizarry. He currently serves in the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.
AUSA Park has prosecuted significant violent organized crime and gang cases. In United States v. Yu, he was part of the prosecution team that convicted two defendants who were subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder-for-hire scheme of a perceived business rival, and in the related case United States v. Abreu, AUSA Park was on the prosecution team that convicted a third defendant for his role in the murder-for-hire scheme. In United States v. Thompson, AUSA Park was on the prosecution team that convicted a Long Island man who was later sentenced to 30 years in prison for drug trafficking, distribution of fentanyl that resulted in a death and illegal possession of firearms.
United States Arrests ISIS-K Attack Planner for Role in Killing of U.S. Military Service Members at Abbey Gate, AfghanistanRead the Press Release
Note: View the affidavit and complaint here.
On March 2, 2025, the United States charged Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as “Jafar,” a member of the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), with providing and conspiring to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B. Sharifullah has been arrested and is expected to appear in the Eastern District of Virginia on March 5, 2025.
“This evil ISIS-K terrorist orchestrated the brutal murder of 13 heroic service members,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under President Trump’s strong leadership on the world stage, this Department of Justice will ensure that terrorists like Mohammad Sharifullah have no safe haven, no second chances, and no worse enemy than the United States of America.”
“The lethal attack that killed 13 American service members and Afghan civilians during the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was an act of terrorism,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “ISIS-K brazenly claimed responsibility for the carnage. Now thanks to the assistance of the FBI, Department of Justice, and the CIA, we have secured Sharifullah’s apprehension and transport to the U.S. to face American justice. The FBI will never forget the loss of these American heroes, we will continue to hunt down those who viciously murdered our warriors, we will find all responsible and bring them to justice.”
“The charges announced today carry an unmistakable message: the commitment of the United States to hold accountable all who facilitate and carry out acts of terror against us will never waver,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our message to those who have been impacted by these horrific crimes is that you are not forgotten. We will continue to pursue justice no matter how long or how far it takes us.”
On Aug. 26, 2021, American and other Coalition military forces were conducting an evacuation operation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Abbey Gate was the main entry point for the operation. Thousands of civilians were at Abbey Gate for evacuation.
At approximately 5:36 p.m., ISIS-K member Abdul Rahman al-Logari detonated a body-worn suicide bomb at Abbey Gate, killing 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians.
During an interview with FBI Special Agents on March 2, 2025, after waiving his Miranda rights, Sharifullah admitted to helping prepare for the Abbey Gate attack, including scouting a route near the airport for an attacker. Sharifullah specifically checked for law enforcement and American or Taliban checkpoints; he then communicated to other ISIS-K members that he believed the route was clear and that the attacker would not be detected. Sharifullah also admitted to recognizing al-Logari as an ISIS-K operative he had previously known.
During his interview with the FBI, Sharifullah also admitted to supporting and conducting activities on behalf of ISIS-K in multiple other lethal attacks.
On June 20, 2016, a suicide bomber acting for ISIS-K detonated a bomb that killed over ten embassy guards and multiple civilians and wounded other soldiers guarding the Canadian embassy in Kabul. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. As alleged in the complaint, prior to the attack, Sharifullah conducted surveillance to prepare the suicide bomber and later transported the bomber to the attack area.
On March 22, 2024, a group of ISIS-K gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall near Moscow, Russia. The attack killed approximately 130 people and injured numerous others. Russian authorities arrested four gunmen in connection with the attack. During his interview with the FBI, Sharifullah admitted that, on behalf of ISIS-K, he had shared instructions on how to use AK-style rifles and other weapons to would-be attackers. Sharifullah also admitted to recognizing two of the four arrested gunmen as those he had previously instructed.
If convicted, Sharifullah 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and Troy A. Edwards, Jr., for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Alicia Cook, Charles Kovats, and Ryan White for the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
The details described above are allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Justice Department Launches Investigation of University of California Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964Read the Press Release
The Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced that the Justice Department has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into the University of California (UC) under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The investigation will assess whether UC has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, religion and national origin against its professors, staff and other employees by allowing an Antisemitic hostile work environment to exist on its campuses.
“This Department of Justice will always defend Jewish Americans, protect civil rights, and leverage our resources to eradicate institutional Antisemitism in our nation’s universities,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“Our country has witnessed a disturbing rise of Antisemitism at educational institutions in California and nationwide,” said Acting Associate Attorney General and Department of Justice Chief of Staff Chad Mizelle. “The Department of Justice is committed to upholding Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and protecting Jewish Americans as we investigate this potential pattern of discrimination.”
Leading Task Force member and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Leo Terrell said, “Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks in Israel, there has been an outbreak of antisemitic incidents at leading institutions of higher education in America, including at my own alma mater at the UCLA campus of UC. The impact upon UC’s students has been the subject of considerable media attention and multiple federal investigations. But these campuses are also workplaces, and the Jewish faculty and staff employed there deserve a working environment free of antisemitic hostility and hate. The President, the Attorney General and this Task Force are committed to combatting antisemitism for all Jewish Americans.”
The employment discrimination investigation will be conducted pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. Under Title VII, the Justice Department has the authority to initiate investigations against state and local government employers where it has reason to believe that a “pattern or practice” of employment discrimination exists.
Collaboration between the Justice Department and other federal agencies plays an important role in combating antisemitism in schools and college campuses. The Department coordinates with other federal agencies as part of the multi-agency Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, as well as when sharing enforcement jurisdiction with other agencies. For state and local governments and related entities like public universities, the Department of Justice shares enforcement authority under Title VII with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC receives, investigates, and conciliates EEOC charges against state- and local-government employers, before referring those charges to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice for potential litigation.
“The EEOC is committed to partnering with the Department of Justice to stamp out the scourge of anti-Semitism on campus workplaces,” said EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas.
If you have been discriminated against, you can file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division, at Contact the Civil Rights Division | Department of Justice (https://civilrights.justice.gov). If you work for an university or college and have experienced anti-Semitic harassment at work, you can file a charge with the EEOC, at How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (https://www.eeoc.gov/how-file-charge-employment-discrimination). Learn more about addressing anti-Semitism at work here: What To Do If You Face Antisemitism at Work.
President Trump’s Executive Order can be found here: Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism – The White House.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi Appoints Steven D. Weinhoeft as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of IllinoisRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed Steven D. Weinhoeft to serve as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Weinhoeft, returns to the role he held from 2018 to 2022, bringing decades of experience in federal law enforcement and complex litigation to the position.
“I am honored and excited to return to this role to serve the people of the Southern District of Illinois,” said Weinhoeft. “I look forward to working with Attorney General Bondi, our talented team, and our law enforcement partners to uphold the rule of law with integrity and resolve.”
Weinhoeft has served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois since February 2008, holding multiple leadership roles, including United States Attorney (2018–2022), First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Supervisor of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and Dangerous Drugs Division.
Weinhoeft has built a career spanning nearly 29 years. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he spent more than a decade at the Sangamon County (Ill.) State’s Attorney’s Office, including serving as its First Assistant State’s Attorney and Chief of the Criminal Division. He has significant trial experience, and his expertise includes broad areas of state and federal law, including violent crime, multi-district and international drug conspiracies, public corruption, national security, and complex financial crimes. He has technical experience serving as the office’s criminal Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Coordinator. He also serves as the Digital Asset Coordinator with specialized expertise in cryptocurrency and blockchain issues.
The Southern District of Illinois covers 38 counties in southern Illinois and serves approximately 1.2 million people. The district has offices in East St. Louis, Benton, and Fairview Heights.
As U.S. Attorney, Weinhoeft will again serve as the chief federal law enforcement official representing the United States in all civil and criminal litigation. His appointment took effect on Feb. 28, 2025, and he was formally sworn into the position by Chief United States District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel at a ceremony Monday.
Three Wanted Defendants from Mexico Secured in ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jose Bibiano Cabrera-Cabrera, 37; Jesus Humberto Limon-Lopez, 43; and Jose Guadalupe Tapia-Quintero, 53; all of Mexico, appeared last week for their initial appearances after they were secured from Mexico on February 27, 2025.
The defendants taken into U.S. custody include leaders and managers of drug cartels recently designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Cártel del Noreste (formerly Los Zetas), La Nueva Familia Michoacana, and Cártel de Golfo (Gulf Cartel). These defendants are collectively alleged to have been responsible for the importation into the United States of massive quantities of poison, including cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, as well as associated acts of violence.
Tapia-Quintero is charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine with Intent to Import into the United States; Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine; Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; Conspiracy to Commit Promotional Money Laundering; Conspiracy to Commit Concealment Money Laundering; and Aiding and Abetting. He is facing up to life imprisonment.
Limon-Lopez is charged with Continuing Criminal Enterprise; Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine; Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine; Distribution of Methamphetamine; Distribution of Fentanyl; Distribution of Heroin; Distribution of Cocaine; and Conspiracy to Unlawfully Export Firearms and Ammunition. He faces up to life imprisonment.
Cabrera-Cabrera is charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine; Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine; and Conspiracy to Unlawfully Export Firearms and Ammunition. He faces up to life imprisonment.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The OCDETF Arizona Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Arizona Army National Guard, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Scottsdale Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney Office for the District of Arizona.
CASE NUMBER: CR-13-00179-PHX-SRB
CR-21-01864-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-030_Cabrera-Cabrera# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Thibodaux Social Worker Sentenced to 30 Months for Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that JOHN CHRISTOPHER BARRILLEAUX (“BARRILLEAUX”), age 64, of Thibodaux, Louisiana, was sentenced on February 27, 2025 to 30 months in prison, after previously pleading guilty to healthcare fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347.
According to court documents, from 2008 through 2024, BARRILLEAUX submitted false claims to private insurance companies for millions of dollars of healthcare services that were not actually provided. To hide the fraud, BARRILLEAUX created fake patient notes and submitted them to the insurance companies to support his bills.
United States District Judge Barry Ashe sentenced BARRILLEAUX to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. BARRILLEAUX was also ordered to pay $4,592,650 in restitution to the victim companies, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
Acting U.S Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, of the Financial Crimes Unit and Health Care Fraud Coordinator, and Trial Attorney Kelly Z. Walters, of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, are in charge of the prosecution.
Texas Man Sentenced to 200 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Elijah Shores, 30 years old, of Irving, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, after pleading guilty to distributing fentanyl, possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Shores was sentenced to 200 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Indiana State Police and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
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.
Stratford Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEFAN BAGLEY, JR., 23, of Stratford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 26, 2023, Bagley was shot and wounded while traveling in his vehicle in Bridgeport. Later that day, Bagley’s vehicle was used in another shooting incident in Bridgeport. An investigation revealed that, between October 2022 and October 2023, Bagley purchased more than 20 handguns from licensed firearm dealers and sold the guns to a network of customers, several of whom Bagley knew were prohibited by law from possessing firearms. Bagley typically scratched the serial numbers off of the firearms before providing them to his customers, making the guns more difficult to trace.
To date, law enforcement has recovered only five of the firearms that were purchased and trafficked by Bagley. One of the recovered firearms was used in a shooting in Stamford.
Bagley was arrested on December 18, 2023. On August 19, 2024, he pleaded guilty to firearm trafficking conspiracy.
Bagley, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 5.
This matter was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
St. Louis County Felon Who Triggered Standoff Sentenced to 40 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon who triggered a law enforcement standoff in St. Louis County to 40 months in prison.
Randy Wilkes, 43, pleaded guilty in November to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted being caught with a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol on Oct. 5, 2022, by the U.S. Marshals Service and St. Louis County police.
Deputy U.S. Marshals and police were at Wilkes’ home in the 10400 block of Gardo Court in Bellefontaine Neighbors to arrest him for outstanding felony warrants stemming from two violent domestic assaults, according to a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin. Wilkes refused officers’ commands to come to the door and instead hid in the basement, triggering a standoff that lasted more than two hours, the memo says. After escorting multiple children out of the house, law enforcement officers tried to safely locate Wilkes, using a K-9, a robot equipped with a camera and multiple nonlethal pepper balls and gas canisters to avoid approaching Wilkes in a way that would risk their safety, the memo says. Wilkes was arrested after officers forced entry into an exterior basement door.
After his release from prison, Wilkes will be on supervised release for three years.
The U.S. Marshals Service and St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Martin 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.
Six Foreign Nationals Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of six indictments charging Cesar Antonio Geronimo-Morales (34, Guatemala), Calixto Gomez-Lopez (42, Guatemala), Fermin Diaz (37, El Salvador), Lenar Donaldo Martinez-Garay (32, Honduras), Lesman Yohan Lopez-Gamez (33, Honduras), and Juan Jose Resendiz-Gonzalez (47, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, each faces up to two years in federal prison.
According to court documents, all six individuals have been previously deported from the United States and were found present in Duval County. None have received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security for the United States to apply for readmission to the United States.
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 Department of Homeland Security. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
Six Defendants Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy Related to 2022 Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking in Chittenden County and ElsewhereRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that last month the final defendants convicted in connection with a Chittenden County drug distribution conspiracy, were sentenced in United States District Court for the District of Vermont.
According to court records, from October 2022 through December 30, 2022, Christopher Purvis was the manager of a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl in Burlington, and elsewhere around Chittenden County. The conspiracy used a residence belonging to Tyler Orvis in Milton, Vermont to store drug packaging materials. As part of the investigation into the operation, on December 6, 2022, in Jericho, Vermont, law enforcement seized fentanyl, cocaine, and a firearm from Russell Mitchell, Alexis Sutton, and Dorothy Wilde. Records also indicate Sierra Fuentes sold drugs and transported proceeds in furtherance of the conspiracy.
Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss imposed the following sentences, which were advised by the United States Sentencing Guidelines:
- Christopher Purvis – 72 months followed by 5 years of supervised release;
- Russell Mitchell – 54 months followed by 3 years of supervised release (later commuted to 20 months by executive order);
- Tyler Orvis – Time Served (approximately 24 months) followed by 6 years of supervised release;
- Dorothy Wilde – Time Served (approximately 8 months) followed by 3 years of supervised release; and
- Alexis Sutton – 6 months followed by 6 years of supervised release.
United States District Judge Mae D’Agostino imposed the following sentence, which was advised by the United States Sentencing Guidelines:
- Sierra Fuentes – Time Served (approximately 14 months) followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher thanked the DEA Burlington, Vermont Office, and acknowledged significant assistance from the Milton Police Department, the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department, the Morristown Police Department, the DEA Hartford, Connecticut Office, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Bureau of Prisons.
Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig handled the case for the Government. Mark Kaplan, Esq. represented Tyler Orvis, Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels represented Christopher Purvis, Richard Bothfeld, Esq. represented Alexis Sutton, John Mabie, Esq. represented Dorothy Wilde, and William A. Vasiliou, II, Esq. represented Sierra Fuentes.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Terrell Bell, age 27, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Bell was on parole in January 2024 when law enforcement searched his home in Schenectady and discovered nearly 1,800 fentanyl pills in his bedroom and over $90,000 throughout the home.
At sentencing scheduled for July 9, 2025, Bell faces a minimum term of 5 years and a maximum term of 40 years in prison, a maximum fine of $5 million, and a term of supervised release after imprisonment of between 4 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Bell has also consented to the forfeiture of the currency seized from his home.
FBI investigated this case with the assistance of the Schenectady Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting this case.
Salem Man Faces Federal Charge for Illegally Possessing Molotov CocktailsRead the Press Release
A Salem, Oregon man was arraigned in federal court today for possessing Molotov cocktails while attempting to destroy property at a Salem car dealership.
Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, has been charged by criminal complaint with illegally possessing an unregistered destructive device.
According to court documents, on January 20, 2025, officers from the Salem Police Department responded to a report of an individual throwing Molotov cocktails at a local car dealership. Later, on February 19, 2025, officers returned to the same dealership after a report of damage from what appeared to be bullets fired into a building and vehicle.
Investigators soon linked Lansky to both incidents. Surveillance footage obtained from the car dealership appeared to show Lansky throwing Molotov cocktails that struck a dealership building and several vehicles, causing fires. Surveillance video from a patrol car captured a vehicle parked near the dealership while Lansky is alleged to have discharged multiple firearm rounds into a building and at least one vehicle. Investigators learned the vehicle was registered to Lansky and observed it at his residence.
Lansky was arrested Tuesday without incident in Salem and made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Salem Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Parakram Singh, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Repeat Gun Offender Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Aggravated Assault While ArmedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Traquon Demonte McCalip, 21, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 114 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a Canik T9SF Elite 9mm handgun and using it to shoot a victim in the middle of the day at a busy fast-food restaurant parking lot on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue NE.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
McCalip pleaded guilty on August 23, 2024, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and to aggravated assault while armed. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered McCalip to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on March 20, 2024, McCalip approached an individual standing in a fast-food parking lot on the 3900-block of Minnesota Avenue NE, and claimed that he wanted to buy cigarettes from him. After discussing cigarette prices, McCalip attempted to take the individual’s bag. McCalip then drew his loaded, concealed handgun and shot the individual in the abdomen. As a struggle ensued between McCalip and the victim, McCalip spotted a marked police vehicle that had arrived on scene. McCalip took his firearm’s magazine that had fallen out of his gun, and fled in a vehicle that he had parked in the lot with his firearm’s magazine but left behind his firearm. Police chased McCalip and ultimately arrested him near 1805 Bladensburg Road NE. Officers recovered the firearm magazine and ammunition on the driver’s seat of the car McCalip was driving.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor of the Department of Justice.
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Reno Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Assaulting Federal Officer During ArrestRead the Press Release
RENO – A Reno resident was sentenced today by United States District Judge Miranda M. Du to 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon during the execution of his arrest warrant.
According to evidence presented at trial, on February 16, 2022, Matthew John Nason, 39, fired a handgun in the direction of a Deputy United States Marshal while the Deputy was attempting to serve a valid arrest warrant for Nason and his girlfriend at Nason’s residence. Nason had an outstanding arrest warrant for drug and firearms violations out of the District of North Dakota. The 10-year sentence is to run consecutive to the sentence Nason received in the District of North Dakota.
In November 2024, following the three-day trial, a jury convicted Nason of assault of a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division, and Marshal Gary Schofield for the United States Marshals Service made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI, United States Marshals Service, and the Reno Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Rachow and Randy St. Clair prosecuted the case.
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Putnam County Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dean E. Dawson, 65, of Hurricane, pleaded guilty today to one count of willful failure to pay over employment taxes on behalf of his business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Dawson operated RPC Group LLC, a Hurricane, West Virginia, real estate appraisal business. Dawson was responsible for withholding employment taxes from RPC Group’s employees and paying over those funds to the IRS. Between 2015 and 2022, however, Dawson willfully failed to pay over to the IRS the employment taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks. He also used the RPC Group’s business accounts to pay for personal expenses, including personal credit cards and his wife’s home mortgage, and issued checks to his wife from RPC Group even though she was not an employee of the business. In addition, from 2018 to 2023, Dawson did not file personal tax returns or pay income taxes. In total, Dawson caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $250,000.
Dawson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Dawson also owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) is investigating the case.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Trial Attorneys Brian E. Flanagan and Rebecca A. Caruso of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan T. Storage for the Southern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.
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. 3:24-cr-120.
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Prior Convicted Felon Who Led Distribution Network That Had Access to and Distributed Kilograms of Drugs During the Height of the COVD-19 Pandemic is Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Joseph Twilley, 65 years old, of Detroit, was sentenced to just over 13 years in prison. United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson sentenced the Detroit-based leader for overseeing a drug trafficking network that distributed kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin; laundering his drug money; and possessing firearms despite being a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Julie Beck.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration, Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Charles E. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Detroit Field Division.
Twilley was able to obtain kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when drug prices skyrocketed as supplies dwindled. DEA and FBI’s investigation culminated in the seizure of 15 kilograms of cocaine shipped from California in a hidden compartment in a vehicle. Agents then searched Twilley’s residence and recovered heroin, fentanyl, multiple firearms, and bulk currency. IRS CI uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars that Twilley laundered through various bank accounts for businesses he set up to hide his drug proceeds from law enforcement.
“Our office works collaboratively with our federal law enforcement partners to hold drug traffickers accountable for distributing opioids and other illegal drugs into our communities while profiting handsomely and trying to hide and launder their drug proceeds. We have to stop not only the drug trafficking, but we have to remove the financial incentive to truly take down an organization like Twilley’s,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beck.
“Illegal drug distribution operations like the one Mr. Twilley was overseeing, ravages the very foundation of our communities. Every time we take deadly drugs like fentanyl, heroin and cocaine off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our federal law enforcement partners here in Michigan,” said Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA.
"The sentencing of Joseph Twilley sends a clear and powerful message: those who orchestrate the distribution of illegal drugs, engage in money laundering, and illegally possess firearms will be held fully accountable under the law," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Detroit Field Office. "Through our collaboration with the DEA and IRS, we have successfully dismantled a significant drug trafficking network. The FBI remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to combat violent and white-collar crime, ensuring our communities' continued safety and security in Michigan."
“This sentencing signals an important victory for the American public. The role of IRS Criminal Investigations in narcotics investigations is to follow the money so we can financially disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations,” said Charles Miller, IRS Criminal Investigations, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office. “We are proud to work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to hold criminals accountable and make our communities safer.”
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement (OCDETF) Southeast Regional Strike Force, an Initiative that provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Hutting and Rajesh Prasad prosecuted the case for the United States.
Orlando and Miami Women Sentenced for Conspiracy Involving Kilograms of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl and Tens of Thousands in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger today sentenced Mayerline Patricia Salcedo (31, Orlando) and Rachel Beth Cordero (31, Miami) to 12 and 6 years and 6 months in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in conspiring to distribute fentanyl and other drugs. The court also ordered Cordero to forfeit $3,689 in drug proceeds seized from her vehicle and Salcedo to forfeit $27,286 in drug proceeds and a firearm seized from her apartment. Cordero pleaded guilty on September 13, 2024, and Salcedo pleaded guilty on October 25, 2024.
According to court documents, on November 29, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) followed Cordero – a target of a Miami-based DEA investigation – as she drove for hours from her apartment in Miami to an apartment complex on Millenia Boulevard in Orlando. When Cordero arrived, she waited in her car as Salcedo delivered a bag containing drugs to her in her vehicle. When Cordero’s vehicle was later stopped, a search revealed numerous drugs, drug proceeds, a digital scale, and cutting agents, including a kilogram brick of fentanyl wrapped in red tape.
DEA agents then arrested Salcedo and executed a search warrant at her apartment, seizing nearly 12 kilograms of methamphetamine, 4 ½ kilograms of fentanyl analogs, fentanyl pills, and powdered fentanyl in the same wrapping.
In Salcedo’s apartment, the DEA also located $27,286, a money counter, and a ledger accounting for the profits of her and her conspirators’ business:
Salcedo regularly texted photos to conspirators of currency, drug proceeds, and accounting ledgers reflecting collections of $19,000, $36,000, $47,000, and similar amounts. After Cordero’s arrest, the DEA conducted a search warrant at her apartment in Miami and seized more fentanyl and a kilogram press, along with other drug distribution paraphernalia. In total, the DEA recovered nearly 6 kilograms of fentanyl and analogs and nearly 12 kilograms methamphetamine, among other drugs.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Okmulgee Couple Sentenced for Child Abuse and Child NeglectRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John Ray Collins Jr., age 49, and Tambara Lorene Collins, age 38, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, appeared in United States District Court for sentencing.
John Ray Collins Jr. was sentenced to 240 months in prison for one count of Attempted Murder, and 360 months each on two counts of Child Abuse, and 360 months for one count of Child Neglect. The terms of imprisonment will run concurrently for a total of 30 years imprisonment, to be followed by a five year term of supervised release.
Tambara Lorene Collins, age 38, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 216 months in prison per count on two counts of Child Abuse, and 216 months in prison for one count of Child Neglect. The terms of imprisonment will run concurrently for a total of 18 years imprisonment, to be followed by a five year term of supervised release.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police.
On November 17, 2023, a federal jury convicted John Collins at trial of all counts. On October 24, 2023, Tambara Collins entered a guilty plea to two counts of child abuse and one count of child neglect.
According to investigators, between January 1, 2023, and June 12, 2023, John and Tambara Collins repeatedly abused and failed to protect two children in their care. The children sustained bruising and abrasions to the face, ears, back, legs, and feet. In mid-June, John Collins escalated his abuse, beating one of the children with a pipe. The child was then denied food, water, medical care, and sanitary living conditions. The child suffered head lacerations, internal bleeding, a broken arm, broken fingers, and traumatic skeletal muscle deterioration before rescuers were able to remove the children from the Collins residence.
The crimes occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“The suffering these innocent children endured at the hands of two people who were supposed to love and care for them is horrific and unconscionable,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “The FBI is proud to have been part of the investigative team that helped put John and Tambara Collins behind prison bars where they undoubtedly belong.”
“The defendants subjected children in their care to unthinkable abuse and neglect, and I am thankful for the collaborative work of county, tribal, and federal investigators and federal prosecutors in securing convictions and significant sentences in this case,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. The defendants will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caila M. Cleary and Sarah McAmis represented the United States.
Ohio Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Emariel Kanay Tyler, 20, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 29, 2023, Tyler traveled by rideshare from a Charleston apartment to a residence in Wyoming County with quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Tyler admitted that she used her cell phone to arrange the sale of the fentanyl to someone at the residence, discussing the meeting location and the prices to be charged for the fentanyl. Tyler exchanged the fentanyl for payment at the meeting location, but further admitted that she returned to Charleston with both the money and the fentanyl.
The rideshare dropped Tyler off at the Charleston apartment upon their return from Wyoming County. Tyler found that law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at the apartment, where her boyfriend, Terric Zaire Williams, was staying. Officers saw the outline of a firearm in Tyler’s pants and a large amount of cash and a baggie of suspected drugs hanging out of the pockets of her jacket. Officers arrested Tyler.
Officers also seized three-quarters of a pound of methamphetamine from a dining room trash can and a living room closet during the search of the apartment. Williams, 25, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced on February 27, 2025, to six years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
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-186.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Leonard Samiia, 32, of Wapakoneta, Ohio, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography. Samiia must register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about February 20, 2023, Samiia employed, used, persuaded, induced, and enticed a minor victim residing within the Southern District of West Virginia to send images of her nude vagina to him through the internet using an instant messaging service. Samiia also sent the images back to the minor victim using the messaging service.
Samiia admitted that he sent a series of messages to the minor victim, directing her to make specific poses and take specific actions for these images. Samiia further admitted that he threatened the minor victim with the images she sent him, including by messaging her “(h)ave fun with these pics being posted now,” “being posted all over Facebook google snapchat twitch and everywhere,” and “THEY WILL BE POSTED ON YOUR SCHOOL WEBSITE TOO.” In one message, Samiia threatened to travel to where the minor victim lived and physically harm her and her family.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Holly Wilson 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 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.justice.gov/psc.
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-18.
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Ninedee Gang Member Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Murder of Former Federal WitnessRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Quintin Green, also known as “Wild Child,” was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to 35 years’ imprisonment for the murder of former federal witness Shatavia Walls in July 2020. Green, a member of the Ninedee Gang, a violent criminal enterprise operating out of the Louis H. Pink Houses in East New York, pleaded guilty in April 2024 to causing Walls’ death through use of firearms. Green also pleaded guilty to attempted Hobbs Act robbery for attempting to steal televisions from a Target store in Staten Island in November 2020 and was sentenced to a concurrent term of five years in prison.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“The calculated murder of Shatavia Walls by members and associates of the Ninedee Gang arose from a twisted desire to murder her in retaliation for her federal testimony and perceived disrespect of the gang,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Quintin Green shot an unarmed woman in cold blood to make a name for himself in the gang, but he should be called out for what he truly is, a cowardly killer. He deservedly will spend decades in a federal prison. I commend the FBI special agents, the NYPD detectives and the prosecutors in my Office who worked tirelessly to dismantle this gang, achieve justice for Ms. Walls and make the Pink Houses and the surrounding area in East New York a safer place for the law-abiding residents of that community.”
“Along with other Ninedee members, Quintin Green targeted and callously killed Shatavia Walls and then bragged across social media about his abhorrent crimes in an effort to bolster the gang’s dangerous reputation,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “This premeditated ambush was an unjust retributive attack against a former government witness trying to protect her community from further gang violence. May today’s sentencing reflect the FBI’s continued refusal to tolerate any attempts to intimidate those who speak out against gang violence.”
“Today, we are bringing a cold-blooded murderer to justice,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Quintin Green and the Ninedee Gang terrorized their neighborhood, put children in danger, and viciously killed an unarmed woman. Let this serve as a clear message that we will go after violent gangs that break the law and cause widespread harm and fear. I thank the NYPD detectives and the prosecutors in this case for their tireless work to hold these perpetrators accountable.”
As set forth in [the government’s sentencing memorandum and other court filings], Green and other members of the Ninedee Gang targeted Walls for murder because she testified against a Ninedee Gang member in federal court in Brooklyn in 2019, had a confrontation with Ninedee Gang members who were setting fireworks off near children on July 4, 2020 and her affiliation with the rival “7” and “8” Pink House apartment buildings. For those reasons, she was considered by the gang to be a high-value target. The defendant became known as “Wild Child” due to his reputation for violence and, in order to earn status in the gang, boasted about his willingness to shoot rivals. He was one of two shooters who gunned Walls down on July 7, 2020.
Further, as proven at the trial of Green’s co-defendant, Ninedee Gang leader Maliek Miller, Ninedee Gang members were affiliated with the “5” and “6” Pink Houses apartment buildings and engaged in ongoing gang-related violence within and outside of the New York City Housing Authority complex. Ninedee Gang protected its turf through violence and sought to silence anyone who they perceived to be working with law enforcement.
The murder of Walls was coordinated by Ninedee Gang members, including Green. Prior to her court testimony, fliers had been posted around the Pink Houses stating, “Shatavia Been a Rat And She Still Ratting.”
On July 4, 2020, Walls and others were involved in a physical altercation with members of Ninedee for lighting fireworks around young children. Miller went to the scene of the altercation, called Walls a “snitch,” fought with her and fired a gunshot. Following the altercation, Miller planned with other Ninedee Gang members, including Green, to kill Walls.
On July 7, 2020, Walls was spotted by Green and his co-defendant Joe Santana. Green and Santana began shooting at her. Green then chased Walls down a path at the Pink Houses, continuing to shoot her. Walls suffered numerous gunshot wounds and died of her injuries 10 days later.
Co-defendant Shakur Bey destroyed the clothing that Green and Santana wore during the shooting by throwing the items down an incinerator chute. Co-defendant Kevin Wint, who was not present at the murder, rented a hotel room at a Best Western Hotel near John F. Kennedy International Airport to provide a place where Green and others could hide out overnight. In the days after the murder, Green and Wint posted to social media claiming credit to the Ninedee Gang for the killing.
Miller was convicted in June 2024 of murder in-aid of racketeering and faces a mandatory term of life in prison when he is sentenced. Santana and Fernandez pleaded guilty to their roles in the murder. Santana was sentenced to 22 years in prison and Fernandez is awaiting sentencing. Wint pleaded guilty in March 2023 and was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment. Bey pleaded guilty in December 2023 and was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. Ninedee leader Raquel Dunton is charged with acting as an accessory after-the-fact to Walls’ murder and obstruction of justice for assisting fellow gang members in concealing evidence of the crime. Dunton is also charged with trafficking cocaine and is awaiting trial.
In addition to the murder, Green pleaded guilty to attempting to commit a November 3, 2020 robbery of a Staten Island Target store. Green attempted to steal two flat- screen televisions and was stopped by a security guard. Green punched the security guard causing her to fall and attempted to flee with one of the two televisions. He was arrested by police after fleeing the scene.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gang Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily J. Dean, Margi Schierberl and Irisa Chen are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Elizabeth Reed and Intelligence Analysts Eungee Hwang and Ashley Hinkson.
The Defendant:
QUINTIN GREEN (also known as “Wild Child”)
Age: 24
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-331 (LDH)
Defendant Convicted at Trial:
MALIEK MILLER
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-331 (LDH)
Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:
JOE SANTANA (also known as “Baby Joe”)
Age: 20
Brooklyn, New YorkCHAYANNE FERNANDEZ (also known as “White Boy”)
Age: 24
Brooklyn, New YorkKEVIN WINT (also known as “Kev G”)
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkSHAKUR BEY (also known as “Speedy”)
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-331 (LDH)
Defendant Awaiting Trial:
RAQUEL DUNTON (also known as “Rah”)
Age: 38
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-344 (LDH)
Nigerian Man Extradited to the United States to Face Computer Intrusion and Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Nigerian national living in Mexico has been extradited to the United States for his role in a scheme to break into Massachusetts tax preparation firms’ computer networks and to file fraudulent tax returns.
Matthew A. Akande, 36, was arrested in October 2024 at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom at the request of the United States and extradited to the United States on March 5, 2025. He appeared in federal court in Boston today. Akande was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 with one count of conspiracy to obtain unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud and to commit theft of government money and money laundering; one count of wire fraud; four counts of unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud; 13 counts of theft of government money; and 14 counts of aggravated identity theft.
Co-conspirator, Kehinde H. Oyetunji, 33, a Nigerian national living in North Dakota, pleaded guilty in December 2022 to one count of conspiracy to obtain unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud and to commit theft of government money and money laundering. Oyetunji’s sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
Between in or about June 2016 and June 2021, Akande, Oyetunji and others are alleged to have worked together to steal money from the United States government using taxpayers’ personally identifiable information (PII) to file fraudulent tax returns in the taxpayers’ names. In addition, between in or about February 2020, the scheme involved stealing taxpayers’ PII from Massachusetts tax preparation firms via phishing attacks and computer intrusions.
To carry out the scheme, Akande is alleged to have caused fraudulent phishing emails to be sent to five Massachusetts tax preparation firms. The emails purported to be from a prospective client seeking the tax preparation firms’ services but in truth were used to trick the firms into downloading remote access trojan malicious software (RAT malware), including malware known as Warzone RAT. Akande allegedly used the RAT malware to obtain the PII and prior year tax information of the tax preparation firms’ clients, which Akande then used to cause fraudulent tax returns to be filed seeking refunds. The tax returns directed that the fraudulent tax refunds be deposited in bank accounts allegedly opened by Oyetunji and others. Once the refunds were issued, Oyetunji and others withdrew the stolen money in cash in the United States and then transferred a portion to third parties in Mexico, allegedly at Akande’s direction, while keeping a portion for themselves. In total, Akande and his coconspirators are alleged to have filed more than 1,000 fraudulent tax returns seeking over $8.1 million in fraudulent tax refunds over approximately five years. They are alleged to have successfully obtained over $1.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds.
Federal authorities encourage all businesses that suspect they have been the target and/or victim of a cyberattack to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Taxpayers and tax preparation firms that suspect they have been the target and/or victim of a phishing attack can also forward phishing email(s) to [email protected].
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of unauthorized access to protected computers in furtherance of fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs coordinated with authorities in the United Kingdom to secure the extradition of Akande. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Nigerian Citizen Admits Guilt in Bank Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracies Causing More Than $1.7 Million in LossesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Daniyan, a/k/a “Bamikole Laniyan,” a/k/a “David Enfield,” a/k/a “Africa,” age 60, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty today in connection with his role in bank fraud and money laundering conspiracies led by Oluwaseun Adekoya, age 39, also a Nigerian citizen, of Cliffside Park, New Jersey. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Daniyan pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. Daniyan admitted that, working with Adekoya, he obtained the personal identifying information of people residing all over the United States and recruited lower-level conspirators to impersonate those people using fake driver’s licenses to fraudulently obtain cash, checks, and loans at their financial institutions and obtain merchandise using credit at retailers including Saks Fifth Avenue. Daniyan also admitted to conspiring with Adekoya and others to launder the proceeds of their bank fraud by, among other things, using fraudulently obtained funds to purchase additional fake driver’s licenses and depositing fraudulently obtained checks into accounts in the names of identity-theft victims that were controlled by coconspirators. Daniyan admitted that the bank fraud conspiracy netted over $1.7 million in fraud proceeds, and was perpetrated in the Northern District of New York and all over the country.
According to documents previously filed in the case, Daniyan, a citizen of Nigeria, has been living in the United States without authorization under numerous aliases since at least the 1990s when he was first investigated, charged, and convicted in another federal district under the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen.
The following defendants are charged as follows in the superseding indictment:
- Adekoya is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft;
- Kani Bassie, age 36, of Brooklyn, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft;
- Davon Hunter, age 27, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Jermon Brooks, age 20, of Richmond, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Christian Quivers, age 20, of Richmond, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft; and
- Crystal Kurschner, age 44, of Brooklyn, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
As to these defendants, the charges in the superseding indictment are merely accusations. These remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI-Albany, which began after the May 2022 arrest of Daniyan, Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn, and Victor Barriera, age 64, of the Bronx, New York, by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud.
Adekoya, Daniyan, Kennedy, and Barriera were originally indicted, along with coconspirators Jerjuan Joyner, age 50, of Brooklyn, Akeem Balogun, age 56, of Brooklyn, Danielle Cappetti, age 46, of the Bronx, and Lesley Lucchese, age 53, of Brooklyn, in connection with the conspiracy in an indictment returned in December 2023.
Sherry Ozmore, Kennedy, Barriera, Joyner, Balogun, Cappetti, and Lucchese have pled guilty to bank fraud conspiracy.
At sentencing on July 10, 2025, Daniyan faces a maximum term of 30 years in prison for the bank fraud conspiracy, 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy, and a mandatory consecutive term of 2 years in prison for his conviction of aggravated identity theft; as well as an order of restitution of at least $1,776,705.43 and a term of supervised release of up to 5 years. Daniyan also agreed to forfeit nearly $100,000 in proceeds of the bank fraud conspiracy seized by federal authorities. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Following his term of imprisonment, Daniyan will be placed into immigration removal proceedings.
FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Control Act ViolatonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that CHRISTOPHER PERTUIT (“PERTUIT”), age 50, of New Orleans, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
The Honorable Carl J. Barbier, U.S. District Court Judge, sentenced PERTUIT to 63 months imprisonment, three years supervised release and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Man Admits to Concealing Material Support and Resources to ISISRead the Press Release
Kyse S. Abushanab, 27, of Budd Lake, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today to a one-count information charging him with concealing material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court documents, between in or around March 2021 and in or around January 2022, Abushanab compiled resources, including information pertaining to the manufacture and use of weapons of mass destruction, with the aim of providing members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or the Islamic State), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and its supporters with a repository of information and resources to help carry out ISIS’s mission. This material included, among other things, videos and documents showing step-by-step instructions on how to make suicide belts or vests, detonators and timers, improvised bombs, and other explosives and incendiary devices. In an effort to evade detection by law enforcement, Abushanab took steps to conceal his efforts to assist ISIS by, among other things, using encrypted applications, untraceable email accounts, and a secured cloud storage space to gather and store information on how to make a variety of weapons of mass destruction.
The charge of concealment of provision of material support carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 24.
Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey; Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Newark Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Ryan White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Gun While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ELBERT LLORRENS, 32, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 1, 2024, Llorrens possessed a loaded Smith & Wesson, model SD40 VE, .40 caliber pistol.
In March 2017, Llorrens was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 60 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for committing multiple carjackings and armed robberies, and he was on federal supervised release when he possessed the firearm.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Unlawful possession of a firearm carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. Llorrens is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4.
Llorrens has been detained since March 1, 2024.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the New Haven Police Department, and the West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Montgomery Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison Following Federal Drug and Gun ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Montgomery, Alabama man following his convictions on federal drug and gun charges. On March 4, 2025, 23-year-old Arthur Varcea Colvin, received a sentence of 96 months in prison. Following his prison sentence, Colvin will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his indictment and other court records, on February 1, 2023, officers with the Montgomery Police Department observed the driver of a vehicle commit a traffic violation and conducted a traffic stop. Occupants of the vehicle included Colvin in the front passenger’s seat, 28-year-old Le’Anthony Washington in the driver’s seat, and another passenger in the rear seat. Officers developed a suspicion that the vehicle contained illegal narcotics and requested the three occupants exit the vehicle. During a search, law enforcement found three firearms, including a .40 caliber handgun under the driver’s seat, an AR-15 pistol under the front passenger’s seat, and a 9mm handgun on the back floorboard. Investigators also found over 400 grams of marijuana in the trunk. In addition, officers found a handgun and a small amount of marijuana on Colvin’s person.
On October 28, 2024, Colvin pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Washington has a previous felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. In October of last year, Washington pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Washington received a sentence of 35 months in federal prison on January 31, 2025.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Michelle R. Turner prosecuted.
Mexican national sentenced for possession of child sexual assault materialRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 26-year-old citizen of Mexico has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Ezequiel Vallejo-Hernandez pleaded guilty Feb. 12, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered him to serve 78 months in federal prison. Vallejo-Hernandez was further ordered to pay $57,500 in restitution to various victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the Internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
On Sept. 16, 2023, Vallejo-Hernandez attempted to enter the United States through the Gateway International Port of Entry, at which time authorities referred him to secondary inspection. At that time, they noticed that Vallejo-Hernandez had a “lookout” placed on him based on a Cybertip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Law enforcement conducted a basic search of his cell phone which led to the discovery of child sexual assault material (CSAM) on the device.
“Since its founding, the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood (PSC) has allowed prosecutors and law enforcement to uncover and prosecute those that prey on children online. This case is a textbook example on how PSC is making the internet safer for children,” said Ganjei.
A forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of a total of 557 CSAM files within his MEGA application - a cloud-based storage application – on his phone.
Vallejo-Hernandez admitted to downloading the CSAM files to his cell phone and acknowledged it was a crime to be in possession of that material.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of PSC, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Mexican National with Vehicular Homicide Conviction in Federal Custody for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Mexican national was transferred into federal custody in Waco on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal re-entry.
According to court documents, Arturo Olalde-Velazquez, 40, was booked in the Falls County jail in December 2024 for driving while intoxicated, unlawful carrying a weapon, and possession of a controlled substance. Olalde-Velazquez had been previously removed in December 2019 after being convicted in Louisiana for a 2016 vehicular homicide.
Olalde-Velazquez is charged with one count of illegal re-entry. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gloff is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint 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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Mexican National in Custody Charged with Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Mexican national with multiple drug crimes after law enforcement seized illicit drugs, including fentanyl in the District of Utah.
Juana Gabriela Sancion Castaneda, 41, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was charged by complaint on February 19, 2025.
According to court documents, in January 2025, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) began conducting a criminal investigation into Castaneda and other members of a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On February 18, 2025, agents executed a search warrant at Castaneda’s residence in Salt Lake County and seized approximately 867 grams (almost two pounds) of field-tested positive fentanyl, and 794 grams (about 1 and ¾ pounds) of field-tested positive heroin. The fentanyl seized was approximately 8,000 fentanyl pills. Castaneda was subsequently detained.
Castaneda is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Her initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 10, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), consisting of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force (DMNSF).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey for being found in the United States after previously being removed from the country.
According to court documents, Rodrigo Valdovinos-Hernandez, also known as “Rodrigo Tejada-Valdovinos” and “Rodrigo Valdovinos,” 38, is a citizen of Mexico. He was found by officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 25, 2023, after he was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on state charges. ICE had previously removed him from the country twice – in September 2009 and again in November 2012.
After spending about 18 months in federal custody, Valdovinos-Hernandez was sentenced to time served. This is his third felony conviction while unlawfully present in the United States, as he was previously convicted in Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, Nevada for Attempt Burglary and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle.
Valdovinos-Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of deported alien found in the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
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Mexican National Previously Removed from the United States Six Times and Previously Convicted of Illegal Re Entry Twice Is Charged Again with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Juan Carlos Ruiz-Diaz (44, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Ruiz-Diaz faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on February 26, 2025, Ruiz-Diaz was found to be voluntarily present in the United States after having previously been removed from the United States on July 16, 2002, October 25, 2002, November 25, 2002, December 16, 2003, September 23, 2008, and April 28, 2011. Ruiz-Diaz had not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Ruiz-Diaz was previously convicted of illegal reentry on August 27, 2008, and on October 27, 2010.
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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Mauro Diaz-Diaz (29, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Diaz-Diaz faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on January 14, 2025, Diaz-Diaz was found to be voluntarily in the United States after having previously been removed on September 27, 2014. Diaz-Diaz had not received consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.
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 United States Customs and Border Protection with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Domingo Diaz-Diaz (26, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Diaz-Diaz faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on January 14, 2025, Diaz-Diaz was found to be voluntarily in the United States after having previously been removed on September 18, 2022, and September 26, 2022. Diaz-Diaz had not received consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission.
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 United States Customs and Border Protection with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
Mexican National Facing Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Mexican national with drug crimes after law enforcement seized fentanyl and heroin from his vehicle during a traffic stop.
Miguel Mario Soto De Santiago, 23, of Bluffdale, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on February 20, 2025, and taken into custody.
According to court documents, the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) began conducting a criminal investigation into Soto De Santiago and other co-conspirators of a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing narcotics throughout the District of Utah and the United States. On February 19, 2025 agents stopped a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee in Juab County that was registered to Soto De Santiago. A K-9 officer positively alerted for the presence of narcotics. Agents seized approximately 5,027 grams (about 11 pounds) of field tested-positive fentanyl and approximately 1,103 grams (over two pounds) of field tested-positive heroin.
Wasatch Metro Drug Task ForceSoto De Santiago is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 6, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 7.1 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), consisting of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force (DMNSF).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven,
multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Men Admit Role in Fatal St. Louis Drug RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Two men have pleaded guilty to charges connected to the fatal robbery of a drug dealer in St. Louis, Missouri in 2022.
Ralph Ruffin, 21, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two felony counts: conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, resulting in death. Jamie Gore, 37, pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Both men admitted that on Dec. 10, 2022, Gore contacted the victim seeking drugs and asked him to come to Gore’s mother’s house in the 5900 block of Romaine Place. Gore had recently purchased drugs from the victim, and told the victim that he could obtain two guns in exchange for more drugs. Ruffin and an associate were waiting inside the home and began firing at the victim when Gore led him inside. The victim, who fired shots as well, was fatally shot in the throat. Ruffin and his associate then stole the victim’s gun, cash and fentanyl.
Gore admitted aiding Ruffin and others in “numerous” prior drug robberies. Ruffin would give some of the drugs to Gore and sell the rest.
Ruffin is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4. Both sides have agreed to recommend 20 years in prison. Gore is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23. He faces at least seven years in prison.
The Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoff Ogden is prosecuting the case.
McKees Rocks Felon Charged with Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal firearms law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Mark Edwin Clements III, 23, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on February 21, 2025, Clements possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
McAllen resident sentenced to 25 years for using communication app to entice minorRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 28-year-old man has been sent to prison for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
James Christopher Ruiz pleaded guilty Sept. 10, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Ruiz to serve 300 months in prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including testimony from the victim’s mother detailing significant trauma the victim is dealing with and how this crime has negatively impacted not just the her, but everyone in her family. After handing down the sentence, the court addressed the victim and informed her there was nothing wrong with or bad about her and she did not bring this upon herself. The court explained that all the blame lies with the Ruiz who will also serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
In August 2023, law enforcement learned Ruiz had been communicating with a 12-year-old minor online. The investigation revealed he had been chatting with the victim from June to July 2022 via Discord.
“People like the defendant can make the internet a dangerous place for children,” said Ganjei. “Fortunately, law enforcement was able to discover and arrest Mr. Ruiz, bringing an end to his predatory online behavior.”
Ruiz knew the minor victim was only 12 years of age. During their conversations, Ruiz sent sexually explicit photos and videos to the minor and enticed the victim to send nude images of her breasts and genitals on multiple occasions. He also explained what masturbating was and persuaded her to send videos of her doing so.
Ruiz admitted to communicating with other minors via Discord and virtual reality. He said he would tell the minor females to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves and instructed them on what to do.
Ruiz has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the New Castle County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Massachusetts State Employee and Prison Inmate Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle K2-Laced Paper into Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bridgewater, Mass. woman and an inmate at the federal prison FMC Devens have been charged with conspiring to distribute a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as “K2,” into FMC Devens. The inmate had been granted clemency on Jan. 17, 2025 reducing his 2022 federal prison sentence for drug distribution.
Tasha Hammock, 43, an employee with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and Raymond Gaines, 45, an inmate at FMC Devens, are charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance analogue. Hammock was arrested yesterday and made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston. Gaines will make an initial appearance at a later date.On Jan. 25, 2022, Gaines was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the time he committed the offenses, he was on federal judicial supervised release after serving a prison sentence resulting from a 2017 conviction for distributing cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school. According to court records, in both prior cases Gaines was alleged to be an associate of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, a street gang in Boston. On Jan. 17, 2025, Gaines received an Executive Grant of Clemency, reducing his current federal sentence to five years in prison.
According to the charging document, on Aug. 18, 2024, Hammock, while visiting Gaines in the prison, surreptitiously passed K2-laced papers to Gaines, which he pocketed. In addition, Hammock allegedly previously handled money connected with the distribution of K2 to Gaines in FMC Devens, and she allegedly received K2 at her residence for distribution into the prison. The criminal complaint describes how law enforcement became interested in Hammock’s visits to Gaines after obtaining a cellphone that had allegedly been smuggled to an inmate in the prison (“Inmate A”). In September 2023, Inmate A allegedly sent messages on the cell phone to another person (“Person 1”), discussing obtaining K2 in prison. Inmate A allegedly told Person 1 that the drugs could be delivered to a particular address in Bridgewater – later determined to be Hammock’s residence - and that Inmate A’s “co” would arrange for the drugs to be brought into the prison from there.
As described in the charging document, K2 presents a health problem at FMC Devens, where inmates have become sick from smoking paper believed to contain K2, as well as prison staff who have been exposed to the secondary smoke.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance analogue carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years 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 and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Preparing and Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Charles Anthony Keemer, age 64, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty, yesterday, to aiding and assisting the preparation and filing of a false and fraudulent tax return.
The guilty plea was announced by Kelly O. Hayes, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, with Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter, of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, Washington Field Office.
During the timeframe covered by the indictment, Keemer prepared U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns, Forms 1040 (“income tax returns”) for clients in exchange for fees. Keeemer did so even though he was not registered as a tax preparer with any federal, state, or local regulator; had neither education nor work experience in the area of tax preparation; and did not report income earned from the tax preparation business on his own income tax returns.
According to the plea agreement, during the tax years 2013 through 2016, Keemer prepared and submitted to the IRS hundreds of income tax returns on behalf of his clients. He prepared and submitted his clients’ income tax returns electronically through online tax preparation software, typically from locations in Maryland. Keemer further met with clients at various locations in Maryland to receive payment for the tax returns that he prepared.
Keemer added materially false items to the income tax returns he prepared for his clients for the purpose of fraudulently increasing the size of the tax refund returned by the IRS to the clients. Such materially false items included, among other things, fictitious Schedule C businesses and false, fraudulent, and fictious expenses ostensibly incurred in connection therewith.
In total, the tax loss caused to the IRS as a direct result of Keemer’s actions for the relevant tax years was approximately $128,691.
Keemer faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison for aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false tax returns. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby has not yet scheduled a sentencing date.
United States Attorney Hayes commended the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division for their work on the case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Brooke Oki and Coreen Mao who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Leader of organization who smuggled aliens through Corpus Christi sent to prison and ordered to forfeit $1 millionRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 39-year-old Honduran national who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to prison following his conviction for transporting illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Marvin Reyes pleaded guilty May 30, 2024.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered him to serve 108 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including how the conspiracy had stretched over three years with over 200 aliens transported. In handing down the prison term, the court commented that over 200 people could have been hurt or killed because of the Reyes’ actions, and that he was responsible as the leader. The court also took note of the funds received as a result of the criminal activity and imposed a $1 million money judgement.
“Thanks to the teamwork of our office’s Corpus Christi prosecutors and their law enforcement partners, the leader of an alien smuggling ring has been put out of action,” said Ganjei. “Successful interdiction of illegal alien smuggling at the border or at interior checkpoints benefits the nation as a whole. The Southern District of Texas is proud to do its part to support a secure border.”
In July 2021, law enforcement discovered a human smuggling organization based out of Houston that Reyes led. Numerous individuals had been attempting to smuggle illegal aliens further into the United States.
The investigation revealed Reyes and others were coordinating the movement of illegal aliens through the Border Patrol checkpoints located near Sarita and Falfurrias as well as by airplane. Reyes also arranged private flights for illegal aliens from Weslaco to Houston.
Bank records showed Reyes received at least $1 million in proceeds from the human smuggling activities.
Reyes will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
Large-scale cocaine importers sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: Two men who supplied kilograms of cocaine for a major drug trafficking conspiracy have been sentenced to federal prison.
Pedro Castro-Vasquez, a/k/a “Chipo,” 53, of Puerto Rico, and Sonic Torres-Garcia, 27, of Kissimmee, Florida, were each sentenced after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Cocaine, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall sentenced Castro-Vasquez to 180 months in prison and a fine of $1,500, followed by three years of supervised release, and sentenced Torres-Garcia to 180 months in prison, consecutive to other pending state and federal cases, and a fine of $2,500, followed by three years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“The conspiracy identified in this multi-year investigation was responsible for importing and distributing large quantities of drugs in the Southern District,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “Multiple law enforcement agencies persisted through this lengthy investigation in identifying the key players in this drug trafficking operation, holding them accountable for spreading misery in the Southern District.”
As described in the 49-count indictment unsealed in November 2022, Operation Carpet Ride identified a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Richmond, and Tattnall counties, and elsewhere, from as early as January 2016. Led by Daniel Morales-Jimenez, a/k/a “Danny Hill,” 48, of Puerto Rico, the conspiracy imported large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs from and through Puerto Rico, into Florida and the Southern District. Morales-Jimenez pled guilty to federal conspiracy charges in both the Southern District and in Puerto Rico and awaits sentencing.
Castro-Vasquez was identified as a kilo-quantity distributor who obtained cocaine from Morales-Jimenez, arranging importation into the continental United States for distribution in the Southern District. Torres-Garcia supplied kilos of cocaine to Demarr Clayton Lee, 55, of Miami, Florida, while also arranging to deliver cocaine to the Southern District using members of his family. Lee, who pled guilty in the conspiracy, is serving a sentence of 98 months in federal prison, while 26 other defendants in Operation Carpet Ride are serving sentences of up to 240 months in prison after pleading guilty.
“This case represents the continued commitment of the Drug Enforcement Administration to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service employs a whole-of-government approach to combatting illicit drugs in the mail,” said Steven Hodges, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “This case, and our partnerships, illustrate our strategy in action. Protecting the American public through criminal investigations like this is a top priority of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.”
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.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Puerto Rico State Police; the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles; the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Tattnall County Sheriff’s Office; the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office; the Evans County Sheriff’s Office; the Barceloneta Police Department; the Claxton Police Department; and the Glennville Police Department; and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank M. Pennington II and OCDETF Coordinator Marcela C. Mateo.
Lame Deer man sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for trafficking meth and possessing guns in large-scale investigationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man who trafficked methamphetamine and possessed guns in furtherance of that trafficking as part of large-scale, multi-state operation that was centered on the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Indian Reservations was sentenced today to 196 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Geofredo James Littlebird, Jr., 40, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that federal law enforcement, in collaborative effort with local and tribal law enforcement, engaged in a large-scale, multiple-state narcotics trafficking investigation centered on multiple properties on the Crow Indian Reservation. The properties, including one referred to as Spear Siding, were a source of supply of meth for both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations. Littlebird was one of the individuals affiliated with the investigation. Littlebird distributed drugs primarily out of a house on Northern Cheyenne and also directed distribution of meth on Crow.
The government further alleged that beginning in 2022, law enforcement became aware of Littlebird’s distribution activity and subsequently purchased methamphetamine from him or his associates on multiple occasions. Littlebird sold drugs out of his house, sold drugs while possessing guns, and even had his mother sell drugs for him. In August 2022, law enforcement used confidential sources to make several purchases of meth from Littlebird and his associates. During one purchase, a handgun was next to Littlebird. Following the drug buys, agents searched Littlebird’s house and seized evidence of drug distribution, multiple firearms, body armor, and meth. In October 2022, Littlebird’s house was searched again and law enforcement recovered four more guns and almost 30 grams of meth.
This is Littlebird’s second federal felony drug offense – he previously served 10 years in prison following a 2010 conviction for conspiracy to distribute meth.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the investigation.
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.
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Lake County Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Firearms Trafficking InvestigationRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Jose G. Medina (49, Leesburg) has pleaded guilty to three counts of knowingly making a materially false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and three counts of causing a Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL) to maintain false information in its official records. Medina faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each false statement offense and up to 5 years’ imprisonment for each record-keeping offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, between January 1 and December 31, 2023, Medina straw-purchased multiple firearms for other individuals. Some of these firearms were intercepted by the United States Custom and Border Patrol (CBP) as other individuals attempted to transport them across the border into Mexico.
On May 27, 2023, an individual was encountered by CBP as he tried to make entry into Mexico at the Eagle Pass (Texas) Port of Entry. He was attempting to bring 10 handguns, 9 rifles, 7 shotguns, 20 ammunition magazines, and large amounts of assorted ammunition into Mexico. The individual stated that he was traveling from Orlando to San Diego de la Union, Guanajuato, Mexico. Medina had purchased one of these recovered firearms nine days earlier.
Firearms and ammunition seized at the U.S. border on May 27, 2023.
On November 17, 2023, CBP officers stopped another individual at the Eagle Pass (Texas) Port of Entry who also was attempting to bring five firearms into Mexico. Medina had purchased two of these firearms less than two weeks earlier.
A record check by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) showed that between January 1 and December 31, 2023, Medina had purchased 82 firearms for a total of $42,085.61—an amount that exceeded his reported annual income. The investigation also revealed that another firearm purchased by an associate of Medina had recently been recovered and electronically traced by Mexican law enforcement using ATF’s e-Trace system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Eustis Police Department, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
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.
Kyle Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Beating, Striking, or Wounding. The sentencing took place on February 28, 2025.
Patrick Garrett, age 30, was sentenced to one year in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Garrett was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on December 13, 2024.
On April 9, 2024, Garrett was with his girlfriend, and their two young children. An argument took place inside a car between Garrett and his girlfriend. Once the car stopped, his girlfriend exited the vehicle and attempted to remove their children from the car. Garrett did not want her and their children to leave. Garrett exited the vehicle, restrained her, pushed her to the ground, and got on top of her. Garrett then forced her into the backseat of the car. She attempted to call 911 and Garrett took the phone and threw it out of the window of the car. During the drive, Garrett struck her on the legs with his fist and yelled at her. When the vehicle stopped again, the girlfriend was able to run for help and was transported to the hospital for bodily injuries from the assault. An individual in the area of the altercation called 911 and reported to dispatch that she observed a woman shouting for help from the rear of the vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Garrett was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Justice Department Charges 12 Chinese Contract Hackers and Law Enforcement Officers in Global Computer Intrusion CampaignsRead the Press Release
Note: View the indictments in U.S. v. Wu Haibo et al., U.S. v. Yin Kecheng, U.S. v. Zhou Shuai et al. here.
The Justice Department, FBI, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Departments of State and the Treasury announced today their coordinated efforts to disrupt and deter the malicious cyber activities of 12 Chinese nationals, including two officers of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Ministry of Public Security (MPS), employees of an ostensibly private PRC company, Anxun Information Technology Co. Ltd. (安洵信息技术有限公司) also known as “i-Soon,” and members of Advanced Persistent Threat 27 (APT27).
These malicious cyber actors, acting as freelancers or as employees of i-Soon, conducted computer intrusions at the direction of the PRC’s MPS and Ministry of State Security (MSS) and on their own initiative. The MPS and MSS paid handsomely for stolen data. Victims include U.S.-based critics and dissidents of the PRC, a large religious organization in the United States, the foreign ministries of multiple governments in Asia, and U.S. federal and state government agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) in late 2024.
“The Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue those who threaten our cybersecurity by stealing from our government and our people,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today, we are exposing the Chinese government agents directing and fostering indiscriminate and reckless attacks against computers and networks worldwide, as well as the enabling companies and individual hackers that they have unleashed. We will continue to fight to dismantle this ecosystem of cyber mercenaries and protect our national security.”
“The FBI is committed to protecting Americans from foreign cyber-attacks,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Today’s announcements reveal that the Chinese Ministry of Public Security has been paying hackers-for-hire to inflict digital harm on Americans who criticize the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). To those victims who bravely came forward with evidence of intrusions, we thank you for standing tall and defending our democracy. And to those who choose to aid the CCP in its unlawful cyber activities, these charges should demonstrate that we will use all available tools to identify you, indict you, and expose your malicious activity for all the world to see.”
According to court documents, the MPS and MSS employed an extensive network of private companies and contractors in China to hack and steal information in a manner that obscured the PRC government’s involvement. In some cases, the MPS and MSS paid private hackers in China to exploit specific victims. In many other cases, the hackers targeted victims speculatively. Operating from their safe haven and motivated by profit, this network of private companies and contractors in China cast a wide net to identify vulnerable computers, exploit those computers, and then identify information that it could sell directly or indirectly to the PRC government. The result of this largely indiscriminate approach was more worldwide computer intrusion victims, more systems worldwide left vulnerable to future exploitation by third parties, and more stolen information, often of no interest to the PRC government and, therefore, sold to other third-parties. Additional information regarding the indictments and the PRC’s hacker-for-hire ecosystem is available in Public Service Announcements published by the FBI today.
U.S. v. Wu Haibo et al., Southern District of New York
Today, a federal court in Manhattan unsealed an indictment charging eight i-Soon employees and two MPS officers for their involvement, from at least in or around 2016 through in or around 2023, in the numerous and widespread hacking of email accounts, cell phones, servers, and websites. The Department also announced today the court-authorized seizure of the primary internet domain used by i-Soon to advertise its business.
“State-sponsored hacking is an acute threat to our community and national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky for the Southern District of New York. “For years, these 10 defendants — two of whom we allege are PRC officials — used sophisticated hacking techniques to target religious organizations, journalists, and government agencies, all to gather sensitive information for the use of the PRC. These charges will help stop these state-sponsored hackers and protect our national security. The career prosecutors of this office and our law enforcement partners will continue to uncover alleged state-sponsored hacking schemes, disrupt them, and bring those responsible to justice.”
The defendants remain at large and wanted by the FBI. Concurrent with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, while acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government, engages in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The reward is offered for the following individuals who are alleged to have worked in various capacities to direct or carry out i-Soon’s malicious cyber activity:
- Wu Haibo (吴海波), Chief Executive Officer
- Chen Cheng (陈诚), Chief Operating Officer
- Wang Zhe (王哲), Sales Director
- Liang Guodong (梁国栋), Technical Staff
- Ma Li (马丽), Technical Staff
- Wang Yan (王堰), Technical Staff
- Xu Liang (徐梁), Technical Staff
- Zhou Weiwei (周伟伟), Technical Staff
- Wang Liyu (王立宇), MPS Officer
- Sheng Jing (盛晶), MPS Officer
i-Soon and its employees, to include the defendants, generated tens of millions of dollars in revenue as a key player in the PRC’s hacker-for-hire ecosystem. In some instances, i-Soon conducted computer intrusions at the request of the MSS or MPS, including cyber-enabled transnational repression at the direction of the MPS officer defendants. In other instances, i-Soon conducted computer intrusions on its own initiative and then sold, or attempted to sell, the stolen data to at least 43 different bureaus of the MSS or MPS in at least 31 separate provinces and municipalities in China. i-Soon charged the MSS and MPS between approximately $10,000 and $75,000 for each email inbox it successfully exploited. i-Soon also trained MPS employees how to hack independently of i-Soon and offered a variety of hacking methods for sale to its customers.
The defendants’ U.S.-located targets included a large religious organization that previously sent missionaries to China and was openly critical of the PRC government and an organization focused on promoting human rights and religious freedom in China. In addition, the defendants targeted multiple news organizations in the United States, including those that have opposed the CCP or delivered uncensored news to audiences in Asia, including China and the New York State Assembly, one of whose representatives had communicated with members of a religious organization banned in China.
The defendants’ foreign-located targets included a religious leader and his office, and a Hong Kong newspaper that i-Soon considered as being opposed to the PRC government. The defendants also targeted the foreign ministries of Taiwan, India, South Korea, and Indonesia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan B. Finkel, Steven J. Kochevar, and Kevin Mead for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case.
U.S. v. Yin Kecheng and U.S. v. Zhou Shuai et al., District of Columbia
Today, a federal court unsealed two indictments charging APT27 actors Yin Kecheng (尹可成) and Zhou Shuai (周帅) also known as “Coldface” for their involvement in the multi-year, for-profit computer intrusion campaigns dating back, in the case of Yin, to 2013. The Department also announced today court-authorized seizures of internet domains and computer server accounts used by Yin and Zhou to facilitate their hacking activity.
The defendants remain at large. View the FBI’s Wanted posters for Shuai and Kecheng here.
Concurrent with today’s announcement, the Department of States State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is announcing two reward offers under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) of up to $2 million each for information leading to the arrests and convictions, in any country, of malicious cyber actors Yin Kecheng and Zhou Shuai, both Chinese nationals residing in China.
“These indictments and actions show this office’s long-standing commitment to vigorously investigate and hold accountable Chinese hackers and data brokers who endanger U.S. national security and other victims across the globe,” said Interim U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “The defendants in these cases have been hacking for the Chinese government for years, and these indictments lay out the strong evidence showing their criminal wrongdoing. We again demand that the Chinese government to put a stop to these brazen cyber criminals who are targeting victims across the globe and then monetizing the data they have stolen by selling it across China.”
The APT27 group to which Yin and Zhou belong is also known to private sector security researchers as “Threat Group 3390,” “Bronze Union,” “Emissary Panda,” “Lucky Mouse,” “Iron Tiger,” “UTA0178,” “UNC 5221,” and “Silk Typhoon.” As alleged in court documents, between August 2013 and December 2024, Yin, Zhou, and their co-conspirators exploited vulnerabilities in victim networks, conducted reconnaissance once inside those networks, and installed malware, such as PlugX malware, that provided persistent access. The defendants and their co-conspirators then identified and stole data from the compromised networks by exfiltrating it to servers under their control. Next, they brokered stolen data for sale and provided it to various customers, only some of whom had connections to the PRC government and military. For example, Zhou sold data stolen by Yin through i-Soon, whose primary customers, as noted above, were PRC government agencies, including the MSS and the MPS.
The defendants’ motivations were financial and, because they were profit-driven, they targeted broadly, rendering victim systems vulnerable well beyond their pilfering of data and other information that they could sell. Between them, Yin and Zhou sought to profit from the hacking of numerous U.S.-based technology companies, think tanks, law firms, defense contractors, local governments, health care systems, and universities, leaving behind them a wake of millions of dollars in damages.
The documents related to the seizure warrants, also unsealed today, further allege that Yin and Zhou continued to engage in hacking activity, including Yin’s involvement in the recently announced hack of Treasury between approximately September and December 2024. Virtual private servers used to conduct the Treasury intrusion belonged to, and were controlled by, an account that Yin and his co-conspirators established. Yin and his co-conspirators used that same account and other linked accounts they controlled to lease servers used for additional malicious cyber activity. The seizure warrant unsealed today allowed the FBI to seize the virtual private servers and other infrastructure used by the defendants to perpetrate these crimes.
On Jan. 17, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Yin for his role in hacking that agency between September and December 2024. Concurrent with today’s indictments, OFAC also announced sanctions on Zhou and Shanghai Heiying Information Technology Company Ltd., a company operated by Zhou for purposes of his hacking activity.
Private sector partners are also taking voluntary actions to raise awareness and strengthen defenses against the PRC’s malicious cyber activity. Today, Microsoft published research that highlights its unique, updated insights into Silk Typhoon tactics, techniques, and procedures specifically its targeting of the IT supply chain.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack F. Korba and Tejpal S. Chawla for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Tanner Kroeger of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case.
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The above disruptive actions targeting PRC malicious cyber activities were the result of investigations conducted by FBI New York and Washington Field Offices, FBI Cyber Division, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of New York and District of Columbia and the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case.
The Department acknowledges the value of public-private partnerships in combating advanced cyber threats and recognizes Microsoft, Volexity, PwC, and Mandiant for their valuable assistance in these investigations.
The details in the above-described indictments and warrants are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
John Giordano Sworn in as 64th U.S. Attorney for District of New JerseyRead the Press Release
John Giordano was appointed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi as the 64th United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey. Mr. Giordano was officially sworn in on March 3.
“I thank President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi for their trust and confidence in me. Serving President Trump and the citizens of my home state of New Jersey is the honor of a lifetime and a privilege I do not take lightly. Together with the dedicated and highly skilled men and women of the U.S. Attorney's Office, I am committed to tirelessly protecting our citizens and ensuring swift justice for those who violate the laws of the United States of America. Our immediate focus will be to aggressively confront violent gang activity, dismantle human trafficking networks, and eliminate the ability of cartels to flood our streets with fentanyl and other deadly drugs.”
U.S. Attorney John Giordano
A native of Burlington County, Mr. Giordano brings a depth of high-level experience from both the public and private sectors. His career includes extensive work within the Department of Justice as Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, and as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where he handled complex federal felony matters, including national security violations, narcotics trafficking, violent crimes, and government theft. Mr. Giordano also served as Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
In addition, Mr. Giordano was previously appointed by President Trump to serve as Representative of the United States to the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he focused on issues directly impacting the national security of the United States, including human trafficking and counterterrorism. He has also shared his extensive knowledge of federal law as an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University School of Law and as a Lecturer in Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Villanova University in 1998, Mr. Giordano earned his law degree from Villanova University School of Law in 2002. Following law school, he clerked for United States District Judge Joseph E. Irenas in the District of New Jersey before entering private practice.
As the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Mr. Giordano oversees all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving federal interests in the State. With offices in Newark, Camden, and Trenton, he supervises a dedicated staff of approximately 153 federal prosecutors and 104 support personnel.
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Jamestown man pleads guilty to drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Richard Pearson, 47, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that on June 25, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at a Newland Avenue residence in Jamestown, seizing cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, suboxone strips, $200 in cash, a digital scale, and a firearm. Pearson was present during the search. He was previously convicted of felony charges in 2018 and 2009 in Chautauqua County Court, and in 2006 in Federal Court. As a result, Pearson is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.