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11 April 2025
Roanoke Rapids Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Multiple Narcotics and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Roanoke Rapids man was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for charges related to the sale of narcotics and possession of a firearm by convicted felon. On November 4, 2024, Danny Steven Bryant, Jr., age 33, pled guilty to thirteen charges, including nine drug-related charges and four counts of possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in June 2021, Nash County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) began investigating Bryant for narcotics and firearms sales in Nash County, North Carolina. Investigators with NCSO, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Roanoke Rapids Police Department (RRPD), and Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) conducted multiple controlled purchases from Bryant from June 2021 through November 2021 for methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and several firearms, including one .223 AR-15 and two high capacity magazines capable of firing 100 rounds of ammunition, a .22 caliber revolver, and two .38 caliber revolvers.
Bryant is a convicted felon, having previous convictions for unlawful wounding and felon in possession of a firearm.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department, and the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Childress and Katherine S. Englander prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00252-FL.
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Roanoke Drug Dealer to Serve More Than 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke methamphetamine and fentanyl dealer, who possessed nearly a pound of pure methamphetamine, was sentenced this week to 150 months in federal prison.
Jeffrey Javontae Knight, 27, a.k.a. “Jefe,” was sentenced earlier this week to 150 months in prison. Knight pled guilty in December 2024 to possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
According to court documents, on March 25, 2024, investigators observed Knight conducting a drug transaction from his car at a gas station in Roanoke County. Officers stopped the car, and, after a K-9 officer alerted to the odor of drugs, searched the vehicle. Inside, officers found close to a half-pound of pure methamphetamine, pill presses, digital scales, a fentanyl pill, and nearly an ounce of fentanyl/xylazine mixtures.
In addition, Knight was carrying thousands of dollars in cash. Messages on his phones showed that he had been extensively selling methamphetamine and opioids from his Roanoke County hotel room for months. Phone messages also revealed that one of Knight’s associates asked him for guns because “we at war,” and Knight offered to provide a .357 Magnum revolver. Further evidence showed that Knight was previously brokering sales of pounds of methamphetamine out of Pulaski County.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the DEA Washington Division made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Roanoke County Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew O. Inman prosecuted the case for the United States.
Restaurant Owner Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Tax Evasion and COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Restaurateur Leronce Suel was sentenced in federal court today to 42 months in prison for submitting more than $1.7 million in fraudulent applications for COVID relief programs and failing to report the income to the IRS.
Suel was convicted by a federal jury in September 2024 of wire fraud, conspiracy, and tax crimes. The court ordered him to pay $1,773,245 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration and criminal forfeiture of $1,466,918 from the over $2.4 million in cash seized from Suel’s home in June 2022. Restitution to the IRS will be determined at a hearing on June 6, 2025.
Suel was the majority owner of Rockstar Dough LLC and Chicken Feed LLC, both of which operated restaurants in the San Diego area, including Streetcar Merchants in the North Park neighborhood.
“This defendant took resources meant to support those most vulnerable during a time of crisis and used them for his own enrichment,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “By misappropriating over $1.7 million in COVID relief funds, he robbed individuals and families of the assistance they desperately needed. Today, justice holds him accountable for his exploitation of a public emergency for personal gain.”
According to evidence presented at his eight-day trial, Suel conspired with his business partner to underreport over $1.7 million in gross receipts on Rockstar Dough LLC’s 2020 corporate tax return and COVID relief applications. Suel’s businesses also fraudulently received approximately $1,773,245 million in COVID-related Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) grants by falsely certifying his businesses were eligible and that his businesses would use the money appropriately.
Instead of using the COVID-19 relief program funds on eligible expenses like rent and payroll, Suel and his co-conspirator made substantial cash withdrawals from their business bank accounts and purchased a home in Arkansas. As part of their conspiracy, Suel concealed more than $2.4 million in cash in his bedroom.
On June 23, 2022, IRS-Criminal Investigation special agents executed a search warrant at Suel’s residence where they seized the $2.4 million in cash. During the trial, the evidence showed that Suel attempted to cover-up his crimes by providing false information to an accountant who prepared dozens of original and amended tax returns that contained false information.
In 2023, Suel signed and filed these original and amended tax returns for prior years that included false depreciable assets, business losses, and deductions. In one example, Suel caused one business to deduct significant amounts of rent for years 2020 and 2021, but evidence at trial established Suel paid no rent to that restaurant’s landlord.
Suel also failed to report income he received from his business, including millions of dollars in cash and personal expenses paid for by the businesses.
“Mr. Suel’s 10-plus years of tax evasion and fraudulent claims for COVID relief grants and loans caught up to him when a jury of his peers found him guilty,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Now Mr. Suel will feel the repercussions of his disregard for his fellow taxpayers. Our tax system only works when people pay their fair share, and IRS-CI will continue pursue those who evade their tax responsibilities to their fellow Americans.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Beeler and Trial Attorney Julia Rugg of the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 23-CR-965-RBM
Leronce Suel Age: 47 Fayetteville, Arkansas
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $1,000,000 fine
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum Penalty: Thirty years in prison and $1,000,000 fine
Conspiracy to Defraud the U.S. – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
Tax Evasion – Title 26, U.S.C., Section 7201
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison and $100,000 fine
Filing False Tax Returns – Title 26, U.S.C., Section 7206(1)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison and $100,000 fine
Failure to File –Title 26, U.S.C., Section 7203
Maximum Penalty: One year in prison and $25,000
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)
Pine Bluff Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for PerjuryRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Dezstiny Collins will spend the next 18 months in federal prison for lying to a grand jury. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on April 10, 2025, by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.
A federal grand jury indicted Collins, 29, of Pine Bluff, in an indictment on August 3, 2022. She was charged in a one count indictment of false declarations before a grand jury. On December 5, 2024, Collins pleaded guilty to the perjury charge in the indictment.
Collins was subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury on March 2, 2022, as part of an ongoing federal investigation into ammunition possessed by convicted felons during a shooting and homicide in Pine Bluff. During her testimony before the grand jury, Collins repeatedly denied being with the suspects from the February 26, 2019, shooting despite being confronted with surveillance video footage from local businesses that placed her with the suspects immediately prior to the shooting. At the change of plea hearing, Collins acknowledged that the testimony she provided before the grand jury was not truthful.
In addition to the 18-month sentence, Judge Miller sentenced Collins to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the FBI and Pine Bluff Police Department. The case was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Arkansas by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Fields.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
Phillips Man Sentenced for Drug User in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Tyler Caudill, age 22, of Phillips, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 10, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for possession of a firearm while an unlawful user of marijuana and THC. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Caudill to 37 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Caudill’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On the morning of May 4, 2021, authorities in the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office learned that Caudill had taken a pickup without permission and his father was missing an AR-15 style rifle. That same morning, surveillance cameras captured Caudill walking through an aviation building attached to the Central Nebraska Regional Airport (CNRA) in Grand Island, Nebraska. Caudill was carrying several bags including a rifle case. He was able to make his way onto the tarmac where an 11-person Cessna Citation Bravo aircraft was parked. He opened the hatch and entered the aircraft. He brought some personal belongings along with an AR-15 rifle and some ammunition onto the aircraft.
Later that afternoon, when pilots entered the aircraft to prepare for flight, they found Caudill asleep on the plane and the firearm in the cabin. One pilot threw Caudill’s bags out of the plane, removed the rifle from the plane, then contacted police. Grand Island police officers arrived to assist. Caudill was seen trying to manipulate the controls of the airplane once he awoke. A tactical team of investigators was eventually able to remove him from the plane after deploying chemical munitions. An inbound flight from Dallas was diverted to Kansas due to the disruption at the airport. No one was injured.
Caudill was taken to the hospital where he admitted having used marijuana and THC. A urine sample tested positive for the presence of THC. Caudill claimed possession of the firearm and told investigators he believed he was going to take the plane to a bunker in Montana. Investigators collected THC vape cartridges from his clothing.
This case was investigated by the Grand Island Police Department, the Kearney Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Philadelphia Man Who Scarred, Nearly Blinded Ex-Girlfriend in Public Chemical Attack Sentenced to Seven Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Victor Ortiz, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick yesterday to 84 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $3,300 in restitution for stalking, seriously injuring, and permanently disfiguring a woman with whom he had a previous relationship.
Ortiz was convicted following a jury trial in September of last year.
As proven at trial, on the morning of May 4, 2022, the defendant pursued his ex-girlfriend as she walked to her office in Philadelphia. Before she reached the building, the defendant threw soda ash, a caustic substance, on the victim’s face and torso. His attack temporarily blinded her in the left eye and caused severe pain and permanent scarring on her body.
Investigators subsequently found that the defendant had attached a GPS device to the victim’s vehicle so that he could monitor her location and follow her. After law enforcement officials discovered the device, the defendant was caught on camera attempting to install a second GPS device on the victim’s vehicle in July 2022.
As detailed in court filings, Ortiz was previously convicted in Delaware County in 2005 of criminally harassing his ex-wife, and in 2016, an arbitrator found that he stalked another ex-girlfriend by placing a GPS device in her vehicle.
“Victor Ortiz has a troubling pattern of refusing to move on when his relationships end,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “In this case, he grew more and more fixated on his ex-partner, escalating from harassment to stalking to a violent assault that caused his victim lasting physical and emotional harm. While prosecuting Mr. Ortiz can’t undo that damage, this sentence keeps him off the street, holds him accountable, and secures some measure of justice for the innocent woman he was so determined to hurt.”
“Victor Ortiz’s deliberate and cruel actions inflicted deep physical and emotional harm on his victim. HSI Philadelphia stands firm in its commitment to protecting individuals from predators and ensuring justice is served,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia Edward V. Owens. “Through our strong partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement, we will continue to pursue those who pose a threat to our communities and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Miller and Angella Middleton.
Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Walter Tharrington, aka “Black” and “Roaadblock,” 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted this week at trial of sex trafficking and child pornography offenses.
Tharrington was charged by indictment in August of 2024, and convicted on Wednesday, April 9, of sex trafficking of a minor, advertising child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, in or about the summer of 2023, the defendant asked Minor 1, then 14 years old, to help him make money. In order to do so, Tharrington directed Minor 1 to engage in commercial sex, with the defendant facilitating the commercial sex by soliciting customers through online advertisements.
Tharrington used his cellular phone to post explicit content of Minor 1 to accompany the online advertisements. The defendant set the prices for the encounters and instructed Minor 1 on what sexual acts to perform in exchange for money.
At the defendant’s direction, Minor 1 engaged in sexual encounters with buyers. The evidence established that Tharrington kept and controlled the profits from the encounters, while providing shelter for Minor 1, who lived at Tharrington’s house during the summer of 2023.
Tharrington physically assaulted Minor 1 on multiple occasions. Minor 1’s injuries were observed by another minor female, who corroborated Minor 1’s account and confirmed that the defendant had solicited her to work for him, as well.
The defendant will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
“Walter Tharrington made money by sexually exploiting a child, advertising her for sex with strangers,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Putting anyone through that, let alone a vulnerable minor, is unconscionable. Know that my office and the FBI are working every day to put traffickers like this defendant behind bars and ensure some justice for their victims.”
“Sex trafficking — especially when it involves a child — is among the most heinous crimes the FBI investigates,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Field Office. “This conviction is a powerful testament to the tireless efforts of the FBI and our dedicated law enforcement partners to protect the most vulnerable among us. It reaffirms our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice for victims and holding predators accountable.”
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 United States 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 projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Ashenfelter and Amanda McCool.
Philadelphia Man Admits to Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man admitted to conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by paying himself and his co-workers in cash in order to avoid payroll taxes, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Henry “Hank” Collins, 53, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to defraud the IRS.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Collins worked at Davis Brothers Chimney Sweep & Masonry (“Davis Brothers”), a business located in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. Collins admitted that between January 1, 2018 and April 30, 2024, he conspired with the spouse of the owner of Davis Brother to defraud the IRS. As part of the conspiracy, Collins utilized a commercial check casher to negotiate a substantial amount of Davis Brothers’s gross receipts checks. Collins used some of the resulting cash to pay himself and other Davis Brothers employees in cash. Collins provided the rest of the cash to the business owner and spouse. Collins then provided false and misleading information to the business’s outside accounting firm that resulted in the preparation and filing of false payroll tax returns that omitted the employees paid in cash and their cash wages. Collins also admitted filing false individual income tax returns for himself that concealed his own cash wages. Collins admitted that the conspiracy resulted in a tax loss of approximately $1 million.
The count of conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for August 18, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Joseph Marrone, Esq., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
collins.information.pdfPennsylvania Man Charged with Making Threats to Assault and Murder President Donald J. Trump, Other U.S. Officials, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement AgentsRead the Press Release
Shawn Monper, 32, a resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with making threats to assault and murder President Donald J. Trump, other U.S. officials, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
“I want to applaud the outstanding and courageous investigative work of the FBI and the Butler Township Police Department, who thankfully identified and apprehended this individual before he could carry out his threats against President Trump’s life and the lives of other innocent Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Rest assured that whenever and wherever threats of assassination or mass violence occur, this Department of Justice will find, arrest, and prosecute the suspect to the fullest extent of the law and seek the maximum appropriate punishment.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania joined Attorney General Bondi in making today’s announcement.
According to the federal criminal complaint, on April 8, the FBI National Threat Operations Section (NTOS) received an emergency disclosure regarding threats posted to YouTube by user “Mr Satan.” Federal agents determined that the threatening statements occurred between Jan 15 April 5. The subsequent federal investigation affirmed that the internet activity associated with “Mr Satan” corresponded with Monper’s residence.
The investigation further established that Monper sought and obtained a firearms permit shortly following President Trump’s inauguration. In February 2025, Monper commented using his “Mr Satan” account: “I have bought several guns and been stocking up on ammo since Trump got in office.” Further, in March 2025, Monper commented using his account: “Eventually im going to do a mass shooting.” One week later, Monper commented: “I have been buying 1 gun a month since the election, body armor, and ammo.”
The criminal complaint identified the following threatening statements regarding President Trump, other United States officials, and ICE agents:
February 17, 2025: “Nah, we just need to start killing people, Trump, Elon, all the heads of agencies Trump appointed, and anyone who stands in the way. Remember, we are the majority, MAGA is a minority of the country, and by the time its time to make the move, they will be weakened, many will be crushed by these policies, and they will want revenge too. American Revolution 2.0”
March 4, 2025: “im going to assassinate him myself.” This threat was made in a YouTube video titled “Live: Trump’s address to Congress.”
March 18, 2025: “ICE are terrorist people, we need to start killing them.”
April 1, 2025: “If I see an armed ice agent, I will consider it a domestic terrorist, and an active shooter and open fire on them.”
On April 9, the FBI, with the assistance of the Butler Township Police Department, arrested Monper on the federal criminal complaint. On April 10, Monper was ordered detained pending preliminary and detention hearings scheduled for April 14, at 1:00 pm.
The FBI and Butler Township Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Parrish Man Indicted for Arson of A VehicleRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Kendarius Devonta Stitten (25, Parrish) with a violation of the federal Anti-Arson Act. If convicted, Stitten faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Stitten that the United States intends to forfeit assets that are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.
According to the indictment, on March 20, 2025, Stitten set fire to a rental van that was parked at a motel in Bradenton.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives Investigations, and Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.
PDS Gang Member Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, 30, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison in connection with his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large quantities of marijuana in the District of Columbia.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Hawkins, aka “Shitty,” was a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) and Jugg Gang (JG) street crews. He pleaded guilty November 1, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of marijuana. As part of his plea, Hawkins admitted to possessing a firearm as part of the offense and further admitted to using Instagram to sell marijuana.
In addition to the 60-month prison term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Hawkins to serve four years of supervised release.
According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast and operated an open-air drug market outside a market. In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG,” that included Hawkins. The combined gang also conspired to carry firearms – including machine guns – to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom they had “beefs.”
This sentence is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has resulted in 27 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
23cr379
Owner of Florida Healthcare Companies Sentenced for Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
Defendant Did Not Pay Over $10M in Taxes
MIAMI – A Florida man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,381,265.76 in restitution to the United States for willfully failing to pay over employment taxes and willfully failing to file individual income tax returns.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Paul Walczak controlled a network of interconnected health care companies operating under various names, including Palm Health Partners. Through another of his entities, Palm Health Partners Employment Services (PHPES), Walczak employed over 600 people and paid over $24 million annually in payroll. As such, Walczak was required to withhold Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from his employees’ paychecks and to pay those monies over to the IRS each quarter, and to pay the companies’ portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes.
For more than a decade, Walczak was not compliant with his tax obligations and instead used the withheld taxes to enrich himself. In 2011, Walczak did not pay two quarters of withheld taxes to the IRS. In 2012, the IRS began collection efforts, including by sending him notices about his unpaid taxes, and by meeting with Walczak to help bring him into compliance. When that effort was unsuccessful, the IRS assessed the outstanding taxes against him personally. After that was imposed, Walczak paid the assessments in October 2014. Walczak’s compliance did not last long, however. By the end of the following year, Walczak was again withholding taxes from his employees’ paychecks and keeping the money.
From 2016 through 2019, Walczak withheld $7,432,223.80 of taxes from his employees’ paychecks, but did not pay those taxes over to the IRS. While Walczak was withholding taxes from the pay of his employees under the pretext of paying these funds to the IRS, he used over $1 million from his businesses’ bank accounts to purchase a yacht, transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to his personal bank accounts, and used the business accounts for personal purchases at retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Cartier, and Saks. During this same time, he also did not pay $3,480,111 of his business’s portion of his employees’ Social Security and Medicare taxes.
By 2019, the IRS had assessed millions of dollars in civil penalties against Walczak. Beginning with the 2018 tax year, Walczak also stopped filing personal income tax returns despite that he was still receiving income including a $360,000 salary from PHPES and $450,000 in transfers from his business bank accounts.
Moreover, in 2019, Walczak created a new business, NextEra. Walczak used a family member as the 99% nominal owner of NextEra, but Walczak had ultimate control of the finances and operations of NextEra. Through NextEra, Walczak transferred in 2020 just under $200,000 to a bank account titled in a family member’s name, over $250,000 to a bank account in his wife’s name, and over $800,000 in payments directly to third parties for Walczak’s personal expenses, including clothing stores, department stores, and fishing retailers.
In total, Walczak caused a tax loss to the IRS of $10,912,334.80
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Andres E. Chinchilla for the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan, Andrew Ascencio, and Ashley Stein of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-80024.
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Owner of Florida Health Care Companies Sentenced for Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,381,265.76 in restitution to the United States for willfully failing to pay over employment taxes and willfully failing to file individual income tax returns.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Paul Walczak controlled a network of interconnected health care companies operating under various names, including Palm Health Partners. Through another of his entities, Palm Health Partners Employment Services (PHPES), Walczak employed over 600 people and paid over $24 million annually in payroll. As such, Walczak was required to withhold Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from his employees’ paychecks and to pay those monies over to the IRS each quarter, and to pay the companies’ portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes.
For more than a decade, Walczak was not compliant with his tax obligations and instead used the withheld taxes to enrich himself. In 2011, Walczak did not pay two quarters of withheld taxes to the IRS. In 2012, the IRS began collection efforts, including by sending him notices about his unpaid taxes, and by meeting with Walczak to help bring him into compliance. When that effort was unsuccessful, the IRS assessed the outstanding taxes against him personally. After that was imposed, Walczak paid the assessments in October 2014. Walczak’s compliance did not last long, however. By the end of the following year, Walczak was again withholding taxes from his employees’ paychecks and keeping the money.
From 2016 through 2019, Walczak withheld $7,432,223.80 of taxes from his employees’ paychecks, but did not pay those taxes over to the IRS. While Walczak was withholding taxes from the pay of his employees under the pretext of paying these funds to the IRS, he used over $1 million from his businesses’ bank accounts to purchase a yacht, transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to his personal bank accounts, and used the business accounts for personal purchases at retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Cartier, and Saks. During this same time, he also did not pay $3,480,111 of his business’s portion of his employees’ Social Security and Medicare taxes.
By 2019, the IRS had assessed millions of dollars in civil penalties against Walczak. Beginning with the 2018 tax year, Walczak also stopped filing personal income tax returns despite that he was still receiving income including a $360,000 salary from PHPES and $450,000 in transfers from his business bank accounts.
Moreover, in 2019, Walczak created a new business, NextEra. Walczak used a family member as the 99% nominal owner of NextEra, but Walczak had ultimate control of the finances and operations of NextEra. Through NextEra, Walczak transferred in 2020 just under $200,000 to a bank account titled in a family member’s name, over $250,000 to a bank account in his wife’s name, and over $800,000 in payments directly to third parties for Walczak’s personal expenses, including clothing stores, department stores, and fishing retailers.
In total, Walczak caused a tax loss to the IRS of $10,912,334.80
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.
IRS-CI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Brian Flanagan, Andrew Ascencio, and Ashley Stein of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Overland Park man sentenced for abusing incentive rewards programRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for causing a $1.2 million loss to a company by submitting false invoices in connection a performance incentive rewards program. The prison sentence will be followed by two years of supervised release, and Cummings is ordered to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution.
According to court documents, Barry Cummings, 52, of Overland Park, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.
An energy management company offered a performance-based rewards program as an incentive to non-employee resellers, contractors, and others to sell its products. Participants submitted information regarding sales to earn points they could then redeem for items like airline vouchers, hotel stays, gift cards, and electronic devices.
In 2017, a business in Lenexa, Kansas, hired Cummings, and he enrolled in the victim company’s rewards program through that affiliation. In his plea agreement, Cummings admitted to orchestrating a years-long scheme to defraud the victim company’s rewards program. Cummings admitted to logging into the rewards site and submitting fraudulent sales claims, which falsely represented that he had sold the company’s products. Cummings admitted that he never sold a single one of the company’s products despite the thousands of sales claims he submitted representing that he did.
After his termination from the Lenexa business in April 2018, Cummings continually logged into the rewards website to submit fraudulent invoices and redeem points, using the email he previously had at the Lenexa business. As an example, during a 12-hour period in November 2018, Cummings submitted 834 fraudulent invoices for which he received more than 2.8 million points. In 2019, he submitted 5,543 false claims for 22.5 million points. Cummings used point redemptions to receive more than 2,000 rewards at a value that caused a $1,233,024 loss to the victim company.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case. The victim energy company cooperated and provided invaluable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka prosecuted the case.
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Ohio Resident Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced in federal court to 72 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and crack, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Deangelo Ward, 35, on April 10, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around July 2022 to in and around March 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Ward conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine, 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, and a quantity of a mixture of crack. Ward was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ward. Additional agencies participating in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Ocean County Man Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining over $250,000 in Social Security Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey man admitted he defrauded the Social Security Administration for nearly eight years in order to improperly obtain over $250,000.00 in Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Krzysztof Niedzielski, 49, of Toms River, New Jersey, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with theft of public money and making false statements to the Social Security Administration.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least as early as 2012 through at least as recently as 2020, Niedzielski obtained approximately $270,933.10 in Social Security disability benefits for himself, his wife, and his dependent children on the basis that he was disabled and could not work. During this period, Niedzielski managed and performed physical labor for a home improvement contracting company where he obtained a substantial income. However, during this time, Niedzielski failed to notify the Social Security Administration of his employment and income. Niedzielski knowingly and intentionally concealed this work from the Social Security Administration to prevent any reduction in disability benefits.
The charge of theft of public money carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and the charge of making false statement to the Social Security Administration carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. Each charge also carries a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for August 5, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Abrams of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Nicholas Moschella, Esq.
niedzielski.information.pdfOakland Resident Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Unlawful Possession of A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Pedro Juarez was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a felony, announced Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and ATF Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge.
Juarez, 33, of Oakland, Calif., was found guilty of the charge by a jury on September 25, 2024. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that, on August 16, 2023, Juarez forced a woman he knew to travel with him from San Jose to San Francisco. After Juarez let the woman go, she called 9-1-1 and police responded to a location in San Francisco at which Juarez was located. Juarez fled from police and, during his flight, pulled a handgun from his waistband and began to point it towards officers before his arm hit a railing and the firearm fell to the ground. The firearm was loaded with ammunition.
In addition to the 84-month prison term, Judge Breyer ordered Juarez serve a three-year term of supervised release, which will begin after he leaves prison. Judge Breyer also ordered Juarez to forfeit his interest in the recovered firearm and ammunition. Juarez is currently in custody and will begin to serve is prison term immediately.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ivana Djak and Noah Stern with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum and Madeline Wachs. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF.
North Ridgeville Doctor Pleads Guilty to Healthcare Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – An Ohio doctor has pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy that prescribed medical equipment and lab tests for patients who did not need them and then submitted claims to Medicare to receive payment. Medicare is a federal health benefit program administered under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and most notably covers beneficiaries aged 65 and older.
According to court documents, Timothy Sutton, 43, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, admitted that he and other co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to fraudulently bill more than $14.5 million in payments from Medicare. Sutton was employed by two telemedicine companies; Real Time Physicians, LLC, based in Nevada, and 24 Hour Virtual MD, LLC, based in Florida. The companies provided Sutton with pre-completed orders for durable medical equipment (DME), such as braces, and/or cancer genetic testing (CGX) for him to approve and digitally sign. In doing so, he affirmed that he had examined patients using a telemedicine platform and determined that they needed DME or that CGX testing was necessary. In truth, he never examined any of the patients who resided throughout Ohio and Florida.
Once Sutton prescribed the equipment or ordered testing, Real Time Physicians and 24 Hour Virtual MD furthered the conspiracy by forwarding the orders to companies under their control or sold the orders to other medical entities to provide DME or conduct the lab testing. Sutton defrauded Medicare by submitting claims that were not reasonable and necessary for medical treatment and did not comply with Medicare rules and regulations or applicable federal laws.
On April 4, 2025, Sutton pleaded guilty to attempt and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, false statements related to health care matters, and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 27 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 26, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI Cleveland Division. In the Northern District of Ohio, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Om Kakani and Rebecca Lutzko are prosecuting the case.
About the Northern District of Ohio
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio covers the 40 northern-most counties in the state of Ohio, which is home to nearly six million people. The office operates from its main headquarters in Cleveland, with additional branches in Akron, Toledo, and Youngstown. The U.S. Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the District and oversees the prosecution of federal crimes and protect victims’ rights.
North Platte Man Sentenced to 235 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Brian Titman, 46, of North Platte, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 10, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Titman to 235 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Titman’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release. Titman was also sentenced to an additional 15 months in prison on a separate case, stemming from the fact he was on supervised release at the time of he committed his new offense. That 15-month sentence will run consecutive to the 235-month sentence.
Titman had previously been sentenced in January of 2017 to 60 months in the Bureau of Prisons as a result of a separate federal conviction for distributing 50 grams or more of meth mixture. At the conclusion of his custodial sentence in that case, Titman was sentenced to a term of supervised release, which he violated. A warrant was issued for his arrest in March of 2023, and over the next year, Titman and law enforcement in west-central Nebraska played a game of cat and mouse, with Titman taking steps to conceal his identity and law enforcement actively working to arrest him. On at least two occasions, Titman fled law enforcement at high speeds, pursuits that were eventually terminated because of the risk to the public.
On March 15, 2024, a citizen reported to law enforcement the vehicle Titman was driving and where he was headed. Law enforcement again moved to contact Titman on a traffic stop, and Titman, driving the vehicle with two passengers, again took off.
During the pursuit occupants of the vehicle threw out multiple baggies of meth, personal belongings including phones, and ammunition. The recovered items included a Walmart bag containing 9mm ammunition and multiple baggies containing a total of 6.3 ounces of meth. Additional meth was located in the vehicle.
The vehicle eventually became high centered in a pasture in Lincoln County and all occupants fled into a nearby tree line. Officers were able to call all occupants out and take Titman and the passengers into custody.
The following day, the owner of the pasture called law enforcement and turned over approximately 11.5 ounces of methamphetamine, Narcan, and several personal items. The owner indicated he had found the items in the pasture and on the county road used to access it. The methamphetamine he turned over was packaged the same as the items located in the vehicle and during the pursuit. Law enforcement also located additional meth when they re-searched the field. In total, more 600 grams of methamphetamine were located.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the CODE Task Force.
New York man sentenced to prison for money laundering crimes related to nearly half million dollars stolen from local business through computer malwareRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A New York man was sentenced in federal court here today to 46 months in prison for crimes related to laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Columbus strength training equipment manufacturer.
Alex Bogomolny, 53, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiring to commit and committing money laundering.
According to court documents, in 2021, a malicious banking Trojan had infected a computer of an employee of Rogue Fitness, which is headquartered in Columbus. The specific Trojan is known by the FBI to steal banking credentials and usually targets corporate victims. As a result of the Trojan, the company lost nearly half a million dollars.
The stolen money was transferred to 22 different card numbers, including to Bogomolny’s Bank of America card.
Further investigation of Bogomolny’s bank account revealed that between December 2019 and July 2021, he laundered more than $247,000 in additional criminal proceeds through his account.
While executing a search warrant at the defendant’s Brooklyn residence, agents found documents that included more than 341,000 unique identifiers like names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. The search also discovered images of driver’s licenses, U.S. passports and full lists of full credit card numbers.
Bogomolny also used the online gambling site FanDuel to conspire to launder money. He and others would steal a victim’s identity and use it to create a FanDuel account. Then criminal proceeds were deposited into the account and later withdrawn. In total, Bogomolny and others used this scheme to deposit nearly $572,000 and withdraw more than $485,000 of the criminal proceeds.
Finally, Bogomolny’s plea documents detail that, in 2023, the defendant met with undercover FBI agents and agreed to launder $20,000 for a six percent fee. The funds were represented as proceeds of illegal drug activities.
Between November 2023 and March 2024, Bogomolny sent $18,800 of the original $20,000 back to the undercover FBI agents through multiple ACH transactions.
Bogomolny later agreed to accept another $50,000 from the undercover agents. He met up with the agents in April 2024 and accepted the money, after which he was arrested.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
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New York Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Role in KidnappingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Queens, New York man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in a Paterson, New Jersey, kidnapping, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Reginald Law, 39, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with kidnapping and Hobbs Act robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On October 8, 2020, Law and his conspirator, Maurice Cottman, entered a retail store in Paterson, where they accosted the victim, who was working in the store. Law and Cottman physically removed the victim from the store, then transported him in the back of a U-Haul truck from Paterson to New York. Law admitted that during the kidnapping, he and Cottman called the victim’s family and demanded ransom for his return. Law and Cottman also forced the victim to give them his debit card and pin number, which they used to withdraw money from his bank accounts.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin sentenced Law to five years of supervised release.
Cottman previously pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an Information charging him with one count of kidnapping. On March 29, 2022, Judge Chesler sentenced Cottman to 15 years in prison with five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence. He also thanked the FBI New York Field Office and the Paterson Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae D. Gray of the Economic Crimes Unit.
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Defense counsel: Christopher L. Patella Esq., Bayonne, New Jersey
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty of Federal Drug and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on April 10, 2025, DJOHN BRYANT (“BRYANT”), age 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, on or about February 4, 2024, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers observed BRYANT conducting drug transactions. Upon arresting him, officers found that BRYANT possessed cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, tapentadol, marijuana, and a Glock Model 27, .40 caliber handgun and ammunition.
As to the drug trafficking charges, BRYANT faces up to twenty years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, which is to run consecutively to all other sentences, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney James Ollinger of the Violent Crime Unit.
Mother Sentenced to Prison Term for Throwing Her Three-Month-Old Baby on PavementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shanta Watson, 34, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, to 60 months in prison for throwing her three-month-old baby onto the pavement, in Washington DC, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Watson pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree cruelty to children, in November 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, Watson is the biological mother of a son, who was a three-month-old infant in September of 2024. On September 5, 2024, Watson had an argument with her former romantic partner, the father of her infant son. When he left her apartment, Watson walked after him holding her baby in her arms and stood outside of her apartment complex. Watson proceeded to walk after her former romantic partner on the sidewalk, and when she got to the end of the sidewalk, to the parking lot, Watson yelled at him and intentionally threw her infant son onto the pavement. Watson then casually picked up the baby, like nothing happened, and attempted to walk back to her apartment building. Surveillance footage from the apartment complex captured Watson deliberately throwing her infant son.
As a result of the defendant’s conduct, her infant son was transported to the hospital, in the NICU unit. The baby suffered multiple skull fractures, multiple points of bleeding in the brain, swelling to the back of his head, and elevated liver enzymes. The baby’s injuries were consistent with Non-Accidental Trauma.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Patricia-Joy Walker, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Missouri Gang Member Indicted for Murder in Aid of Racketeering and Other Crimes Including Three MurdersRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Missouri returned an indictment on Wednesday charging Travis Santel Jones, 21, of St. Louis, Missouri, with one count of murder in aid of racketeering, RICO conspiracy, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and causing death with a firearm, all related to Jones’s alleged part in the Cochran Crips, a violent street gang based in St. Louis. Two victims were gunned down in the street and one victim was killed at his own home.
“There is no place in our communities for groups that terrorize their neighbors,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment alleges violent criminal acts and the tragic loss of three lives, all at the hands of a dangerous gang member. The Department of Justice’s Criminal Division will continue to pursue justice for these victims and for the people of St. Louis.”
“The alleged activity here is exactly the type of case that the Violent Crime Initiative was designed to tackle — complex criminal conspiracies involving drugs and years of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “There are severe federal consequences for anyone who is tempted to kill and maim to peddle poison.”
“For years, FBI St. Louis has been investigating violent crimes and drug trafficking by Cochran Crips gang members. In 2020, our office surged resources to assist the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department after two innocent Saint Louis University students were gunned down simply because their vehicle was misidentified by the gang,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not stop until we bring all those involved in the murders to justice.”
“Violence has no place in our community, and this indictment sends a clear message: we will always be a voice for victims, and we will not stop pursuing justice until there is accountability,” said St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J. Tracy. “I am proud of the dedication by our investigators on this case, and we will continue to work with our federal law enforcement partners to keep our neighborhoods safe and take dangerous criminals off our streets.”
According to court documents, Jones conspired with other Cochran Crips members to commit multiple acts of murder and multiple drug trafficking offenses. Specifically, it is alleged in July 2020, Jones and other members were driving the streets of St. Louis, armed with multiple firearms, looking for “get backs” (retaliation) against a rival gang. While searching for rival gang members, Jones and others allegedly killed two innocent people whom they mistakenly believed to be rivals. After allegedly shooting and killing the victims, Jones and other Cochran Crips allegedly sped away, fleeing the scene and endangering other motorists on the road. Just a day after the murders, it is alleged that Cochran Crips gang members glorified the murders in a rap song.
In 2022, Jones allegedly murdered another Cochran Crips member when the gang believed that the victim had disrespected a fellow gang member. The gang members are alleged to have obtained a car, armed themselves with multiple firearms, drove to the victim’s home, and murdered him.
If convicted of murder in aid of racketeering, Jones faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison or the death penalty. All other charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Jared A. Hernandez and Matthew Mattis of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj for the Eastern District of Missouri are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in St. Louis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Missouri and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in St. Louis.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mississippi Man Guilty of Attempted Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – AVERY FREEL (“FREEL”), age 23, of Ocean Springs, MS, pled guilty on April 10, 2025, before United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, to Attempted Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
FREEL faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years, up to a maximum of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00. In addition, FREEL faces a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, after his release from prison, as well as a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations with this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Mineral County Woman Admits to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Sara L. Jackson, age 48, of Keyser, West Virginia, has admitted to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine hydrochloride.
According to court documents, Jackson was working with another defendant to sell large amounts of fentanyl, some pressed into pills, as well as methamphetamine in Mineral County. A search warrant executed at an apartment resulted in the seizure of 1300 grams of fentanyl and 788 grams of methamphetamine.
Jackson is facing up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Mexican National Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling and Labor Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARIA DEL CARMEN SANCHEZ POTRERO, also known as Maria Carmela Sanchez, 71, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 51 months of imprisonment for her involvement in a scheme to smuggle aliens into the U.S., harbor them at Hartford area residences, force them to work, and threaten to harm them in various ways if they failed to pay exorbitant fees, interest, and other living expenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in September 2022, the FBI and Hartford Police interviewed several Mexican nationals who disclosed that they were smuggled from Mexico into the U.S. and transported to Hartford. The investigation revealed that victims typically arranged with Sanchez and others in Connecticut and Mexico to cross the border into the U.S. in exchange for a fee of between $15,000 and $20,000 that each would need to pay once they were in the U.S. In most cases, the victims were required to turn over a property deed as collateral before leaving Mexico. They were then smuggled across the border and transported to Hartford area residences, including Sanchez’s residence on Madison Street in Hartford, often at a substantial risk of bodily injury or death.
After the victims arrived in Connecticut, they were told that they would have to pay approximately $30,000, with interest, and that they would have to pay Sanchez and her co-coconspirators for rent, food, gas and utilities. Sanchez and her co-conspirators created false documents for the victims, including Permanent Residence cards and Social Security cards, and helped the victims find employment in the Hartford area. In addition to their own jobs, some victims were required to perform housework and yardwork without compensation and without having their debt reduced.
Victims were rarely provided with an accounting of their debt. If victims failed to make regular payments, or in amounts that Sanchez and her co-conspirators expected, they were sometimes threatened, including with threats to harm family members in Mexico, to take property in Mexico that had been secured as collateral, to reveal victims’ immigration status to U.S. authorities, and to raise their interest payments.
To date, investigators have identified 19 victims of this scheme. Multiple victims were minors, and at least two were smuggled into the U.S. unaccompanied by a relative or legal guardian.
Sanchez has been detained since her arrest on March 1, 2023. On October 24, 2024, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to encourage and induce, bring in, transport, and harbor aliens.
Judge Dooley ordered Sanchez to pay restitution of $574,608.
Sanchez faces immigration when she completes her prison term.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel Krull and Shan Patel.
Mexican National and Florida Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Possessing Firearm in Furtherance of Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Carlos Antonio Leon (29, Plant City) and Luis Fernando Aguirre Marin (29, Mexico) with drug trafficking conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. If convicted on all counts, Leon and Aguirre Marin each face a minimum of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Leon and Aguirre Marin that the United States intends to forfeit the firearm and ammunition alleged to be involved in, or used to facilitate, the offense.
According to the indictment, beginning not later than March 2025, Leon and Aguirre Marin conspired to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The indictment specifically alleges that, on March 21, 2025, they possessed with intent to distribute more than 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Further, it is alleged that they possessed a firearm in furtherance of those offenses.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Plant City Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Medina man charged with possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kyle Stack, 39, of Medina, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in December 2019, Adobe Systems Inc. reported that four images containing child sexual abuse material were uploaded to Adobe’s servers from screen/username “Kyle Stack.” Subsequent investigation traced the uploads to the defendant. In July 2020, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at Stack’s Bates Road residence, seizing six electronic devices, two of which were later found to contain child sexual abuse material. A forensic review of Stack’s cell phone recovered a total of 4,822 images and 32 videos of child sexual abuse material, as well as 2,319 images and four videos of child erotica, and 25 animated child sexual abuse material. A review of his laptop recovered 3,476 images, eight animated images, 16 images of child bestiality and bondage, 5,930 videos, three animated videos, and 43 child bestiality and bondage videos.
Stack made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Mechanicville Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison Following Trial Convictions for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Charles Brennan, age 45, of Mechanicville, New York was sentenced yesterday to 97 months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distributing methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Brennan was convicted in September 2024 following a four-day jury trial.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Saratoga County Sheriff Michael H. Zurlo.
The evidence at trial established that between July and September 2022, Brennan was a member of a drug conspiracy that involved the distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The jury concluded that during that time, Brennan distributed methamphetamine on two occasions from his residence in Mechanicville. During the execution of a search warrant at Brennan’s residence, Brennan was found in possession of 9 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, ammunition, and eight firearms, including a pistol with an altered serial number. The jury also concluded that Brennan possessed the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Jurors voted to acquit Brennan on two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed a four-year term of supervised release to begin after Brennan is released from prison.
This case was investigated by members of the ATF and Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashlyn Miranda, Joseph S. Hartunian and Allen J. Vickey prosecuted this case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is 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 works 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 https://www.justice.gov/psn.
McKeesport Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Ammunition Recovered from Apartment Complex Shooting Involving Two FatalitiesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on April 10, 2025, to a charge of violating a federal firearms law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Desmond Dontae Lee, also known as Desmond Donte Lee Belton, 46, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer to a one-count Indictment charging Lee with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on March 1, 2023, Lee and his son were both part of a group of individuals congregating outside of an apartment in a McKeesport apartment complex. When the resident of the apartment confronted the group and asked them to leave, one of the group members approached the resident and struck him with a closed fist, which led to the resident shooting and killing his attacker. Lee entered and proceeded through the apartment next to the resident’s, exiting that apartment from the rear, and then approached the rear of the resident’s apartment, firing five rounds from a 9mm semi-automatic pistol into the apartment before fleeing the scene. At that time, Lee’s son shot back at and killed the resident at the front of the apartment. The firearm used by Lee was never recovered, but investigators with the Allegheny County Police Department Homicide Unit collected the shell casings fired from Lee’s gun. Lee was previously convicted on state drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Fischer scheduled Lee’s sentencing for July 15, 2025. 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 V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Allegheny County Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lee.
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.
Massachusetts State Representative Arrested and Charged in Alleged Fraud and Cover-Up SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Massachusetts State Representative for the First Barnstable District has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly orchestrating a multi-faceted scheme that defrauded a local trade association of tens of thousands of dollars to fund personal and political expenses, and falsifying records to conceal his alleged conduct.
Christopher Flanagan, 37, of Dennis, Mass. was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records. Flanagan was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 2:30 p.m. today.
“Today’s charges against Massachusetts State Representative Christopher Flanagan reveal an appalling breach of public trust. According to the indictment, Mr. Flanagan defrauded the very organization he was supposed to serve – allegedly funneling tens of thousands of dollars into his own pockets to pay off personal bills, buy luxury items and bankroll his political campaign. He allegedly stole money and then went to extraordinary lengths to cover it up, going so far as fabricating fake personas to mislead those who questioned his conduct. This alleged scheme was calculated on every level,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “No one is entitled to power by way of fraud, and the people of Massachusetts deserve better.”
“Today’s arrest of Massachusetts State Representative, Christopher Flanagan, demonstrates that postal inspectors will not permit elected officials to commit fraud and play by different rules. Flanagan’s egregious betrayal to his positions of trust and his deplorable actions of lining his own pockets for personal or political reasons are unacceptable. The people of Massachusetts deserve better. I want to thank the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their dedication to make this arrest happen. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to serve the public and take action against those who take part in this type of atrocious behavior,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division.
“The indictment of Christopher Flanagan demonstrates IRS – Criminal Investigations commitment to rooting out public corruption, at all levels of government,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Flanagan not only stole from his employer to enrich himself, but also to fill the coffers of his campaign in an effort to become an elected official. Flanagan failed his constituents, who trusted in him to uphold the law, by using embezzled funds to become a State Representative and then actively obstructing the investigation into his scheme.”
Flanagan is currently the Massachusetts State Representative for the First Barnstable District, which includes the towns of Dennis, Yarmouth and Brewster on Cape Cod. Prior to being elected to his first two-year term to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2022, Flanagan served two consecutive three-year terms as a member of the Town of Dennis Select Board. Flanagan received an annual compensation of approximately $97,546 and $100,945 in 2023 and 2024, respectively, from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
From approximately early 2019 to mid-2024, Flanagan also served as the Executive Officer of a Home Builders Association in Cape Cod (HBA) – a professional trade association that represented the Cape Cod building industry comprised of over 300 members. As HBA Executive Officer, Flanagan reported to a Board of Directors and had signatory authority over HBA bank accounts. Flanagan received annual salary and benefits ranging approximately from $65,800 to $81,600 from 2019 to 2024 from the HBA.
It is alleged that, beginning in at least as early as October 2021, Flanagan was facing personal financial difficulty, with thousands of dollars in outstanding credit card debt, missing mortgage payments and hundreds of dollars in bank overdraft fees. According to the indictment, from in or about November 2021 to January 2023, Flanagan stole a total of $36,000 in HBA funds from the association’s bank account via wire transfers:
Approx. Date
Amount
Transaction
Nov. 18, 2021$8,000Transfer via PayPal to FLANAGAN BOA Acct.Nov. 22, 2021$8,000Official Check deposit to FLANAGAN BOA Acct.Nov. 3, 2022 $1,500Transfer via PayPal to FLANAGAN PayPal Acct.Dec. 19, 2022 $8,500Official Check deposit to FLANAGAN BOA Acct.Jan 28, 2023 $10,000Official Check deposit to FLANAGAN BOA Acct. Total$36,000Flanagan allegedly used the majority of the stolen funds to pay personal mortgage bills, to pay down thousands of dollars in credit card debt and to make other personal expenditures. In one instance, in January 2023, Flanagan allegedly stole $10,000 from HBA in order to fund his campaign account for State Representative. It is further alleged that, in addition to stealing HBA funds via official checks and PayPal transfers, Flanagan also stole hundreds of dollars via direct debit transactions from the association’s bank account funds to pay for personal psychic services in July 2022.
According to the indictment, on or about May 5, 2024, Flanagan concealed the stolen funds from the HBA Board by logging onto HBA’s accounting/bookkeeping software using another employee’s account, entering backdated transactions to account for the stolen funds and entering false transaction codes (e.g., “office supplies,” “travel” and “bank charges”) for the withdrawals.
As part of his concealment, it is alleged that Flanagan told the HBA Board that he withdrew funds to reimburse himself for HBA-related expenses that he had paid for out-of-pocket with his personal funds. When the HBA Board requested proof, Flanagan allegedly provided two phony expense reports:
On the first expense report, Flanagan allegedly claimed he had spent $159.36 on “Technology Expenses” at Best Buy on March 4, 2022 and $537.26 on “Office Supplies” at 4Imprint on April 18, 2022. Records of the actual purchases, however, allegedly showed that the Best Buy purchase was for a portable Bluetooth speaker and that the 4Imprint purchase was for t-shirts supporting Flanagan’s State Representative campaign:
Additionally, in the second expense report, Flanagan allegedly claimed to have spent a total of $3,784.84 on “Office Supplies.” Records of the actual purchases, however, allegedly showed that $2,118.10 of this amount was actually used for Flanagan’s personal expenses. Specifically: $613.70 and $361.24 Best Buy purchases were allegedly for an electric dryer and an air conditioner, both delivered to Flanagan’s home; a $1,050.30 Macy’s purchase allegedly for men’s ties, dress shirts, slacks and sports coats; and a $92.86 purchase at Target allegedly for children’s clothes and toys.
According to the indictment, in or about December 2022, the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) opened an investigation regarding a campaign mailer that was distributed during Flanagan’s 2022 campaign for State Representative, purportedly a group called “Conservatives for Dennis.”
It is alleged that Flanagan obstructed the OCPF investigation by attributing the source of the mailer to a false persona he created named, “Jeanne Louise,” whom Flanagan claimed was a member of an independent conservative group that had endorsed his candidacy. It is further alleged that Flanagan created and sent phony emails to OCPF purporting to be on behalf of vendors responsible for creating and distributing the mailer.
In or about October 2023, after Flanagan admitted to OCPF that Jeanne Louise was fake and that he himself was the source of the mailer, OCPF expanded its investigation into Flanagan’s campaign finance activity. Specifically, OCPF requested Flanagan produce evidence that the $10,000 deposited into his campaign account in January 2023 had indeed come from his personal funds.
However, it is alleged that Flanagan’s bank statements from the time of the deposit in January 2023 would reflect that he could not have issued the $10,000 campaign check without his theft of HBA money – showing a beginning balance of approximately $42.28 just one week before depositing the stolen funds. In response, Flanagan allegedly provided OCPF with falsified expense reports that claimed that: the $10,000 check from HBA constituted legitimate HBA-reimbursed expenses; that HBA had a practice of allowing Flanagan to withdraw large sums of money for the purpose of expense reimbursement; and therefore, the $10,000 campaign check was a legitimate donation of Flanagan’s own personal funds.
The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of falsification of records provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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.
U.S. Attorney Foley; USPIS INC Larco-Ward; IRS Acting SAC Demeo made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Chao, Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, and Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit are 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.
Man Who Threatened High School Prom Murders Pleads Guilty in Miami Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A 21-year-old Miami man who used social media messaging to threaten to “kill everyone” attending a high school junior prom in New Jersey pled guilty this week to transmitting threats through interstate communications, a felony offense.
During his change of plea hearing, Onil Compres Rodriguez admitted that on April 30, 2024, he sent a series of direct messages to social media accounts, including accounts belonging to schools in New Jersey. He wrote:
“I will kill everyone,”
“they should never have hurt me,”
“See you on May 2 at the junior prom . . . I will be charged for the damage they did to me,”
“They don’t know who they messed with,” and
“Wear your bulletproof vests there will be a lot of blood hahaha.”
Compres Rodriguez sent two photographs with the messages: one of an invitation to a New Jersey high school prom on May 2, 2024, the other of three firearms and ammunition.
The threats were reported to law enforcement, whose investigation led them to Compres Rodriguez in Miami. On May 2, 2024 (the date of the New Jersey prom) they learned that Compres Rodriguez had just booked a flight at Miami International Airport headed for Newark, New Jersey. When the flight landed in Newark, law enforcement was there, waiting for him. They arrested Compres Rodriguez, who never made it to prom.
Senior U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno will sentence Compres Rodriguez in Miami on June 25. He faces up to five years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami announced the guilty plea.
FBI Miami investigated the case, with collaboration from FBI Newark, Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and Clifton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah is prosecuting it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20490.
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Man Sentenced to over Nine Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Two Montgomery Convenience StoresRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – On April 10, 2025, a federal judge ordered that Jalen Lamarcus Gunn, a 21-year-old man from Montgomery, Alabama, serve 111 months in prison after pleading guilty to robbery and firearm charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. Following his prison sentence, Gunn will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his plea agreement and other court records, on April 27, 2024, Gunn entered a convenience store on Wares Ferry Road in Montgomery and leapt over the counter. Gunn then pointed a firearm at the clerk and demanded money from the register be placed in a plastic bag. Gunn then fled the store with approximately $3,000. Just two days later, on April 29th, Gunn robbed a convenience store on Perry Hill Road in a similar fashion, again pointing a handgun at the clerk and demanding money. This time, Gunn made away with $2,500 and multiple packs of cigarettes. During his November 8, 2024, plea hearing, Gunn pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Middle District of Alabama’s Violent Offender Intervention and Deterrence (VOID) program. Launched by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in March 2024, VOID aims to reduce violent crime by enhancing coordination, communication, and collaboration with law enforcement partners. The program focuses on working directly with local agencies—as well as traditional federal partners—to prosecute violent offenders and armed felons, dismantle drug trafficking organizations, and build proactive cases targeting gangs and repeat violent offenders. At its core, VOID prioritizes the most serious violent crime cases and fosters close working relationships with state and local prosecutors and law enforcement throughout the Montgomery River Region.
“Prosecuting individuals who endanger innocent lives through armed robbery and other violent crimes is the very reason my office started the VOID program,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “Jalen Gunn traumatized his victims by threatening them with a gun pointed at their heads, an act of pure intimidation and violence. This prosecution should send a clear warning: if you choose to terrorize our communities with guns, you will be held accountable. I am grateful to our VOID partners for their unwavering commitment and collaboration in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“This type of behavior has to stop and the men and women of the FBI, along with our partners in law enforcement, are dedicated to tracking down the individuals who continuously victimize their own communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Rachel A. Byrd. “This sentence should send a clear message to those who refuse to obey the law.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, with Assistant United States Attorney Christopher P. Moore prosecuting.
Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Clifford Frederic Lind, 40, pleaded guilty in federal court this week to attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor and attempting to entice a minor. Lind, who used the online alias “it is what it is,” admitted to engaging in sexually explicit communications with someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl.
In connection with his guilty plea, Lind admitted that between May 29 and June 4, 2024, he communicated with a person he believed was an underage girl, via a social media application and text messages. During the exchanges, Lind sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself and requested sexual images in return. Lind also discussed plans to meet the supposed 13-year-old in person to engage in sexual activity, including details about picking her up and where they would stay. The communications, which took place while Lind was in the Southern District of Florida, involved the use of a smartphone and the internet, with the illicit materials traveling through interstate commerce.
Sentencing is set for July 9, at 10:00 a.m., in Key West before United States District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles. Lind faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.
FBI Miami, Key West Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Maultasch is prosecuting the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sara Klco is handling asset forfeiture.
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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-10008.
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Louisville, Kentucky Man Found Guilty of Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – This week, following a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted a Louisville, Kentucky man of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 17, 2023, Terry Masden, 51, distributed approximately 6 pounds of methamphetamine to the co-defendant, Dominique Kemp, 43, of Louisville. The Jury also found that Masden had previously been convicted of the following serious drug felony.
On August 24, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Masden was convicted of the offense of possession with the intent to distribute oxycodone.
Masden is scheduled for sentencing on July 15, 2025, before a United States District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. Masden was ordered detained in federal custody pending sentencing. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The judge will determine the sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kemp was previously convicted and sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for this charge.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The DEA and LMPD investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Dahl and Joshua Porter are prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal specialist Aaron Cooper.
This conviction is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Los Angeles Man Sentenced for Conspiring with Lee County Man to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Through the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Esdras Joel Garcia De La Rosa (28, Los Angeles, CA) to nine years in federal prison for conspiracy with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. De La Rosa pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024.
According to court documents, De La Rosa conspired with Durand Dijoun Demetiu Colbert (35, Lee County) to distribute various controlled substances including methamphetamine and fentanyl. De La Rosa resided in California and supplied Colbert, a Florida resident, with controlled substances that would later be distributed to others. The controlled substances were sent by De La Rosa to Colbert through the U.S. mail or other packaging carriers.
On November 17, 2023, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Colbert’s residence. At that time, Colbert had roughly 1,700 fentanyl pills at his residence, which investigators determined had been sent by De La Rosa.
Colbert previously pleaded guilty for his role in this case. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 2025.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
Leader of Detroit Gang Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A 34-year-old Shelby Township man, Martaze Davis, was sentenced to 20 years in prison today for trafficking methamphetamine and laundering drug proceeds, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced.
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 Divisions.
Davis was a leader in a Detroit gang, 42 Hustle Boys. The 42 Hustle Boys and a rival gang, the Seven Mile Bloods, engaged in a longstanding and deadly feud. This investigation and prosecution, which began in 2023, focused on Davis’s leadership of a drug conspiracy that sent members to California to purchase methamphetamine brought into the United States from Mexico and transport it across the United States for distribution in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Tennessee.
On October 24, 2023, Davis and codefendant Alexander Polanco, 28, conspired to load a rental car occupied by codefendants Taneeya Richard, 25, and Dejon Howard-Henderson, 24, with 38.9 kilograms of methamphetamine. The following day, officers stopped the rental car in Texas and seized the methamphetamine. Davis also laundered drug proceeds through his personal and business bank accounts intending to conceal the nature and source of the proceeds.
“Our office vigorously pursues drug traffickers, including gang leaders and members, who push dangerous drugs like methamphetamine into our communities with indifference to the tragedy it inflicts. Thanks to the outstanding teamwork among the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Attorney’s Office, a dangerous drug trafficker and money launderer has been removed from our streets,” stated Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck.
"Bringing members of violent street gangs to justice is one of our top operational priorities in the DEA Detroit Division. Mr. Davis and his 42 Hustle Boys co-conspirators are responsible for fueling untold suffering by funneling massive amounts of methamphetamine into areas already hard-hit by the opioid crisis. Today's sentence sends another clear message to drug trafficking organizations that their criminal behavior will not be tolerated and will be met with consequences," said Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration.
“Today’s sentencing of Martaze Davis represents a significant victory in our ongoing fight against organized crime and drug trafficking in Detroit,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “This case underscores the powerful collaboration between the FBI, DEA, and Detroit’s IRS Criminal Division. Together, we remain steadfast in our mission to disrupt criminal networks, dismantle money laundering operations, and protect our communities. The removal of Mr. Davis, a dangerous Detroit gang leader, from the streets is a pivotal step in safeguarding Michigan and ensuring the safety of all its residents. Our combined efforts reflect our unwavering commitment to keeping Detroit and the surrounding areas free from criminal activity.”
“The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs. Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers could not finance their organizations,” said Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to be relentless in our mission to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and bring the criminals who run them to justice.”
The Honorable Sean F. Cox sentenced Davis to 20 years in prison.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by AUSA Paul Kuebler.
Lancaster Man Who Fled Mid-Trial Found Guilty in Absentia of Producing, Enticing, and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Antelope Valley man has been found guilty in absentia of producing and receiving sexually explicit images of a teenage girl whom he had enticed to engage in criminal sexual activity, the Justice Department announced today.
Gregory Cole Jr., 30, of Lancaster, was found guilty late Thursday of one count of production of child pornography, one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Cole, who removed the location-monitoring unit from his ankle mid-trial and stopped appearing in court, is believed to be a fugitive. United States District Judge Percy Anderson issued a bench warrant and revoked Cole’s bond.
According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, in March and April of 2024, Cole enticed the victim – a 16-year-old girl – to send him sexually explicit images of herself via direct messages on Instagram.
Law enforcement searched Cole’s Instagram account and discovered he enticed the victim to create and send him CSAM. Cole demanded CSAM from the victim and sent her pornography of adult women in poses he wanted the victim to photograph herself in for him, which the victim did.
Cole deleted his Instagram account after the victim’s mother discovered his messages with her daughter.
Cole faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys J’me K. Forrest and Derek R. Flores of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Konawa Resident Sentenced to 97 Months for Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Coty Layne Hayes, age 26, of Konawa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for one count of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, the Konawa Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On September 19, 2024, Hayes pleaded guilty to the charge. As part of that plea, Hayes admitted that between June 9, 2023, and continuing until September 22, 2023, he sexually abused a child who had attained the age of 12 years but not yet attained the age of 16 years, and who was more than four years younger than him.
The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
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. Hayes will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan A. Muzljakovich represented the United States.
Key West Man Pleads Guilty in D.C. to Smuggling Firearms from Florida to HaitiRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jean Wiltene Eugene, 57, of Key West, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of smuggling for his role in a gun running operation that illegally exported firearms to Haiti.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Fleck of the Miami Field Office. Sentencing is scheduled for July 22.
According to court documents, Eugene is a U.S. citizen who was born in Haiti and resides in Key West, Florida. On or about September 23, 2021, Eugene knowingly exported more than two firearms from the United States to Haiti without having first obtained the required license from the Bureau of Industry and Security, located in the District of Columbia. Any person who exports a firearm without proper authorization may be fined up to $1 million and imprisoned for up to 20 years.
According to court records, Eugene arranged to ship vehicles to Haiti through a Florida-based export company. Eugene signed the company’s terms and conditions of shipments, which required the shipper to affirm that the vehicles did not contain any firearms or ammunition. In a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Eugene admitted that, in 2020 and 2021, he shipped two vehicles to Haiti with firearms hidden inside. Eugene stated that he placed food and other items around the bins holding the firearms so border authorities would not find the weapons.
In a later interview with federal agents Eugene stated that nine firearms he purchased in Key West under his name were currently located at his gas station in Haiti and that none of those firearms remained in the United States. He admitted that he knew it was illegal to ship weapons to Haiti when confronted by the federal agents.
Pursuant to an active arrest warrant, Eugene was arrested at a traffic stop on May 4, 2024, in Key West.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Miami Field Office with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall and Trial Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division.
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Justice Department Surpasses $12 Billion in Compensation to Crime Victims Since 2000Read the Press Release
To commemorate the 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Department of Justice reaffirms its steadfast commitment to compensate crime victims with federally forfeited assets. The Justice Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program has surpassed $12 billion in compensation to crime victims.
In fiscal year 2024 and the beginning of fiscal year 2025 alone, more than $735.3 million has been returned to victims of human trafficking; romance, investment, and healthcare fraud; business email compromise and government imposter schemes; drug diversion; and cryptocurrency-related thefts and frauds.
“This extraordinary milestone demonstrates the effectiveness of the Asset Forfeiture Program in taking the profit out of crime and compensating victims,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “While the Criminal Division is deeply proud of these efforts, we recognize that crime victims often lose much more than money. We hope that victims, from exploited children to older Americans targeted by sophisticated criminal schemes, can move forward in their recovery through this compensation. This milestone was made possible by the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, which manages the Asset Forfeiture Program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and the many federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies that have dedicated their time and resources to these investigations.”
Recent cases in which victims were compensated for their losses with forfeited assets in 2024 or 2025 include:
$4.3 Billion to Victims of Bernie Madoff
United States v. Bernard L. Madoff (Southern District of New York)
In December 2024, the Justice Department announced that the Madoff Victim Fund (MVF) would make its 10th and final distribution of over $131.4 million to victims of the Bernard L. Madoff fraud scheme. These funds were forfeited by the U.S. government in connection with the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS) fraud scheme. Through its 10 distributions, MVF paid over $4.3 billion from forfeited funds to 40,930 victims in 127 countries for losses they suffered from the collapse of BLMIS, bringing recovery for victims to nearly 94% of their fraud loss. According to court documents and information presented in related proceedings, for decades, Madoff used his position as chairman of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, the investment advisory business he founded in 1960, to steal billions from his clients. On March 12, 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies, admitting that he had turned his wealth management business into the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, benefitting himself, his family, and select members of his inner circle.
$420 Million to Victims of Fraud Schemes Facilitated by Western Union
United States v. The Western Union Company (Middle District of Pennsylvania)
In 2017, Western Union entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the United States. Pursuant to the DPA, Western Union acknowledged responsibility for its criminal conduct, which included violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and aiding and abetting wire fraud. Western Union agreed to forfeit $586 million, which has been made available to compensate victims of the international consumer fraud scheme through the remission process. Western Union simultaneously resolved a parallel civil investigation with the Federal Trade Commission. To date, the Criminal Division has disbursed more than $420 million to approximately 175,000 victims.
$8 Million Returned to Victims of Email Business Compromise Scams
United States v. Olalekan Jacob Ponle (Northern District of Illinois)
Olalekan Jacob Ponle worked with co-schemers to engage in numerous business email compromise schemes. The co-schemers used phishing links to gain unauthorized access to email accounts and then created false instructions directing employees of the victim companies to wire money to bank accounts opened by money mules at Ponle’s direction. After unwitting employees wired money, in some cases millions of dollars, to the bank accounts, Ponle instructed the money mules to convert the proceeds to Bitcoin and send them to him. As a result of Ponle’s scheme, victim companies suffered more than $8.03 million in actual losses. The government seized the Bitcoin, obtained a final order of forfeiture, liquidated the cryptocurrency, and used the proceeds to compensate the victims of Ponle’s fraud.
$5.6 Million to the Small Business Administration
United States v. Aydin Kalantarov, et al. (Northern District of Ohio)
According to court documents, from May 2020 through October 2020, Aydin Kalantarov, along with his two brothers, Zaur Kalantarli and Ali Kalantarli, conspired to defraud the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) of nearly $7 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). As part of the scheme the brothers created 70 fictious Ohio corporations with agriculture sounding names. Once the fictitious corporations were created, the brothers submitted fraudulent EIDL loan applications to the SBA claiming that their business was adversely affected by the pandemic. The SBA funded 47 of the applications for a total of approximately $7 million. $5.6 million in forfeited funds was transferred to the clerk of the court for payment to the SBA.
$2.28 Million Returned to Victims of Two Business Email Compromise Schemes
United States v. Contents of TD Bank Account, Account Ending 7684, Held in the Name of O’Shane K. Malcolm, et al. (District of Connecticut)
United States v. Contents of Truist Bank Account Ending 5792, Held in The Name of Quest Freight LLC (District of Connecticut)
In the first scam, criminal actors compromised an email account associated with a member of the management team of a city’s Board of Education. In June 2023, these actors created a fake email account that mimicked the email of a bus company that held a contract with the Board of Education for bussing. Using the fake bus company email address, the criminal actors then were able to change the bus company’s payment information from the real bus company to an account held by the criminal actors, and the city sent approximately $5.9 million dollars to the account. The government successfully seized and forfeited approximately $1,187,691 of the stolen money, which was returned to the city through remission.
The second forfeiture action involved a healthcare company that was a victim of a business email compromise (BEC) attack. In April 2023, the company’s yearly medical malpractice insurance payment was set to be paid. Shortly before the due date, the company received a fraudulent email, purportedly from its malpractice insurance company, with new wire instructions. The company sent approximately $1,652,254 via a wire transfer using the newly provided instructions. The government successfully seized and forfeited approximately $1,100,694 remaining in the account, which was returned to the healthcare company through remissions.
$328,500 to an Elderly Victim of a Computer Support Scam
United States v. Discovery Bank Account Ending in 2237 (District of Connecticut)
According to court documents, in February 2024, an elderly woman who was tricked by a computer support scheme that mimicked Microsoft customer support transferred approximately $550,000 to the scammers in two wire transfers. Within two days of the transfers, the victim and a family member reported the incident to a local police department, who then partnered with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to investigate the crime. Fortunately, one of the wire transfers, in the amount of $221,000, was reversed by the bank and returned to the victim. HSI traced the remaining money, totaling approximately $328,573, and seized it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then filed a civil asset forfeiture action to forfeit the money to the government, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI then worked with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section to return the money to the victim.
$6.4 Million to the Internal Revenue Service
United States v. Michael Little (Middle District of Florida)
From 2019 to 2021, Michael Little filed a series of false tax returns claiming massive, bogus fuel tax credits. He filed the false returns in his own name and in the names of co-conspirators and identity theft victims. As a result of this scheme, Little and his co-conspirators obtained at least $12.3 million in fraudulent tax refunds and attempted to obtain at least $27 million more. Little and his co-conspirators also conspired to launder their ill-gotten gains and used significant portions of the fraudulent tax refunds to purchase real estate and other assets. Over $6.4 million in forfeited funds were transferred to the clerk of court for payment to the IRS.
$52,000 to a Survivor of Human Trafficking
United States v. Thuy Tien Luong (Western District of North Carolina)
Thuy Tien Luong was convicted of forced labor and ordered to serve 15 years in prison for compelling the labor of one of her nail technicians at a salon she owned and operated. From October 2016 to June 2018, Luong forced the survivor’s labor by, among other things, physically assaulting the survivor, threatening to ruin the survivor’s reputation with her family, and falsely claiming that the survivor owed Luong a fictitious debt. In addition to resulting in the return of funds seized from Luong to the Clerk of Court to pay the survivor, the case also resulted in the return to the survivor of a seized bracelet that Luong had held as “payment” towards the survivor’s fictitious debt.
$6.3 Million Returned to Estate Victims of an Embezzlement Scheme
United States v. Richard J. Sherwood, et al. (Northern District of New York)
Starting in 2006, Richard J. Sherwood and Thomas K. Lagan provided estate planning and related legal services to Capital Region philanthropists Warren and Pauline Bruggeman, and to Pauline’s sister, Anne Urban, all of Niskayuna, New York. They were advising the Bruggemans when, in 2006, the Bruggemans signed wills directing that all their assets go to churches, civic organizations, a local hospital, and a local university scholarship fund, aside from bequests to Urban and Julia Rentz, Pauline’s sisters.
Warren Bruggeman died in April 2009, and Pauline died in August 2011. In each pleading guilty, Sherwood and Lagan admitted that they conspired to steal, and did steal, millions of dollars from Pauline Bruggeman’s estate as well as from the estate of Urban, who died in 2013. The co-conspirators admitted that they stole $11,831,563 and Sherwood also admitted that he transferred to himself the Bruggeman family camp located on Galway Lake, in Saratoga County.
For additional information about the Department of Justice’s victim compensation program, please visit: Criminal Division | Victims.
Justice Department Implements Critical National Security Program to Protect Americans’ Sensitive Data from Foreign AdversariesRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department took significant steps to move forward with implementing a critical program to prevent China, Russia, Iran, and other foreign adversaries from using commercial activities to access and exploit U.S. government-related data and Americans’ sensitive personal data to commit espionage and economic espionage, conduct surveillance and counterintelligence activities, develop AI and military capabilities, and otherwise undermine our national security.
The Data Security Program implemented by the National Security Division (NSD) under Executive Order 14117 addresses this “unusual and extraordinary threat…to the national security and foreign policy of the United States” that has been repeatedly recognized across political parties and by all three branches of government.
The Justice Department’s continued prioritization of the Data Security Program delivers on promises made by President Trump in his America First Investment Policy and NSPM-2 on Imposing Maximum Pressure on Iran, addresses threats identified in the 2025 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community and President Trump’s 2017 National Security Strategy, and responds to the national emergency President Trump declared in Executive Order 13873.
“If you’re a foreign adversary, why would you go through the trouble of complicated cyber intrusions and theft to get Americans’ data when you can just buy it on the open market or force a company under your jurisdiction to give you access?” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Data Security Program makes getting that data a lot harder.”
To address this urgent threat, the Data Security Program establishes what are effectively export controls that prevent foreign adversaries, and those subject to their control, jurisdiction, ownership, and direction, from accessing U.S. government-related data and bulk genomic, geolocation, biometric, health, financial, and other sensitive personal data. To assist the public in coming into compliance with the Data Security Program, NSD has issued a Compliance Guide, an initial list of over 100 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and an Implementation and Enforcement Policy for the first 90 days. NSD will be taking additional steps over the coming weeks and months to implement the Data Security Program, including publishing an initial Covered Persons List that identifies and designates persons subject to the control and direction of foreign adversaries. The Data Security Program went into effect on April 8, 2025.
Newly Issued Guidance and FAQs
The Data Security Program Compliance Guide identifies and describes best practices for complying with the Data Security Program, thereby mitigating the unacceptable national security risk of enabling countries of concern to access and exploit Americans’ sensitive personal data. The document provides guidance on key definitions, prohibited and restricted transactions, and the requirements for building a robust data compliance program. The Compliance Guide also provides model contractual language and suggests best practices for complying with the Data Security Program’s audit and recordkeeping requirements. It is crucial that U.S. persons familiarize themselves and become prepared to comply with the Data Security Program’s prohibitions and restrictions once they became effective on April 8, 2025.
The Data Security Program FAQs address high-level clarifications about Executive Order 14117 and provides valuable information about the Data Security Program, its scope, and accompanying processes for requesting licenses and advisory opinions, making disclosures of Data Security Program violations, and reporting rejected prohibited transactions. The FAQs reflect some of the comprehensive feedback and common issues the Department received and addressed through the rulemaking process, both as public comments in response to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, as well as questions delivered during dozens of engagements with individuals, businesses, trade groups, and other stakeholders that were potentially interested in or impacted by the Data Security Program. NSD will update these FAQs as necessary and appropriate to address additional questions raised by the public.
NSD’s primary mission with respect to the implementation and enforcement of the Data Security Program is to protect U.S. national security from countries of concern that may seek to collect and weaponize Americans’ most sensitive personal data and government-related data. U.S. persons should “know their data” and the front-line role they play in mitigating these risks. As further explained in the Compliance Guide, individuals and entities subject to U.S. jurisdiction, as well as foreign individuals and entities conducting business in or with the United States or with U.S. persons, must comply with the Data Security Program.
The Compliance Guide and FAQs are explanatory and intended to provide general guidance to regulated parties about compliance with the Data Security Program. Nothing in these documents supplements, modifies, or supersedes the requirements set forth in the Data Security Program. NSD intends to update the FAQs on an ongoing basis as NSD identifies additional questions and responses that should be made public to aid the regulated community in compliance.
Newly Issued Enforcement Policy for the First 90 Days
The Data Security Program went into effect on April 8, 2025. Starting April 8, 2025, entities and individuals were required to comply with the Data Security Program’s prohibitions and restrictions on engaging in covered data transactions. To provide additional time for entities and individuals to come into compliance, the Data Security Program delays certain affirmative due-diligence obligations, which do not go into effect until Oct. 6, 2025.
NSD recognizes that individuals and companies may need to take a number of steps to determine whether the Data Security Program’s prohibitions and restrictions apply to their activities, and to implement changes to their existing policies or to implement new policies and processes to comply.
To allow the private sector to focus its resources and efforts on promptly coming into compliance and to allow NSD to prioritize its resources on facilitating compliance, NSD will target its enforcement efforts during the first 90 days to allow U.S. persons (e.g., individuals and companies) additional time to implement the changes required by the Data Security Program, provide additional opportunities for the public to engage with NSD, and to minimize potential disruptions for businesses. As explained in NSD’s Data Security Program Implementation and Enforcement Policy Through July 8, 2025, NSD will not prioritize civil enforcement actions against any person for violations of the Data Security Program that occur from April 8 through July 8, 2025, so long as the person is engaging in good faith efforts to comply with or come into compliance with the Data Security Program during that time. These efforts include engaging in compliance activities described in that policy, such as amending or renegotiating existing contracts, conducting internal reviews of data flows, deploying the CISA security requirements, and so on.
At the end of this 90-day period, individuals, and entities should be in full compliance with the DSP. This policy does not limit NSD’s lawful authority and discretion to pursue civil enforcement if entities and individuals did not engage in good faith efforts to comply with, or come into compliance with, the Data Security Program.
During this 90-day period, NSD encourages the public to contact NSD at [email protected] with informal inquires or information about the DSP and the guidance NSD has released. Although NSD may not be able to respond to every inquiry, NSD will use its best efforts to respond consistent with available resources, and any inquiries or information submitted may be used to develop and refine future guidance. Correspondingly, NSD discourages the submission of any formal requests for specific licenses or advisory opinions during this 90-day period. Although requests for specific licenses or advisory opinions during this 90-day period can be submitted, NSD will not review or adjudicate those submissions during the 90-day period (absent an emergency or imminent threat to public safety or national security).
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in New York in Support of Muslim Community’s Land Use ClaimRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York supporting a claim by a religious Islamic organization that the Town of Oyster Bay violated its rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied the organization’s site plan application to expand its current facility into a mosque that would meet the religious needs of its congregation.
The lawsuit alleges that Muslims on Long Island (MOLI) have worshipped at a mosque in Bethpage, Long Island, since 1998, but that it has grown and now needs additional space for prayer, religious education, ritual washing and religious counseling. In its complaint and motion for a preliminary injunction, MOLI claims that the Town’s recently revised zoning code imposes more onerous parking requirements on houses of worship than on comparable nonreligious places of assembly like theaters, museums and libraries. MOLI alleges that the Town denied its application to expand its house of worship, relying on the Town’s revised parking code. The Department’s statement of interest supports MOLI’s argument that the zoning code treats religious uses less favorably than non-religious uses, in violation of RLUIPA’s equal terms provision, and that the Town has failed to justify this unequal treatment.
“RLUIPA prohibits local governments from imposing more onerous requirements on religious assemblies than comparable nonreligious assemblies,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Zoning codes violate RLUIPA when they single out religious uses for tougher restrictions than comparable secular uses. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce RLUIPA’s protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship.”
“Zoning regulations that unfairly restrict assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said United States Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “Municipalities cannot impose tougher parking or other land use standards on houses of worship than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department and my Office will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.
The department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Civil Division, Civil Rights Chief Michael J. Goldberger with Trial Attorneys Noah Sacks and Beth Pepper of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (718) 254-7000 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
moli_brief_filed.pdf
E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 25-CV-428 (SJB)Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in New York in Support of Religious Muslim Community’s Land Use ClaimRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York supporting a claim by a religious Islamic organization that the Town of Oyster Bay violated its rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied the organization’s site plan application to expand its current facility into a mosque that would meet the religious needs of its congregation.
The lawsuit alleges that Muslims on Long Island (MOLI) have worshipped at a mosque in Bethpage, Long Island, since 1998, but that it has grown and now needs additional space for prayer, religious education, ritual washing and religious counseling. In its complaint and motion for a preliminary injunction, MOLI claims that the Town’s recently revised zoning code imposes more onerous parking requirements on houses of worship than on comparable nonreligious places of assembly like theaters, museums and libraries. MOLI alleges that the Town denied its application to expand its house of worship, relying on the Town’s recently revised parking code. The Department’s statement of interest supports MOLI’s argument that the zoning code treats religious uses less favorably than non-religious uses, in violation of RLUIPA’s equal terms provision, and that the Town has failed to justify this unequal treatment.
“RLUIPA prohibits local governments from imposing more onerous requirements on religious assemblies than comparable nonreligious assemblies,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Zoning codes violate RLUIPA when they single out religious uses for tougher restrictions than comparable secular uses. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce RLUIPA’s protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship.”
“Zoning regulations that unfairly restrict assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said United States Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “Municipalities cannot impose tougher parking or other land use standards on houses of worship than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department and my Office will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.
As part of this initiative, the department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (718) 254-7000 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php.
Jury Returns Guilty Verdict in Federal Firearms CaseRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – A federal jury that was seated in Monroe this week returned a guilty verdict last night against Maurice Mitchell, 42, of Monroe, for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided over the trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a mini storage facility in West Monroe on January 8, 2023, to follow up on a complaint received about a possible burglary in progress at that location. Deputies arrived on the scene in less than a minute after receiving the call and upon their arrival, immediately located two individuals near the storage units. Mitchell was one of the individuals they encountered and when he saw deputies, he immediately fled the scene riding a bicycle. Deputies ordered Mitchell to stop and as he was riding away, drove his bicycle into a culvert area and fell over, but Mitchell got up and began running. After a short pursuit, deputies were able to take Mitchell into custody.
Deputies conducted a search of Mitchell and found a small bag tied to the front end of the bicycle which contained a loaded .38 caliber revolver with five rounds of ammunition in the cylinder. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) testified at trial that the firearm seized from Mitchell was test fired and found to be a working firearm which had traveled in interstate commerce. Mitchell was charged in an indictment on August 7, 2024, with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Mitchell has a lengthy criminal history including prior felony convictions for attempting to disarm a peace officer (2017), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of oxycodone, cocaine and marijuana and resisting an office by flight on foot (2015), and possession of cocaine (2008).
After deliberating for nearly five hours, the jury returned the guilty verdict against Mitchell for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He now faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Sentencing has been set for July 31, 2025.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Catherine Semmes and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy.
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Jury Finds Pine Ridge Man Guilty of Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Frank Long Black Cat, age 31, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 9, 2025.
The conviction carries a maximum penalty of ten years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Long Black Cat was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025.
Evidence at trial established that Long Black Cat used a knife to repeatedly stab another person in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Schroeder and Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for July 14, 2025.
Jury Finds Drug Trafficker Guilty in Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that a jury found Leonardo Medina of Denver guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit methamphetamine; one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at the five-day trial, Medina operated a large-scale drug-trafficking organization in Colorado. Medina supplied bulk methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine to subordinate dealers in Denver and Colorado Springs throughout 2021 and 2022. In July 2022, the Defendant coordinated the delivery of more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico for his drug-trafficking organization. That load of methamphetamine was seized by law enforcement in Texas at the request of investigators in Colorado.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Denver Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Dustin Andre-Vandenberg and Sonia Dave.
Case Number: 23-cr-00049-PAB
Jury Convicts Pasco Drug TraffickerRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Pierre Marquis Fowler (36, Tarpon Springs), a/k/a “Durk,” guilty of conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 500 grams or more of cocaine; possessing with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and 500 grams or more of cocaine; possessing a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; and two counts of illegal monetary transactions. Fowler faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Pierre Marquis Fowler and his brother, Marcus Jamar Fowler, a/k/a “Drastic,” conspired with each other and others to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. The Fowlers used a stash location in Tarpon Springs as a place to distribute narcotics. Between 2020 and 2022 one witness estimated that Pierre Fowler had provided them with at least 75 kilograms of fentanyl, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and multiple kilograms of cocaine.
Firearms recovered from safe at stash location
Evidence from search warrants included eight firearms, including two machineguns, 989.1 grams of fentanyl, 715 grams of methamphetamine, and 781 grams of cocaine at the stash location. In addition, seven parcels had been shipped from California to the Middle District of Florida, in the span of one week, which contained 3,981 grams of fentanyl and 4,458 grams of methamphetamine.
Contents of two boxes bound for a residence in Pasco County
Evidence also showed that Pierre Fowler had used proceeds of drug trafficking to make purchases of more than $10,000, including a piece of real property in Holiday. Certain assets being forfeited by the government include property located in Holiday and $10,409 in cash seized from Pierre Fowler during a search warrant on February 8, 2023.
Marcus Jamar Fowler previously pleaded guilty for his role in this case. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Tarpon Springs Police Department, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha E. Beckman. The forfeiture is being handled by AUSA James Muench.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Jury Convicts Lake George Man of Defrauding Investors, Failing to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael E. Conner, age 56, of Lake George, New York, was found guilty yesterday of defrauding investors and failing to file tax returns.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Harry Chavis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
The jury voted to convict Conner of 22 counts of wire fraud and two counts of failing to file tax returns, following an 8-day trial presided over by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.
The trial evidence proved that Conner was an inventor of household products and held patents on his inventions, such as a paint bucket (called the Paint Caddy), a knife with a heated blade, and a rotatable refrigerator shelf. Starting in about 2008, as a resident of Virginia, Conner convinced other people to invest in his patents and loan him money that he said would help him market and sell his patents.
The trial evidence proved that in 2020 and 2021, as a resident of Warren County, New York, Conner fraudulently sought and obtained loans from people who believed they were loaning money to Conner for business purposes, including to complete the sale of his patents, to pay the IRS, and to pay attorney’s fees and accountant’s fees associated with anticipated patent sales and IRS filings. But Conner did not use the loaned funds for business purposes, and instead used the money for personal expenses and to fund his lifestyle; his expenditures included many outings to high-end restaurants in Saratoga Springs, cases of expensive French wine, and concert tickets.
Since 2008, Conner has received, from investors and lenders, approximately $6 million; he has never sold a patent nor earned revenue from any of his inventions. Conner’s victims included residents of Virginia, North Carolina and Warren County.
The jury also voted to convict Conner of failing to file personal income tax returns for tax years 2020 and 2021. The trial evidence proved that Conner, while living in Warren County, held himself out as a successful businessman, while receiving more than $136,000 in loans in 2020 and more than $257,000 in loans in 2021. During this time Conner had no savings and no job. The jury found that Conner had no intention of repaying the loans and treated them as his income and, as such, willfully failed to file tax returns with the IRS that would have reported the income.
The jury voted to acquit Conner on one count of wire fraud and two counts of failing to file tax returns (for tax years 2018 and 2019).
Conner was remanded to custody following the jury’s verdict. At sentencing on August 14, 2025, on the wire fraud convictions, Conner faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. On the tax convictions, which are misdemeanors, Conner faces up to 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000. 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.
IRS-CI investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Mikayla Espinosa are prosecuting this case.