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3 April 2025
Atlanta Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Defrauding Former NBA PlayersRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that CALVIN DARDEN, JR., was sentenced to 151 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick for defrauding former National Basketball Association (“NBA”) players Dwight Howard and Chandler Parsons out of $8 million. DARDEN was previously convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and money laundering.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Calvin Darden, Jr., stole millions of dollars from former NBA players and used the money to buy a mansion, a fleet of luxury cars, and expensive artwork. This conviction—his third—and sentence make clear that severe consequences await those who take advantage of others by fraud.”
According to the charging documents and other filings and statements made in court:
In the fraud against Howard, DARDEN, JR. deceived Howard into sending him $7 million, purportedly for the purpose of buying the Atlanta Dream (the “Dream”), a team in the Women’s National Basketball Association. DARDEN, JR. worked with Charles Briscoe, Howard’s agent to perpetrate the fraud. DARDEN, JR. sent a “Vision Plan” to Howard about the purported purchase of the Dream. The Vision Plan falsely claimed that a number of celebrities and companies—including Tyler Perry, Issa Rae, Naomi Osaka, Aflac, and Starbucks—had agreed to be advisors to the Dream or to sponsor the Dream after Howard purchased it. In truth and in fact, those individuals and companies had never agreed to be advisors or corporate sponsors to the Dream and many had never even heard of DARDEN, JR. or any purported plan by DARDEN, JR. to purchase the Dream.
DARDEN, JR.’s father (“Relative-1”) is a prominent businessman. DARDEN, JR. repeatedly impersonated Relative-1 in an attempt to add credibility to his fraud scheme.
DARDEN, JR. directed Howard to send the $7 million to a shell company he controlled, in order to effectuate the purported purchase of the Dream. DARDEN, JR. then laundered the money through a number of different bank accounts he controlled. DARDEN, JR. did not spend any money on the purchase of the Dream. Instead, he spent the money on a $3.7 million mansion, a Rolls-Royce, a Lamborghini, a Porsche, artwork by Jean-Michel Basquiat, and other luxury goods for himself.
Howard learned that he did not in fact own the Dream only when ESPN reported that the Dream had in fact been sold to someone else.
In the fraud against Parsons, DARDEN, JR. deceived Parsons into sending him $1 million, purportedly for the purpose of loaning the money to James Wiseman, a prospect in the 2020 NBA draft. DARDEN, JR. and Briscoe falsely claimed to know Wiseman, and forged a document stating that Wiseman had agreed that Briscoe would be his agent in order to convince Parsons to send the money. In truth and in fact, DARDEN, JR. and Briscoe did not know Wiseman and did not send any of the money to Wiseman. Instead, DARDEN, JR. spent his cut of the fraud proceeds on watches, a Mercedes, and other personal expenses.
DARDEN, JR. was previously convicted of fraud in New York state in 2005. He was also convicted of fraud in the Southern District of New York in 2015. In the 2015 case, DARDEN, JR. committed frauds involving a purported purchase of Maxim magazine and a purported NBA exhibition game in Taiwan. In that prior fraud, DARDEN, JR. also impersonated Relative-1 in an attempt to add credibility to his fraud scheme.
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In addition to the prison term, DARDEN, JR., 50, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. DARDEN, JR. was ordered to forfeit $8,000,000 and a number of other items, including a Lamborghini, a Rolls-Royce, $600,000 of artwork by Jean-Michel Basquiat, and an Atlanta mansion. DARDEN, JR. was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $8,000,000.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead, Brandon C. Thompson, and William C. Kinder are in charge of the prosecution.
Armed Drug Dealer Who Sold Fatal Dose of Cocaine to U.S. Marine Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Rayshaun Ducos, 27, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright to 144 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking. Ducos pled guilty to these charges on December 11, 2024.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Ducos admitted he sold cocaine to a 25-yearold active-duty United States Marine, who later fatally overdosed on it. Ducos also admitted that, just days after the Marine’s death, as law enforcement attempted to execute a federal search warrant at his Waikiki residence, he flushed cocaine down the toilet in an attempt to obstruct the investigation. At the time of his arrest, Ducos possessed two privately made firearms—a loaded 9mm pistol and a 5.56mm caliber AR pistol—also known as “ghost guns.” Ducos admitted he possessed these firearms in connection with his cocaine trafficking. Investigators also recovered a drum magazine capable of holding 100 rounds of ammunition, almost 300 rounds of ammunition, over $30,000 in U.S. currency, and cocaine.
At sentencing, Judge Seabright imposed an upward variance from the advisory Sentencing Guidelines range, finding that a “young individual who died from the cocaine,” Ducos’s possession of two “ghost guns,” and his obstructive conduct were aggravating factors.
“This case demonstrates that drug trafficking is not a victimless crime,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “A young man is dead because of Mr. Ducos’s actions. Selling drugs endangers lives. Doing so while armed makes an already deadly trade even more dangerous and puts the general public at significant risk from the violence that is endemic to the illegal drug trade. We will prosecute armed drug dealers aggressively because there is no place for them in Hawaii.”
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara D. Ayabe and Thomas Muehleck prosecuted the case.
Approximately 13,000 Fentanyl Pills Seized During Undercover Operation, Three Foreign Nationals Detained and ChargedRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging three foreign nationals, living in Utah, with drug crimes after agents allegedly seized approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills during a controlled buy and execution of a search warrant in West Valley City, Utah.
Diego Armando Campos-Fallas, 19, of Costa Rica, Hugo Eduardo Miraba-Franco, 20, of Ecuador, and Jose Enrique Zuniga-Diaz, 19, of, Honduras, were charged by complaint on March 21, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 19, 2025, agents coordinated an undercover operation to purchase 5,000 fentanyl pills during a controlled buy from Campos-Fallas in West Valley City. Upon arrival at the meeting location for the controlled buy, Campos got into the undercover agent’s vehicle with approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills and was subsequently detained. Miraba-Franco, who was seated in the drivers’ seat of Campos’ vehicle was also detained. A search warrant was served at a residence in West Valley City, where Campos, Miraba and Zuniga-Diaz live. At the residence, agents seized an additional 8,000 fentanyl pills, 102.2 grams of marijuana, and 1125.3 grams of THC cartridges. A search warrant was also executed on Campos’ vehicle, a black Hyundai Elantra, and approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills were recovered. The fentanyl provided to the undercover agent during the controlled buy, and the fentanyl seized at the residence, approximately 13,000 in total, were field-tested and tested positive for fentanyl.Campos-Fallas, Miraba-Franco, and Zuniga-Diaz are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Campos Fallas and Miraba-Franco are also charged with distribution of fentanyl. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 3, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Assistant United States Attorney Mark K. Vincent of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
All Charged Money Launderers Tied to Nigerian Sextortion Scheme Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that all five defendants charged with conspiring to launder proceeds for Nigerian sex extortionists have pleaded guilty.
- Dinsimore Guyton Robinson, 29, of Huntsville, Alabama, pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025.
- Kendall Ormond London, 32, of Lithonia, Georgia, pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025.
- Brian Keith Coldmon, Jr., 30, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, pleaded guilty on March 28, 2025.
- Jarell Daivon Williams, 31, of McDonough, Georgia pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025.
- Johnathan Demetrius Green, 32, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025.
According to the Indictment, the conspirators used online payment systems to collect sextortion proceeds and send them to a Nigerian individual they referred to as “The Plug.” According to the Indictment, the sextortionists had boys and young men create nude images. After the sextortionists received those images, they allegedly had the victims send funds to the U.S.-based money launderers through online payment systems like Apple Pay, Cash App, and Zelle. The money launderers would keep about 20 percent of the money, convert the rest to bitcoin, and send the bitcoin to The Plug in Nigeria, who kept a portion and then sent the remainder to the sextortionists.
The indictment alleges that conspirators laundered the funds of sextortion victims, including Jordan DeMay. In November 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan charged three Nigerian nationals in a sextortion scheme that resulted in the death of Jordan DeMay, a 17-year-old high school student from Marquette, Michigan, and targeted more than 100 other victims. Two of the three defendants in that case were extradited to the United States in August 2023 and pled guilty in April 2024 and were later sentenced.
“These individuals helped and profited from this awful, heartbreaking scheme and so they now will face the consequences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Birge. The conspiracy offense is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The court will decide the sentences upon consultation with federal sentencing guidelines and the individual circumstances.
“Today's guilty plea by the defendants serves as a strong reminder to anyone involved in sextortion or money laundering schemes," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Michigan Division. "I want to express my sincere gratitude to the dedicated members of our FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force, as well as teams from the Grand Rapids Resident Agency, Lansing Resident Agency, Marquette Resident Agency, FBI Birmingham (Huntsville Resident Agency), and FBI Atlanta for their tireless efforts. We also deeply appreciate our partners at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan. The FBI remains committed to protecting the American public and will continue to prioritize dismantling criminal networks that exploit our most vulnerable citizens.”
Safety Tips and Resources for Victims, Teens, and Parents
The FBI provides the following tips on how people can protect themselves from sextortion schemes:
- Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
- Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
- Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
- Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and that person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
- Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next.
- Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. Being a victim of sextortion is not your fault. You can get through this challenge, even if it seems scary and overwhelming. There are people who want to help.
If you have information about or believe you are a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at http://tips.fbi.gov. This FBI PSA and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children PSA share survivor stories and resources for individuals to get help. More FBI sextortion resources are available here.
This case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Alien Smuggler Admits Role in Fatal Crash Following High-Speed PursuitRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Sergio Josue Palomera of Chula Vista pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he was transporting two undocumented immigrants who died when he crashed his car while fleeing U.S. Border Patrol at speeds exceeding 110 mph.
Border Patrol agents using remote video surveillance saw Palomera loading the two aliens—a man and a woman—into his car near the U.S.–Mexico border in Otay Mesa on October 22, 2024. An agent responded to the location and saw the car traveling west on State Route 905. The agent activated his lights and sirens to pull the car over.
According to his plea agreement, Palomera initially slowed down and began to move over onto a highway offramp, as if yielding to the Border Patrol agent’s attempt to pull him over. Palomera then quickly accelerated, drove through a red traffic light, and re-entered the highway in an attempt to flee. Palomera was traveling over 110 miles per hour in a 65-mph zone.
Within about one minute, Palomera lost control of the car on State Route 905, and it rolled over. The smuggled woman was ejected from the car and died instantly. The smuggled man suffered a traumatic head injury and died later that evening in the hospital.
Palomera’s sentencing is scheduled for July 2, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Fawcett.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 24cr2466
Sergio Josue Palomera Age: 23 Chula Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Transportation of Certain Aliens Resulting in Death – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (B)(iv)
Maximum penalty: Death or life in prison; $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
United States Border Patrol
16 charged in sweeping Houston-based multimillion-dollar illegal gambling and money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Several Houston-area residents are now in custody on various charges including conspiracy, operating illegal game rooms, bribery and money laundering in one of the largest ever law enforcement operations in the Southern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan at 2 p.m.
In addition to those indicted in the scheme, authorities also arrested 31 illegal aliens on various immigration and firearms charges during the operation April 2. One of those included an illegal alien who allegedly assaulted a law enforcement officer.
The indictment, returned March 26 and unsealed upon the arrests, alleges Nizar Ali, 61, Richmond, and others allegedly conspired to own, operate or assist in the operation of illegal game rooms. All also conspired to conduct financial transactions to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the proceeds of the illegal gambling business, which totaled more than $22 million, according to the charges.
More than 700 law enforcement officers from 18 agencies served a total of 45 search and 40 seizure warrants at locations throughout Houston and the surrounding area. The locations included 30 illegal game rooms with names such as El Portal and Yellow Building.
During the operation, authorities recovered more than $4.5 million in cash as well as $5 million in property and vehicles, 2000 slot machines, 100 Rolex watches and eight firearms. Law enforcement also seized approximately $6.5 million from bank accounts and other financial institutions pursuant to the court-issued warrants.
In addition to Ali, others taken into custody include Naeem Ali, 33, and Amer Khan, 68, both of Richmond; Ishan Dhuka, 33, and Sahil Karovalia, 32, both of Rosenberg; Sarfarez Maredia, 38, and Shoaib Maredia, 40, both of Sugar Land; Yolanda Figueroa, 40, Pasadena; Viviana Alvarado, 45, LaPorte; and Anabel Eloisa Guevarra, 46, Precela Solis, 27, Maria Delarosa, 53, Claudia Calderon, 37, and Lucia Hernandez, 34, all of Houston.
Two others - Sayed Ali, 59, Richmond, and Stephanie Huerta, 35, Houston – are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests.
All are charged with conspiracy, operating an illegal gambling business and interstate travel in aid of racketeering which each carry possible prison terms of five years as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering which has a maximum 20-year possible prison term.
Ali is also charged with 32 counts of federal program bribery for allegedly paying more than $500,000 to an undercover officer in an attempt to protect the illicit game rooms from law enforcement intervention. If convicted, he faces up to 10 more years in prison on each count.
With the exception of the money laundering charge which has the possibility of a $500,000 maximum fine or twice the value of the property involved, the remaining counts carry a maximum $250,000 potential fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) led the investigation along with IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) and the assistance of Houston Police Department (HPD); FBI; High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program; Harris County Constable’s Office – Precinct One; Harris County District Attorney’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Drug Enforcement Administration. Other agencies providing support include ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection, sheriff’s offices in Harris and Montgomery Counties, Houston Fire Department, Texas Attorney General’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and police departments in Baytown and Pasadena.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre, John Marck and Carolyn Ferko are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Fyffe and Tyler Foster are handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
2 April 2025
Westchester Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to over 40 Years in Prison for Receiving, Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography and Transferring Obscene Material to A MinorRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JONATHAN DELAURA, a/k/a “Jon Dulak,” was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas to 485 months in prison for receiving, distributing and possessing child pornography, sending obscene material to a fifteen-year-old boy, and sending that obscene material while being a person required by law to register as a sex offender. DELAURA previously pled guilty on July 1, 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “DeLaura possessed large quantities of child pornography and took advantage of a fifteen-year-old child, all while he was required by law to register as a sex offender. This case underscores the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. As yesterday’s sentencing demonstrates, we will use every tool available to prosecute and punish those who sexually exploit children.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
On or about October 7, 2009, DELAURA was convicted, upon a guilty plea, of Sexual Misconduct: Engage in Oral/Anal Sexual Conduct Without Consent, in Bronx County Court. He was sentenced on December 16, 2009 to a term of 60 days’ in prison and six years’ probation, and he was required to register with the New York State Sex Offender Registry.
In December 2010, following DELAURA’s violation of probation, he was resentenced to a term of one year in prison. He was released from prison in April 2011.
From at least on or about May 5, 2011, through on or about May 10, 2011, DELAURA received and distributed files containing images and videos of child pornography, in Westchester County, using a file-sharing program.
In or about November 2011, DELAURA contacted a 15-year-old boy (the “Victim”) in an Internet chat room claiming to be a 17-year-old girl and using the screen name “sillyrabbit.” After an exchange of messages, DELAURA sent sexually explicit photographs to the Victim. Thereafter, DELAURA met the Victim on two occasions and engaged in sexual activity with him. On February 2, 2012, when DELAURA tried to meet the Victim for a third time to engage in sexual activity, he was arrested by officers of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department (“PCSD”). After DELAURA was arrested, a search warrant was executed at his residence and PCSD officers recovered an iPod, which contained approximately 162 videos containing images of child pornography and approximately 5 still photos of images containing child pornography. The iPod also contained the sexually explicit photographs DELAURA sent to the Victim.
On February 3, 2012, DELAURA was convicted of two counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the 3rd degree in Putnam County Court and sentenced to a term of 32 months to 8 years in prison. DELAURA completed that sentence on January 2, 2020, and has been incarcerated on the federal charges since then.
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In addition to the prison term, DELAURA, 50, was sentenced to ten years of supervised release.
Mr. Podolsky praised the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Yorktown Police Department, the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, and the Edison Police Department in New Jersey in connection with this investigation.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.
Warrensburg Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Warrensburg, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing and possessing child pornography.
William Aloys Wameling, Jr., 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a total sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Wameling to a lifetime term of supervised release following incarceration. Wameling was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $99,000 to the victims of his offenses.
On Aug. 27, 2024, Wameling pleaded guilty to the charges. Wameling has a prior conviction for possession of child pornography.
Wameling will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Dunning. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, and the Johnson Co. Missouri Sheriff’s Office.
Project Safe Childhood
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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Tuscaloosa County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for threatening and cyberstalking his ex-girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge James DeLoatch.
U.S. District Court Judge Annmarie Axon sentenced Kenneth Peter Hoover, 27, to 37 months in prison. In November, Hoover pleaded guilty to interstate threatening communications and cyberstalking.
According to the plea agreement, on January 22, 2024, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an online tip concerning a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, by a user who was later identified as Hoover. In the posts, Hoover threatened to assault and kill his ex-girlfriend. After the Tuscaloosa Police Department was notified of the posts, officers contacted the victim and secured safe housing for her. A few days later, a Tuscaloosa Police officer initiated a traffic stop on Hoover. The officer ordered Hoover to exit the vehicle, but Hoover refused to follow the officer’s orders. After several unsuccessful attempts to remove Hoover from the vehicle, additional officers responded to the scene and successfully placed Hoover into custody. The investigation determined that Hoover had used Apple iMessage, Snapchat, and Venmo to harass and intimidate the victim, sending threatening and violent messages with the intent to injure, harass, or intimidate her.
FBI Birmingham Division investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Thoreau Man Sentenced to Probation for Accidental Shooting During Drunken AltercationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Thoreau man was sentenced to five years of supervised probation for the accidental shooting of his friend during a drunken altercation in 2022.
According to court documents, on August 20, 2022, Gerrick Mariano, 27, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and John Doe were drinking and shooting Mariano’s recently purchased AR-15 at Doe’s home, located on the Navajo Nation. Mariano pointed his new rifle at one of Doe’s pets, which upset Doe, who demanded Mariano leave his home. This angered Mariano, who then pointed his rifle at Doe’s chest, intending to frighten Doe. Doe quickly pushed the barrel away, which resulted in Mariano inadvertently pulling the trigger once. The bullet struck John Doe in his upper-right shoulder.
Post-crime photo of the weapon on Doe’s bed.
Doe required an airlift to a hospital. Mariano initially said the shooting was accidental and alleged Doe had been attempting suicide. Interviewed later, Mariano admitted responsibility and apologized to Doe. Doe continues to experience pain and restricted movement because of the gunshot injury.
Mariano will be subject to five years of supervised probation. During this period, he cannot consume alcohol or drugs, he must maintain gainful employment or enroll in school, and he must not break any additional laws—federal, state, or tribal. Should he do so, Mariano will face the revocation of probation, which could result in a prison sentence. As a convicted felon, Mariano cannot possess any sort of gun.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation, New Mexico State Police, and New Mexico Park Rangers. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Jones is prosecuting the case.
Third Defendant Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Bribe Feeding Our Future JurorRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Abdulkarim Farah, a Minneapolis man, has pleaded guilty to his role in providing a cash bribe to a juror in the Feeding Our Future trial, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
On April 22, 2024, seven defendants went to trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. Two of the defendants on trial were brothers of Abdulkarim Shafii Farah, 25. During the trial, Abdulkarim Farah conspired with his brothers and others to provide a cash bribe to one of the jurors—Juror 52—in exchange for returning a not guilty verdict in the trial.
According to court documents, after his co-defendants identified and decided to target Juror 52, Abdulkarim Farah conducted surveillance of Juror 52 and Juror 52’s house. Abdulkarim Farah sent a map of where Juror 52 parked while serving on the jury. Co-defendant Ladan Ali was recruited to deliver the bribe money to Juror 52, and Abdulkarim Farah was instructed to drive Ali to Juror 52’s house and record a video of Ali delivering the bribe. After meeting Ali in the vicinity of Juror 52’s house, Abdulkarim Farah drove to a Target store to purchase a screwdriver. Abdulkarim Farah used the screwdriver to remove the license plate from Ali’s rental car in order to avoid detection by law enforcement.
On June 2, 2024, at approximately 8:50 p.m., Abdulkarim Farah drove Ali to Juror 52’s house and recorded her delivering a gift bag containing the bribe money. As Ali handed the money to a relative of Juror 52, she explained that there would be more money if Juror 52 voted to acquit the defendants. After the bribe money was delivered, Abdulkarim Farah sent the video he had taken to his brother, Abdiaziz Farah. After the bribe had been disclosed in court, on June 3, 2024, Abdulkarim Farah uninstalled and deleted the Signal encrypted messaging app from his iPhone in order to destroy the messages he and his co-defendants exchange concerning the bribery attempt.
Abdulkarim Farah pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge David S. Doty to one count of bribery of a juror. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later time.
“The attempted bribery of Juror 52 is a shameful chapter in Minnesota history,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Juror bribery strikes at the heart of the criminal justice system. It is unacceptable—in Minnesota and in the United States—and can never be repeated. In contrast to the reprehensible behavior of the defendants, I am grateful for Juror 52, who is the true hero of this story. Juror 52—who could not be corrupted and immediately alerted law enforcement—represents the best of Minnesota.”
“Attempting to corrupt the judicial process through bribery strikes at the very foundation of our justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate efforts to undermine the rule of law and the fair administration of justice.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew Ebert, Harry Jacobs, and Daniel Bobier are prosecuting the case.
Texas Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jackie Marie Peters, 53, of Mansfield, Texas, was sentenced on March 31, 2025, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Peters previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud.
From approximately January 2020 through April 2022, Peters’s co-conspirators hacked into an Arizona tax-preparer firm’s computer network and modified in-progress tax documents for more than 40 individuals without their knowledge or the knowledge of the firm. Peters then opened 10 bank accounts at different banks, and numerous tax refunds based upon the modified tax documents were deposited into those accounts. Peters ultimately transferred more than $2.5 million from the accounts that received fraudulent tax refunds to purchase cryptocurrency.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00948-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-047_Peters# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Taunton Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution, Access Device Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to participating in drug distribution and a drug conspiracy involving wholesale quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. He also pleaded guilty to using an unknowing individual’s identity and an unauthorized access device to fraudulently rent locations he used for the purposes of drug trafficking.
Terrence Pyrtle, a/k/a “Big T,” a/k/a “T,” a/k/a “big_t558,” 42, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of fentanyl and 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue; one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft; one count of access device fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2025. Pyrtle was charged in April 2023, along with co-conspirator Ashley Roostaie.
Pyrtle and Roostaie utilized the personal identification information (including name, date of birth and Social Security number) of an unknowing individual to fraudulently enter into lease agreements for two apartments in Braintree and Somerville, which Pyrtle then used to participate in a drug conspiracy involving distribution quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. The drug conspiracy in which Pyrtle participated also extended to other locations across the state.
Pyrtle and Roostaie also created an email account and obtained a counterfeit driver’s license using the individual’s identification information. Pyrtle and Roostaie also used the individual’s identification information to obtain a Green Dot debit card account, which they used to make payments associated with the apartments. By placing the apartment leases under another individual’s personal identification information, Roostaie and Pyrtle were able to conceal their connection to and use of the apartments which were used by Pyrtle in furtherance of his drug distribution and drug conspiracy.
In February 2025, Roostaie pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2025.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue, and methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of cocaine, 400 grams and more of fentanyl, 100 grams and more of fentanyl analogue, and methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of access device fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year prison term consecutive to any term of imprisonment received on a predicate, substantive count, up to a one-year term 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 Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Brockton, East Bridgewater and Bridgewater Police Departments and Plymouth County, Suffolk County and Bristol County Sheriff’s Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell David and Cutshall of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Sullivan Man Indicted for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine PossessionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Sullivan, Mo., man who was arrested in southwest Missouri with 16.8 pounds of methamphetamine and 4.7 pounds of fentanyl has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Tyler Kittrell, 38, was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against Kittrell on Feb. 24, 2025.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Kittrell was stopped on Interstate 44 by Joplin, Mo., police officers on Feb. 14, 2025. When officers searched his vehicle, they found $13,120 in cash and multiple packages containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. Officers seized approximately 7,658 grams of methamphetamine and 2,142 grams of fentanyl from inside the vehicle.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah R. Lucas. It was investigated by the Joplin, Mo., Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Straw purchaser sentenced for supplying firearms smuggled across the borderRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to prison for her role in firearms trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jazmin Gutierrez and her co-defendant, Isai Alpides-Navarrete, each pleaded guilty July 25, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Gutierrez to serve 121 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the number of firearms the pair purchased and their frequent trips around the state to collect them before transferring them to another individual who would smuggle them across the border. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ramos commented that this wasn’t an isolated incident, but multiple trips and that the firearms were going to individuals who commit serious crimes.
Judge Ramos previously sentenced Alpides-Navarrete, a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in the United States, to a total of 121 months for straw purchasing firearms and being an alien in possession of ammunition.
As part of an investigation involving the unlawful purchase, transfer and exportation of firearms, authorities arrested Gutierrez March 21, 2024. At that time, they found her in possession of five handguns, a 7.62x39mm assault rifle, high-capacity magazines and ammunition.
Law enforcement also conducted a search warrant at a residence in McAllen and took Alpides-Navarrete into custody. Inside the residence, they seized approximately 275 rounds of ammunition and high capacity magazines as well as 21 empty pistol boxes.
At the time of her arrest, Gutierrez admitted to finding firearms online from private sellers and purchasing over 50 of them which other individuals later smuggled into Mexico.
Gutierrez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation are conducting the 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
Statement from United States Attorney Leah B. Foley Regarding Massachusetts Executive Office of the Trial Court v. Agent Brian SullivanRead the Press Release
“This afternoon the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Boston to vacate the April 1, 2025 order of contempt entered against an ICE Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer by the Boston Municipal Court. Our motion is clear: the state court lacked authority to issue the unlawful and erroneous order. The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution immunizes federal officers from state prosecution—including contempt proceedings—for actions taken in the course of their official duties.”
St. Johns County Man Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United Staes Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Daniel Tharp has pleaded guilty to the willful failure to pay taxes. Tharp faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court records, Tharp was the managing director for Hangar X Holdings, LLC, where he had the corporate responsibility to collect and account for the company’s trust fund taxes, which included income taxes, Medicare taxes, and Social Security taxes withheld from the company’s employees’ pay. From October 2014 through December 2019, the company paid wages to employees and withheld these trust fund taxes. Tharp, however, knowingly and intentionally failed to pay this money to the IRS. In total, Tharp caused the company to fail to pay over $1.2 million in such taxes.
This case was investigated by IRS—Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Two Years and Six Months in Federal Prison for Fourth Conviction for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on March 31, 2025.
Blaine Kills Back, age 48, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Kills Back was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 22, 2025.
Kills Back is required to register as a sex offender based on two convictions for sexual assault offenses. His first conviction as an adult was for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in February 2000. He was thereafter convicted of Sexual Contact without Consent in the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court, Pennington County, South Dakota, in February 2005, after he groped a woman without her consent at the federal halfway house facility while on supervised release for his prior sex offense conviction. Kills Back was convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender on three prior occasions, in 2015, 2018, and 2023. In July 2024, Kills Back was released from prison and began supervised release in Rapid City. Kills Back reported to the Rapid City Police Department’s Sex Offender Registry Office to register an address, but it was within a prohibited community safety zone in Box Elder, South Dakota. Kills Back never attempted to register a valid address thereafter, despite knowing he was required to do so. His whereabouts were unknown for more than a month.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox handled the prosecution.
Kills Back was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
President Donald J. Trump Intends to Nominate Individuals to Key Posts at the Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
Today the Department of Justice is proud to announce President Trump’s intent to nominate Stanley Woodward to serve as Associate Attorney General, and Elliot Gaiser to serve as Assistant Attorney General for The Office of Legal Counsel.
Stanley Woodward (The Office of the Associate Attorney General)
Most recently, Stanley served as Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor to the President. Stanley is a high-profile litigator and co-founder of Brand Woodward Law, LP, where he represented numerous prestigious clients in complex, high-stakes litigation, including multiple federal jury trials. Previously, he worked at a multinational law firm where his experience included the representation of multiple international corporations in defense of alleged violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as well as serving as coordinating counsel to companies involved in nationwide federal litigation.
In 2018, he was awarded the D.C. Bar’s Laura N. Rinaldi Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year award for his efforts leading the firm’s Housing Law practice, providing legal counsel to tenants across the District of Columbia facing eviction. Stanley has served as an adjunct professor with the Catholic University Columbus School of Law and has also taught trial advocacy in Namibia with Lawyers Without Borders. He clerked for judges on the D.C. Court of Appeals and the D.C. Superior Court and earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science from American University, as well as his Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.
Elliot Gaiser (The Office of Legal Counsel)
Elliot presently serves as the Solicitor General of Ohio. Prior to his appointment as Solicitor General by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Elliot was an associate at Jones Day in Columbus, Ohio. He previously worked as an associate at Boyden Gray in Washington, D.C.
Elliot clerked for Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States; Judge Neomi Rao of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit; and Judge Edith H. Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and Hillsdale College.
Pharr resident charged with production of child sexual abuse material after attempting to exit U.S. into Mexico with minorRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas - A 26-year-old Pharr resident has been charged with producing child pornography involving a 16-year-old minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Carlo Ivan Hurtado is expected to appear for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 11:15 a.m.
The criminal complaint, filed March 28, alleges Hurtado arrived at the Hidalgo Port of Entry with a 16-year-old female passenger attempting to exit the United States. She had allegedly left home without her parent’s permission.
Upon questioning, the minor reported she and Hurtado had stayed in a hotel room the night before in McAllen, according to the charges. She allegedly claimed she and Hurtado had sexual intercourse and recorded it using the minor female’s Snapchat account.
The complaint alleges law enforcement conducted a search of her phone and discovered sexually explicit images and videos of her and Hurtado.
If convicted, Hurtado faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible fine of up to $250,000.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Pawtucket Man Admits to Defrauding Federally Funded Benefit Programs Using Stolen Identities, Altering and Cashing Stolen U.S. Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man with a lengthy record of arrests and convictions for financial fraud admitted to a federal judge on Tuesday that he defrauded the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the U.S. Treasury out of more than $100,000 combined, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Reynaldo Martinez, 32, admitted that he obtained at least 40 SNAP EBT cards through the use of stolen identities and stolen or fraudulent Social Security numbers. Court documents reflect that Martinez appeared in person at multiple Rhode Island Department of Human Services offices and filed applications for SNAP benefits. He did this by presenting fraudulent drivers’ licenses in various names but depicting his own photograph, and using Social Security numbers assigned to others, including that of a deceased individual, living adult citizens, and at least one juvenile.
Martinez admitted to fraudulently securing at least $33,192.36 in SNAP benefits.
In a second fraud scheme, Martinez admitted to cashing altered United States Treasury checks made payable to himself. Martinez and co-conspirators obtained checks made payable to others, then altered the checks to reflect counterfeit or fraudulent driver’s licenses they presented when cashing or depositing the checks.
The total amount of fraudulent U.S. Treasury checks cashed or deposited was approximately $79,532.32.
Martinez pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy and one count each of misuse of a Social Security number and aggravated identity theft. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Court records illustrate that Martinez was previously arrested and convicted on multiple occasions in multiple states on fraud related and other criminal charges dating back to 2012.
For example, in November 2017, Martinez pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to four counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of access fraud, and one count each of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, attempted access fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen goods. He was sentenced to 48 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter I Roklan.
The matters were investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, United States Marshals Service, Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit - Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit, Rhode Island Department of Human Services, Rhode Island State Police, Pawtucket Police Department, Warwick Police Department, West Warwick Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, Foxborough, MA, Police Department, and Walmart Global Investigations.
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Palmer man sentenced for operating an unregistered aircraft without a licenseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Palmer man was sentenced today to three years’ probation and is required to pay a $10,000 fine for operating an aircraft without a license and operating an unregistered aircraft.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, for roughly 30 years, William Marsan, 57, held an Airman Certificate as an Airline Transport Pilot issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He operated an aviation business out of Palmer, Alaska, transporting services, goods and people across Alaska on his Piper Cherokee aircraft.
In June 2023, the FAA received a report that Marsan, as the pilot in command of the Piper Cherokee aircraft, failed to radio his intention to take off from Warren “Bud” Woods Palmer Municipal Airport and operated the aircraft against the flow of landing traffic, resulting in a near mid-air collision with another aircraft attempting to land.
Law enforcement investigated the June 2023 incident and discovered that Marsan was operating an aircraft without a valid license or valid registration. The investigation revealed that in June 2022, Marsan sent a letter to the FAA revoking the registration of his aircraft. Investigators also discovered that Marsan allowed his medical certificate to lapse in 2020 and 2021, which was required to keep his pilot’s license.
When FAA inspectors contacted him in July 2023 as part of the investigation, Marsan refused to provide his airman certificate, aircraft registration and airworthiness certificates, all of which are requirements through the FAA, and claimed he was not required to have any of those documents. As a result of the investigation, the FAA issued an Emergency Order of Revocation of Marsan’s pilot’s license in January 2024, which required the immediate surrender of his pilot’s license or the filing of an appeal of the decision within 10 days. Marsan failed to file an appeal or surrender his license but continued to fly his aircraft until his initial arrest in July 2024.
Marsan was released pending trial. He failed to appear for multiple court hearings prior to his trial and he was rearrested in September 2024. On Dec. 4, 2024, Marsan was convicted of one count of operating an aircraft without a license and one count of operating an unregistered aircraft.
“Alaska’s aviation industry is a vital part of our infrastructure, safely connecting people and goods across the state. Mr. Marsan’s actions—operating an unregistered aircraft without a license and nearly causing a mid-air collision—put lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “To prevent further violations and protect communities, Mr. Marsan will serve a significant term of probation under the relevant statutes and pay a fine for the money he made at the risk of others.”
"Marsan's flagrant disregard for aviation regulations put countless lives at risk and undermined the integrity of Alaska's airspace," said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. "Such reckless, criminal behavior will not be tolerated by the FBI and aviation authorities."
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and FAA, Alaska Region investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley and Mac Caille Petursson prosecuted the case.
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Owner of Boston Area Pizzerias Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Defrauding U.S. Small Business AdministrationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of Stash’s Pizza was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for submitting false information to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to obtain a loan on behalf of a business he no longer owned.
Stavros Papantoniadis, a/k/a “Steve Papantoniadis,” 50, of Westwood, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley to two years in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Papantoniadis was also ordered to pay $534,462.01 in restitution. In February 2025, Papantoniadis pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information charging one count of false statements.
Papantoniadis is the owner and operator of Stash’s Pizza, a chain of pizzerias in greater Boston. In April 2021, Papantoniadis sold one of his pizzerias located in Randolph, Mass., and the Secretary of State subsequently cancelled the limited liability company through which Papantoniadis owned the Randolph pizzeria.
Between November 2021 and January 2022, Papantoniadis applied for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the SBA. These loans were designed to provide relief for existing small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his submissions to the SBA, Papantoniadis falsely stated that he still owned and operated the pizzeria in Randolph, even claiming that he then had 18 employees at the location. However, in reality, Papantoniadis had sold the business several months before he applied for the loan. Based on Papantoniadis’ false representations, the SBA approved the loan and sent Papantoniadis $499,900.
In June 2024, Papantoniadis was convicted by a federal jury of three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor. Based on evidence introduced at trial, Papantoniadis forced or attempted to force five men and one woman to work for him through violent physical abuse, threats of abuse and repeated threats to report victims to immigration authorities for deportation if they did not continue working for him. In October 2024, Papantoniadis was sentenced to 102 months in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a $35,000 fine. Six months of the sentence imposed today will run consecutive the 102-month sentence the court imposed in June 2024.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran, Chief of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Brian A. Fogerty of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit prosecuted the case.On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Own Every Dollar Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for 2019 MurderRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JERRIN PENA, a/k/a “Rooga,” a/k/a “Perry,” was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison for his participation in several acts of violence as a member of the Own Every Dollar (“OED”) gang, including the April 14, 2019, murder of Hector Cruz. PENA previously pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon, Hobbs Act robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of Hobbs Act robbery, narcotics conspiracy, and firearms trafficking. U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken imposed yesterday's sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Jerrin Pena, a leader of the violent OED gang, murdered an innocent bystander, Hector Cruz, while trying to shoot at a rival gang member on April 14, 2019. Then, when in federal custody on these charges, Pena stabbed another inmate in an attempt to kill him. Yesterday’s lengthy prison sentence hopefully brings some measure of comfort to the family of Hector Cruz, and reinforces this Office’s commitment to ending gang violence throughout New York City.”
As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
PENA was a leader of the violent OED gang, a subset of the Trinitarios gang based in and around the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. The indictments in this case charge 24 members and associates of OED with numerous violent crimes, including five murders and 15 attempted murders.
On April 14, 2019, in the early evening, PENA and others drove to West 135th Street in Manhattan to shoot at members of a rival gang. PENA exited the car and shot at a rival gang member on West 135th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. He missed the rival gang member, but struck bystander Hector Cruz—then age 57—in the liver. Cruz died of the gunshot wound approximately one month later.
PENA also committed an attempted murder on February 28, 2023, when he and several other inmates stabbed another inmate in the Metropolitan Detention Center; committed a gunpoint robbery of a drug dealer on January 22, 2022, in the vicinity of Riverside Drive and West 145th Street in Manhattan; conspired to traffic more than four kilograms of fentanyl; and trafficked firearms from Pennsylvania to New York.
16 other defendants have previously pled guilty in the case.
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In addition to his prison term, PENA, 23, of New York, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, Kevin Mead, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexandra Messiter are in charge of the prosecution.
Operation Not Forgotten Will Surge 60 FBI Personnel to 10 FBI Field Offices to Support Investigations of Indian Country Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced that it will surge FBI assets across the country to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons.
FBI will send 60 personnel, rotating in 90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period. This operation is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oreg.; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. The FBI will work in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions.
FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and they will use the latest forensic evidence processing tools to solve cases and hold perpetrators accountable. U.S. Attorney’s Offices will aggressively prosecute case referrals.
“Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability
that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Teal Luthy Miller added that “investigating and prosecuting crimes in Indian Country in collaboration with our tribal partners is critical to our shared mission of addressing public safety in our communities. We welcome the opportunity for continued collaboration as we seek justice on behalf of victims of violent crime.”
Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.
Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.
Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in
U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Hanna J. Williams, 44, of Omaha, was sentenced April 2, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distributing methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Williams to 200 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Williams’s release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On November 15, 2023, a Drug Enforcement Administration confidential source (CS) made a controlled purchase of 1 pound of methamphetamine. The CS first met with Hanna Faust aka “Williams” at a buy location in mid-town Omaha. Faust then made a call to her supplier, Daniellea M. Fedail, while the CS got in her car and waited for Fedail supplier to arrive.
Fedail arrived a short time later and delivered 1 pound of methamphetamine with 99% lab confirmed purity to Williams who then gave the meth to the CS in exchange for money.
Fedail previously pled guilty to distributing meth and was sentenced by Judge Buescher on December 19, 2024, to 120 months’ imprisonment. She will also serve a 5-year term of supervised release following her release from prison.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Newington Man Admits Trafficking Narcotic Pills, Violating Supervised Release from Prior ConvictionRead the Press Release
Marc. H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KYLE PETERSEN, 39, of Newington, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a narcotics trafficking offense and admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2023, members of the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad began investigating suspicious packages that were being delivered to Petersen’s Newington residence. At the time, Petersen was on federal supervised release following a federal conviction in 2017 involving the trafficking of fentanyl and prescription pills. During the investigation, a court-authorized search of a package mailed to Petersen contained more than 400 grams of pills containing Protonitazene, a synthetic opioid typically more potent than fentanyl. The investigation revealed that Petersen had received approximately 34 similar packages mailed from the same source in Michigan, and also received approximately 46 packages from California and Oregon suspected to contain multiple pounds of marijuana. Investigators also made controlled purchases of counterfeit Percocet pills containing fentanyl from Petersen’s brother, Erik Peterson.
Kyle and Erik Petersen were arrested on federal criminal complaints on April 3, 2024. On that date, a search of Kyle Petersen’s residence revealed more than a kilogram of counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, counterfeit Xanax pills, a large quantity of Protonitazene, approximately 40 grams of cocaine, and $76,650 in cash. Kyle Petersen has been detained since his arrest.
Kyle Petersen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and Protonitazine. He also admitted he violated the conditions of his supervised release and agreed to the forfeiture of the cash seized from his residence, an additional $57,530 in cash seized from a bank account, and a 2014 Porsche Cayenne.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for July 3, at which time Kyle Peterson faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Erik Petersen, of New Britain, pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the New Britain and Newington Police Departments. The Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hamden, West Haven, Fairfield, Seymour, and Glastonbury Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
New York Men Sentenced for Violent Attempted Theft of Drugs from Rangeley HomeRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: Two New York man were sentenced today for conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery in connection with a violent home invasion in Rangeley in 2016.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Andre Muller, 54, to 200 months in prison, and Robert Holland, 45, to 188 months in prison. Both men were also sentenced to three years of supervised release following their terms of imprisonment. Muller and Holland were found guilty on November 23, 2023, after a three-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court in Bangor.
According to evidence presented during the trial, in July 2016, Muller, Holland and four coconspirators developed a plan to steal controlled substances from a Rangeley residence. On July 26, 2016, Muller traveled from New York City with Hector Munoz, 57, of Florida and one other coconspirator, meeting up with Holland and a fifth man at a location just outside Rangeley. On July 28, 2016, two of the coconspirators, including Munoz, entered the Rangeley residence armed with knives with the intent to take the controlled substances. During the commission of the robbery, the robbery’s intended target shot and killed the second coconspirator. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is not identifying that conspirator because they were not charged.
Muller and Holland were initially convicted following a five-day jury trial that concluded August 10, 2022. Judge Torresen granted a motion for a new trial, however, based on evidence of juror prejudgment, and the second trial was held in November 2023.
Hector Munoz pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery on January 15, 2020, and was sentenced to time served on January 12, 2024.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Maine State Police; the Rangeley Police Department; the U.S. Border Patrol; and the Carrabassett Valley Police Department investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Maine Office of the Attorney General.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – QUINDELLE ADDISON (“ADDISON”), age 48, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 26, 2025, by United States District Judge Ivan L. R. Lemelle, for violations of the Federal Gun Control Act and the Federal Controlled Substances Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to court records, on August 29, 2023, ADDISON, and four others, conspired to distribute, methamphetamine to an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agent and another individual, at a Westbank, New Orleans apartment. The plan came to fruition when ADDISON sold the undercover ATF agent approximately seven grams of pure methamphetamine.
After this methamphetamine sale was completed, a co-defendant arranged for the undercover ATF agent and the other individual to return to the apartment the following day to purchase more drugs. When the undercover ATF agent and the other individual arrived at the apartment the next day, they were robbed at gunpoint. Other agents monitoring the deal soon responded. The robbers heard the law enforcement response, stopped the robbery, and everyone in the apartment tried to flee. The undercover ATF agent and the other individual went onto the third-floor apartment balcony and began climbing down to escape. During their climb, the agent fell and sustained severe injuries.
As a result of this criminal conduct, ADDISON and five co-defendants were indicted on eleven-counts related to the drug trafficking and armed robbery, and subsequently pled guilty. ADDISON pled guilty to the methamphetamine conspiracy, the distribution of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and maintaining a drug involved premises. He was the last defendant to be sentenced.
Judge Lemelle sentenced ADDISON to 118 months imprisonment, a 4-year term of supervised release and a mandatory special assessment fee of $500.
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 track 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 investigation giving rise to the case was conducted primarily by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Louisiana State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department and Crimestoppers GNO. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator, and Nolan Paige, Chief of the Narcotics Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JULIUS AUGILLARD (“AUGILLARD”), age 39, of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 27, 2025, to seventy (70) months imprisonment, followed by three (3) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, as to each count, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, on February 20, 2023, AUGILLARD possessed a firearm on the 500 block of Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras festivities. After leading Louisiana State Troopers on a short pursuit from which AUGILLARD attempted to flee on foot, officers found a Smith and Wesson Model SD40VE, .40 caliber pistol on his person. Later, on December 31, 2023, AUGILLARD possessed an International Model PT609 PRO, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol near the 200 block of Tremé Street, as he was trespassing at an apartment complex. AUGILLARD was apprehended by officers from the Housing Authority of New Orleans.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is 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.
New Kensington Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 72 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Keith Hurst, 48.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around August 2022 to in and around March 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Hurst conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Hurst was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of cocaine that he distributed to others.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hurst. Additional agencies participating in the investigation included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
National Sales Director for New York-Based Mobile Diagnostic Company Pleads Guilty to Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York-based national sales director pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to conspiring to offer and pay kickbacks to doctors in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans.
David Fuhrmann, 60, of Port Jefferson, N.Y. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2025.
From at least June 2013 through at least September 2020, Fuhrmann conspired with others, including two managers for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to enter into kickback agreements with various doctors. Fuhrmann and his co-conspirators agreed to offer and pay doctors kickbacks based on the number of TCD ultrasounds the doctors ordered. Some doctors were paid in cash and others by check. Fuhrmann and his co-conspirators created rental and administrative service agreements. On paper, these agreements made it appear as if doctors were compensated for the TCD company’s use of space and administrative resources based on fair market value and not based on the volume or value of referrals. These agreements were shams that hid the true nature of the arrangement of paying per test.
According to the charging documents, the scheme resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $70.6 million to Medicare.
The charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five 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; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
Nashville Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm After Allegedly Pointing a Stolen Rifle at PoliceRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Isaiah Taivon Newsom a/k/a Isaiah Taivon Porterfield, 25, of Nashville, has been charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Dangerous felons who possess firearms and put police officers at risk will face swift justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “We will not tolerate potential violence against first responders and will seek full accountability for those putting our first responders in danger.”
According to court documents, on March 25, 2025, detectives with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department were conducting covert surveillance near an address on Nashboro Boulevard. Detectives were parked in their unmarked police vehicles in several different areas of the apartment complex. One detective observed three people walk out of the breezeway near unit B, with one, later identified as Newsom, carrying what appeared to be a rifle.
As they walked through the apartment complex, Newsom walked about fifteen feet away from another detective’s unmarked vehicle, stood near a tree, raised the rifle to his shoulder and pointed it at the detective, who was still in his vehicle. As the detective relayed Newsom’s actions to the other detectives in the area and they discussed a plan of action over the radio, Newsom walked past the front of the detective’s vehicle towards the passenger side and again pointed the rifle at the detective.
As other detectives arrived in the area, Newsom moved towards the front of the detective’s vehicle and pointed the rifle directly at the detective. Although he was in an unmarked car, the detective was wearing a tactical vest with patches indicating he was a law enforcement officer, and he was equipped with a body worn camera. The detective activated his blue lights and a short burst of the siren, as he exited the vehicle and announced himself as a police officer. Newsom and the other two people then ran from the area. Detectives pursued Newsom on foot as he ran across a field and entered the wood line. Detectives set up a perimeter and, with the assistance of a K9 unit and the Metro Nashville Police Department aviation unit, took Newsom into custody.
Detectives searched Newsom’s flight path and located a Windham Weaponry, WW-15, .223/5.56 caliber rifle which was later found to have been reported stolen from a Williamson County Sheriff’s Office marked patrol vehicle. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Newsom admitted to detectives that he had possessed the rifle.
Newsom had previously been convicted of two counts of aggravated robbery and two counts of felony theft in Shelby County, Tennessee. Newsom served more than seven years in the Tennessee Department of Correction for his felony convictions.
If convicted, Newsom faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel M. Stephens is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Montville Man Who Made and Sold Firearms without a License Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICHOLAS DeFELICE, 33, of Montville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for operating an illegal firearm manufacturing business.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that beginning in approximately 2013, DeFelice manufactured and sold more than 200 firearms without a license to do so. DeFelice, through a business he called “DeFelice Defense,” sold his firearms to individual customers and to licensed firearms dealers, and also placed them on consignment at various commercial firearm dealers throughout Connecticut. As part of an undercover investigation, ATF agents purchased a firearm from DeFelice that he manufactured at their request.
On February 17, 2022, a search of DeFelice’s residence revealed two short barrel rifles, 67 other firearms, a silencer with no serial number, more than 28 high-capacity magazines, and other firearm parts.
DeFelice was arrested on July 12, 2023. On October 7, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered National Firearms Act firearms.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
Minnesota Man Sentenced for Advertising and Distributing Images of Child Sexual Abuse over the Dark WebRead the Press Release
A Minnesota man was sentenced yesterday to 21 years and 10 months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) found in his apartment and for using the dark web to advertise and distribute CSAM images and videos.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Craig James Myran, 47, of Bemidji, was an active participant on a website only accessible through the dark web that was dedicated to discussing and trafficking CSAM. For years, he used an account with a unique username to make over a thousand posts in which he shared images of CSAM. In at least one post, Myran requested specific files of known CSAM from other users that he disturbingly referred to as his “holy grail.” In another post, he advertised over 100 images depicting the sadomasochistic sexual abuse of two prepubescent minors. On Dec. 8, 2022, FBI special agents executed a search warrant on Myran’s apartment in Bemidji, where they found a cell phone and numerous hard drives that contained evidence that he used the dark web to advertise, publish, and solicit CSAM. Agents also found thousands of other CSAM images.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Myran’s sexual exploitation of minors was not limited to his activity on just one particular dark-web site. He was simultaneously an active participant on multiple other dark-web sites dedicated to trafficking in CSAM, and he previously made posts on the dark web about producing his own CSAM by screen-recording minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct during online webcam interactions. On Nov. 20, 2024, a federal jury convicted Myran on two counts of advertising child pornography, one count of distributing child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick for the District of Minnesota; and Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Minneapolis Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Green for the District of Minnesota prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty in “Cryptojacking” SchemeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Joshua Paul Armbrust, currently of St. Paul, Minnesota, pleaded guilty for his role in an illegal “cryptojacking” scheme that caused significant financial losses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, in February 2020, Joshua Paul Armbrust, 44, formerly of Orr, Minnesota, resigned from his employment at Digital River, a Minnetonka-based global e-commerce and payment processing company. After leaving his job, between December 2020 and May 2021, Armbrust engaged in a cryptojacking scheme using accounts belonging to his former employer. Cryptojacking is a form of cybercrime where an unauthorized party uses someone else's computing resources to mine cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, by leveraging the victim's hardware, which can lead to reduced system performance, increased energy consumption, and higher operating costs.
As part of the scheme, Armbrust remotely accessed the company’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) account on multiple occasions without authorization and utilized AWS computers to mine Ethereum cryptocurrency. This unauthorized access resulted in substantial costs for the company, totaling over $45,000. The mined Ethereum was directed into a digital wallet and subsequently transferred to Armbrust’s Coinbase accounts. Armbrust then liquidated the mined Ethereum, totaling over $7,000, and transferred the proceeds to his Wells Fargo banking account.
“Cryptojacking is simply high-tech thievery,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Cybercriminals like Armbrust—who use their technical skills to victimize others—will continue to see federal justice.”
Armbrust pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell to one count of computer fraud. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley M. Endicott is prosecuting the case.
Mexican national pleads guilty to persuading a 10-year-old to produce child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Mexican national pled guilty to production of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Isidro Atxel Magana-Calderon, 25, contacted and communicated with a 10-year-old victim, identified as MV1, through TikTok. Magana-Calderon identified himself as “Axel.” MV1 provided Magana-Calderon with her cellphone number and they began communicating through text messages.
Magana-Calderon suggested a desire to engage in inappropriate contact and began requesting nude images of MV1. MV1 initially rejected Magana-Calderon’s requests. Magana-Calderon sent videos of sexual content to MV1 and continued to request that she provide nude images of herself. MV1 eventually relented to Magana-Calderon’s requests.
Further investigation revealed that Magana-Calderon engaged in sexually explicit conversations with at least one other minor living out of state.
Magana-Calderon is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen S. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-8.
Mexican National Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Salvador Ochoa-Cuevas, 44, of Jalisco, Mexico, was sentenced April 2, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Ochoa-Cuevas to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Ochoa-Cuevas will be subject to deportation to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen.
On March 26, 2021, a confidential source (CS) working with law enforcement placed a recorded phone call to Ochoa-Cuevas for the purpose of obtaining meth. During the phone call the CS and Ochoa-Cuevas agreed to meet near Highland Park at 25th and C streets in Omaha to complete the drug transaction.
That same day, the CS was outfitted with audio and video recording devices for the transaction. Surveillance was maintained on the CS as he arrived at Highland Park. Shortly thereafter, Ochoa-Cuevas arrived and delivered 388 grams of meth to the CS in exchange for $4,000. The recording device captured the transaction.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Omaha Police Department.
Medical group agrees to pay $2.8M to settle False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Fairfax Radiological Consultants, PLLC formerly known as Fairfax Radiological Consultants, P.C. (FRC), of Fairfax, agreed to pay $2,881,260 to settle False Claims Act allegations that it falsely reported its payroll costs to receive full forgiveness of a $6.7 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
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.
In 2019, FRC employed over 500 individuals. Using its 2019 employee payroll, FRC was able to apply for a $6.8 million PPP loan in April 2020. At the time of its April 2020 PPP loan application, FRC employed less than 100 people.
In April 2021, FRC applied for forgiveness of the loan. The United States alleged that FRC falsely represented its eligible payroll costs for 98 employees in its loan forgiveness application, which enabled FRC to receive full forgiveness of the $6.8 million loan. The United States alleged that, in actuality, FRC was only entitled to loan forgiveness of $4,945,860.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Kim and auditor Peter Melaragni.
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.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Media Advisory: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces National Crime Victims’ Rights Week EventsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C – In commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar is announcing NCVRW observances planned in the Eastern District of North Carolina for the week of April 6-12, 2025. Members of the public and media are invited to attend.
On Monday, April 7th, a Pinwheel Event will be held in Wilmington to honor and support crime victims and their families.
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. at The Harrelson Center, Plaza on Princess (410 Princess Street, Wilmington, NC 28401).
This event will feature a message of hope and inspiration from caretakers in a child exploitation case and is being held in partnership with A Safe Place.
On Tuesday, 8th the National Crime Victims’ Rights Ceremony will be held in Raleigh.
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the North Carolina State Bar Association (217 E. Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27601)
Registration is required for this event.
This event is sponsored by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts and the Interagency Council.
For additional information about this year’s NCVRW and how to assist victims in your own community, please visit the United States Attorney’s Office website. For more ideas on how to support victims of crime, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.ojp.gov.
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McCurtain County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Anna Marie Scoles, age 37, of Valliant, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by no less than 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, and a fine of $5,000,000.00.
The Information alleged that on August 4, 2024, Scoles knowingly and intentionally possessed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, with the intent to distribute it.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, 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.
Scoles will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Role in “Boot” Distribution OperationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Charles Edward Scott, 31, of Damascus, Maryland, was sentenced to 156 months in prison for his leadership of a drug conspiracy that sold the drug “boot” in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Scott, also known as “Whop Whop,” led a group of people selling Eutylone, also known as “boot,” in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. Scott was storing large quantities of the drug and firearms in an apartment in Maryland, and with other known defendants, traveled to West Virginia to distribute. Scott has prior drug, firearms, and theft convictions.
Scott will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Martinsburg Police Department; the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department; the Virginia State Police, Montgomery County; and Maryland State Attorney’s Office investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Find the related cases here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/16-indicted-conspiracy-charges-boot-distribution-operation
Maryland Man Sentenced for Fabricating Evidence in Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – John Austin Perkins, III, 45, of Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for lying to federal agents in the hopes of early parole from a sentence he was serving for another crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Perkins was serving time for a parole violation in Maryland when he devised a scheme to obtain early release. He made false claims to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and forged three letters in which he impersonated his former cellmate who had been indicted on firearms charges. In the letters (and through his statements), the defendant perpetuated a hoax claiming his former cellmate planned to escape from prison and murder an ATF agent. The defendant engaged in this scheme to garner favor with federal agents and possibly obtain early release from prison. Perkins has prior convictions for theft, drug trafficking and battery.
Perkins will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Marshals Service investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Filing More Than $1 Million in Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance ClaimsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Mervyn Fombe Abiko, 35, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, pled guilty to federal charges in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in unemployment benefits.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Karl Mastantuno, U.S. Department of the Treasury – Office of Inspector General (OIG).
According to his guilty plea, from February 2020 through February 2021, Abiko and co-defendants Martin Tabe and Gladstone Njokem, along with others, conspired to impersonate victims to obtain money by submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) benefits claims. Abiko and his co-conspirators collected the personally identifiable information (PII), without the victims’ knowledge or consent, and shared the PII amongst themselves and with others to facilitate fraudulent activities. The co-conspirators then used the victims’ PII to submit fraudulent applications for UI benefits in Maryland, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Authorities traced at least $1,313,325 in UI benefits to Abiko’s conspiracy in which co-conspirators fraudulently applied for UI benefits using the names and PII of more than 183 victims. Law enforcement connected the dots of the scheme based on common IP addresses, mailing addresses and/or email addresses used for the fraudulent UI claims.
Co-defendants Martin Tabe, 35, of Bowie, Maryland, and Sylvester Atekwane, 34, of Hyattsville, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme.
Additionally, co-defendant Gladstone Njokem, 37, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pled guilty and was sentenced by the Honorable Richard D. Bennett on October 13, 2023, to 54 months in connection with the conspiracy.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can 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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, DOL-OIG, HSI, and Treasury-OIG for their work in the investigation. Additionally, Ms. Hayes recognized the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Maryland Department of Labor for their assistance. She also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Marlborough Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Marlboro man pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025 in federal court in Boston to possessing and distributing child pornography.
Larry Stephen, 46, pleaded guilty to one count each of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 26, 2025. In August 2023, Stephen indicted by a federal grand jury. He was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on July 18, 2023.
According to the charging documents, authorities identified Stephen as an individual using a social media platform to receive and post child pornography. On June 7, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Stephen’s Marlboro residence where Stephen’s cell phone was seized. A preliminary examination of the cell phone revealed the presence of child pornography. Stephen repeatedly posted images and videos of child pornography videos on a social media platform.
Each of the two charges, possession of child pornography, and distribution of child pornography, provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime 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; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Marlboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney’s David G. Tobin and Eric Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
Man Who Mailed Fentanyl from Arizona to Iowa Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who mailed fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and “ice” methamphetamine from Arizona to Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Shawn Javier Lopez-Johnson, age 29, from Phoenix, Arizona, received the prison term after a November 1, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
From March 2023 through December 2023, Lopez-Johnson mailed re‑distribution quantities of controlled substances, including hundreds of fentanyl pills, from Arizona, to Dubuque, Iowa, to his co-conspirator, Alexander John Chapman who was previously sentenced for his role in the conspiracy. During this time, Lopez-Johnson mailed Chapman approximately $5,400 worth of fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Lopez-Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Lopez-Johnson was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Lopez-Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-01003.
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Macon Man Sentenced to Prison for Robbing Credit UnionsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident who brandished a firearm during two bank robberies and an attempted bank robbery in 2022—causing victims to suffer panic attacks and stealing a total of $38,274—was sentenced to prison this week.
Felix Cordes, 58, was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $38,274 by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on April 2. Cordes previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery on Jan. 2. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Criminal offenders who instill fear in our community by conducting bank robberies will face consequences for their actions," said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office is committed to working with law enforcement to bring the most dangerous criminals to justice.”
“Cordes terrified innocent employees and customers at three businesses throughout his crime spree,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are extremely grateful that no one was physically hurt or killed during these violent robberies and thankful that Cordes is off our streets receiving the sentencing he deserves.”
“Felix Cordes was a ruthless and relentless criminal who possibly could have killed innocent bank employees had he not been stopped by the diligent work of investigators,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “We are grateful that justice is served, and he will be held accountable for spreading mayhem in our community.”
According to the court documents and statements referenced in court, Cordes robbed MidSouth Community Federal Credit Union in Macon on April 2, 2022. Cordes attempted to disguise himself in overalls, a bandana and sunglasses. He approached the bank tellers on staff and brandished a handgun, ordering the tellers to “take the money out.” He went behind the counter, pulled cash out of two drawers, placed the money in a bag and left the scene. Some tellers experienced panic attacks from intimidation caused by Cordes. Cordes used some of the stolen money to purchase two cell phones at a Boost Mobile store.
With the aid of an accomplice, Cordes robbed the Central Georgia Regional Credit Union in Macon on May 2, 2022. Wearing blue latex gloves and brandishing a firearm, he stole cash from the bank. He attempted to commit a third robbery on May 24, 2022, at another MidSouth Community Federal Credit Union location in Macon. This attempt was unsuccessful because bank staff saw Cordes and an accomplice--both wearing masks--approach the bank with a silver handgun drawn. The staff was able to lock down the bank and thwart the robbery attempt; no money was stolen. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence used by Cordes on April 6, 2022, and found a bandana matching the one seen on video during the first MidSouth Bank robbery video, blue latex gloves like those worn by Cordes during the second robbery, boxes corresponding to the cellphones purchased from Boost Mobile with the stolen money and a box of 9-millimeter ammunition. Cordes stole a total of $38,274 from the two credit unions.
This case was investigated by FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.
Lowell Man Pleads Guilty to Directing the Robbery of a Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Lowell man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to aiding and abetting the robbery of a mail carrier, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Tyler Savinon, 18, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the robbery of a mail carrier. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott scheduled sentencing for July 9, 2025.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, Savinon directed two co-conspirators to rob the mail carrier to obtain a proprietary key that would unlock blue mail collection boxes in the Nashua area. Investigators determined that Savinon had used the stolen key to access at least two collection boxes in Nashua—one on Dunstable Road and one on Spring Street.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than ten years in prison, up to 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.
The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Nashua Police Department and the Lowell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski is prosecuting the case.
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Louisiana Chiropractor Convicted of Health Care Fraud and Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Louisiana chiropractor yesterday for his role in health care fraud and unemployment insurance fraud schemes totaling millions of dollars.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Benjamin Tekippe, 40, of New Orleans, was a chiropractor and owner of Metairie Chiropractic & Rehab in New Orleans. Tekippe solicited patients with insurance from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana (BCBSLA) at schools, public events, and on social media to receive chiropractic massages, which he misleadingly advertised as “free.” Tekippe would then routinely bill BCBSLA for chiropractic services he did not perform. In total, Tekippe fraudulently submitted over $2.3 million in claims to BCBSLA for services not performed and was reimbursed approximately $740,000 by the insurance provider. The fraudulent claims sought payment for thousands of chiropractic services purportedly provided by Tekippe during periods when he was out of the office, traveling on vacation, or incarcerated for past arrests. The evidence also showed that in response to a medical records request from a BCBSLA auditor, Tekippe fabricated patient records and instructed his staff to write them in their own handwriting to make it falsely appear that the services had been performed as billed. Evidence at trial showed that Tekippe spent the fraud proceeds on, among other things, luxury goods and gambling.
In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tekippe submitted weekly certifications falsely claiming that he was unemployed when he was billing for chiropractic services purportedly performed during his claimed unemployment. Through this scheme, Tekippe received $12,952 in unemployment insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.
Tekippe was convicted of six counts of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count and 10 years in prison on each health care fraud count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jason Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Dallas Region, Baton Rouge Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kelly Z. Walters and Samantha Usher of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Local man & woman plead guilty to drug, money laundering crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local man and woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to drug and money laundering crimes related to assisting two Chillicothe brothers traffic drugs from Mexico and Arizona.
Todd Michael Fulkerson, 42, of Columbus, admitted to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
In February 2024, Fulkerson traveled to Arizona at the request of Caleb Barillaro, 30, who was acquiring kilogram quantities of the drugs to resell through street-level drug dealers in Chillicothe and the surrounding areas. The men drove separate vehicles to Arizona, and Fulkerson accompanied Caleb on the trip to provide security. Fulkerson was recruited for this role based on his military experience.
In Arizona, Caleb purchased two kilograms of fentanyl and five kilograms of cocaine for $94,000 in cash. Caleb put the drugs in a cooler and placed ice on top of the drugs to conceal them before putting the cooler in Fulkerson’s car.
Law enforcement surveilled the two vehicles traveling in tandem back towards Ohio from Arizona.
The two stopped at a gas station near the Indiana and Ohio border. Caleb discovered that the melting ice in the cooler had ruined some of the kilograms of drugs. He became upset and took the cooler to his car. Caleb feared he was being surveilled by law enforcement as he traveled from the gas station, and he discarded the drugs along the side of the road.
Fulkerson faces up to 20 years in prison for his role in transporting the drugs.
Lazae Lett, 24, of Chillicothe, admitted to laundering drug proceeds to Sinaloa, Mexico, to help Dillon Barillaro, 31, obtain more drugs through a source of supply there. She sent several approximately $2,000 money orders via Western Union money orders from Walmart and two Kroger locations in Chillicothe.
Dillon Barillaro provided the illicit money to Lett and instructed her on recipient names and payment amounts. Dillon Barillaro drove Lett to the Walmart and Kroger locations to conduct financial transactions in immediate succession.
Lett faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Barillaro brothers have each pleaded guilty to federal narcotics crimes punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison and await sentencing.
Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Field Office; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Chillicothe Police Chief Ron Meyers announced the guilty pleas offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Damoun Delaviz are representing the United States in the related cases.
These investigations were originally designated as part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs). The 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).
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