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Wednesday 5 March 2025
Immigration-Related Identity Theft Investigation Leads to Charges Against 18 IndividualsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that 18 individuals have been charged as the result of an immigration-related identity theft investigation. Each has been charged with aggravated identity theft, misuse of Social Security numbers, and false statements regarding citizenship with the intent to engage unlawfully in employment. The attached summary chart provides additional information. If convicted on all counts, each faces a minimum penalty of two years, up to 12 years, in federal prison.
According to the indictments, the charged individuals, all foreign nationals with no lawful status in the United States, misused the names and Social Security numbers of others and falsely claimed to be United States citizens with the intent to engage unlawfully in employment.
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.
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the United States Border Patrol, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. They cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Karyna Valdes and Christopher F. Murray, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
Each defendant was charged with aggravated identity theft, misuse of Social Security numbers, and making false statements for the purpose of unlawfully gaining employment in the United States.Name
(Country of Origin)
Status
Luvin Daniel Hernandez Amador
(Honduras)
Indicted on February 27, 2025.Elvin Donahel Hernandez Amador
(Honduras)
Indicted on December 17, 2024.Elmer Modesto Amador
(Honduras)
Indicted on October 1, 2024.Junior Eduardo Ferrufino Andino
(Honduras)
Indicted on October 1, 2024.Noe Ardon
(Honduras)
Indicted on June 25, 2024.Sindi Yamileth Mejia Avila
(Guatemala)
Indicted on December 17, 2024.Cristian Daniel Diaz-Garcia
(Honduras)
Scheduled for trial in April 2025.Pedro Amaya Enriquez
(Honduras)
Indicted on June 25, 2024.Juan Resendiz Ledesma
(Mexico)
Indicted on June 25, 2024.Erlin Maradiaga-Flores
(Honduras)
Pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and sentenced on October 17, 2024, to 2 years in federal prison.Nidia Maradiaga-Flores
(Honduras)
Scheduled for trial in April 2025.Allan Gomez-Zelaya
(Honduras)
Pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft on January 30, 2024. Sentencing set for April 15, 2025.Elieser Gomez-Zelaya
(Honduras)
Superseding indictment returned on September 27, 2023.Juan Molina-Salles
(Honduras)
Indicted September 6, 2023.Gary Misael Pavon-Ardon
(Honduras)
Indicted on April 23, 2024.Antonino Resendiz-Badillo
(Mexico)
Pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and sentenced on February 21, 2025, to 2 years in federal prison.Marcial Isael Torres-Salinas
(Honduras)
Indicted on July 30, 2024.Duglas Hernandez Valladares
(Honduras)
Pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft on January 25, 2024. Sentencing set for April 17, 2025.Maximum Penalties
Aggravated identity theftMandatory 2 years in federal prisonMisuse of Social Security number5 years in federal prisonMaking false statements for the purpose of unlawfully gaining employment in the United States5 years in federal prisonHuntington County Man Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison on Production of Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on February 27, 2025, Gage Wagner, age 32, previously of Shade Gap, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 200 months in prison by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, for producing child pornography.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Wagner previously pleaded guilty to producing child pornography. Wagner engaged in sexual contact with a 15-year-old minor over 100 times and used the minor to create images and videos of child pornography in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Guatemalan Man Indicted for Illegal Re-entry into U.S.Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Guatemala has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Edgar Lopez-Gomez, 29, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on February 20, 2025, Lopez-Gomez was found in western Pennsylvania after having been removed from the United States on or about July 18, 2017.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two 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 Justin E. Lewis is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Greenville Man Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Greenville, MS – A Greenville man was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Terrance Hall, 39, previously plead guilty to distribution of a controlled substance, which included methamphetamine and fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown of the Northern District of Mississippi sentenced Hall to 70 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release. Hall was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing.
“Methamphetamine and fentanyl destroy individuals, families, and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We will continue to partner with the Greenville Police Department to remove this scourge, and the people who profit from it, from our community.”
“We would first like to thank every agency involved in the success of this conviction,” stated Police Chief Marcus Turner of the Greenville Police Department. “Our mission is to maintain social order and provide professional law enforcement services to the citizens in the community. All available resources will continue to be used by the Greenville Police Department to pursue the individuals that spread illegal drugs in our community.”
This case was investigated by the Greenville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Mims prosecuted the case.
Gang Member Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Kidnapping and Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for conspiring to commit kidnapping, smuggling drugs into the Essex County Jail, distributing fentanyl and cocaine and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Justin Suriel, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In August 2024, Suriel pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine and Suboxone;, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
Suriel was charged in November 2021 along with 12 others in connection with a large drug conspiracy centering around the Gangster Disciples in Lawrence, Haverhill and Methuen, Mass. The investigation, which began in August 2020, intercepted communications between Gangster Disciples’ leaders, members and drug suppliers pertaining to their alleged distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and Suboxone in Massachusetts, Maine and southern New Hampshire as well as into the Essex County Jail.
Calls were intercepted between Suriel and other gang members, who conspired to kidnap and assault a marijuana supplier from Maine. Intercepted phone calls also uncovered Suriel’s cocaine and fentanyl distribution operation, wherein he used gang members to sell drugs throughout the Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts. The calls also revealed that Suriel offered protection to his cocaine supplier, remarking that he would “shoot bullets” for anyone bothering his drug supplier. During a search of Suriel’s residence a loaded firearm was recovered.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey Noble made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and the Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Chelmsford and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/PSN.
Fort Hall Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Robbery at KnifepointRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Malik Marin Ish, 23, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to 5 years in prison for robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. Chief U.S. District Court Judge David C. Nye sentenced Ish on March 3, 2025, to 54.5 months in federal prison in addition to the 8.5 months of tribal jail time, which Ish served leading up to his sentencing.
According to court records, on February 19, 2024, Ish approached a man getting gasoline in his Jeep Cherokee at a gas station in Fort Hall and demanded the man’s vehicle at knifepoint. The man and Ish struggled for a time and Ish tried to stab him. Ish took the Jeep and crashed it a short distance away. Fort Hall Police officers located Ish later that day and recognized Ish as the robbery suspect, based on the unique red clothing he was wearing. Police officers also obtained video surveillance from the gas station, which showed Ish as the robber.
Chief Judge Nye also ordered Ish to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Ish pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2024. Ish will also concurrently serve 21 months for a supervised release violation from an earlier conviction.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Hall Police Department for their joint investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted this case.
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Former small business office manager sentenced to 4+ years in federal prison for embezzlement, identity theftRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Collinsville woman to 51 months’ imprisonment after she embezzled more than $158,000 and stole the identity of a coworker while employed by AMK Heating and Cooling in Edwardsville.
Angela L. Cooper, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and three counts of tax fraud. In addition to imprisonment, the judge ordered her to pay $168,536.12 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office aggressively prosecutes identity theft because the crime causes so much harm. Its victims suffer not only drained bank accounts, but they also endure sleepless nights, and it can sometimes take years to undo the damage,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud of our partnership with IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI, and we will continue to hold those who harm small businesses accountable.”
According to court documents, Cooper served as the office manager for AMK and had access to the company’s checkbook and accounting software. Using these tools, Cooper fraudulently wrote more than 100 checks payable to herself and forged the signature of the business’s owner. Cooper tried to conceal her fraud by disguising the checks as payroll and loans to her from AMK. Over a two-year period, Cooper embezzled $158,658.41 from AMK.
“By nature, greed continues to grow if left unchecked. For two years, Angela Cooper found multiple ways to steal from her employer. Cooper’s greed even extended to a coworker,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “The FBI is proud to work alongside our IRS law enforcement partners to thwart corporate fraud and ensure justice for victims.”
While employed by AMK, Cooper also had access to employee files and personal information like birthdates and social security numbers. Cooper used a coworker’s information to apply for and fraudulently obtain a Discover credit card. Cooper maxed out the credit card, accruing $9,877.71 in charges on the card in a matter of weeks. In doing so, she committed bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, which carried a mandatory two year minimum sentence.
“Ms. Cooper broke the trust of her employer by embezzling well over $100,000 from them in her role as a bookkeeper,” said Special Agent in Charge Bill Steenson, IRS Criminal Investigation’s St. Louis Field Office. “The crime was compounded when she failed to report the stolen funds as income on her tax returns. All income is taxable, even stolen income and this sentence helps drive that point home.”
Finally, Cooper failed to report the additional income in her 2019, 2020 and 2021 tax returns to the IRS. Although fraudulently obtained, the income was required to be reported on her tax returns. Her omission of the additional income caused a tax loss of over $35,000 to the IRS.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI Springfield Field Office contributed to the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross prosecuted the case.
Former executive of injured child benefit program sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing over $6.7MRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Providence Forge man was sentenced today to nine years in prison for embezzling funds from his former employer, the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program (Birth-Injury Program).
According to court documents, John Hunter Raines, 38, was the Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Director of the Birth-Injury Program. The Birth-Injury Program pays monetary compensation to families of infants who suffer from brain or spinal cord injuries resulting from the birth process that render the infant developmentally and/or cognitively disabled. Raines’ role required that he oversee the finances of the Birth-Injury Program, including approximately $650 million in investments in 2023.
From at least January 2022 through October 2023, Raines stole over $6.7 million from the Birth-Injury Program, including by using his access to the Birth-Injury Program bank account to initiate at least 59 separate wire transactions, sending funds to bank accounts in Raines’ own name. Raines also used the Birth-Injury Program debit card for personal gain. Raines spent embezzled Birth-Injury Program money on various personal expenses. For example:
Raines purchased numerous vehicles, including eight luxury golf carts for over $160,000 and a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban;
Raines spent over $100,000 on gambling, including at Rivers Casino in Portsmouth, Virginia, Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent, Virginia, and the Virginia Lottery;
Raines paid at least $29,000 to an intimate partner and tens of thousands of dollars to a bank account in the name of Raines’ wife;
Raines spent over $9,000 on private limousine services, including to chauffer Raines and his guests in a Mercedes limousine from Raines’ house to Virginia vineyards;
Raines made numerous purchases of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Dogecoin, and transferred funds to his brokerage accounts;
Raines paid tens of thousands of dollars towards his student loan debt, his mortgage, and other loans;
Raines paid over $125,000 for private jet travel for Raines’ friends and family. As an example, Raines paid over $34,000 to travel with his wife and his friends to Nashville, Tennessee, for three days in a private jet; and
Raines spent over $19,000 to purchase eight separate 2022 1-oz American Gold Eagle Bullion coins and a 100-oz silver bar.
As a financial control on the Birth-Injury Program, Virginia Code § 38.2-5015(B) required an independent certified public accountant selected by the Birth-Injury Program’s board of directors to complete an audit of the program's accounts each fiscal year. Raines deliberately impeded the statutorily mandated audit process by failing to timely provide the Birth-Injury Program’s files to auditors when requested. Due at least in part to Raines’ obstructive conduct, the Birth-Injury Program’s statutorily mandated audits continue to be delayed by over three years.
Raines pled guilty to mail fraud and money laundering offenses on Oct. 8, 2024.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; and Michael C. Westfall, State Inspector General for the Commonwealth of Virginia, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kashan K. Pathan prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-138.
Former Wellsville man charged with multiple counts of production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jason Goodsell, 39, formerly of Wellsville, NY, with seven counts of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. the charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a possible maximum penalty of 225 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between June 1, 2020, and December 2, 2021, Goodsell coerced a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. In addition, between June 1 and June 30, 2022, Goodsell distributed the images of child pornography that he produced.
Goodsell was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and detained.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Wellsville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy O’Grady. Additional Assistance was provided by the Pittsburgh Office of the FBI.
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.
Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Involvement in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Willie Shanderek Shavon Woodard, 23, of Monroe, Louisiana, has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. Woodard, a former U.S. Postal Service employee, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty to 108 months (9 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The charges in this case stem from an investigation by law enforcement agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”) into suspicious packages being sent through the U.S. Mail to addresses in Monroe. On October 27, 2022, agents intercepted two suspicious packages that were destined for two residences in Monroe from California. Search warrants were obtained for both packages and agents recovered five one-pound packages in each parcel which was determined to be a total of ten pounds of methamphetamine. One of the packages was addressed to a residence in Monroe which was an abandoned house on Woodard’s mail route.
In August of 2023, USPIS agents intercepted another package destined for the same abandoned house in Monroe on Woodard’s mail route. A search warrant was obtained for the second package and inside was approximately 2.2 pounds of marijuana. Agents removed the controlled substance and placed the package back into the normal mail stream to the address. On August 28, 2023, agents observed Woodard meet one of his co-defendants and place the same package in the trunk of the vehicle being driven by his co-defendant. Soon after, a traffic stop was conducted of the vehicle and law enforcement officers found the package in the trunk of the vehicle, as well as a Glock 19 pistol under the driver’s seat. Woodard and his co-defendant were both subsequently arrested.
Through their investigation, agents found numerous messages between Woodard and other co-defendants notifying them of the address where the suspicious package had been sent in Monroe. In addition, there were numerous messages from Woodard to his co-defendants wherein he provided addresses of houses on his mail route. Agents learned that several packages had been sent from the same address in California to those addresses in Monroe on numerous occasions.
Woodard was charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and admitted to his involvement in the conspiracy.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Louisiana State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford and Special Assistant United States Attorney Catherine Semmes.
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Former Nassau County Police Detective Convicted of Lying to the FBI to Cover up His Work for the Bonanno Crime FamilyRead the Press Release
Hector Rosario, a former detective with the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), was found guilty today by a federal jury in Brooklyn of making false statements to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents about his work for the Bonanno crime family. The verdict followed a seven-day trial before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. Rosario was fired by the NCPD after he was indicted in August 2022. When sentenced, Rosario faces up to five years in prison.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Anne T. Donnelly, District Attorney, Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, announced the verdict.
“This corrupt detective chose to prove his loyalty to an organized crime family over the public he was sworn to protect,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “When police officers exploit their positions for personal gain, it erodes public trust in law enforcement. My Office has zero tolerance for corruption by any public officials, and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that it is punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Hector Rosario, a former Nassau County detective, allowed himself to be bought by the mob to blatantly lie during a federal investigation into the Bonanno family’s illegal gambling operations,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “Rosario’s lies not only protected an organized criminal enterprise, but also eroded the public’s trust in law enforcement and is a disservice to all who wear the badge honoring their oath to protect and serve. The FBI remains committed to disrupting any corrupt officer who prioritizes personal wealth over integrity to the shield.”
“Hector Rosario cared more about lining his pockets with Bonanno family money and protecting his own interests than his fidelity to the law,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly. “He disgracefully compromised the investigative work of his fellow detectives by tipping off a target and lied to federal agents as the walls were closing in on him. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will uncover and vigorously prosecute corruption in our law enforcement ranks in Nassau County, because no one is above the law.”
As proven at trial, Rosario was paid by the Bonanno crime family to protect its illegal gambling operations. For over a decade, the Bonanno crime family operated illegal gambling businesses inside various coffee shops and sports clubs throughout Queens and on Long Island. During the same period, the Genovese organized crime family operated illegal gambling businesses out of their own locations in Queens and Long Island, including Sal’s Shoe Repair in Merrick, New York, and the Centro Calcio Italiano Club in West Babylon, New York.
The Bonanno organized crime family paid Rosario to attempt to shut down rival gambling parlors, including by conducting a fake police “raid” on the Genovese-run gambling spot located inside Sal’s Shoe Repair. Rosario also provided a tip about a rival gambling spot to another detective in an attempt to get the location shut down. He warned a Bonanno crime family associate that he was under investigation and not to speak on the phone because law enforcement might be listening, and Rosario also looked up the home address of a possible witness Rosario believed was cooperating against the Bonanno crime family.
In January 2020, during the course of a federal grand jury investigation into the racketeering activities of the Bonanno and Genovese organized crime families, Rosario was interviewed by FBI agents. Rosario falsely stated that he had no information about the Mafia or illegal gambling spots. He denied knowing the identity of the crime family associate he had warned, and he further falsely stated that he was not familiar with the gambling business inside Sal’s Shoe Repair.
Rosario was acquitted by the jury of obstruction of justice.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Anna L. Karamigios, Sophia M. Suarez and Sean M. Sherman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Eleanor Jaffe-Pachuilo.
The Defendant:
HECTOR ROSARIO
Age: 51
Mineola, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-355 (ENV)
Former Executive of Chicago-Area Non-Profit Pleads Guilty in $1.8 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former executive of a Chicago-area non-profit organization has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for her role in misappropriating $1.8 million intended to support the charity’s work with underprivileged youth.
BARBARA HARRIS served as the Executive Director of the Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships (CCASP), which received government grants and other funds to provide after-school programs to schools in the Chicago area. The grants included funds from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, a federal program offering financial support for academic enrichment opportunities. The 21st Century program issued grants to its local administrator, the Illinois State Board of Education, which in turn disbursed the funds to CCASP.
Harris stated in a plea agreement that from 2012 to 2017, she schemed with another CCASP executive, TONY BELL, to submit grant applications that inflated CCASP’s projected annual expenses and falsely claimed that the organization would receive services from five subcontractors. In reality, Harris knew that the subcontractors, two of which were other non-profit groups run by Harris and Bell, provided no actual services to CCASP. The fraud scheme resulted in approximately $1.8 million in actual loss to the Illinois Department of Education.
Harris further admitted in the plea agreement that from 2021 to 2023, she participated in a separate fraud scheme that bilked the federally funded AmeriCorps VISTA program, which awarded grants to non-profit organizations working to bring communities out of poverty. Harris, who at the time of this scheme was serving as Co-Executive Director of the non-profit South Suburban Community Services, submitted grant applications falsely representing that VISTA members would work for SSCS developing programs aimed at bringing economic opportunities to the south suburbs of Chicago. Harris knew that the VISTA members would actually be used at SSCS to support already-funded job training and afterschool violence prevention programs. Harris fraudulently obtained approval for eleven VISTA members to work at SSCS, none of whom performed services in accordance with their VISTA assignment descriptions, causing a loss to the VISTA program of $98,699.
Harris, 55, of South Holland, Ill., pleaded guilty on Feb. 27, 2025, to a wire fraud charge. U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood set sentencing for July 11, 2025, at 10:30 a.m.
Harris’s guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, John F. Woolley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Midwestern Regional Office, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Ramsey Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Stephen Ravas, Acting Inspector General of the AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General. The Illinois Office of Executive Inspector General provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen Totten and Caitlin Walgamuth.
Bell, 64, of Matteson, Ill., has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, money laundering, and wire fraud. He is awaiting trial. The public is reminded that the indictment against Bell is not evidence of guilt. Bell is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
harris_plea_agreement.pdfFormer Alabama Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Violation and Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A former Killen, Alabama, Police Department officer pleaded guilty today for sexually assaulting a woman while on duty and for receiving sexually explicit photos of a minor.
As part of the plea agreement, Jarrod Gailen Webster admitted that, on November 12, 2023, he violated the civil rights of a woman after initiating a traffic stop on the woman’s vehicle. Webster asked the woman to step out of her vehicle, and he asked her what she wanted to do to “get out of this.” When the woman told Webster that she was not going to do anything for him, Webster handcuffed the woman and sexually assaulted her.
Further, Webster admitted that, between June 2016 and October 2018, he communicated with a minor by phone. Webster asked the minor to produce and send him sexually explicit images of herself. The minor victim sent multiple photos to Webster at his request, at least one of which constituted child sexual abuse material.
“Jarrod Webster took an oath to protect and serve citizens of his community. He violated that oath when he sexually assaulted a woman and exploited a minor to produce and send sexually explicit images,” said Prim Escalona U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate positions of public trust are held accountable for their actions.”
“Police officers are given immense trust and responsibility to serve and protect, and are therefore held to a higher standard,” said Carlton Peeples, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Birmingham Division, “so there are serious consequences when one tarnishes the badge by breaking the law. Jarrod Gailen Webster disgraced the uniform when he abused his authority, and his conviction affirms that the FBI has zero tolerance for officials who prey on the citizens they have sworn to protect.”
Webster pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of sexual exploitation of children. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2025.
Webster faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 for the charge of deprivation of rights under color of law. For the child sexual exploitation charge, he faces a prison term of 15-30 years, a supervised release term of 5 years to life, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Royster and Senior Sex Crimes Counsel Maura White and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Former Alabama Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Violation and Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
A former Killen, Alabama, Police Department officer pleaded guilty yesterday for sexually assaulting a woman while on duty and for receiving sexually explicit photos of a minor.
As part of the plea agreement, Jarrod Gailen Webster admitted that, on Nov. 12, 2023, he violated the civil rights of a woman after initiating a traffic stop on the woman’s vehicle. Webster asked the woman to step out of her vehicle and he asked her what she wanted to do to “get out of this.” When the woman told Webster that she was not going to do anything for him, Webster handcuffed the woman and sexually assaulted her.
Further, Webster admitted that, between June 2016 and October 2018, he communicated with a minor by phone. Webster asked the minor to produce and send him sexually explicit images of herself. The minor victim sent multiple photos to Webster at his request, at least one of which constituted child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“Jarrod Webster took an oath to protect and serve citizens of his community. He violated that oath when he sexually assaulted a woman and exploited a minor to produce and send sexually explicit images,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate positions of public trust are held accountable for their actions.”
“Police officers are given immense trust and responsibility to serve and protect, and are therefore held to a higher standard, so there are serious consequences when one tarnishes the badge by breaking the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples of the FBI Birmingham Field Office. “Jarrod Gailen Webster disgraced the uniform when he abused his authority, his sentencing affirms that the FBI has zero tolerance for officials who prey on the citizens they have sworn to protect.”
Webster pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of sexual exploitation of children. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20.
Webster faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 for the count of deprivation of rights under color of law. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, supervised release for life, and a fine of up to $250,000 for the count of sexual exploitation of children. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Royster for the Northern District of Alabama and Senior Sex Crimes Counsel Maura White and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Florida Dentist Sentenced for Threatening Public Figures and an Election OfficialRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — A Florida dentist was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for threatening public figures, an election official, and others between 2019 and 2024.
According to court documents, from September 2019 to July 2020, Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, sent over 100 threats via Facebook and Instagram messages, email, and text to various public figures based on their political commentary. As charged in the superseding information, those communications included threats to an author, a religious figure, and a television personality. Kantwill also sent at least seven additional threats to four public figures via Facebook from April 2022 to April 2024, including a threat to an election official in another state in February 2024.
Kantwill pleaded guilty in November 2024 to four counts of interstate transmission of a threat.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Sara C. Sweeney for the Middle District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail K. King for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
Florida Dentist Sentenced for Threatening Public Figures and an Election OfficialRead the Press Release
A Florida dentist was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for threatening public figures, an election official, and others between 2019 and 2024.
According to court documents, from September 2019 to July 2020, Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, sent over 100 threats via Facebook and Instagram messages, email, and text to various public figures based on their political commentary. As charged in the superseding information, those communications included threats to an author, a religious figure, and a television personality. Kantwill also sent at least seven additional threats to four public figures via Facebook from April 2022 to April 2024, including a threat to an election official in another state in February 2024.
Kantwill pleaded guilty in November 2024 to four counts of interstate transmission of a threat.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Sara C. Sweeney for the Middle District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor of the FBI Tampa Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail K. King for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
Five-Time Deported Mexican National Arrested in New BraunfelsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was arrested in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal re-entry.
According to court documents, Jose Guadalupe Deciga-Lopez was arrested during a vehicle stop in New Braunfels on March 3. Immigration records reflect Deciga-Lopez had been previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico once in 2014, twice in 2017, again in 2018 and, most recently, in 2023.
If convicted, Deciga-Lopez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is investigating the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Marie Cordova is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Federal Jury Convicts Checotah Resident of Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Douglas Ray Lollis, Jr., age 31, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury on one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.
The jury trial began with jury selection on Monday, March 3, 2025, and concluded on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, with the guilty verdict.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on December 22, 2022, Lollis pawned a SAR 9mm pistol, which he possessed illegally. At the time of that interaction, Lollis was prohibited from owning firearms after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The guilty verdict was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Lollis will remain out on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.
Federal Indictment Charges Thomson Prison Correctional Officer with Engaging in Sexual Acts with Two InmatesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A correctional officer at the Federal Correctional Institution in Thomson, Ill., has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rockford for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with two inmates.
DANNY L. SPYKER, 40, of Lanark, Ill., knowingly engaged in sexual acts with the inmates in December 2023 and March 2024, according to an indictment returned in the Northern District of Illinois on Feb. 25, 2025, and unsealed today. Spyker has been on administrative leave from his position as a correctional officer since June 2024.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and William J. Hannah, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Regional Office of the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The maximum sentence for each count in the indictment is 15 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
spyker_indictment.pdfFugitive Firearms Trafficker Captured in Mexico as Part of Operation RipsawRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced the arrest of fugitive Roland Munoz (age: 44), who was wanted for trafficking firearms from the United States to a Mexican cartel.
On September 21, 2021, along with five other defendants, Munoz was charged in a 12-count indictment with violations of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 (conspiracy to violate the laws of the United States), 554 (smuggling goods from the United States), 922(a)(6), and 924(a)(2) (straw purchasing firearms), and 22 U.S.C. §§ 2778(b)(2) and 2778(c) and 22 C.F.R. §§ 121.1 and 127.1 (violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations). In turn, the indictment was the result of a yearslong investigation called “Operation Ripsaw”and led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The indictment charges a complex conspiracy to smuggle high-powered firearms from the United States to Mexico. According to court filings, Munoz led this conspiracy by recruiting straw purchasers of firearms in Wisconsin and other states, organizing couriers to transport those firearms and money across the nation, and arranging for smugglers to take the firearms across the border in Texas and provide them to a cartel in Mexico. The conspirators purchased and attempted to smuggle over 25 firearms. According to court records, many of those firearms were later recovered in Mexico, including a .50 caliber rifle which was recovered on December 12, 2020, after Mexican law enforcement authorities engaged a group of armed members of Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a Mexican transnational criminal organization.
Munoz’s arrest was made in coordination with officials in Mexico and is the result of collaboration between the United States Marshals Service, ATF, and HSI.
If convicted of these offenses, Munoz faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and up to a $1 million fine. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
As noted above, ATF and HSI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Philip T. Kovoor and Christopher Ladwig will prosecute the case in the United States District Court in Green Bay.
An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Multi-Year Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Elyn Carpio-Pena (47, Dominican Republic) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Carpio-Pena faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, between October 2014 and May 2019, while residing in Mexico, Carpio-Pena served as an intermediary between drug suppliers in Mexico and wholesale narcotics purchasers in the United States, connecting the sellers and buyers and receiving a commission for each kilogram of cocaine purchased in the United States. Carpio-Pena also arranged for the drug proceeds to be laundered.
In May 2019, Carpio-Pena moved from Mexico to the La Guajira area of Colombia. While there, he organized the maritime smuggling of cocaine from Colombia to the Dominican Republic with the ultimate destination often being the United States. Not only did Carpio-Pena serve as the intermediary between the cocaine buyers and cocaine owners, but he also arranged, organized, and coordinated the maritime cocaine shipments from Colombia to the Dominican Republic. Carpio-Pena was responsible for no fewer than 20 maritime cocaine shipments during his time living in Colombia, totaling at least 5,000 kilograms. Two of these cocaine shipments were interdicted and seized in Puerto Rico.
In October 2021, Carpio-Pena left Colombia and returned home to the Dominican Republic where he continued to coordinate drug shipments. For the next three months, until January 2022, he received cocaine from Colombia via maritime vessel over the Caribbean Ocean no fewer than three times, totaling approximately 900 kilograms. The ultimate destination for this cocaine was often the United States.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.
Dominican National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was arraigned yesterday for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.
Melvin Villar, 60, of Lawrence, Mass., was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Villar was arrested by immigration authorities on Feb. 2, 2025, at the Essex County House of Correction in Middleton. Villar was previously convicted of unlawful reentry in February 2021 in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Decatur Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Decatur, Illinois, man, Brian R. Lewis, 46, was sentenced on March 4, 2025, to 63 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by six years of supervised release, for possessing child pornography.
Lewis was found guilty following a jury trial in Peoria, Illinois, in fall 2023.
At the sentencing hearing in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the government presented evidence that in July 2020 investigators found Lewis with a cellular phone containing images of child pornography. The investigation was initiated with a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the images found in Lewis’s possession included six known victims from previous cases.
Judge Mihm also ordered Lewis to pay restitution totaling $7,000 to two victims and to register as a sex offender.
The statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are not more than 10 years’ imprisonment, five years to a life term of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.
The Decatur Police Department investigated the case as a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Shannon O’Brien and Assistant United States Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
Convicted Crescent City Murderer Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger today sentenced Francisco Javier Arroyo (31, Crescent City) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Arroyo pleaded guilty on September 25, 2024.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from February through July 2021, Arroyo distributed methamphetamine and cocaine along with a number of conspirators, including Alejandro Alvarado (30, Crescent City), Miguel Angel Perez (29, Deland), Jose Martinez (43, Crescent City), Jonathan Arroyo Ontiveros (25, Crescent City), Noel Bueno Jr. (27, Crescent City) and others – all of whom lived in close proximity to one another in Crescent City. Miguel Angel Ortiz (29, Crescent City) also served as a courier to deliver multi-kilogram shipments of methamphetamine from Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia to the Crescent City neighborhood in which Arroyo and others operated. Arroyo delivered ounces of methamphetamine and cocaine primarily to Robert Wayne Watson (59, Seville), who operated out of his home in Seville. Watson then redistributed ounces of methamphetamine to mid-level dealers located throughout central Florida, including George Edward Sykes (46, Bunnell), Danny Wayne Holmes (61, Kathleen), Dina Dynnette Kempher (38, Satsuma), and David John Doerr (56, Astor).
On July 16, 2021, the FBI arrested multiple individuals in Crescent City and Seville as part of this drug conspiracy. Around the same time, Arroyo was arrested in Missouri in connection with a triple homicide on July 13, 2021, in Crescent City. Arroyo was later convicted of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder for the surviving victims. He was sentenced to 22 years in Florida state prison. After his murder conviction in April 2024, Arroyo was transported to federal court to face charges for drug distribution occurring in 2021. Upon completing his state sentence, he will serve an additional 5 years and 10 months in federal prison. To date, 12 individuals have pleaded guilty and were sentenced to federal prison terms in connection with this conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
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.
Colombian National Sentenced to Prison and Another Pleads Guilty for Roles in Conspiracy to Kidnap and Assault U.S. Army Soldiers in ColombiaRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Colombian national was sentenced and another pleaded guilty in separate hearings today in the Southern District of Florida for their respective roles in kidnapping and assaulting two members of the U.S. military who were on temporary duty in Bogotá, Colombia.
Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, 47, was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison. Silva Ochoa pleaded guilty in December 2024 to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person.
Kenny Julieth Uribe Chiran, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Members of our military, whether serving here or abroad, can count on this Department of Justice’s respect, support, and protection,” said United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Kidnappings and assaults against United States service members will not be tolerated. To those who would dare commit such reprehensible acts against America’s heroes, know this: We will identify you; we will find you; and we will prosecute you as aggressively as the law permits.”
“Protecting Americans, wherever they may be throughout the world, is of paramount importance, and the United States will use every available tool to bring to justice those who harm our citizens,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In particular, kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. military service members will not go unanswered, and we will hold to account anyone who commits these violent acts against those who protect us.”
“The FBI’s commitment to investigate criminal acts against the U.S. military beyond our borders is clearly demonstrated by our persistent pursuit of justice for the two kidnapped soldiers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Our close cooperation with Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities was essential to this international investigation’s success. To all would be kidnappers the message is clear: target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world and we will hold you accountable for your actions."
According to court documents, Silva Ochoa and Uribe Chiran, both of Bogotá, and their co-defendant, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, targeted, incapacitated, and kidnapped two U.S. soldiers in Bogotá. The two victims, while serving on orders in Colombia, went to an entertainment district in Bogotá to watch a soccer game on the evening of March 5, 2020. They eventually went to a pub, where they lost consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated. Medical examinations later confirmed the presence of benzodiazepines in the two victims. The defendants targeted the two victims at the pub, incapacitated them with drugs, and kidnapped them to acquire the victims’ valuables and credit and debit card information. Silva Ochoa and Arango Castellanos used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money.
Silva Ochoa was extradited in April 2024 from Chile to the United States. Uribe Chiran was extradited in September 2024 from Colombia to the United States. Co-defendant Arango Castellanos was extradited in May 2023 from Colombia to the United States, pleaded guilty in January 2024, and was sentenced in May 2024 to 48 years and nine months in prison.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices in Bogotá and Santiago, Chile, provided significant assistance in this matter. The United States thanks Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting 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 at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20173.
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Colombian National Sentenced to Prison and Another Pleads Guilty for Roles in Conspiracy to Kidnap and Assault U.S. Army Soldiers in ColombiaRead the Press Release
A Colombian national was sentenced and another pleaded guilty in separate hearings today in the Southern District of Florida for their respective roles in kidnapping and assaulting two members of the U.S. military who were on temporary duty in Bogotá, Colombia.
Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa, 47, was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison. Silva Ochoa pleaded guilty in December 2024 to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person.
Kenny Julieth Uribe Chiran, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Protecting Americans, wherever they may be throughout the world, is of paramount importance, and the United States will use every available tool to bring to justice those who harm our citizens,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In particular, kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. military service members will not go unanswered, and we will hold to account anyone who commits these violent acts against those who protect us.”
“Members of our military, whether serving here or abroad, can count on this Department of Justice’s respect, support, and protection,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Kidnappings and assaults against U.S. service members will not be tolerated. To those who would dare commit such reprehensible acts against America’s heroes, know this: We will identify you; we will find you; and we will prosecute you as aggressively as the law permits.”
“The FBI’s commitment to investigate criminal acts against the U.S. military beyond our borders is clearly demonstrated by our persistent pursuit of justice for the two kidnapped soldiers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Our close cooperation with Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities was essential to this international investigation’s success. To all would be kidnappers the message is clear: target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world and we will hold you accountable for your actions."
According to court documents, Silva Ochoa and Uribe Chiran, both of Bogotá, and their co-defendant, Jeffersson Arango Castellanos, targeted, incapacitated, and kidnapped two U.S. soldiers in Bogotá. The two victims, while serving on orders in Colombia, went to an entertainment district in Bogotá to watch a soccer game on the evening of March 5, 2020. They eventually went to a pub, where they lost consciousness until the following day, by which point they had been separated. Medical examinations later confirmed the presence of benzodiazepines in the two victims. The defendants targeted the two victims at the pub, incapacitated them with drugs, and kidnapped them to acquire the victims’ valuables and credit and debit card information. Silva Ochoa and Arango Castellanos used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money.
Silva Ochoa was extradited in April 2024 from Chile to the United States. Uribe Chiran was extradited in September 2024 from Colombia to the United States. Co-defendant Arango Castellanos was extradited in May 2023 from Colombia to the United States, pleaded guilty in January 2024, and was sentenced in May 2024 to 48 years and nine months in prison.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices in Bogotá and Santiago, Chile, provided significant assistance in this matter. The United States thanks Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Ciro Ivan Preciado-Marquinez (37, Colombia) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on the high seas on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Preciado faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, in 2018, Preciado hired, paid, and provided logistical support to mariners on two separate maritime vessels that the United States Coast Guard interdicted in the Pacific Ocean. Law enforcement recovered 941 kilograms of cocaine from these vessels.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.
Clairton Resident Sentenced for Escape from Residential Reentry CenterRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Clairton, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to time served of approximately seven months on his conviction of escape, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Jamiel Green, 28.
According to information presented to the Court, while serving the last portion of a 37-month term of imprisonment for his conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, Green was housed at a residential reentry center designed to assist defendants in their transitions back into society. In early November 2023, the center provided Green with a work release pass, but Green failed to return to the center when required, remaining a fugitive for several months until he was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the U.S. Marshals Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Green.
Cincinnati man sentenced to 10 years in prison for cocaine & fentanyl crimesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Vernon Powell, 44, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison for committing new narcotics crimes while on supervised release.
According to court documents, investigators determined that Powell had mailed a kilogram of cocaine from Houston to Cincinnati in June 2023.
In October 2023, during subsequent searches at properties that Powell used on Compton Road and Bassett Road, law enforcement officials discovered cocaine, fentanyl, multiple firearms and more than $28,000 in cash.
At the time, Powell was on supervised release for drug and firearm offenses for which he had been previously sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Powell had petitioned the Court in September 2023, one month prior to the execution of search warrants in this case and asked the Court for early termination of his supervised release, noting that the “barriers of supervision” don’t allow him to “excel as he knows he is capable.”
Powell pleaded guilty in October 2024 to possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey and other members of the Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Timothy D. Oakley are representing the United States in this case.
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Chinese Nationals with Ties to the PRC Government and “APT27” Charged in a Computer Hacking Campaign for Profit, Targeting Numerous U.S. Companies, Institutions, and MunicipalitiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal judge in Washington, D.C., today, unsealed two separate indictments that allege Chinese nationals Yin Kecheng, 38, (尹 可成) a/k/a “YKC” (“YIN”) and Zhou Shuai, 45, (周帅) a/k/a “Coldface” (“ZHOU”) violated various federal statutes by participating in years-long, sophisticated computer hacking conspiracies that successfully targeted a wide variety of U.S.-based victims from 2011 to the present-day. According to the documents unsealed today, the defendants targeted a multitude of U.S. victim companies, municipalities, and organizations for profit, causing millions of dollars’ worth of damages. YIN and ZHOU, who have ties to the government of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), are alleged to have stolen and exfiltrated data from numerous U.S.-based technology companies, think tanks, defense contractors, government municipalities, and universities that they later brokered for sale. Arrest warrants have been issued for YIN and ZHOU, who both remain fugitives.
The unsealing by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is part of the coordinated effort by Department of Justice (the “Department”), other U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the U.S. Department of Treasury (“Treasury”), and private sector partners that highlights the Chinese government’s unique role in intentionally promoting and protecting the wide-scale computer hacking activity by its citizens. According to court documents unsealed today, the PRC Ministry of Public Security (“MPS”) and Ministry of State Security (“MSS”) directed or financed Chinese hackers, such as the defendants, to conduct computer intrusions against high-value targets in the United States and elsewhere. Victims include U.S.-based critics and dissidents of the PRC, a large religious organization in the United States, the foreign ministries of multiple governments in Asia, and U.S. federal and state government agencies, including most recently in 2024.
According to court documents, the MPS and MSS employed an extensive network of private companies and contractors in China to hack and steal information in a manner that obscured the PRC government’s direct involvement. By employing these hackers-for-hire, the PRC government further allowed these same hackers to profit by committing additional computer intrusions around the world with impunity, and then to sell stolen data through Chinese data brokers. The PRC government’s state-sponsorship and protection of these hackers resulted in the loss of sensitive, valuable and personal identification information that was a direct harm to U.S. entities and other foreign governments and victims.
In conjunction with the unsealing, the Department announced the judicially authorized seizure of internet domains linked to YIN that he used in facilitating the conspiracy’s network intrusion activity. In addition, the Department announced the judicially authorized seizure of a Virtual Private Server (“VPS”) account linked to ZHOU that he used to facilitate network intrusion activity. In conjunction with these actions, the Treasury announced sanctions against ZHOU and his company Shanghai Heiying Information Technology company, Limited (“Shanghai Heiying”). YIN was previously sanctioned for his role in the recent Treasury network compromise in January 2025.
“These indictments and actions show this Office’s long-standing commitment to vigorously investigate and hold accountable Chinese hackers and data brokers who endanger U.S. national security and other victims across the globe,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. “The defendants in these cases have been hacking for the Chinese government for years, and these indictments lay out the strong evidence showing their criminal wrongdoing. We, again, demand that the Chinese government put a stop to these brazen cyber criminals who are targeting victims across the globe and then monetizing the data they have stolen by selling it across China.”
“The defendants allegedly waged a yearslong hacking campaign against U.S.-based organizations to steal their data and sell it to various customers, some of whom had connections to the Chinese government,” said FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Today's indictment is the first step toward bringing these perpetrators to justice for endangering U.S. national security and causing significant financial losses for both U.S. and foreign companies. The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue these hostile cyber actors to the full extent of the law.”
“The defendants’ years-long hacking conspiracy to steal data from Cleared Defense Contractors that support the U.S. military—among many other U.S.-based victims—and sell it to customers with ties to the Chinese government poses a significant threat to our national security,” said NCIS Cyber Operations Field Office Special Agent in Charge Josh Stanley. “NCIS remains committed to working with the FBI and our law enforcement partners around the world to expose malicious actors who seek to undermine the cybersecurity of the Department of the Navy.”
“The Department of State appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with the Department of Treasury, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia in announcing today’s actions,” said Senior Bureau Official F. Cartwright Weiland of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). “With reward offers up to $2 million each for malicious cyber actors Zhou Shuai and Yin KeCheng under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program, we ask the public to contact the FBI with tips to help bring these cybercriminals to justice.”
Overview
Today’s announcement reflects nearly a decade-long effort by the Department and the FBI. The action targets actors that various security researchers have historically referred to as “APT27,” “Threat Group 3390,” “Bronze Union,” “Emissary Panda,” “Lucky Mouse,” and “Iron Tiger,” and more recently referred to as “UTA0178,” “UNC 5221,” and “Silk Typhoon.”
The Department obtained a 19-count indictment against YIN on May 2, 2018 (the “2018 Indictment”) from a grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The 2018 Indictment, which alleges conduct between August 2013 and December 2015, charges wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”).
Another federal grand jury in the District of Columbia indicted both YIN and ZHOU on March 28, 2023 (the “2023 Indictment”), with similar offenses. Specifically, the 2023 Indictment, which alleges conduct between June 2018 and November 2020, charges conspiracy, wire fraud, various violations of the CFAA, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.
On March 4, 2025, a federal magistrate judge sitting in the District of Columbia authorized FBI to seize a VPS account and multiple internet domains involved in the criminal activity. According to the unsealed affidavits in support of those warrants, ZHOU utilized the VPS account to create additional accounts used to facilitate computer intrusion activity and to discuss the sale of access to compromised computer networks. Separately, YIN utilized his own servers and stood up the seized domains to exploit victim computer networks to include networks at Treasury.
Computer Hacking Scheme
As alleged in the documents unsealed today, at various points between August 2013 and December 2024, YIN, ZHOU, and their unindicted co-conspirators used sophisticated hacking tools and techniques in their efforts to overcome network defenses and avoid detection of numerous hardened targets in the United States and around the world. The defendants and their co-conspirators would routinely scan victim networks for vulnerabilities, exploit those vulnerabilities with sophisticated hacking techniques, and conduct reconnaissance once inside a victim’s network. The defendants and their co-conspirators and would install malware that would allow them to maintain persistent access and enable them to communicate with malicious external servers and other hacking infrastructure. The defendants and their co-conspirators would identify and steal data from the compromised networks by exfiltrating the data to servers under their control. The stolen data was then brokered for sale and provided to various customers, some of whom had connections to the PRC government and military.
Targeting of U.S. Victims
According to the 2018 Indictment, YIN targeted U.S.-based defense contractors, technology firms, and think tanks, among other victims. The 2018 Indictment alleges YIN openly discussed his preference for targeting American victims. For example, on one occasion in September 2013, YIN told an associate he wanted to “mess with the American military” and “break into a big target” so that he could earn enough money to buy a car. YIN used mapping software to identify network vulnerabilities for the purpose of gaining unlawful access to victim computer and installing malware. YIN used stolen network credentials to maintain persistent access to victim networks and utilized intermediary servers or “hop points” and malicious domains to remotely access and exfiltrate victim computer data.
According to the 2023 Indictment, YIN, ZHOU, and others targeted U.S.-based companies like technology and defense contractors, law firms, communication service providers, local governments, health care systems, and think tanks. The 2023 Indictment charges YIN and ZHOU with scanning victim networks for access points and also exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities. Once inside the networks, YIN other conspirators would then install malware such as web shells to maintain persistent access. YIN and other conspirators would then use hop point servers to exfiltrate stolen data to servers under YIN’s control. ZHOU then brokered access to such stolen data to interested third parties for a financial profit. The indictment further alleged that YIN, ZHOU, and other conspirators laundered cryptocurrency payments for their operational infrastructure from locations outside of the United States through the U.S. financial system.
The affidavit in support of the seizure warrant for the VPS account alleges that ZHOU used servers created by the account in order to establish a virtual private network (“VPN”) that would encrypt network traffic such that the true location and IP address of the actor or actors would be obfuscated. ZHOU also used the VPS accounts to create other accounts through which he communicated with buyers who were interested in obtaining access to computer networks compromised by YIN. ZHOU also used the accounts for victim reconnaissance purposes.
The affidavit in support of the seizure of the domains alleges that funds used to purchase computer network infrastructure used in numerous victim network breaches ultimately connected to an account registered in YIN’s name, from China, using an email address and phone number belonging to YIN. Of particular note, a virtual private server account controlled by YIN was associated with the compromise at Treasury.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) who continue to investigate malicious cyber activity associated with these defendants and threat actors and continue to notify affected victims immediately once any networks intrusions are discovered. The FBI’s Cyber Division and Department of Defense’s Cyber Crimes Center provided valuable assistance to the investigation. Private partners from Microsoft, Volexity, Palo Alto Networks Unit 42, and Mandiant also provided valuable assistance with this investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack F. Korba, and Tejpal S. Chawla, and National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section Trial Attorney Tanner Kroeger. Paralegal Specialist Michael Watts and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Demian Ahn and Opher Shweiki for the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia provided assistance on this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
f_ykc_indictment_18-cr-00126.pdf 23-cr-99_indictment.pdfCalifornia man sentenced to prison for scheme to smuggle Indian citizens into the U.S.Read the Press Release
Seattle –A Santa Rosa, California resident, who is a citizen of India, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six months in prison for Conspiracy to Bring in and Transport Certain Aliens for Profit, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Sushil Kumar, 35, and three others were indicted in connection with a scheme to smuggle non-citizens across the northern border for profit. The group was connected to two smuggling episodes in November and December 2023. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tana Lin noted that those smuggled into the country are vulnerable. “That they wanted to be in the country doesn’t mean they were not exploited. Each was charged $5,000 to $10,000 which is months or years of their salary in the country from which they were coming… Human smuggling undermines our country’s ability to regulate the border at a real cost,” Judge Lin said.
According to records filed in the case, the two smuggling events involved eight different citizens of India. On November 27, 2023, a motion-activated camera caught multiple people jumping a fence near the Boundary Village Apartments in Blaine, Washington. The fence is a quarter mile east of Peace Arch Park. Border Patrol agents near the apartments saw five people run to a white minivan. The vehicle was stopped by Border Patrol. Five citizens of India were in the van with California resident Bobby Joe Green, 68, as the driver.
When questioned, three of the non-citizens told U.S. Border Patrol agents that they saw Mr. Kumar at Peace Arch Park prior to crossing the border illegally and identified him in 6-pack photo lineups. Two of the non-citizens stated that they communicated with Mr. Kumar via WhatsApp prior to November 27, 2023. One of the non-citizens stated that Mr. Kumar instructed him to jump over a specific fence, and that he sent the non-citizen a screenshot of his live location near the fence. The investigation revealed that Kumar and 26-year-old Rajat Rajat directed the non-citizens on where and how to cross the border. Rajat paid Green to transport the non-citizens from the border. Rajat asked for monetary payments from the non-citizens for being smuggled into the U.S.
Similarly, in December 2023, Rajat met three citizens of India in Peace Arch Park and allegedly directed them how to cross through the park and get into a car driven by Sneha. The car was stopped, and the non-citizens were interviewed. They indicated they had promised to make monetary payments to be smuggled into the U.S. Rajat was picked up near the border after Sneha and the three Indian nationals had been taken into custody.
In asking for an eight-month prison sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Smuggling of non-citizens is a dangerous scheme that profits from exploiting vulnerable individuals while undermining the United States’ ability to regulate its borders and exposing our nation to potential security threats. Mr. Kumar admits that he knowingly and intentionally conspired with his co-defendants to smuggle and transport non-citizens with no lawful right to enter or remain in the United States, and that he engaged in these acts for his own financial gain.”
Three of the four defendants have pleaded guilty. Rajat Rajat, will be sentenced on April 23, 2025. Bobby Joe Green will be sentenced on March 13, 2025. The fourth defendant Sneha, 20, a citizen of India who is in the U.S. on a student visa and goes by just her last name, is scheduled to go to trial on a superseding indictment on May 12, 2025. Sneha was arrested in Renton and released on an appearance bond.
The charges contained in the superseding indictment of Sneha are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) and the U.S. Border Patrol.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jin Kim and Mike Dion and Special Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Collins.
Buffalo business owner sentenced for Medicaid fraudRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Arkan Fadhel, 30, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, was sentenced to serve three years supervised release to include 12 months home incarceration by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. In addition, Fadhel was also ordered to perform 400 hours of community service. Fadhel will also forfeit $781,186.80 and pay restitution totaling $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Franz M. Wright and Mary Clare Kane, who handled the case, stated that Fadhel is the owner of Queen City Transportation, Inc., which has been providing non-emergency Medicaid transportation rides since August 2018. Fadhel and several dozen other individuals drove Queen City beneficiaries to appointments, primarily at methadone clinics. Prior to operating Queen City, Fadhel was a driver for Great Lakes Transportation, another non-emergency Medicaid transportation company. Between August 6, 2018, and December 31, 2020, Fadhel submitted false and fraudulent attestation records to Medical Answering Service, a non-emergency Medicaid transportation management company. The attestation records included claims that rides were provided but never actually took place as well as billing group rides as if the rides had been separate, individual rides. The total loss amount to Medicaid was greater than $250,000.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Western New York Health Care Fraud Task Force, which includes Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Naomi Gruchacz.
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Bristol Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Violent Robbery Spree in 2022Read the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LONNY CROSS, 46, of Bristol, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 188 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised released, for committing numerous violent robberies across Connecticut in September and October 2022.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 5 and October 13, 2022, Cross committed 37 robberies and attempted robberies of gas station convenience stores, mini-markets, and liquor stores in North Branford, Waterbury, Wolcott, Plymouth, New Haven, North Haven, Orange, West Haven, Wethersfield, Bristol, Southington, Naugatuck, Watertown, Franklin, Norwich, Waterford, Groton City, Stonington, Ledyard, Darien, Norwalk, Stratford, and Seymour, Connecticut, and Port Chester, New York. In total, Cross stole more than $58,000 in cash. Several of the robberies occurred on the same day, only minutes apart.
For many of the robberies, Cross traveled to the store with Rebecca Barbera, who would sometimes enter the store to determine the number of employees and customers in the store, exit the store, and then report that information to Cross. Cross then entered the store, displayed a knife or facsimile firearm while threatening employees with statements including “I know where you work” and “if you call the police I’ll come back and blow your head off,” and stole cash and other items.
Cross grabbed some victims and held a knife to them. During a robbery in Wethersfield on September 24, 2022, Cross threatened the 12-year-old son of the store owner with a knife and robbed the register. The boy was alone behind the counter while his father was in a back office when Cross entered the store.
On October 14, 2022, investigators conducted court-authorized searches of Cross’s residence and a black 2014 Chevrolet Impala that Cross was known to drive. The search of the residence revealed clothing consistent with clothing worn by Cross in several of the robberies, as well as quantities of heroin, crack cocaine, and narcotics paraphernalia. A search of the car revealed 120 bags heroin, approximately 14 grams of crack, and a knit hat matching the description of one worn by Cross during a robbery the day before. Cross, who was on state parole for prior robbery convictions, was arrested on state charges on that date. The morning after his arrest, from jail, Cross directed Barbera and others to go to a storage unit and dispose of a weapon he had used in the robberies.
Cross’s criminal history includes 18 convictions for robbery and other offenses. He engaged in two previous robbery sprees and received state sentences of 10 years of incarceration and 15 years of incarceration, respectively.
Cross has been detained since his arrest. On May 21, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, and one count of Hobbs Act Robbery.
Barbera pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police, Orange Police Department, Port Chester (N.Y.) Police Department, and numerous other police departments from the municipalities where the robberies occurred, with the assistance of Connecticut State Parole. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ruff.
Brentwood Man Charged with Making Interstate Threats to Bomb the Nashville Federal CourthouseRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Alexander Thompson, 35, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was arrested by federal agents and charged by criminal complaint with making threats in interstate commerce and making a threat in interstate commerce to damage or destroy a building or property by means of fire or an explosive, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“We take dangerous threats to public spaces and public servants extremely seriously and will always act swiftly to hold those responsible accountable for their actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “People who work in courthouses, and citizens who attend proceedings there, should be free from threatening behavior.”
According to the complaint, on March 2, 2025, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (“MNPD”) received a notification from a representative of the Tucker Carlson Network (“TCN”), stating that TCN had received an email from Email Address 1 that contained the following verbiage :
“I wanted to update you. Within 1-2 weeks, I will firebomb the Fred D Thompson Federal building and Courthouse in downtown Nashville. Beyond this singular act of violence, I bear no hostility towards America itself, and would be calm and peaceful to arrest prior to this act (and afterwards). I do not wish to shoot or kill law enforcement, I am rational, nonsuicidal, and would like to live a long life, but the attacks, harassment, torture against myself at the hands of a bunch of criminals has become unbearable. But, the current American Government is no longer lawful and legitimate and must therefore be exposed and overthrown pursuant to Founding documents of the United States. Despite informing thousands of politicians, local and federal law-enforcement, and various other parties, the nightly torture via targeted dream incubation, attacks, harassment, etc. continue. There is a surveillance&control backdoor present on every device in the Country, likely the It is my duty as both a person and as an American to not only stop horrendous physical and digital attacks against myself, but also inform my nation that it is on the brink of totalitarianism. I view my actions through the lens of necessity as I have tried every other available means to cease the torture, attacks, and to inform my Country that it is in the midst of a coup against it(but not by me).
Thank you, Alex”
TCN provided a possible X (formerly Twitter) account bearing username @cryptokeeper434, with a display name of “Alex.” This account is believed to be utilized by Thompson due to recent posts made showing the production and testing of a device which resembled a “Molotov cocktail.” A review of the publicly available X account for @cryptokeeper434 showed the following posts and photos of concern:
X: @cryptokeeper434 X: @cryptokeeper434 X: @cryptokeeper434A review of the publicly available X page for @cryptokeeper434, revealed photos of the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse, which is located at 719 Church Street, in Nashville. The Thompson Courthouse houses numerous employees, including employees of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, the Office of Probation and Pretrial Services for the Middle District of Tennessee, the United States Marshals Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
On March 3, 2025, MNPD officers arrested Thompson at his place of work in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. An MNPD officer and a mental health co-op crisis intervention team member spoke with Thompson, after which he stated to another law enforcement officer words to the effect of: You read the email, I was going to bomb the building, I couldn’t change the system from the outside and I need to be arrested to effect change from the inside.
On March 3, 2025, MNPD officers obtained a search warrant for Thompson’s residence to look for bomb making materials and other evidence of criminal conduct. During the execution of this warrant, investigators found multiple empty jars, wicks, and wax, consistent with the items depicted in the X posts above. Investigators also located a Molotov cocktail that was assembled and just missing a fuel source.
If convicted, Thompson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Nashville Field Office is investigating the case.
Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Binghamton Woman Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Escaping Federal Custody and Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jade A. Pittsley, age 34, of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced today to 8 years in prison following her guilty plea to escaping from federal custody and possessing and intending to distribute methamphetamine. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.
As part of her prior guilty plea, Pittsley admitted that in November 2023, while she was serving a federal term of imprisonment for a drug offense involving methamphetamine, she was under the supervision of a halfway house. Pittsley was directed to return to the halfway house but never did. Days later, law enforcement found Pittsley carrying methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in her purse.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release to begin after Pittsley is released from prison.
HSI and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case with assistance from the Broome County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikayla Espinosa and Kristen Grabowski prosecuted this case.
Baldwinsville Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kenneth Koegel, Jr., 40, of Baldwinsville, New York was sentenced today to 45 years in federal prison and lifetime supervised release following his conviction by guilty plea to seven counts of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of commission of a felony offense involving a minor by a registered sex offender, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of receipt of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Koegel admitted that he was convicted in 2004 in Monroe County Court of sexual abuse in the first degree for exposing his penis to a 6-year-old girl in a public park and touching her vagina with his hand and that he was required to register as a sex offender because of that conviction. He then admitted that, starting in or about 2014 and continuing until October 2022, he sexually abused a girl from the time she was approximately 2 years old until she was approximately 9 years old. During that time, Koegel created numerous sexually explicit images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of his victim, including Koegel subjecting her to multiple sex acts. He also used a social messaging application to distribute the material he produced to someone else, with whom he also traded thousands of other child pornography files.
In addition to the 45-year imprisonment term and lifetime supervision, the district court also ordered Koegel to pay $12,000 in restitution and a $1,000 special assessment. Koegel will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force – comprised of FBI Special Agents and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Baldwin County Man Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a 9-year-old ChildRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Baldwin County man has been sentenced on a charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced William Guy Long, 47, of Bay Minette, Alabama, to 276 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. Long was also ordered to pay $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. In October, Long pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to the plea agreement, Long arranged a date with an escort and then offered the escort $500 if she would bring an underage girl to have sex with him. Long said he wanted someone 10-years-old or younger. The escort told Long that she had a nine-year-old daughter. Long said that he preferred younger, “like 4 or 5” but he would pay $800 if she would check her nine-year-old out of school that day and bring her to him. An arrangement was made, but instead of getting the child, the escort contacted law enforcement. Long’s abhorrent request was corroborated through text messages. ICE agents, along with the Hoover and Pelham Police Departments, conducted surveillance at the hotel. When Long opened the door to his hotel room expecting to see the child with whom he planned to have sex, he instead was met by law enforcement. Long admitted that he communicated with an escort for the purpose of soliciting a minor child for an unlawful sex act. With Long’s consent, agents seized and searched his cell phone. A review of Long’s messages revealed his correspondence with another individual whom he told, “get me a young one”—“the younger you find the more money I’ll pay FYI.”
ICE investigated the case along with the Pelham Police Department and Hoover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
Child sex trafficking is a serious issue. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received more than 27,800 reports of possible child sex trafficking in 2024. This signifies more than a 30% increase since 2023. See https://www.missingkids.org/ for further information.
The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 gave the Department of Justice more tools to address human trafficking. One tool was creating a mandatory $5,000 special assessment that applies to non-indigent defendants for each count of conviction of certain offenses. The revenue generated from this special assessment is used to support programs to provide services to victims of human trafficking and other offenses.
Anchorage man sentenced to over 13 years for robbing a bank on supervised releaseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced yesterday to over 13 years in prison and will serve three years on supervised release for robbing a bank while on supervised release for a previous federal bank robbery conviction.
According to court documents, on July 13, 2024, James Surrells, 54, entered a local credit union and told the teller to give him money. Surrells stated he had a gun, and when the teller paused, Surrells threated to produce the firearm. The teller gave Surrells $450, and he left the credit union.
Later that day, law enforcement located Surrells in the back yard of a residence and he was arrested with the assistance of a crisis negotiator.
Court documents explain that Surrells robbed the bank less than one year after being released from prison after serving a sentence for robbing a bank in 2014. During that bank robbery, Surrells indicated to a teller that he had a gun and demanded money. The teller gave him $1,210. Surrells was convicted of the prior bank robbery in 2015 and sentenced to nine years in prison and five years’ supervised release.
Court documents further explain that Surrells was released from prison and started probation in July 2023. Four months into his supervised release, Surrells absconded and his whereabouts remained unknown until he was arrested for the 2024 robbery.
On Oct. 21, 2024, Surrells pleaded guilty to one count of credit union robbery. Surrells received a 144-month sentence for his 2024 bank robbery and a consecutive 16-month sentence for violating his supervised release from the previous conviction, making his total sentence 160 months.
“Mr. Surrells is a career criminal who chose to rob a bank while on supervised release for a previous bank robbery conviction and will now spend over a decade behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Perpetrators with extensive criminal histories who continue to commit crimes show a clear disregard for the law and will be held accountable. Our office will continue collaborating with law enforcement across the state to investigate and swiftly prosecute career criminals.”
“James Surrells brazenly robbed a bank within a year of being released from prison for a previous bank robbery conviction,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Surrells has repeatedly demonstrated his disregard for the law, and the safety and well-being of the public. FBI Anchorage’s Safe Streets Task Force will continue to collaborate with the United States Attorney’s Office to hold criminals like Surrells accountable for their actions.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana Weber and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Sherman prosecuted the case.
Alleged International Leader of MS-13 Extradited to Face Racketeering Charge Connected to at Least One MurderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Moises Humberto Rivera-Luna, also known as Viejo Santos, 55, an alleged international leader of the violent MS-13 drug gang, made an initial appearance today in U.S. District Court following his extradition from Guatemala to the United States to face a racketeering charge connected to at least one murder. U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ordered Rivera-Luna held without bond.
The extradition was announced today by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Rivera-Luna is one of seven defendants charged in a fourth superseding, nine-count indictment, which was returned on May 3, 2013 alleging a racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering and other offenses. Rivera-Luna is charged only with committing racketeering conspiracy. The government alleges that Rivera-Luna, while incarcerated in El Salvador, supervised operations of MS-13 cliques in the Washington, D.C. area. Upon release, he traveled to Guatemala where he was subject to extradition.
“The decade-long pursuit of this alleged violent gang member illustrates our office’s resolve to remain focused and bring to justice those who violate the law no matter where they are, no matter how long it takes,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr.
“Keeping Americans safe from transnational criminal gangs is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Supervisory Official Bacon. “This defendant’s appearance in federal court in Washington today demonstrates our relentless commitment to seeking justice for victims, no matter how long it takes. Thanks to the incredible work by our federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we are one step closer to bringing closure for the many victims of this defendant’s alleged brutal violence.”
“Moise Humberto Rivera-Luna will have his day in court, but he stands accused of very serious crimes. His alleged criminal activity combined with his leadership of the MS-13 transnational criminal organization, makes Rivera-Luna a significant threat to the safety of the American people,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck. “We are grateful for the strong relationships we enjoy with our local, state, federal and international law enforcement partners. Without their cooperation, none of this would be possible. ICE HSI Washington, D.C. will continue to work relentlessly and exhaust all resources to investigate and apprehend anyone who presents a threat to national security or the residents of our communities.”
The indictment alleges that MS-13 engages in racketeering activity to include murder, narcotics distribution, extortion, robberies, obstruction of justice and other crimes. The indictment specifically states that some of the defendants allegedly participated in assaults against persons they believed to be rival gang members, made threats against persons they believed to be cooperating with law enforcement, and carried out extortions.
The range of criminal activity alleged in the indictment includes acts committed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and other states. The indictment alleges that there was frequent contact between MS-13 members in the Washington, D.C.-metropolitan area and El Salvador, and that persons incarcerated in El Salvador encouraged or ordered assaults and murders.
Rivera-Luna is alleged to be an international leader of MS-13 who was sending orders and advice to an MS-13 clique operating in the Washington area, via cellular telephone calls from his prison cell in El Salvador. The indictment alleges that he and another MS-13 leader, Marvin Geovanny Monterrosa-Larios, also incarcerated in El Salvador, directed that a coalition of MS-13 cliques be formed in the Washington area. They advised local clique members that the coalition’s aim was to seek and kill MS-13 members who were found to be cooperating with law enforcement officials.
Among other allegations, the indictment charges Rivera-Luna with ordering the murder of Louis Alberto Membreno-Zelaya, 27. Membreno-Zelaya was found stabbed to death on Nov. 6, 2008, near 11th Street and Otis Place, in Northwest Washington, D.C.
The indictment also alleges that Rivera-Luna authorized the murder of Felipe Enriquez, 25, whose body was found on March 31, 2010, in Montgomery County, MD.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Lakeita F. Rox-Love of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case is being investigated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the extradition of Rivera-Luna from Guatemala.
Assistance was provided by the Montgomery County and the Prince George’s County, MD. Police Departments, the State’s Attorney’s Office for Montgomery County, MD., the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The prosecution grew out of the efforts of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the nationwide program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in a court of law.
Alleged International Leader of MS-13 Extradited on RICO ChargeRead the Press Release
Moises Humberto Rivera-Luna, also known as Santos and Viejo Santos, 55, an alleged international leader of the violent MS-13 drug gang, made an initial appearance today in the District of Columbia following his extradition from Guatemala to the United States to face racketeering conspiracy charges.
“Keeping Americans safe from transnational criminal gangs is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This defendant’s appearance in federal court in Washington today demonstrates our relentless commitment to seeking justice for victims, no matter how long it takes. Thanks to the incredible work by our federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we are one step closer to bringing closure for the many victims of this defendant’s alleged brutal violence.”
“The decade-long pursuit of this alleged violent gang member illustrates our office’s resolve to remain focused and bring to justice those who violate the law no matter where they are, no matter how long it takes,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia.
“Moise Humberto Rivera-Luna will have his day in court, but he stands accused of very serious crimes,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck. “His alleged criminal activity, combined with his leadership of the MS-13 transnational criminal organization, makes Rivera-Luna a significant threat to the safety of the American people. We are grateful for the strong relationships we enjoy with our local, state, federal and international law enforcement partners. Without their cooperation, none of this would be possible. ICE HSI Washington, D.C., will continue to work relentlessly and exhaust all resources to investigate and apprehend anyone who presents a threat to national security or the residents of our communities.”
Rivera-Luna is one of seven defendants in a nine-count fourth superseding indictment, which was returned on May 9, 2013, charging the defendants with committing racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, and other offenses. Rivera-Luna is charged only with committing racketeering conspiracy. The government alleges that Rivera-Luna, while incarcerated in El Salvador, supervised operations of MS-13 cliques in the Washington area. Upon release, he traveled to Guatemala where he was subject to extradition.
The indictment alleges that MS-13 engages in racketeering activity to include murder, narcotics distribution, extortion, robberies, obstruction of justice, and other crimes. The indictment specifically states that some of the defendants allegedly participated in assaults against perceived rival gang members, made threats against people they believed to be cooperating with law enforcement, and carried out extortions.
The range of criminal activity alleged in the indictment includes acts committed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and other states. The indictment alleges there was frequent contact between MS-13 members in the Washington metropolitan area and El Salvador, and that members incarcerated in El Salvador encouraged or ordered assaults and murders.
Rivera-Luna is alleged to be an international leader of MS-13 who was sending orders and advice to an MS-13 clique operating in the Washington area via cellular telephone calls from his prison cell in El Salvador. The indictment alleges that he and another alleged MS-13 leader, Marvin Geovanny Monterrosa-Larios, also incarcerated in El Salvador, directed a coalition of MS-13 cliques to be formed in the Washington area. They advised local clique members that the coalition’s aim was to seek and kill MS-13 members who were found to be cooperating with law enforcement officials.
Among other allegations, the indictment charges Rivera-Luna with ordering the murder of Louis Alberto Membreno-Zelaya, 27. Membreno-Zelaya was found stabbed to death on Nov. 6, 2008, in Northwest Washington.
The indictment also alleges that Rivera-Luna authorized the murder of Felipe Enriquez, 25, whose body was found on March 31, 2010, in Montgomery County, Maryland.
ICE HSI Washington, D.C., and the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the case. The Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Departments; State Attorney’s Office for Montgomery County; and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Maryland and the Eastern District of Virginia provided assistance.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the extradition of Rivera-Luna from Guatemala.
Trial Attorney Lakeita F. Rox-Love of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
This effort was 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.
Addiction Treatment Center Supervisor Sentenced in Scheme to Defraud Federal, State, and Private Health Care InsurersRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A clinical social worker nicknamed by her co-workers as the “Five Minute Queen” who, at times, substituted a one or two sentence conversation for a billed 45-minute therapy session for her addicted patients has been sentenced to three years of supervised release, the first three months to be served in home detention with electronic monitoring, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
In pleading guilty in November 2023 to a charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, Mi Ok Song Bruining, 64, admitted that, while employed as a supervisor at Recovery Connections Centers of America, Inc. (RCCA) in Providence, she helped devise and execute a scheme that shortchanged Rhode Island and Massachusetts substance abuse disorder patients out of counseling and treatment services while, at the same time, defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and other health insurers out of more than $3.5 million dollars.
Bruining, and others working at her direction, routinely submitted false and fraudulent claims for psychotherapy and counseling services that did not occur for the length of time billed, consistently billing for far more patients than was possible for RCCA staff to have seen during office hours. Bruining, known at RCCA as the “Five Minute Queen” for her speed in seeing patients for so-called counseling sessions, billed for 45-minute sessions when she actually saw patients for no more than 5-10 minutes, at times asking patients only one question before she ended a session.
According to information presented to the court, to facilitate this fraud, Ms. Bruining directed counselors and others at RCCA to record in their notes that they were providing counseling in 45-minute intervals, but without listing AM or PM for the start time. Ms. Bruining gave this instruction so that it was not clear that they were seeing more patients than possible within a single hour. She also instructed other counselors to copy and paste the last visit’s note into each entry to make the bill look complete. As a result, many of the patient notes for patients billed by RCCA were simply identical cut-and paste copies of the same note.
Bruining was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Mary S. McElroy to three years of supervised release, the first three months to be served in home detention with electronic monitoring, 100 hours of community service, and to pay restitution in the amount of $100,000.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Miron Bloom and Kevin Love Hubbard.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. United States Attorney Cunha thanks the IRS, Customs and Border Protection, and the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General for their assistance in the investigation.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Drug Trafficking
Jason Trimmer, 47, of Lander, Wyoming, was sentenced to a total of 180 months’ imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release for possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to court documents, in late 2024, agents with the Rocky Mountain Safe Trails Task Force were investigating the trafficking of controlled substances in and around the Wind River Reservation. The task force had information that Trimmer was distributing controlled substances in the area. On April 3, 2024, during a routine traffic stop of Trimmer’s vehicle, officers discovered a variety of controlled substances including more than 100 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, and cash. Officers also located a handgun in the driver’s side door pocket. Subsequently, law enforcement obtained a warrant and searched Trimmer’s residence where they located additional fentanyl, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, other controlled substances, firearms, a large quantity of cash, as well as scales and packaging material for redistribution. Trimmer was indicted on July 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 2, 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Feb. 27 in Cheyenne. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00118.
Elysia Annay Grams, 22, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents, from March 2024 through May 29, 2024, Grams, along with others in Wyoming and Colorado conspired to obtain methamphetamine in Colorado and distribute it in Wyoming. In May, Grams was arrested near Douglas, Wyoming, where she was found in possession of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and a large sum of currency. She was indicted on July 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 2, 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 20 in Cheyenne. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00103.
Firearms Offense
Rudy Armando Cuellar, 37, of West Valley, Utah, was sentenced to 36 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on June 2, 2023, a trooper with the Wyoming Highway Patrol, stopped Cuellar for driving 93 mph in a 75-mph zone. Cuellar was arrested on an outstanding Laramie County warrant. During an inventory search of the vehicle, officers located a duffle bag containing a firearm, several grams of cocaine, and identifying documents associated with Cuellar. The firearm was later determined to be stolen. In addition, pursuant to a search warrant, officers located another firearm in a bag behind the driver’s seat. Cuellar was a convicted felon at the time of the stop. He was indicted on Nov. 15, 2023, and pleaded guilty on Nov. 26, 2024. U.S. Chief District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on February 19 in Casper, Wyoming. Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie R. Morrison prosecuted the case. Case No. 23-00156.
Assault
Dylan Cameron Houtstra, 32, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was sentenced to 9 months’ imprisonment with one year of supervised release for assault by striking, beating, or wounding. According to court documents, on June 4, 2021, a security officer for a concessionaire in Grand Teton National Park and U.S. Park Rangers were dispatched to a disturbance in employee housing near Grand Teton Lodge Company. The victim stated that Houtstra was drunk and had grabbed her by the neck and attempted to choke her while she screamed for him to get off. She was able to hold him back and eventually escaped. Multiple witnesses corroborated her story. Houtstra was indicted on July 20, 2022; he pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2024; and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Feb. 25 in Casper. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. Case No. 22-00088
Jose Gabriel Ingellis-Benitez, 36, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida, was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for assault by strangulation. According to court documents, on Aug. 5, 2024, a human resources manager for a Grand Teton National Park concessionaire contacted U.S. Park Rangers regarding an assault by strangulation that occurred in employee housing near Signal Mountain Lodge. The victim stated she had an argument with the defendant the night before and, during the argument, he strangled her. She recorded the strangulation using her cell phone and submitted it to the Rangers. Ingellis-Benitez was indicted on Sept. 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2024, and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Feb. 25 in Casper. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case. Case No. 22-00149
Illegal Reentry of a Previously Deported Alien
Luis Lopez-Romero, 38, of Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents, on Oct. 2, 2022, Lopez-Romero was arrested by the Jackson Police Department for three charges of duty upon colliding with an unattended vehicle. In February 2025, agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) determined that Lopez-Romero had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in August 2013. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Feb. 21 in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00143.About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
A dozen illegal aliens charged with assaulting federal officersRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging 12 illegal aliens for assaulting two federal correctional officers in January 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
All are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis at 9 a.m.
Those charged include Mexican nationals Bryan Hernandez-Ruiz, 25, Francisco Antonio Hernandez-Mora, 27, Ivan Ramirez-Zapata, 40, Adrian David Guzman-Salas, 28, David Ramirez-Bautista, 21, Roberto Fabian Garza-Castaneda, 49, Jose Alberto Resendez-Hernandez, 27, Jose Ramos-Lerma, 45, Ruben Gonzalez-Balderas, 29, and Oscar Ambrocio Hernandez, 25, as well as Osman Joel Hernandez-Pavon, 22, and Roger Emmanuel Lemus, 42, both of Guatemala.
The charges allege that all 12 men aided and abetted the assault of two federal corrections officers at the East Hidalgo Detention Center in La Villa.
“The Department of Justice has zero tolerance for violence against law enforcement officers,” said Ganjei. “The grand jury has returned an indictment that alleges a serious attack on two corrections officers, and, rest assured, the Southern District of Texas will hold accountable all those found guilty.”
If convicted, each face up to eight years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
All have been and will remain in custody.
FBI and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Garcia and Avery Benitez prosecuted the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Tuesday 4 March 2025
Young driver faces federal charges after pulling gun during road rage incidentRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 19-year-old Laredoan has been indicted for possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Justin Landen Ruiz was originally charged by criminal complaint and is expected to appear in Laredo federal court before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.
On Feb. 6, authorities responded to a road rage incident on the northbound lane of Bob Bullock near the entrance to Lake Casa Blanca International State Park, according to the charges. The driver and sole occupant of a black Jeep, later identified as Ruiz, allegedly displayed a firearm during the incident.
The charges allege authorities had pulled over the vehicle and conducted a search which resulted in the discovery of two firearms and three loaded magazines in the center console.
One of the firearms was a tan Glock 19x, 9mm pistol and had an attached machinegun conversion device, according to the charges. These devices convert firearms to be fully automatic.
If convicted, Ruiz faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Wyoming County Ambulance Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christopher J. Smyth, 49, of Pineville, was sentenced yesterday, March 3, 2025, to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,616,704.76 in restitution for not paying the taxes withheld from employees’ wages at an ambulance service he operated and obstructing the IRS’ efforts to collect those taxes.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from 2012 through part of 2017, Smyth operated Stat EMS LLC, an ambulance service located in Pineville. Smyth created Stat EMS after a previous ambulance business Smyth operated accrued millions of dollars of employment tax liabilities and filed for bankruptcy. Smyth caused Stat EMS to be founded in the name of a nominee owner but continued operating the business in the same manner as before.
At Stat EMS, Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them to the IRS. For years, however, Smyth did not fully pay the taxes to the IRS. Instead, he paid various personal expenses and transferred funds to businesses held by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accrued approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes.
Eventually, the IRS assessed the unpaid taxes against Smyth personally and attempted to collect those assessments from him. When interviewed by an IRS revenue officer attempting to collect Smyth’s unpaid tax debts, Smyth stated that he had no personal bank accounts and denied that he used anyone else’s. In reality, however, he regularly deposited his paychecks into an account in a relative’s name. He also attempted to mislead the revenue officer by representing that he had nothing to do with several other businesses, even though he had signature authority over their bank accounts.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
“The jury found that Mr. Smyth failed to pay more than $4.6 million withheld from his employees’ wages and obstructed efforts to recover those withholdings,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “Ambulance services are critical to our communities, and Mr. Smyth repeatedly chose to jeopardize his by engaging in a 15-year scheme that was immense in its scope and scale. The sentence in this case serves to deter others who seek to break the law at the expense of the American taxpayer.”
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) investigated the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorneys Kavitha Bondada and Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Goes for the Southern District of West Virginia, prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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West Virginia Ambulance Business Owner Sentenced for Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A West Virginia man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for not paying the taxes withheld from employees’ wages at an ambulance service he operated and obstructing the IRS’ efforts to collect those taxes.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from 2012 through part of 2017, Christopher Jason Smyth operated Stat EMS LLC, an ambulance service located in Pineville. Smyth created Stat EMS after a previous ambulance business Smyth operated accrued millions of dollars of employment tax liabilities and filed for bankruptcy. Smyth caused Stat EMS to be founded in the name of a nominee owner but continued operating the business in the same manner as before.
At Stat EMS, Smyth was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from employees’ wages and paying them to the IRS. For years, however, Smyth did not fully pay the taxes to the IRS. Instead, he paid various personal expenses and transferred funds to businesses held by his friends and family. The IRS determined that Stat EMS accrued approximately $3.3 million in unpaid taxes.
Eventually, the IRS assessed the unpaid taxes against Smyth personally and attempted to collect those assessments from him. When interviewed by an IRS revenue officer attempting to collect Smyth’s unpaid tax debts, Smyth stated that he had no personal bank accounts and denied that he used anyone else’s. In reality, however, he regularly deposited his paychecks into an account in a relative’s name. He also attempted to mislead the revenue officer by representing that he had nothing to do with several other businesses, even though he had signature authority over their bank accounts.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston for the Southern District of West Virginia made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorneys Kavitha Bondada and Andrew Ascencio of the Tax Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik Goes for the Southern District of West Virginia, prosecuted the case.
Wayne County man going to prison for stealing a firearmRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that Lucas Burke, 23, of Wolcott, NY, who was convicted of theft of a firearm from a federal firearms licensee, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison by United States District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Moynihan, who handled the case, stated on October 7, 2023, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office responded to East Side Traders on Wooster Way in Ontario, NY, for a call of intruders inside. Eastside Traders was a Federal Firearms Licensee authorized to sell firearms under federal law. Subsequent investigation determined that at approximately 4:55 a.m. that morning, Burke smashed a window near the entrance to Eastside Traders and entered the building. Once inside, he stole a rifle. He attempted to steal two others but was unsuccessful.
The matter was brought by the United States Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. 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 work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the director of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division.
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Wake County Woman Involved in $2 Million International Romance Scam Sentenced to Two Years for Money Laundering and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wake County woman who engaged as a money mule or “middleman” to defraud multiple victims in an international romance fraud scheme was sentenced today to 24 months, 3 years supervised release, and ordered to pay $109,119 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Michon Griffin, age 46, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and making false statements on her individual income tax return Form 1040 on July 10, 2024.
A romance scam is a type of internet-enabled fraud scheme that occurs when a fraudster adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The fraudster then uses the illusion of a romantic relationship to manipulate and exploit the victim for financial gain by stealing their money across international borders. Some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, between 2021 to 2023 Griffin received over $2 million dollars from the international romance fraud scheme that she deposited into fictitious bank accounts she controlled, located at sixteen separate financial institutions. Griffin converted the funds into virtual currency and wired the funds to overseas accounts controlled by her coconspirators who were located in Nigeria. Griffin received approximately $300,000 in commissions for her role in the fraud scheme, which she did not report as income on her 2021 individual income tax return Form 1040.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced the defendant. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes is prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-173-BO.
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Violent Recidivist Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Racially Motivated Attack on Asian American WomanRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Southern California man has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for punching an Asian American woman in the head while shouting racial slurs and then leaving her bloodied in a Culver City street in 2021, the Justice Department announced today.
Jesse Allen Lindsey, 38, who was transient at the time of the attack, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald.
Lindsey pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of a hate crime. He has been in federal custody since July 2024.
On June 14, 2021, at approximately 1 a.m., Lindsey began following the victim on her walk to work. According to the government’s sentencing position, Lindsey shouted racial slurs, cursed at the victim, and told her, “You don’t belong here.” He then violently punched her in the head. While the victim lay face down in the street, defendant shouted, “You hear what I said, [N-word]? I said good morning, bitch!”
Emergency personnel later transported the victim to a hospital to treat injuries to her head and ear. She was unable to work for a month and suffered years of psychological trauma, prosecutors said.
At sentencing, Judge Fitzgerald called the attack a “shocking and horrible crime” and noted Lindsey’s “serious criminal record.” Lindsey has 13 criminal convictions for firearms and narcotics offenses, domestic battery, grand theft, and attempted extortion. He also has at least 14 violations of probation or pretrial release and 19 additional arrests or contacts with law enforcement, the government said at Monday’s sentencing hearing.
Lindsey fled California after seeing news reports about the attack. Law enforcement officers eventually located Lindsey in a California state prison serving time for an unrelated conviction.
During an interview with law enforcement about the assault, Lindsey eventually admitted to punching the victim, but falsely claimed self-defense, the government’s sentencing position stated. Lindsey said the “little Asian person” was “mouthy” and looked like a “gangbanger.” Referencing the Asian actor known for his martial arts ability, Lindsey claimed the victim might pull “some Jet Li [expletive].” The victim was a middle-aged Asian woman who stood five feet tall and weighed approximately 120 pounds. Lindsey was over six feet tall and weighed approximately 250 pounds.
The FBI investigated this matter and received substantial assistance from the Culver City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Greer Dotson prosecuted this case.
Violent Bridgeport Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
TREVON WRIGHT, also known as “Tre,” 23, was sentenced today U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 300 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang, multiple shootings, and his murder of a rival gang member in 2020.
Today’s announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents, statements made in court, and the evidence presented during a month-long trial, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Wright has been a member of the “East End gang,” which began as a local street gang based in the East End of Bridgeport, but currently has members and associates who are either incarcerated or living throughout Bridgeport and surrounding towns. The East End gang has been aligned with other groups, including the PT Barnum Gang, the East Side gang and 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport. These groups were aligned against rival organizations in Bridgeport, including the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”) and the “Greene Homes Boyz,” (“GHB/Hotz”), based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End.
Due to the level of gun violence Bridgeport was experiencing, the investigation commenced shortly before East End members shot and killed Myreke Kenion and shot and attempted to kill D’Andre Brown, both members and associates of the GHB/Hotz gang, on January 26, 2020. The next day, in retaliation for these shootings, GHB/Hotz and O.N.E. members attempted to kill East End gang members and associates in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a state courthouse on Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport that resulted in four victims being shot while sitting inside a car.
Wright and other East End members distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; used and shared firearms; and committed at least six murders and other acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals. East End members celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube, and committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities.
The investigation determined that on August 23, 2019, Wright shot and wounded an associate of the GHB/Hotz gang and a female companion; on September 15, 2019, Wright shot and attempted to kill Marquis Isreal, also known as “Garf” or “Gbaby,” a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang; on December 8, 2019, Wright shot and attempted to kill Arvan Smith, also known as “Arv Barkley,” an associate of the O.N.E. gang; and on January 26, 2020, Wright shot and killed Myreke Kenion and shot and attempted to kill D’Andre Brown, both members and associates of the GHB/Hotz gang.
On December 5, 2023, a jury found Wright and three associates guilty of conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Wright has been detained since January 21, 2021.
Approximately 47 members and associates of the East End, O.N.E. and the GHB/Hotz gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has and solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick, Rahul Kale, and Karen L. Peck.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
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 work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.