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8 April 2025
Ethete man sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for abusive sexual contact as the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) has challenged the nation to confront and remove barriers to achieving justice for all victims of crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office uses the week to educate the public about victimization and its effects on individuals, families, friends, and communities. As the week kicked off across the nation, the District of Wyoming sentenced a case that recognized the accomplishments of the victims’ rights movement and reflected on how far it has come.
Dwayne Wahtomy Jr., age 47, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment with 10 years of supervised release for the abusive sexual contact of a child by force. According to court documents, the victim disclosed that she had been sexually abused by the defendant when she was a minor. The defendant also threatened the victim to keep her silent.
During the investigation and prosecution of the case, the victim exercised several of her statutory victim’s rights. She was notified of all hearings, was notified of the defendant’s custody status, consulted with the prosecutor about a plea offer, and provided a victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing. Wahtomy was indicted on Sept. 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 15. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on April 7 in Cheyenne. The BIA investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
In 1988, the Office of Victims of Crimes (OVC) was established by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA). According to OVC, around 5 million people become victims of violent crimes annually, including rape, domestic violence, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and more. Being a victim of these traumatic crimes can, in most cases, create long-lasting impacts on someone and can sometimes create secondary problems like loss of relationships, mental health issues, physical problems, and a negative impact on occupational and societal function. Because of the prevalence and effects of crimes and victims of crimes, communities and governments have a responsibility to come up with ways to support these victims.
The Victim Witness Program for the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Wyoming, provides federal crime victims and witnesses with information, services, and support during federal prosecutions. The office is committed to ensuring that victims and witnesses of crime are treated fairly throughout their contact with the federal criminal justice system. For more information, visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/victim-witness-program
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Case No. 24-CR-00153
Eight Defendants Charged with Federal Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury in Huntsville has charged eight individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
- Gilmar Araldo Elias, 45, of Guatemala;
- Faustino Discua-Reyes, 38, of Honduras;
- Roger Manuel Jarquin, 28, of Nicaragua;
- Rigoberto Miranda-Gutierrez, 43, of Mexico;
- Miguel Perdomo Sanchez, 27, of Mexico;
- Luis Miguel Olivera Hernandez, 36, of Mexico;
- Milton Obdulio Ramirez, 31, of Honduras;
- Angel Techomahua-Amador, 36, of Mexico;
The following defendants were charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm:
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America partners Homeland Security Investigations – Atlanta and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division investigated these cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
District Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm as a Felon Following Arrest Near Recreation CenterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ricky Corey Watkins, Jr., 33, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted with unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and unlawful possession of a firearm in a school zone. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, MPD Officers responded to the Harrison Recreation Center, located at 1330 V. Street, Northwest, on March 19, 2025, for a call that someone was riding a dirt bike on the baseball field. Hawkins, who was driving the dirt bike, was handcuffed and detained. It is alleged that while detained, Hawkins complained of an injury, and D.C. Fire and Emergency Services responded. When Hawkins was told that he would need to be searched before he was transported by ambulance, Watkins stood up and allegedly attempted to flee. While he was running with his hands cuffed behind his back, Watkins allegedly removed a firearm from his person and dropped it on the ground. Both the firearm and Watkins were recovered by MPD officers shortly thereafter.
The firearm was identified as a 9mm Glock, Model 19X, which was loaded with one round in the chamber and fourteen additional rounds in the magazine. The firearm was also fitted with a laser sight attachment.
A criminal history check revealed that Watkins had prior felony convictions, which prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.
View Watkins Indictment:
watkins_indictment_0.pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Convicted of Federal Firearms and Drug Offenses Following a Robbery on Benning Road, NortheastRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury convicted Naquel Matao Henderson, 27, of Washington, D.C., of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, robbery, and unlawful possession of Oxycodone following a six-day trial, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
This case is part of Make D.C. Safe Again, a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Government photo exhibit. Photo of Glock 30.United States District Judge Timothy J. Kelly scheduled Henderson’s sentencing for July 3, 2025. Henderson had been detained since his arrest in this case.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Henderson rode an electric scooter into traffic at approximately 2:16 pm on June 24, 2024, colliding with a car that had the green light. Following a brief argument, Henderson pushed the woman whose car he hit and violently snatched a cross-body satchel from her person before fleeing. Both the collision and the robbery were captured on overhead surveillance cameras. Numerous individuals witnessed the robbery, including an MPD Commander who issued an emergency call for assistance.
A responding MPD patrol officer attempted to detain Henderson for the robbery, at which point he turned and ran. Both the patrol officer and the MPD Commander, who had made the emergency call, chased Henderson into an alley, where they observed that he was carrying a handgun. The patrol officer tackled Henderson and wrestled the firearm away, and the MPD Commander secured it. Additional officers responded to the scene, and Henderson was eventually taken into custody. The firearm was determined to be a .45 caliber Glock loaded with one round in the chamber and fourteen rounds in the magazine.
A search of Henderson’s person after his arrest revealed that he was carrying a total of fifty (50) 10mg Oxycodone pills. The pills were manufactured by two different companies and were stored in two different pill bottles – neither of which listed Henderson as the prescribed user of the Oxycodone.
Prior to his arrest in this case, Henderson had been convicted of felony offenses in both the D.C. Superior Court and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and he was therefore prohibited by law from possessing a firearm. At the time of his arrest, Henderson was also on pretrial release in D.C. Superior Court, where he was charged with numerous violent offenses, including conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder while armed.
This case was investigated by MPD officers and detectives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar and James B. Nelson and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.
Delco Man Who Committed Six Armed Robberies of Area Hotels Sentenced to 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Naim-Shahid Jumah Austin, 28, of Yeadon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe on Monday to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release for a spate of armed robberies targeting local hotels in late 2022.
In January 2023, Austin was charged by indictment with six counts of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), and firearms offenses. In December of last year, the defendant pleaded guilty to all the robberies, and to using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, between September 2022 and December 2022, Austin targeted the hotels in the early morning hours, when one employee was usually working alone at the front desk. He terrorized his victims at gunpoint, demanding that they hand over cash from the registers.
Austin was armed with a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and drove his mother’s car to all six robberies, which occurred at hotels in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties:
- September 16, 2022, 3:23 a.m. – Courtyard by Marriott, Tredyffrin Township, Pa.
- September 18, 2022, 4:02 a.m. – Holiday Inn & Suites, Drexel Hill, Pa. (also robbed hotel guest)
- October 10, 2022, 2:05 a.m. – Fairfield Inn & Suites, Broomall, Pa. (fled empty-handed)
- November 21, 2022, 3:35 a.m. – Home2 Suites by Hilton, Glen Mills, Pa.
- December 2, 2022, 4:04 a.m. – Marriott Philadelphia West, West Conshohocken, Pa.
- December 12, 2022, 4:41 a.m. – Holiday Inn Express & Suites, West Chester, Pa.
West Goshen Township Police located and arrested Austin minutes after the December 12, 2022, hotel robbery.
“Naim Austin was on a one-man crime spree, committing six armed robberies in less than three months,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He threatened the hotel employees he victimized at gunpoint, to terrify them into compliance. This sentence keeps him off the street and holds him accountable for what he’s done. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by bringing violent offenders like this to justice.”
“Brazen violent criminals like Austin terrorize our communities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, FBI Philadelphia's Special Agent in Charge. “This sentencing is a testament to the coordinated efforts between all of law enforcement. The FBI and our partners will never stop working to crush violent crime and ensure our citizens have a safe place to work and live in.”
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, Upper Darby Township Police Department, Marple Township Police Department, Newtown Township Police Department, West Conshohocken Police Department, Birmingham Township Police Department, West Goshen Township Police Department, and Chester County Detectives. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Urban.
Climate Activist Found Guilty in Defacing Degas Exhibit at National Gallery of ArtRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Timothy Martin, 55, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was found guilty by a federal jury for his role in the April 27, 2023, defacement of an art exhibit at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.President Trump directed federal authorities in a March 2025 Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful by launching a multi-faceted initiative to address both crime and beautification. This includes the creation of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force to coordinate law enforcement efforts, and a program to restore and enhance the city's public spaces.
“This verdict sends a strong message to the thousands of people who come to D.C. each year to demonstrate and be heard,” said U.S Attorney Martin. “Free speech is a constitutional right. But when you take illegal action, such as causing damage to an art exhibit at the National Gallery, you are crossing a line. We want to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Again, and we will not tolerate anyone defacing our city to get attention for their cause.”
After a four-day trial, the jury, yesterday, found Martin guilty of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled sentencing for August 22, 2025.
According to evidence introduced in court, Martin and co-defendant Johanna Smith, 54, of Brooklyn, NY, smeared paint on the case and base of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer, Age Fourteen, a sculpture which has drawn visitors for years to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Following the attack, a group called Declare Emergency claimed credit.
Martin and Smith agreed, along with other co-conspirators, to enter the National Gallery of Art for the purpose of injuring the exhibit and entered the museum armed with water bottles filled with paint. Martin and Smith handed their phones to other co-conspirators and waited until patrons cleared the area in front of the Little Dancer. The pair proceeded to smear paint on the case and base of the exhibit, at times smacking the case with force. Prior to the attack, members of the conspiracy had alerted the Washington Post, and two reporters from the Post recorded and photographed the offense. Additionally, other members of the conspiracy filmed and photographed the offense.
Smith and Martin caused over $4,000 in damage, including material and labor costs, and the exhibit was removed from public display for 10 days so that it could be repaired.
Smith pleaded guilty December 15, 2023, to one count of causing injury to a National Gallery of Art exhibit. She was sentenced to 60 days in prison, followed by 24 months of supervised release and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine and $4,062 in restitution.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI’s Art Crime Team, with assistance from National Gallery of Art Police, and U.S. Park Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Tepfer and Jennifer Blackwell of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
23cr182
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Antwaun Winbush, 45, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on Friday, April 4, 2025 to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Winbush admitted that he possessed approximately 141.8 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine at various locations in Putnam County on March 25, 2024, and intended to distribute it. Winbush further admitted to possessing approximately 227 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, 8 grams of cocaine and 14.7 grams of fentanyl in Jackson County on October 4, 2021, and intended to distribute those controlled substances.
Winbush is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the Charleston Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-154.
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Charles City Man Sent to Federal Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm as a felon and domestic abuser was sentenced today to more than four years in federal prison.
Dashaune Terrell Burns-Johnson, age 32, from Charles City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 23, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on May 22, 2024, Burns‑Johnson brought drugs and a loaded firearm to his neighbor’s house in Charles City. Burns-Johnson pulled the firearm out of his backpack and pointed it at someone in the house. Burns-Johnson had previously been convicted of felony and misdemeanor crimes related to domestic abuse assault.
Burns-Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Burns-Johnson was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Burns-Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Charles City Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-2033.
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Cary Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Access Device Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Cary man was sentenced today to 61 months in prison for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Ibrahim Abiodun Aderounmu, 27, pled guilty to the charges on November 4, 2024. The court also ordered Aderounmu to pay $536,782 in restitution to the victims.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2020 and 2022, Aderounmu engaged in multiple access device fraud schemes involving the theft and misuse of personal identifying information (PII) of victims across the United States. The schemes resulted in attempted losses of more than $650,000.
As part of one scheme, victim PII was used to submit hundreds of applications for Chase Bank business credit card accounts. If the application was successful, the physical credit card was mailed to Aderounmu’s apartment in Cary. Aderounmu then used the credit cards to make online and in-store purchases.
The investigation into the Chase Bank scheme resulted in a search warrant of Aderounmu’s apartment. During the search, officers recovered, among other things, more than 400 access devices, including debit cards for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. According to the investigation, victim PII was fraudulently used to apply for and initiate UI benefits from multiple state workforce agencies, including in North Carolina, California, Nevada, and Arizona. If approved, the benefits were loaded onto debit cards and mailed to addresses under the control of Aderounmu and others. Aderounmu was captured on surveillance footage withdrawing the UI benefits from the debit cards at ATMs in Raleigh, Cary, and other locations in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
The seized access devices also included multiple USAA debit cards in the names of victims. The investigation found that victim PII was used to open USAA accounts with addresses linked to Aderounmu. The fraudulent accounts, in turn, were funded with fraudulent check deposits, the proceeds of which were withdrawn from ATMs in Raleigh, Cary, and elsewhere.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case for the government.
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-222-FL.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of Supreme Court Justice in MarylandRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, Nicholas John Roske, 29, of Simi Valley, California, pled guilty to attempting to kill a United States Supreme Court Justice.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Attorney General Pamela Bondi; FBI Director Kash Patel; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland; Chief Marc Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Deputy Chief of Police Stephanie N. Whitam, Supreme Court of the United States Police Department.
“This calculated attempt on the life of a sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justice was a heinous attack on the Court itself,” Bondi said. “Anyone who thinks they can use violence or intimidation to influence our courts will be met with the full force of the law and face up to life in prison.”
“The attempted assassination of a United States Supreme Court Justice is an extreme, brazen act, one that we — along with our federal, local, and state law-enforcement partners — will not tolerate,” Hayes said. “It’s through these partnerships that we’re able to hold criminals accountable and uphold the rule of law. We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who are involved in planning and executing acts of violence against others.”
“Nicholas Roske sought to commit a despicable, premeditated attack on a Supreme Court Justice and today is another step toward accountability,” Patel said. “No violent attacks can be tolerated, whether those targeted are public officials or private citizens – and the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate and bring to justice all those who engage in such plots.”
“After a thorough investigation, Nicholas Roske is being held accountable for plotting, planning, and taking steps to assassinate a United States Supreme Court Justice. This guilty plea makes clear that those actions have serious consequences,” DelBagno said. “The FBI’s partnerships with the Montgomery County Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and Supreme Court of the United States Police Department were critical in bringing Roske to justice. We will not stop our pursuit of extremists who advocate violence and threaten others.”
As part of his guilty plea, Roske admitted that on June 7, 2022, he flew from Los Angeles International Airport to Dulles International Airport with a firearm and ammunition in his checked baggage. He then took a taxi from the airport to Montgomery County, Maryland, with the intent to kill the Supreme Court Justice.
According to the criminal complaint and the Government’s factual allegations, on June 8, 2022, at approximately 1:05 a.m., two Deputy U.S. Marshals, protecting the residence of a Supreme Court Justice, observed Roske arrive in and get out of a taxi in front of the residence. Roske wore black clothing and had a backpack and suitcase. Upon observing Roske, the two Deputy U.S. Marshals started to get out of their vehicles as the defendant proceeded to walk down the street.
Shortly after, Roske told a Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center call taker that he was having homicidal and suicidal thoughts, had a gun in his suitcase, and flew from California to kill a specific Supreme Court Justice.
Montgomery County Police Department officers responded to the location and took Roske into custody. A search of Roske’s suitcase and backpack revealed a firearm; black tactical chest rig and tactical knife; two magazines, each containing 10 rounds of ammunition; 17 additional rounds of ammunition; pepper spray; zip ties; a hammer; screwdrivers; nail punch; crowbar; pistol light; duct tape; hiking boots with padding on the outside of the soles; and lock-pick tools, along with other items.
Law enforcement transported Roske to a Montgomery County Police Department station where he was read his Miranda rights. Roske then stated that he was upset about a recently leaked Supreme Court draft decision on abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The defendant also admitted that he came from California with the intent to use the firearm and burglary tools and to kill the Supreme Court Justice.
Roske faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Friday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, MCPD, and the Supreme Court of the United States Police Department for their work and cooperation in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Coreen Mao who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and its efforts to fight violent crime and protect national security, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr.
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California Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of Supreme Court Justice in MarylandRead the Press Release
Nicholas John Roske, 29, of Simi Valley, California, pleaded guilty today to attempting to kill a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
“This calculated attempt on the life of a sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justice was a heinous attack on the Court itself,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Anyone who thinks they can use violence or intimidation to influence our courts will be met with the full force of the law and face up to life in prison.”
“Nicholas Roske sought to commit a despicable, premeditated attack on a Supreme Court Justice and today is another step toward accountability,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “No violent attacks can be tolerated, whether those targeted are public officials or private citizens – and the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate and bring to justice all those who engage in such plots.”
“The attempted assassination of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice is an extreme, brazen act, one that we — along with our federal, local, and state law-enforcement partners — will not tolerate,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “It’s through these partnerships that we’re able to hold criminals accountable and uphold the rule of law. We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who are involved in planning and executing acts of violence against others.”
As part of his guilty plea, Roske admitted that on June 7, 2022, he flew from Los Angeles International Airport to Dulles International Airport with a firearm and ammunition in his checked baggage. He then took a taxi from the airport to Montgomery County, Maryland, with the intent to kill the Supreme Court Justice.
According to the criminal complaint and the Government’s factual allegations, on June 8, 2022, at approximately 1:05 a.m., two Deputy U.S. Marshals, protecting the residence of a Supreme Court Justice, observed Roske arrive in and get out of a taxi in front of the residence. Roske wore black clothing and had a backpack and suitcase. Upon observing Roske, the two Deputy U.S. Marshals started to get out of their vehicles as the defendant proceeded to walk down the street.
Shortly after, Roske told a Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center call taker that he was having homicidal and suicidal thoughts, had a gun in his suitcase, and flew from California to kill a specific Supreme Court Justice.
Montgomery County Police Department officers responded to the location and took Roske into custody. A search of Roske’s suitcase and backpack revealed a firearm; black tactical chest rig and tactical knife; two magazines, each containing 10 rounds of ammunition; 17 additional rounds of ammunition; pepper spray; zip ties; a hammer; screwdrivers; a nail punch; a crowbar; a pistol light; duct tape; hiking boots with padding on the outside of the soles; and lock-pick tools, along with other items.
Law enforcement transported Roske to a Montgomery County Police Department station where he was read his Miranda rights. Roske then stated that he was upset about a recently leaked Supreme Court draft decision on abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The defendant also admitted that he came from California with the intent to use the firearm and burglary tools and to kill the Supreme Court Justice.
Roske faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Oct. 3. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, MCPD, and Police Department for the U.S. Supreme Court for their work and cooperation in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Coreen Mao for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Brazilian Man Who Entered U.S. Illegally Charged with Forcibly Assaulting, Resisting, Opposing, Impeding, Intimidating, and Interfering with Federal Officer Who Had Taken Him into CustodyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Enmanuel Fernandes-Calixto, aka “Emanuel Fernandes” and “Emanuel Bartholomew,” 20, a citizen of Brazil with no legal status in the United States, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with an officer of the United States while engaged in the performance of his official duties. The defendant has been ordered detained in federal custody pending indictment and trial.
The criminal complaint alleges that on or about April 2, 2025, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Officer arrested Fernandes-Calixto for immigration violations. During transport, the defendant attempted to escape. The defendant, while still handcuffed, attempted to strike the officer in the face and pushed the officer. The defendant ultimately escaped during the struggle and hid in a house in Northeast Philadelphia. He was apprehended later that evening, with the assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department SWAT team.
The complaint further alleges that Fernandes-Calixto, after entering the United States illegally and on release from immigration detention, violated his conditions of release when he was arrested for other offenses in Philadelphia, including separate cases charging strangulation and related offenses; and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and related offenses, from alleged incidents in August of 2024. Those local charges are still pending.
As detailed in court filings, despite the existence of an ICE detainer, the defendant was released from Philadelphia custody in March of 2025.
The case is being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Boston Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Loaded Semi-Automatic PistolRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
Tyrone Goforth, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (66 months and one day), to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2025, Goforth pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Goforth was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020.
On July 31, 2020, officers responded to a call for a person with a gun at a bookstore in Roxbury, Mass. Goforth was inside the bookstore and fit the description of a man wearing a black shirt and olive pants. Goforth was found to be in possession of a Sig Sauer P938 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with five rounds of 9mm ammunition. Due to a 2000 conviction in Suffolk Superior Court, Goforth is prohibited from possessing firearms.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce 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 priority, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Boston City Councilor Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Public Corruption ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson has agreed to plead guilty to federal public corruption charges in connection with an alleged kickback scheme to obtain thousands of dollars in cash from a staff member in exchange for a large bonus.
Tania Fernandes Anderson, 46, of Boston, has agreed to plead guilty to count one of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. In December 2024, Fernandes Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury. Per the plea agreement, the government is recommending a sentence of one year and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $13,000.
Fernandes Anderson currently serves as City Councilor for Boston’s District 7, which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and part of the South End. She was first elected to a two-year term in November 2021 and won re-election in November 2023.
According to the charging documents, in or about 2022, Fernandes Anderson hired two members of her immediate family as salaried employees of her City Councilor Staff. Because City Councilors are prohibited by law from hiring immediate family members to their paid staff, Fernandes Anderson was required to terminate their salaried employment in or about August 2022. Additionally, from in or about March 2023 to May 2023, the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission notified Fernandes Anderson of its findings and that it would be seeking a $5,000 civil penalty payment from her.
It is alleged that, in or about November 2022, Fernandes Anderson allegedly emailed a City of Boston employee regarding her hiring of Staff Member A – a relative of Fernandes Anderson who was not an immediate family member – as a salaried employee. In her email to the City of Boston employee, it is alleged that Fernandes Anderson falsely represented that she and Staff Member A were not related:
From in or about early to mid-2023, Fernandes Anderson was allegedly facing personal financial difficulty, which included the outstanding $5,000 civil penalty payment to the Ethics Commission. It is further alleged that, in or about early May 2023, Fernandes Anderson told Staff Member A that she would give them extra pay in the form of a large bonus, but that Staff Member A would have to give a portion of the bonus back to Fernandes Anderson. Staff Member A agreed to the arrangement with Fernandes Anderson.
On or about May 3, 2023, Fernandes Anderson allegedly sent an email to a City of Boston employee to process bonus payments for her City Councilor Staff. In the email, Fernandes Anderson instructed the City of Boston employee to process a bonus payment of $13,000 to Staff Member A – more than double the total bonuses paid to all other Fernandes Anderson staff combined. Fernandes Anderson allegedly did not disclose the bonus kickback arrangement she had made with Staff Member A to the City of Boston employee.
Staff Member A deposited the bonus check on or about May 26, 2023 into their account at Santander Bank. It is alleged that, at Fernandes Anderson’s direction, Staff Member A then made separate cash withdrawals of the payment on three separate dates: $3,000 on May 31, 2023; $3,000 on June 5, 2023; and $4,000 on June 9, 2023.
It is alleged that, on June 9, 2023, immediately following the final cash withdrawal, Fernandes Anderson and Staff Member A arranged to meet in a bathroom at Boston City Hall. There, Staff Member A allegedly provided Fernandes Anderson with $7,000 in cash:
According to the signed plea agreement, for tax years 2021, 2022 and 2023, Fernandes Anderson filed fraudulent federal income tax returns with the IRS. Specifically, it is alleged that Fernandes Anderson: omitted approximately $11,000 in income that she earned from a Massachusetts-based corporation from her 2021 tax return; willfully omitted campaign funds that she used for her own personal enrichment from her 2022 and 2023 tax returns; and willfully omitted the $7,000 kickback that she received from Staff Member A from her 2023 tax return.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Benjamin Holmes Found Guilty of Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy and Federal Gun ViolationsRead the Press Release
Correction: The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, the Bogalusa Police Department, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On April 2, 2025, BENJAMIN HOLMES (“HOLMES”), a Bogalusa resident, was found guilty by a jury on April 2, 2025 of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846, one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and an amount of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(D), one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to the evidence at trial, HOLMES utilized his residence in Bogalusa, La., to store illegal narcotics, including fentanyl and marijuana, and firearms, and worked with others at this location to distribute fentanyl and marijuana to paying customers. During a September 2023 search of this residence, law enforcement officials seized four firearms and over 300 grams of fentanyl.
As to counts one and two, HOLMES faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) up to forty (40) years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four (4) years of supervised release. As to count three, HOLMES faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five (5) years up to life imprisonment, which must run consecutive to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five (5) years of supervised release. As to count four, HOLMES faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. As to count 5, HOLMES faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to three (3) years of supervised release. All five counts also carry a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for July 16, 2025.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, and the Bogalusa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Stuart Theriot and Lynn E. Schiffman, both of the Narcotics Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Affiliated Companies Agree to Pay $10.8 Million to Resolve Allegations that They Fraudulently Obtained COVID-19 LoansRead the Press Release
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 2, 2025, a group of affiliated companies controlled by a family office have agreed to pay $10,853,246.94 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false certifications in connection with loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). The affiliated companies include: Barrington Venture Holding Company LLC; The Club at Strawberry Creek LLC; The Garlands of Barrington LLC; Nuestro Queso, LLC; SSCO LLC; and Tire Profiles LLC.
The PPP loan program, created by Congress in March 2020 through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, provided emergency financial assistance to small businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allowed eligible businesses to apply for loans that, if spent on payroll and other eligible expenses, could be forgiven and repaid on the borrower’s behalf by the federal government. When applying for a loan and for forgiveness, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the PPP and that the information provided was accurate.
Congress limited eligibility for PPP loans to businesses with less than 500 employees (or less than an industry-based size standard, if applicable). 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(36)(D)(i). With respect to counting employees, Congress adopted the Small Business Administration’s pre-existing “affiliation rules,” which require businesses under common ownership or control to add their employee counts together when determining their size. 15 U.S.C. § 636(a)(36)(D)(vi); 13 C.F.R. § 121.301(f)(1), (3) & (6) (effective March 27, 2020, to September 7, 2021). The Small Business Administration’s regulations also make clear that companies are to count all employees equally, including part-time and temporary employees the same as full-time employees. 13 C.F.R. § 121.106(a), (b)(2) & (4)(i).
This settlement resolves allegations that four of the family office affiliates—The Club at Strawberry Creek LLC; The Garlands of Barrington LLC; Nuestro Queso, LLC; and Tire Profiles LLC—falsely certified that they were eligible for the PPP loans they received. Collectively, these family office companies received six PPP loans totaling over $5 million in principal value, despite collectively employing more than 500 individuals (and not otherwise complying with an alternative size-standard). The government alleges that these entities knew that they were ineligible for the PPP loans that they received but that they applied anyway and took affirmative steps to avoid detection by regulators.
“When it passed the Paycheck Protection Program, Congress made policy decisions about what types of businesses would and would not be eligible for the pandemic-relief resources that it made available,” said Acting United States Attorney Frohling. “Congress decided that it did not want to provide taxpayer dollars to large companies or groups of affiliated companies who likely had access to private sources of capital typically unavailable to American small businesses.The eight-figure settlement announced today reflects the continuing commitment of the Department of Justice and the Small Business Administration to hold accountable sophisticated businesses that abused this emergency program.”
“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other Federal law enforcement agencies to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.
The United States encourages anyone with information about potential fraud involving COVID-19 to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. PPP recipients also may voluntarily disclose self-discovered evidence of fraud involving the PPP to their district’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Aaron R. Wegrzyn represented the government in connection with this matter, with assistance from Kandace Zelaya in the Small Business Administration’s Office of Litigation and Office of General Counsel.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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7 April 2025
Yale Police Officer Charged with Federal Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, and Connecticut State Police Colonel Daniel Loughman today announced that OTILIO GREEN, 43, of Hamden, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses.
Green was arrested on April 4, 2025. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria R. Garcia in New Haven and is currently detained. A detention hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. in Bridgeport.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, between January and March 2025, Synchronoss, a cloud storage provider for Verizon Wireless, submitted eight CyberTipline reports documenting 43 images and five videos of suspected child pornography uploaded to an account associated with Green. A subsequent court-authorized search of Green’s cloud storage account revealed an additional 2 images and 55 videos of suspected child sex abuse material. The investigation also revealed that Green was employed as an officer with the Yale University Police Department
The complaint charges Green with possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and receipt of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by HSI New England, the Connecticut State Police, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Vandalia man accused of attempting to commit a child sex offenseRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Today in U.S. District Court within the Southern District of Illinois, a magistrate judge ordered a Vandalia man be held in custody without bail after he was charged with attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
Trevor W. Yokley, 32, is facing one count of attempting to entice a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, and a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment.
“Individuals who prey on children perpetrate vile crimes, which is why identifying child predators is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
According to the complaint, an undercover FBI agent created an online social media profile for a purported 14-year-old girl. Yokley is accused of contacting the purported minor and trying to meet with her to engage in sexual activity between January and April 2025.
“Due to the tireless pursuit of criminals who would target children, a once faceless online predator has been unmasked and arrested,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “This arrest is one of many to come as FBI Springfield continues to work alongside our partners to identify and bring child predators to justice.”
FBI arrested Yokley in Effingham on April 1, 2025, when he traveled to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity.
A complaint is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The FBI Springfield Field Office is leading the investigation with assistance by the Carlyle Police Department, Mt. Vernon Police Department, and Effingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Burns is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Crime Victims and Survivors During 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is commemorating National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) April 6–12, by recognizing recent criminal cases involving victims.
This year’s NCVRW theme—Connecting Healing—recognizes that shared humanity drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins. The annual observance challenges us to build a world where every connection built through KINSHIP — between survivors, advocates, and communities — holds the potential to heal. It asks us to ensure that resources are available to all survivors and that we show up for one another with empathy and intention.
With a dedicated team of prosecutors and victim assistance professionals who work together to ensure victims of crime receive the services and support they need, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and is home to an estimated population of 7.6 million people.
“Federal crimes against victims will not be tolerated in this district—regardless of whether they are violent crimes, drug crimes, or white collar,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “It is a priority of our prosecutors, our victim assistance specialists, and the entire Department of Justice, that we advocate in the best interests of victims and that crime victims have access to proper effective resources.”
Recently prosecuted cases include the 40-year federal prison sentence of Saint Jovite Youngblood in Austin for four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Youngblood committed wire fraud against his victims by claiming Mexican drug cartel members were planning to commit violence against them. Youngblood falsely claimed to have been part of the U.S. Army's Delta Force special operations unit and offered protection to his victims from the cartels in exchange for money. Youngblood also represented that funds obtained from his victim "investors" would be paid back with a significant return on the money. Instead, Youngblood used most of the money on junkets to Las Vegas to gamble in casinos. Over the course of his scheme, Youngblood defrauded 32 victims for more than $12 million, which he was ordered to pay in restitution.
In Waco, a former U.S. sailor was sentenced to life in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of coercion and enticement of a minor. Bailey Warren Lowe used a Snapchat account to request sexually explicit images from a 13-year-old girl on multiple occasions. If she acted slowly or the photos did not meet his expectations, Lowe would become angry and threaten to expose her. On one occasion, in early 2022, Lowe drove to the minor’s residence, where they engaged in sexual activity in his vehicle. Lowe did not use a condom and, when the minor repeated that she was 13 years old, he demanded she not tell anyone about them because he was 22 and could get in trouble. An FBI investigation revealed multiple chat conversations and instances of sexual exploitation between Lowe and additional victims between the ages of 10 and 15 years old.
In July 2024, an Odessa man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for carjacking and discharging a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Isaac Ramirez Carrasco carjacked a couple on Jan. 30 by pointing a shotgun at the driver and ordering both occupants out of their vehicle. The victim did not initially comply, and Carrasco fired the shotgun at least one time in the air before returning his aim to the victim. The couple ultimately exited the truck and Carrasco drove away in it. Odessa Police were able to track the truck to a nearby residence, where they also located Carrasco and the shotgun.
In November, Alex Georges Tannous, of Ain-Akrine, Lebanon, was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 240 months in prison for wire fraud. Tannous told his victims he was a prince from Dubai who was charged with bringing U.S.-based businesses to market in Dubai. He claimed millions were available, but that an initial payment from the victim was required to initiate the flow of funds. Once the funds were secured, he used the money to support his lavish lifestyle and the lifestyles of multiple family members. In total, Tannous stole more than $2 million from his victims. In addition to his 20-year federal prison sentence, he was ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution.
And most recently, David Manuel Garcia was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison on March 20 for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. Garcia had traveled from the U.S. to Mexico between July 2003 and August 2008 and engaged in forced sexual acts with a minor victim under the age of 18, which resulted in the birth of two children. Records indicate that the victim was 13 years old at the time of the first birth, and 15 years old when she gave birth to the second child.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas will commemorate NCVRW 2025 throughout the week in various ways. Most publicly, employees will be encouraged to wear this year’s theme colors of “midnight,” “mauve,” and “melon,” or colors closely similar, on Thursday, April 10. Community members across the district and beyond are invited to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this endeavor, using the hashtag #NCVRW2025 and tagging @USAO_WDTX on X (formerly known as Twitter), as a symbol of solidarity.
On April 9, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) will host the 2025 NCVRW Candlelight Vigil at 3:30pm (EST) to pay tribute to victims of crime and the many dedicated professionals and volunteers who advocate on their behalf. We hope you’ll save-the-date and join via the livestream at www.ovc.ojp.gov/live or www.justice.gov/live.
NCVRW began in 1981 to honor victims and survivors of crime, raise awareness of victims’ rights and services and recognize the dedication of those who work with crime victims.
For more ideas on supporting crime victims, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov.
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U.S. Attorney Recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Timothy M. O’Shea, is joining with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, in recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 6-12, 2025.
This year’s theme, Kinship, recognizes that shared humanity drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. Kinship is where victim advocacy begins.
This annual observance challenges us to build a world where every connection built through kinship holds the potential to heal. It asks us to ensure that resources are available to all survivors and that we show up for one another with empathy and intention.
National Crime Victims’ Rights week was established in 1981 to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime. The week is an opportunity “to reflect on the importance of making the justice system work for survivors of crime,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “Many people think justice is only a conviction or an arrest, but for survivors, justice means being heard, treated with dignity and respect, and restored to the degree that goal can be achieved through restitution, treatment, and other remedies. My office will continue to strive to honor the voices of crime victims throughout all stages of federal criminal prosecutions.”
U.S. Attorney O’Shea also praised the work of those in law enforcement and in the larger community who support crime victims, “being a crime victim can have lifelong impacts on an individual’s mental and physical health. Providing emotional support and other assistance to crime victims is an invaluable part of providing justice and I applaud those who do this important work.”
More information about Crime Victims’ Rights Week can be found at: https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/national-crime-victims-rights-week/overview.
Two More Sentenced in Federal Pandemic Fraud Unemployment Benefit SchemeRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Two more of the 17 defendants charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, commit program fraud, and commit mail fraud in connection to a scheme involving filing fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits, were sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
Last week, Clinton Michael Altizer and Jeramy Blake Farmer were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day for their roles in the conspiracy.
Previously sentenced as part of the conspiracy were: Christopher Webb, 20 months; Russell Stiltner, 24 months; Jessica Lester, 19 months; Cara Camille Bailey, 19 months; Justin Meadows, 18 months; Terrence Vilacha, 18 months; Joseph Hass, 27 months; Brian Addair, 24 months; and Stephanie Amber Barton and Hayleigh McKenzie Wolfe were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day.
Jonathan Webb, the individual charged with recruiting others to file fraudulent claims, mostly inmates at local jails, was sentenced to 48 months was ordered to pay $150,218 in restitution.
All defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission for the amount of their individual fraudulent claims.
According to court documents, between March 2020 and September 2021, Josef Brown, Jonathan Webb, and Crystal Shaw developed a scheme to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment befits via the Virginia Employment Commission website. The scheme involved the collection of personal identification information (PII) of inmates housed at SWVRJA-Haysi and Abingdon, as well as personal friends and acquaintances of Brown, Webb, and Shaw. The conspirators used that information to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment benefits for incarcerated individuals and others who were ineligible for the benefits.
In all, the defendants stole $341,205 in pandemic relief to which they were not entitled.
As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General were charged with identifying major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. According to the United States Department of Labor, Virginia paid approximately $1.1 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentences.
Agencies that assisted with this investigation included the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority, the FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, and the Virginia Employment Commission.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Three Oklahoma Residents Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Ja’Darious Rajae Scroggins, a/k/a Juice, age 25, of Hugo, Oklahoma, Latrell Lamont Crawford, a/k/a Trell, age 25, of Atoka, Oklahoma, and Kaleigh Leann Ervin, age 22, of Durant, Oklahoma, entered guilty pleas to federal drug crimes relating to drug distribution in Eastern Oklahoma.
Scroggins pleaded guilty to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by up to 465 months in prison. The Superseding Indictment against Scroggins alleged that between October 19, 2023, and July 17, 2024, Scroggins knowingly and intentionally conspired to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and substances containing cocaine, both Schedule II controlled substances. The Superseding Indictment also alleged that during that time, Scroggins acquired, used, and traded firearms to protect and further that drug distribution.
Crawford entered a guilty plea to one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 188 months in prison. The Superseding Indictment against Crawford alleged that on December 18, 2023, Crawford knowingly and intentionally distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Ervin entered a guilty plea to one count of Maintaining Drug Involved Premises, punishable by up to 63 months in prison. The Superseding Indictment alleged that beginning on October 25, 2023, and continuing until January 16, 2024, Ervin knowingly maintained a residence in Durant, Oklahoma, for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine and cocaine.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Hugo Police Department, and the Durant Police Department.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The defendants will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Satter, Jordan W. Howanitz, and Rachel Geizura represented the United States.
Sutter County Man Indicted for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On March 13, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Thomas Michael Davis, 39, of Yuba City, charging him with receipt of child sexual abuse material, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following his arrest.
According to court documents, between May 2023 and January 2024, Davis used the internet to download child pornography. Davis has previously been convicted of having sex with a minor.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Yuba City Police Department, and the Sacramento Valley Hi Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of receipt of child sexual abuse material, Davis faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
- Stockton man pleads guilty to threatening to blow up power plants
Stamford Nurse Admits Stealing and Tampering with Hydromorphone and Fentanyl VialsRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office, and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that KRISTEN CAROTENUTO, 35, of Pelham, New York, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to tampering with vials of hydromorphone and fentanyl at a surgical clinic in Stamford where she was employed as a nurse.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Carotenuto was employed as a nurse at an outpatient surgical center in Stamford. As part of her employment, she was granted access to a secure location used by the surgical center to store controlled substances, including hydromorphone and fentanyl. In December 2024, Carotenuto removed several vials, each containing hydromorphone or fentanyl, from the secure storage area. She then took the vials home, removed the controlled substances using a syringe, and used the drugs. She then refilled the vials with either saline or water and returned the tampered vials to the storage area in a location where they could be distributed for patient use.
Carotenuto pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for June 30.
Carotenuto is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing. She has surrendered her nursing license.
This matter is being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Sex Offender Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Crime and Violating ProbationRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Ampless Ray Lilly, 52, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 12 years and nine months in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography and violating probation.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from on or about February 20, 2023, through on or about April 23, 2024, Lilly knowingly received approximately 2,900 images and 1,100 videos containing child pornography on his mobile phone while accessing the internet from his Huntington residence. Lilly admitted that the child pornography he downloaded included depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and depictions of minor children subjected to sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence. Lilly further admitted that he distributed images and videos containing child pornography through the internet.
Lilly is a registered sex offender as a result of his guilty plea to first-degree sexual assault in Lincoln County Circuit Court on January 22, 1993. During the time period of the current offense, Lilly began serving a five-year term of probation imposed on November 13, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on August 14, 2023. Today’s sentence includes two years and three months in prison for committing a crime while on probation.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 3:25-cr-15 and 3:23-cr-9.
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Rolla, ND, Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that Jace Fox, age 25, from Rolla, ND, appeared in United States District Court on April 4, 2025, and was sentenced by Chief Judge Peter Welte to serve 51 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release. Fox was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee.
As reflected in court documents, in or about February 2022, Jane Doe submitted to a forensic interview during which time she disclosed that Fox sexually abused her when she was 13 years of age. At the time of the conduct, Fox was 20 years of age. During a subsequent investigation, other minors made similar disclosures about having been sexually abused by Fox.
Fox was later interviewed by the FBI in January 2023, during which he initially denied knowing Jane Doe. Eventually, Fox admitted to knowing the victim, but he denied having sexually abused her. Despite his denial, Fox plead guilty to the sexual abuse of Jane Doe on November 19, 2024.
"This was a despicable crime committed against one of the most vulnerable members of our community," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "The FBI and our partners are fully committed to protecting children from abuse and ensuring those who exploit or harm them face justice swiftly."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of North Dakota.
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Rensselaer Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – James Edwards, age 30, of Rensselaer, New York, pled guilty today to unlawfully possessing multiple rounds of ammunition.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.
In pleading guilty, Edwards admitted that on October 8, 2024, inside of his Rensselaer residence, he unlawfully possessed more than 40 rounds of various caliber ammunition. A prior felony conviction prevented Edwards from lawfully possessing the ammunition.
When he is sentenced on August 5, 2025, Edwards faces a maximum term of fifteen years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release up to three years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The FBI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Rensselaer Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss is prosecuting the case, as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Large-Scale COVID-19 Pandemic Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man who organized a large scheme to defraud the federal government out of COVID-19 pandemic loan moneys in 2021 was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison. Alhaji Kundu Aly, age 35, from Chester, Pennsylvania, formerly of Liberia, received the prison term after a June 14, 2024, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
In a plea agreement, and at the sentencing hearing, Aly admitted that, in 2021, he and others recruited and assisted various individuals in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans for which they did not actually qualify, in exchange for a fee. False, fraudulent, and fictitious documents and statements were submitted to various lending institutions in support of the PPP loans for the PPP applicants. After the PPP applicants received the fraudulent PPP loans, it was part of the scheme to demand a portion of the PPP moneys from the PPP applicants and, if necessary, Aly traveled to demand payment in person. Aly traveled to Iowa and demanded payment in person from a PPP applicant. Aly admitted at his sentencing hearing that he was responsible for approximately $3.5 million in loss based on more than 170 fraudulent PPP loans as a result of the scheme to defraud.
Aly was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Aly was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $3,478,781 in restitution the Small Business Administration and two PPP lenders. Aly must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Aly was released on a bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on April 28, 2025, at 10 a.m., in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration assisted the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-9.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Pain Management Clinic Owners and Operators Indicted on Health Care Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The owners and operators of a Warwick pain management clinic have been indicted by a federal grand jury on health care fraud charges for allegedly defrauding government and private health care insurers, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Brandon Nowak, 32, and Jason Simmons, 33, both of Foster, RI, and officers and operators of Alternative Integrative Medicine, LLC, d/b/a Aim Health, are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and fourteen counts of health care fraud.
It is alleged that beginning in October 2020, Nowak and Simmons conspired to and did intentionally and repeatedly submit fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicare Advantage, Medicaid Managed Care, and four private insurers in order to collect payments for certain purportedly “medically necessary” services that were not actually provided to patients.
The indictment also alleges that patients were routinely informed that massage therapy was a service covered by their insurance, when in fact it was not. In order to receive insurance payment for massage therapy provided by a massage therapist, the defendants allegedly billed insurers for covered services such as acupuncture, physical therapy, and evaluation and management office visits, none of which the patients actually received.
Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants submitted claims for services such as infrared therapy, hot and cold therapy, therapeutic activity, and self-care/home management training that were not provided to the patients and for which AIM Health did not employ appropriate providers.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court on April 11, 2025. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
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nowak_and_simmons_indictment.pdfOcala Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Meet A 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Alexander Thomas Daugherty (24, Ocala) to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Daugherty entered a guilty plea on December 20, 2024.
According to court documents, on September 20, 2024, a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) posed undercover as a 13-year-old girl on an online social media platform. Daugherty contacted the undercover agent’s account and, after learning the child’s age, discussed engaging in sexual activity. Daugherty arranged to meet the minor for sex at a predetermined location in Marion County. Daugherty then traveled to the location and was arrested by law enforcement. After his arrest, Daugherty provided a written statement in which he apologized for the “disgusting intentions” he had with “the underage female.”
“This sentencing sends a strong message that any attempts to exploit and harm minors will not be tolerated,” said Homeland Security Investigation Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “HSI, alongside our partners at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, are dedicated to protecting our children and ensuring that those who seek to endanger them face severe consequences for their actions.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
North Texas man who threatened to shoot and kill ICE agents charged in federal courtRead the Press Release
A North Texas man who threatened to shoot and kill ICE agents was arrested and charged in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Robert Wilson King, 35, was charged on April 3, 2025, via criminal complaint with transmitting an interstate threat. King made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée Harris Toliver this morning and was detained pending a detention hearing set for Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
According to the complaint, on March 29, 2025, King allegedly posted a threat on a social media platform, stating, “If I see ICE agents in my neighborhood I’m opening fire. It’s time to stop being p****** and put the second amendment to work. ICE are not real cops, they are a secret police force with no real legal authority. Kill them.”
Later, King allegedly posted on another social media platform that he wanted to “double down” on his threat to shoot and kill ICE agents.
The complaint, filed in case no. 3:25-mj-00324, details other instances of King’s alleged violent rhetoric this year.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. King is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the joint efforts of the law enforcement agencies investigating this case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Secret Service, with the assistance of the Texas Department of Safety, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, and the McKinney Police Department.
Unsealed Complaint - King.pdfAssistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Brasher and Tiffany H. Eggers are prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report potential threats to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
Non-profit entity settles False Claims Act allegations involving Paycheck Protection LoanRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lake Ridge Parks and Recreation Association, Inc. of Woodbridge paid $695,000 to settle False Claims Act allegations that it certified that it was eligible to receive a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible.
The PPP offered loans to eligible small businesses for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP borrowers were required to provide their income and supporting documents to qualify for the loan amount and for later loan forgiveness.
The United States alleged that Lake Ridge is a 501(c)(4) tax exempt entity and that such organizations were not eligible to receive funding through the PPP. The United States also alleged that Lake Ridge applied for a PPP loan and certified on its application that it was eligible to receive a loan under the rules in effect at the time the application was submitted.
The settlement began with a lawsuit, United States ex rel. Wade Riner v Lake Ridge Parks and Recreation Association, Inc., that was filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The whistleblower will receive a 10-percent share of the settlement.
This resolution was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Small Business Administration.
The matter was investigated by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina H. Kim.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 1:24-cv-971.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Nigerian National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Nigerian national has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for orchestrating a fraud scheme which involved the impersonation of property owners and the fraudulent negotiation of vacant lot properties. The sentencing comes after the defendant pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and mail fraud in January.
Between April 2022 and April 2023, Uwa Nosakhare, 26, and others attempted to sell vacant lot properties in Palm Beach County, Fla., without the owners’ authorization. The fraudsters used the property owners’ and other victims’ personal identifiable information (PII), without their knowledge, to create fake driver licenses, notary credentials, bank account statements and several other property sale documents. After the fraudulent property sale was completed, the buyers were provided with wire instructions to transfer the sale proceeds to bank accounts controlled by those involved in the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) and Chief Michele Miuccio of the Boca Raton Police Department announced the sentence.
FBI Miami, HSI Miami, PBSO and the Boca Raton Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chapman prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Stone is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80084.
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New Haven Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Catalytic Converter Theft RingRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MERVIN FIGUEROA, 27, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 14 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses related to his participation in a stolen catalytic converter trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement has been investigating the theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles across Connecticut. A catalytic converter contains precious metals, can easily be removed from its vehicle, and is difficult to trace, making it a desirable target for thieves. The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component.
The investigation revealed that Alexander Kolitsas owned and operated Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”), which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford. Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot purchased stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves, including Figueroa, and then transported and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey. Kolitsas instructed his suppliers on the types of converters that would obtain the most profit upon resale, and he would often meet with them and transact business at his home in Wolcott late at night or behind a family member’s restaurant in Middlebury after hours.
Starting in January 2022, Kolitsas maintained electronic invoices reflecting the purchase of stolen catalytic converters from Figueroa and other suppliers. In several of the invoices, Kolitsas permitted his suppliers to use fictitious names or business names in order to create the appearance of proper recordkeeping while obscuring from his records the true source of the stolen converters. The invoices show that between approximately January 26 and May 31, 2022, Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot paid approximately $3,345,675 to purchase stolen converters from his co-conspirators.
The invoices reflect that Downpipe Depot paid Figueroa $169,840 for catalytic converters, including converters that were stolen in two separate incidents from vehicles at U-Haul Moving and Storage in Naugatuck. In messages between Kolitsas and Figueroa, Kolitsas told Figueroa that he needed to remove anti-theft tags that U-Haul had placed on the converters before Kolitsas would take them. The investigation revealed that Figueroa also stole converters from school buses.
Figueroa was arrested on November 15, 2023. On October 29, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.
Figueroa, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 2.
Kolitsas pleaded guilty to related charges and awaits sentencing.
This investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the East Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. 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.
Mexican National Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry of a Previously Removed Alien and Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cosme Marin-Ponce, age 41, of Mexico, was sentenced to 18 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien and failure to register as a sex offender.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Marin-Ponce had previously been removed from the United States in 2019, after pleading guilty to indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old. Marin-Ponce was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. Marin-Ponce also failed to register as a sex offender, as his previous conviction required.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This matter was investigated by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
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Member of Lummi Nation charged federally with illegal firearms possession and killing protected bald eaglesRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 38-year-old member of the Lummi Nation will appear in federal court this afternoon charged with illegal firearms possession and two violations of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Joel David Ridley was arrested by Lummi Nation Police on February 23, 2025. Police responded to reports of gunshots and encountered Ridley with a dead eagle in his SUV.
According to the criminal complaint, a witness on the Lummi Reservation was walking his dog when he heard a gunshot. As he walked home, the witness heard a second shot and saw a person pick up an eagle from the ground. As the witness was on the phone with police, he saw another eagle fall from a tree on his property. The eagle was badly injured. Police captured the surviving eagle and later transported it to the Humane Society.
Shortly after meeting with the witness, police encountered an SUV in the area that matched the description provided by the reporting party. The vehicle quickly turned into a driveway. A records check revealed the vehicle belonged to Ridley. When police responded to the residence, they observed a dead eagle in the back seat of Ridley’s vehicle. Officers subsequently spoke with Ridley in the driveway and arrested him.
Police obtained a search warrant for Ridley’s vehicle. Inside, officers found a dead eagle and a .22 caliber Savage rifle concealed between the rear seats. Ridely is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2003 conviction for Assault in the First Degree in Whatcom County Superior Court.
Both eagles were taken to the Washington State Humane Society in Bellingham and found to have suffered gunshot wounds. The surviving eagle was too injured to recover and was euthanized. Both eagles were judged to be juvenile bald eagles.
While the Lummi Tribe is permitted to possess, distribute, and transport bald or golden eagles found dead within Indian Country, the permit does not authorize the taking of eagles by gunshot, poison, or trapping.
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint 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 the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee. AUSA Lee serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.
ridley_complaint.pdfMexican National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry into the United States by a Removed Alien and False Representation of a Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury recently returned a three-count indictment charging Edgar Javier Castillo-Rodriguez, age 53, of Mexico, with illegal re-entry into the United States by a removed alien and false representation of a Social Security number. Castillo-Rodriguez appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to court documents, Castillo-Rodriguez, an alien who had previously been removed from the United States on or about October 30, 1996, at or near Brownsville, Texas, and on or about November 6, 2000, at or near El Paso, Texas, was again found in the United States on or about October 29, 2024, without having obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or his successor, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
On October 29, 2024, Castillo-Rodriguez knowingly and falsely represented to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office a Social Security number that had not been assigned to him by the Commissioner of Social Security.
On April 21, 2023, Castillo-Rodriguez knowingly and falsely represented to a potential employer a false Social Security number that had not been assigned to him by the Commissioner of Social Security.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration, Gonzales Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Louisiana Woman Who Provided a Child for Pornographic Photoshoot Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A Louisiana woman pleaded guilty today to receiving child sexual abuse material produced by a photographer she arranged to take the images.
According to court documents, Hannah Kinchen, 40, of Gonzales, coordinated with a photographer, who self-identified as a “pedophile,” to conduct photoshoots for the minor victim’s modeling career. During the photoshoots, Kinchen allowed and assisted the photographer in posing the minor victim wearing scanty attire, including thongs and G-strings. The photographer sent and Kinchen received most of the images through a file-sharing website on the internet. Some of the resulting images qualified as child pornography and some were later sold.
Kinchen pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Head of the Justic Department’s Criminal Division, Matthew R. Galeotti; Acting U.S. Attorney April M. Leon for the Middle District of Louisiana; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI New Orleans Division - Baton Rouge Resident Agency investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen L. Craig for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from CEOS Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to over 16 Years of Federal Imprisonment for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Timothy Edwards, 49, formerly of Memphis, to 197 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute drugs. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to the information presented in court, on April 1, 2021, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) responded to a local UPS Store regarding a suspicious package which was found to contain 6,793.5 grams of marijuana and 1,247 grams of methamphetamine. During the investigation, DEA was alerted to a second package being shipped to the UPS store. This package was intercepted on June 3, 2021. It contained 4.9 pounds of marijuana. Both packages were shipped from California to Memphis, TN. The first package had Edwards listed as the recipient, and the second was sent to a P.O. Box associated with Edwards.
In October 2024, a jury trial was held, and Edwards was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (marijuana and methamphetamine). On April 3, 2025, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Edwards to a total of 197 months of federal imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office (SCSO)-Memphis Division. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
Interim United States Attorney Murphy thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks, who prosecuted this case, as well as the DEA and the SCSO-Memphis Division who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Louisiana Woman Who Provided a Child for Pornographic Photoshoot Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
A Louisiana woman pleaded guilty today to receiving child sexual abuse material produced by a photographer she arranged to take the images.
According to court documents, Hannah Kinchen, 40, of Gonzales, coordinated with a photographer, who self-identified as a “pedophile,” to conduct photoshoots for the minor victim’s modeling career. During the photoshoots, Kinchen allowed and assisted the photographer in posing the minor victim wearing scanty attire, including thongs and G-strings. The photographer sent and Kinchen received most of the images through a file-sharing website on the internet. Some of the resulting images qualified as child pornography and some were later sold.
Kinchen pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Matthew R. Galeotti; Acting U.S. Attorney April M. Leon for the Middle District of Louisiana; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Division made the announcement.
The FBI New Orleans Division - Baton Rouge Resident Agency investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen L. Craig for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from CEOS Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jury convicts Marion County drug dealerRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Following a two-day trial, a jury found a Centralia man guilty of federal charges for distributing cocaine and fentanyl in Marion County.
A federal jury convicted Broderick K. Currie, also known as Broderick K. Wooters, 36, of one count of distribution of a controlled substance: cocaine and one count of distribution of a controlled substance: fentanyl.
“As a career offender, this defendant has sold drugs in southern Illinois and caused irrevocable harm to families for many years,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The lethality of fentanyl cannot be understated, and another dealer off the streets is a win for our region.”
The evidence presented at trial proved Broderick sold nearly 12 grams of cocaine and one gram of fentanyl to a confidential source in February 2024 in Marion County.
“The conviction of the defendant provides an opportunity to remind everyone that the mission of the Springfield Southern Illinois TOC-West Task Force is to relentlessly pursue and destroy drug trafficking organizations operating in the Southern Illinois region,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “If you are distributing controlled substances, especially deadly fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, we will find you and hold you accountable.”
Currie’s distribution charges are punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment per count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 12.
The FBI Springfield Field Office’s Southern Illinois TOC-West Task Force led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Carraway and Dan Kapsak prosecuted the case. The TOC-West Task Force has multiple members, this investigation was supported by Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Carlyle Police Department, Mt. Vernon Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Jefferson Hills Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Alonzo Henry Griffin Jr., 24, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan to a three-count Information charging Griffin with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of crack cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on November 13, 2024, following the execution of a federal search warrant at Griffin’s residence, law enforcement recovered over 1,200 bricks of fentanyl, crack cocaine, two stolen and loaded semi-automatic pistols, and an AR-style semi-automatic rifle. Law enforcement also seized $4,500 in U.S. currency from the residence along with drug trafficking paraphernalia. Griffin was previously convicted on a state drug trafficking offense and for aggravated assault. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for July 28, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10,500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police Drug Law Enforcement Division’s Southwest Strike Force Unit and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Griffin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to 292 Months for Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
The defendant will be deported after serving his sentence.
GRAND RAPIDS – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that Jose Montoya, 62, was sentenced to 292 months in prison for creating videos of child pornography and collecting videos of child pornography that depicted acts of preschool-aged children being raped. Montoya, who is an illegal alien, will be deported to Mexico after he is released from prison. Birge was joined in the announcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Detroit field office acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey.
“We will continue to investigate any allegations of child exploitation that endanger our communities,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “We will not tolerate illegal aliens who not only violate our immigration laws, but even more egregiously, also target children for exploitation. We will hold them fully accountable for all their crimes.”
Montoya’s online collection of child pornography was discovered by Google and reported to authorities. Investigators from the Michigan State Police and ICE Homeland Security Investigations searched his home and his devices and discovered that he also produced child pornography videos of pre-school aged children who were under the care of his wife’s in-home daycare. At sentencing, the mother of a three-year-old child victimized by Montoya expressed disgust at his conduct and anger at the betrayal of trust.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru and investigated by Michigan State Police ICAC taskforce and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Lee Glover, also known as “Chopz,” 43, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 10, 2024, Glover sold approximately 14.6 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $1,000 at a Mount Union Road residence in Huntington. Glover admitted to the transaction, and to arranging it beforehand. Glover further admitted to selling 18.27 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer also known as “tranq,” to the confidential informant at the same residence on June 27, 2024.
Glover is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-152.
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Hugo Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Lana Freeman, a/k/a Lil’ Jerry, age 33, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 224 months in prison for one count of Drug Conspiracy.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Hugo Police Department, and the Durant Police Department.
On September 16, 2024, Freeman pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, from June 16, 2023, until July 17, 2024, Freeman willfully conspired with others to possess and distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
“The community is better off with Jerry Freeman off the streets and his supply of methamphetamine disrupted. Over 18 years in the federal penitentiary should dissuade anyone else considering Jerry’s line of work to reconsider. ATF remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to keep illegal substances out of our communities and investigating those responsible” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims.
“This sentence is a message to all drug traffickers who put methamphetamine on our streets and line their pockets with dirty money,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division. “Our neighborhoods are safer by holding people accountable with sentences like this.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals and criminal organizations distributing illegal narcotics in the Eastern District of Oklahoma,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Methamphetamine continues to plague families and communities, and through the cooperative work of law enforcement our goal is to hold offenders accountable for the misery their actions cause.”
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 hearing. Freeman will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Satter and Rachel Geizura represented the United States.
Guilty Verdict for Man Who Shot Groundskeeper in Dispute over Leaf BlowingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Superior Court jury found Lawrence Murphy, 52, of Washington, D.C., guilty on April 4, 2025, of one count of aggravated assault while armed and related charges, for shooting the victim, an entrepreneur with a groundskeeping business, in March 2020, over a dispute about blowing leaves and debris in his yard, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In addition to the aggravated assault charge, the jury also found Murphy guilty of one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm, one count of possession of an unregistered firearm and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition. Superior Court Judge Jennifer Di Toro scheduled sentencing for June 9, 2025.
According to the evidence presented at trial, at approximately 6:30 p.m., on March 31, 2020, the victim was blowing leaves in the alley of the 1300 block of Queen Street NE, when the defendant, Murphy, became upset, alleging the victim was blowing leaves towards his house. The defendant was standing on his porch and yelled at the victim, threatening to kill him if he did not blow the leaves away. Murphy then shot the victim, causing injuries to his wrist. The victim observed the shooter run inside a house in the 1300 block of Queen Street NE. Camera footages in the area captured the defendant leaving out of the back yard and running down an alley a minute later. An eyewitness heard a “pop” noise, looked out the window and saw the victim in the alley and the defendant on the porch. The eyewitness informed the officers that a Green GMC, which was parked on the road, is associated with the defendant. Officers stayed on scene to see if anyone returned to the area, and at approximately 8:03 p.m., Murphy returned to the scene and attempted to get into the Green GMC. He was wearing the same clothing and matched the description the victim provided to police, and he was arrested at the scene.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shaniqua Butler and Negar Kordestani.
Guatemala Resident Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into U.S.Read the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Guatemala pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Anastacio Hernandez-Us, 46, on April 4, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, on February 7, 2025, immigration officials encountered Hernandez-Us, and determined that the defendant was illegally present in the United States. Hernandez-Us had been previously removed from the U.S. on September 23, 2010, after encountering immigration officials in Louisiana. Hernandez-Us has been in custody since his February arrest, and will remain detained pending his deportation from the United States.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hernandez-Us.
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.
Government contractor resolves False Claims Act allegations related to the Small Business Innovation Research ProgramRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc., located in Fairfax, agreed to settle False Claims Act allegations that a company that it acquired made false statements or caused false statements to be made in proposals for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts awarded by four federal agencies. As part of the settlement, the United States received a payment of $600,000.
SBIR contracts are awarded to small businesses to develop and commercialize new technology. SBIR contracts are reserved for businesses that have fewer than 500 employees, including employees of any affiliated companies.
In July 2022, General Dynamics Mission Systems acquired Progeny Systems, LLC (“Progeny”), a defense contractor located in Manassas. Before its acquisition by General Dynamics Mission Systems, Progeny entered into teaming agreements with Quality Support, Inc. and Minimum Entropy, LLC.
As part of its teaming agreements, Progeny directed and assisted Quality Support and Minimum Entropy with drafting and submitting proposals for SBIR contracts. Progeny also provided Quality Support with personnel, including a principal investigator who performed the research required by an SBIR contract. Similarly, a Progeny employee formed, owned, and operated Minimum Entropy. In return, Quality Support and Minimum Entropy selected Progeny as their sole subcontractor on all of their SBIR proposals, including six SBIR contracts from four federal agencies.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations arising from Progeny’s involvement in the submission of proposals for the SBIR contracts awarded to Quality Support and Minimum Entropy. The United States alleged that Progeny made, or caused to be made, false statements about Progeny’s affiliation with Quality Support and Minimum Entropy in the proposals for the SBIR contracts awarded to Quality Support and Minimum Entropy. The United States further alleged that Progeny made, or caused to be made, false statements about Quality Support’s and Minimum Entropy’s statuses as businesses eligible for SBIR awards.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s Mid-Atlantic Field Office, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service’s Economic Crimes Field Office.
This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Kapoor and Forensic Auditor Peter Melaragni.
The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Georgia man sentenced to over 4 years in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theftRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – An Atlanta, Georgia man who defrauded banks in multiple states was sentenced today to 57 months in prison to be followed by 5 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. The defendant was also ordered to pay $161,401.17 in restitution.
Stanford Wilvin Lightfoot, 33, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that for approximately 5 months in 2023, Stanford Lightfoot was a member of a large fraud ring that had been defrauding banks in Montana, Maine and Missouri. In each location, Lightfoot and other coconspirators would travel to the state from the base of operations in Atlanta, Georgia. Once there, they would recruit local homeless individuals who possessed valid ID cards. They would then take these homeless individuals to local banks and provide them with fraudulent checks from real accounts. These checks all possessed forged signatures of real people and were, therefore, means of identification. The homeless individuals would then attempt to cash the checks and, if successful, would provide the money to Lightfoot and his coconspirators. If the homeless individuals were caught by police, they would be abandoned to take the blame. In Montana, Lightfoot hit multiple banks in Belgrade, Bozeman, and Livingston utilizing local homeless individuals to forge checks in excess of $20,000.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI, Livingston Police Department, Belgrade Police Department, and Bozeman Police Department.
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