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1 April 2025
Illegal alien with 7 DWIs sent to federal prison after reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 44-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after a previous removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Arturo Cruz-Badillo pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Cruz-Badillo to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings again following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted his previous driving while intoxicated (DWI) convictions and how they are very dangerous for communities and the citizens that live there.
Cruz-Badillo has seven prior DWI convictions in addition to a conviction for battery. He removed from the country three times between 2012 and 2023.
However, on Aug. 22, 2024, law enforcement at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita discovered Cruz-Badillo again in the country along with 10 other illegal aliens being smuggled in a commercial cargo trailer.
Cruz-Badillo will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Thorpe 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Entering the US After a Prior RemovalRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Honduran national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.
According to court records, earlier this month, Jose Luis Matute-Duarte, 35, was outside a Brownville convenience store when he was approached by a U.S. Border Patrol agent who thought he was acting suspiciously. Matute-Duarte told the agent he was from New Jersey and produced a New Jersey driver’s license. When asked if he was in the country illegally, Matute-Duarte initially declined to answer before acknowledging that he was. Immigration records showed that he was arrested in 2015 for illegally entering the U.S. in Texas and was removed from the country. Matute-Duarte did not obtain the express consent of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.
Matute-Duarte faces a maximum prison term of two years and a fine up to $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case.
Operation Take Back America: 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).
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Guatemalan national guilty of federal violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Guatemalan national, illegally in Port Arthur, has pleaded guilty to immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Wilmer Armando Xitumul-Godinez, 24, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry by a previously deported alien before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on March 31, 2025.
According to court documents, Xitumul-Godinez was arrested in October 2024 after having been deported by immigration officials in September of 2024.
Xitumul-Godinez faces up to two years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated as 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).
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Port Arthur Police Department and being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman with the cooperation of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office.
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Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Elfego Rolando Domingo-Ruiz (32, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. As a previously deported felon, Domingo-Ruiz faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Domingo-Ruiz was arrested on a criminal complaint on December 27, 2024, and ordered detained.
According to court documents, Domingo-Ruiz is a citizen and national of Guatemala. He was convicted of a felony offense on November 5, 2012. Domingo-Ruiz was previously removed from the United States on December 5, 2012, and February 20, 2014. Domingo-Ruiz was found voluntarily back in the United States on December 18, 2024, when he was encountered by law enforcement in Orange County. Domingo-Ruiz had not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sartoian.
Georgia Man Charged with Operating Sweepstakes ScamRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging JIMMY SMITH, 30, a citizen of Jamaica residing in Hinesville, Georgia, with offenses stemming from an alleged sweepstakes scam.
Smith was arrested in Florida on March 17, 2025. He is currently in home detention on electronic monitoring, and is scheduled to be arraigned in New Haven federal court on April 4.
As alleged in the indictment, in a sweepstakes scam, scam participants contact victims by telephone and falsely inform them that they have won large sums of money. Victims are told that they need to pay fees or taxes to claim their winnings and they are instructed to send money through the mail to various addresses controlled by scam participants, or to various bank accounts through wires.
The indictment alleges that Smith and others defrauded at least four victims residing in Connecticut, New York, Texas, and California, by telling them they had won a Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes and needed to pay taxes or money to claim the prize. Smith recruited others to use their bank accounts to deposit money that had been mailed by scam victims. Smith’s co-conspirators then withdrew cash and gave it to Smith, or sent Smith money using bank transfer applications.
For example, it is alleged that, in July 2022, a Connecticut victim was contacted by telephone and told that she had won a $2.5 million sweepstakes prize and needed to pay taxes to claim her winnings. In August 2022, the victim mailed a $75,000 check paid to the order of Keshelski & K Transport to an address in Brooklyn, New York. The account was deposited into an account in the name of Keshelski&K Transports LLC, which was controlled by Keshelski Bates, an alleged co-conspirator of Smith.
The indictment also alleges that Smith participated in a separate scheme that defrauded an Arkansas resident who believed he was paying for farm equipment.
The indictment charges Smith with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conduct illegal monetary transactions. Each offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
On January 21, 2025, Keshelski Bates, 30, also of Hinesville, Georgia, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. He is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of Army CID, the Hinesville (Ga.) Police Department, and the Orlando (Fla.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather M. Cherry.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Litchfield for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
Gulfport Man Sentenced for Two Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Gulfport man was sentenced today to 87 months in prison for his role in the commission of two armed robberies.
According to court documents, Ladarius Callahan, 26, participated in the commission of an armed robbery of a Dollar General store in Long Beach, Mississippi, on May 8, 2022, and a Texaco in Long Beach, Mississippi on November 6, 2022.
Callahan and his co-defendants, Christopher Collins and Gabriel Johnson, were originally charged by Indictment on January 23, 2024. Callahan pleaded guilty to two counts of the Indictment on November 21, 2024. Collins previously pleaded guilty to one count of the Indictment related to the Texaco robbery and was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Johnson has also pleaded guilty to a single count of the Indictment and is awaiting sentencing.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Long Beach and Gulfport Police Departments, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).
Four Real Estate Investors Sentenced in Multimillion-Dollar Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
Four real estate investors were sentenced in an extensive, multi-year conspiracy to fraudulently obtain multimillion-dollar loans on commercial and multifamily properties.
Aron Puretz, 53, of New Jersey, and his son, Chaim “Eli” Puretz, 29, of New Jersey, were sentenced to prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Aron Puretz was sentenced to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay $22,235,457 in restitution, and Eli Puretz was sentenced to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay $20,315,457 in restitution.
Moshe “Mark” Silber, 34, of New York, and Fredrick Schulman, 72, of New York, were also sentenced to terms of imprisonment for their respective roles in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Silber was sentenced to 30 months in prison, and Schulman was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison, to be followed by nine months of home confinement. The restitution amounts for Silber and Schulman will be determined at a later hearing.
According to court documents, Aron and Eli Puretz were owners of a commercial property, Troy Technology Park, in Troy, Michigan. In September 2020, Aron and Eli Puretz purchased Troy Technology Park for approximately $42 million, before selling or flipping the property to a co-conspirator for approximately $70 million. Aron and Eli Puretz and their co-conspirators provided the lender with falsified documents that included the inflated purchase price. Based on the fraudulent documents, the lender funded a loan for $45 million. To conceal the fraudulent nature of the transaction, Aron and Eli Puretz and co-conspirators arranged for a short-term $30 million loan, which was used to make it appear that they had the funds needed to close on the sale. On Sept. 25, 2020, a title company based in Lakewood, New Jersey, performed two simultaneous closings, one for the true sales price and another for the fraudulent sales price presented to the lender.
Separately, Silber and Schulman were managing members of Rhodium Capital Advisors, an entity that was involved in the acquisition and management of Williamsburg of Cincinnati, a large apartment complex in Cincinnati, Ohio. In March 2019, Williamsburg of Cincinnati was acquired for $70 million. However, Silber, Schulman, and other co-conspirators utilized a stolen identity to present a lender and Fannie Mae with a fraudulent purchase-and-sale contract for over $95 million and other fraudulent documents. On March 8, 2019, two closings were performed, one for the true $70 million sales price and another for the fraudulent over $95 million sales price presented to the lenders. Based on the co-conspirators’ false statements, the lender and Fannie Mae funded a loan in excess of $74 million for the purchase of Williamsburg of Cincinnati.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey; Inspector General Brian M. Tomney of the FHFA-OIG; Postal Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the USPIS Criminal Investigations Group; and Acting Inspector General Stephen M. Begg of the HUD-OIG made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha Nye for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
Fort Collins Resident Charged in Connection with Incident at Tesla Service Center in LovelandRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Cooper Jo Frederick, of Fort Collins, Colorado, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of Malicious Destruction and Attempted Destruction of Property by Fire, and one count of Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device. The indictment was brought in connection with a fire at a Tesla Service Center in Loveland, CO, which investigators determined had been caused by an incendiary device. Frederick was arrested Friday, March 27, 2025, in Frisco, Texas.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation is being handled by the Denver Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Loveland Police Department, with assistance from the Dallas Field Office of the ATF, the FBI Dallas Field Office, and the Frisco, Texas Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).
Case Number: 25-cr-00105-NYW
Former southern Illinois police chief pleads guilty to corruption chargesRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A former Wayne City police chief appeared in federal court Monday and admitted to selling forfeited items confiscated by the department for his personal benefit.
Anson Fenton, 46, of Belle Rive, pleaded guilty to one count of misapplication of property from federally funded programs and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office strongly supports our police, but we must take decisive action when things like this happen,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “By taking unauthorized possession of forfeited property for his personal benefit, the defendant used his position of trust as police chief to deceive the community he was sworn to protect.”
Asset forfeiture is a legal process to confiscate the means or proceeds of a crime and can apply to money, vehicles, real estate and more. Wayne City stores forfeited items at the Wayne City Police Department until city officials pass an ordinance to authorize the sale of the property.
As police chief, Fenton was responsible for safeguarding, documenting and preserving property within the care, custody and control of the Wayne City Police Department.
"No one is above the law, especially those charged with upholding the law, and the Illinois State Police will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement at all levels to protect the public's trust," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.
According to court documents, Fenton sold two motorcycles, a 2017 Harley-Davidson and a 2000 Harley-Davidson, valued at more than $5,000 and kept the proceeds without authorization from the Wayne City Board of Trustees.
He also traded one 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle for a 1991 Ford Mustang for his personal benefit. He admitted to driving the Suzuki over state lines to complete the sale from Wayne City to Alexandria, Virginia.
For the charges, Fenton could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000 per count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on July 30 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
Wayne City is a village in Wayne County in the Southern District of Illinois.
The Illinois State Police is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.
Former Official of St. Louis County Charity Admits Stealing Nearly $700,000Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former official of a charity that houses adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities on Tuesday admitted embezzling about $690,000 over more than a decade.
Joelle Fouse, 57, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of wire fraud in U.S. District Court in St. Louis. Fouse was the manager / director of finance and human resources for the charity and was responsible for payroll, expense reimbursement and maintaining the charity’s books and records. She admitted stealing from the charity in multiple ways.
Fouse caused 181 unauthorized expense payments totaling $407,186 to be transferred into bank accounts she controlled by providing false expense reimbursement information to a third-party payroll processing company. She provided false payroll information that triggered 71 other unauthorized payments totaling $139,810. Her theft, and the unauthorized payments, caused the charity to overpay payroll taxes by approximately $10,694. Fouse also used her company credit card to make 184 unauthorized purchases totaling $133,210. She attempted to cover up her crimes by falsifying financial and accounting records.
Fouse admitted using the money to pay for personal expenses for herself and relatives including travel, clothing, entertainment, restaurants and rent payments. Fouse’s fraud limited the charity’s ability to provide services to the disabled adults it served.
Fouse worked for the charity from October 2012 through December 2023, when she was terminated and her employer contacted federal authorities.
Fouse is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10. Each wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
Former Military Contractor Pleads Guilty for Deleting Text Messages in Antitrust Division InvestigationRead the Press Release
Today, a Federal Judge accepted a guilty plea to destruction of records in a federal investigation from a former employee of a contractor that provided operation and maintenance services to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for U.S. military installations in South Korea.
According to the information filed in the Western District of Texas, in or about July 2021, David Cruz, 37, deleted text messages with Hyuk Jin Kwon and Hyun Ki Shin. Kwon and Shin were separately charged for fraud and conspiring to rig bids and fix prices on millions of dollars in maintenance and repair subcontracting work provided to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in South Korea and remain fugitives. At Kwon’s suggestion, Cruz deleted text messages after receiving a litigation hold notice from his employer requiring him not to destroy or delete communications. Cruz then covered up the deletion of those text messages after being specifically advised by his employer that there was an ongoing federal investigation.
In the deleted text messages, Cruz discussed with Kwon and Shin the need to get additional bids from their competitor to satisfy the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s competitive bidding requirements for subcontract work. Kwon had previously told Cruz that Cruz should contact him instead of requesting bids directly from Kwon’s competitors.
“The Procurement Collusion Strike Force’s commitment to safeguard taxpayer dollars from collusion and fraud is unwavering,” said Director Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF). “The Antitrust Division will not hesitate to prosecute individuals who unlawfully impede our investigations by destroying or covering up evidence.”
“Bid rigging and other acts of fraud against the U.S. Army not only undermine the integrity of critical procurement efforts but also put our Soldiers at risk by providing them capabilities and services which do not meet the high standards necessary to maintain peak lethality,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID), Far East Field Office. “Army CID is grateful for the collaborative efforts of our federal partners at the FBI and the Department of Justice, and we will continue to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who attempts to defraud the U.S. Government, regardless of where they are in the world.”
“The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is steadfast in its mission to protect taxpayer funds from fraud and collusion,” said Special Agent in Charge Stanley Newell of DCIS’ Transnational Field Office. “We are equally committed to relentlessly pursuing those who attempt to obstruct our investigations through the destruction or concealment of evidence.”
“Mr. Cruz knowingly destroyed records that were part of an ongoing criminal investigation and has now acknowledged his crime” said Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is committed to holding accountable military contractors who flout the bidding process and intentionally destroy evidence of their guilt.”
Destruction of records in a federal investigation carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section, Army CID, DCIS, and the FBI investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Daniel E. Lipton and Trial Attorney Daniel P. Chung of the Antitrust Division prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Devlin for the Western District of Texas.
In November 2019, the Justice Department created the PCSF, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above.
Former Massachusetts State Trooper Has Agreed to Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Falsify CDL Test ScoresRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Massachusetts State Police (MSP) trooper has agreed to plead guilty to his role in an alleged conspiracy to falsify records by giving passing scores to certain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants even if they failed the CDL test or took less than the full test required by federal law.
Calvin Butner, 64, of Halifax, Mass. has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to falsify records, three counts of falsifying records and aiding and abetting and five counts of making false statements. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled the plea hearing for April 7. In January 2024, Butner was charged in a 74-count indictment along with five others in the alleged conspiracy and related schemes.
According to the charging document, a CDL is required to drive a commercial vehicle, such as a tractor-trailer, a box truck, or a school bus. Test requirements for CDLs are established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. However, states administer CDL tests and issue the licenses. The CDL test is a demanding, in-person test. An applicant must not only prove they have detailed knowledge of commercial vehicles, they must also perform certain maneuvers and safely drive on public roadways, including a highway. Only drivers who have passed the test and thereby proved they are qualified to drive a commercial vehicle may be issued a CDL, because public safety is at issue. Test scores reported by members of MSP’s CDL Unit are material to whether applicants meet federal requirements for, and therefore whether the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles may issue, CDLs.
According to the charging document, between in on or about May 2019 and January 2023, Butner and three other members of the CDL Unit conspired to give preferential treatment to at least 17 CDL applicants by agreeing to give passing scores on their CDL tests regardless of whether or not they actually passed. Butner and the co-defendants allegedly used the code word “golden” to identify these applicants. The indictment alleges that Butner gave passing scores to applicants about whom he texted the following comments to a co-conspirator:
• “This guys a mess. . . . Lol. He owes u a prime rib 6inch.”
• “Golden mess. ??????”
• “He’s a mess Class A truck 2psi loss with truck running truck cut our again while timing ????”
• “Total mess this guy[.] i think some time[s] we should just do what we can but not golden. I’ll tell you about it later.”In addition to the false records conspiracy, Butner has agreed to plead guilty to three counts of falsifying records, aiding and abetting, by giving passing scores to three applicants who failed the CDL test, and five counts of making false statements by giving passing scores to five applicants who did not take the test at all.
On March 21 a civilian co-defendant, Eric Mathison, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion.
All CDL recipients identified as not qualified during the course of this investigation have been reported to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
The charge of conspiracy to falsify records provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of falsification of records each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of false statements each provide 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. 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 of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine J. Wichers and Adam W. Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. Butner and his-codefendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Cleveland City Council Member Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Basheer Jones, 40, of Cleveland, Ohio, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison by U.S. District Judge J. Philip Calabrese, after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud by using his role as a public official for personal financial gain by seeking to defraud multiple community stakeholders out of more than $200,000. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $143,598.47 in restitution to local nonprofits.
According to court documents, from about December 2018 to June 2021, the former Cleveland city councilman for Ward 7 persuaded several local nonprofits to enter into arrangements that benefitted Jones and his romantic partner and co-conspirator. Jones sought and obtained funds from the nonprofits under the guise of working on projects to redevelop Ward 7. Throughout the scheme, he took steps to ensure that his personal connection to his romantic partner, through whom he benefited from these arrangements, was not discovered.
“Mr. Jones used his position to dishonestly line his pockets with tens of thousands of dollars,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio. “He betrayed the city of Cleveland and its citizens, who elected him to serve as a leader in our community. With his deceptive actions, he also violated federal laws. Anyone who thinks they can use a public office to defraud nonprofits and obtain bribes will face consequences and pay the price for those decisions, and my office will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
The defendant’s schemes worked by convincing nonprofits to make payments toward projects they believed were for Ward 7 revitalization projects, including to buy real estate from purported third parties. Instead, the money went into bank accounts that his romantic partner controlled. Jones then instructed her to divert those funds to herself, to himself, and to others he chose.
Jones also convinced a nonprofit to make payments to an entity controlled by his co-conspiring partner, all while knowing that the funds would flow back to himself. Jones recommended that the nonprofit should hire a consultant for community outreach. Unbeknownst to the nonprofit, the consultant was actually Jones’s romantic partner. She submitted invoices to the unsuspecting nonprofit and was subsequently paid through her consulting business.
Jones later defrauded the same nonprofit out of an additional $50,000, again through his partner’s consulting business. Jones claimed that he needed $50,000 to plan a community event, which included buying backpacks for schoolchildren, and falsely promised that the city would reimburse the organization. Instead, after the funds were paid, no event was held, and Jones again directed his romantic partner to divide the money amongst herself, Jones, and others Jones chose.
“Public corruption at any level of government will not be tolerated. Jones abused his position of trust for personal gain while scheming against the people he was elected to serve, including non-profit entities and well-meaning leaders,” said FBI Cleveland Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles Johnston. “Elected officials who demonstrate a reckless disregard for violating the oath they swore to uphold is detestable. Today’s sentence underscores the FBIs commitment to ensuring that those who engage in fraud and corruption will be investigated and held accountable. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to root out corruption and ensure elected officials are serving with honesty, fairness, and integrity.”
Some of the projects Jones pushed included seeking community funding to rehabilitate certain distressed properties while concealing his financial interest in them. In one instance, Jones devised a bribery scheme under which he arranged for co-conspirators, including his romantic partner, to acquire a dilapidated property on Superior Road, and used his position as councilperson to pass ordinances allocating city funds to buy that property from them. Jones arranged for a co-conspirator to buy the property a minimal cost. After asking a nonprofit to purchase and rehabilitate the property, and promising city funding, Jones sponsored an emergency ordinance to fund the nonprofit’s purchase and renovation of the property. When Jones was unable to convince the nonprofit to proceed, he arranged to transfer the property to his romantic partner’s consulting business, with the understanding that she would share the proceeds of the sale with him. After sponsoring another ordinance to reauthorize city funding for the same project, Jones sought to finalize the nonprofit’s purchase of the property from his partner’s entity for $80,000. Ultimately that scheme failed when the nonprofit decided not to proceed with the purchase.
However, Jones and his romantic partner did succeed in obtaining funds for the sale of a different property to another nonprofit. He misled them to believe that he was assisting with the acquisition of the property from the original owner. Instead, he was simultaneously arranging for his partner to acquire the property from the original owner in the name of another business entity, and then immediately to resell it to the nonprofit. Jones and his romantic partner arranged to purchase the property for only $1, promising to pay a $40,500 city demolition bill. But without paying that bill or disclosing it, Jones’s romantic partner immediately re-sold the property to the nonprofit for $45,000.
“Basheer Jones abused his position of trust by deliberately engaging in fraudulent schemes to divert HUD money – funds meant to improve the community— for his own personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). "HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement to investigate and hold accountable bad actors who exploit HUD-funded programs for their own benefit.”
“As an elected official, the crimes Basheer Jones committed are particularly flagrant. He not only stole from nonprofits that serve the local community, he stole from the people of Ward 7, the same citizens that had voted for him to advocate for their best interests on the Cleveland City Council,” said Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd, Cincinnati Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI is committed to holding those accountable who betray the public trust and use municipalities as their personal piggy bank. Status as an elected official does not make you immune from federal prosecution.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, and the IRS – Criminal Investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Barnhill and Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report fraud, visit justice.gov/action-center/report-crime-or-submit-complaint.
Foreign Nationals with Prior Convictions Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Mexican and Salvadorian nationals residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances Monday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Wilmer Alexander Cortez-Cruz, 56, and Sergio Ivan Morelos-Torres, 52, are both charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for both defendants are scheduled for April 14, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, Cortez-Cruz, a citizen and national of El Salvador, and Morelos-Torres, a citizen and national of Mexico, were both previously deported and removed from the United States and reentered the United States illegally.
On March 19, 2025, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Cortez-Cruz to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), based on an ICE detainer. Cortez-Cruz had previously been deported on or about October 16, 2019. Cortez-Cruz has multiple DUI convictions, to include one felony DUI conviction.
On March 18, 2025, ICE arrested Morelos-Torres who had previously been deported to Mexico on eight prior occasions. Prior to his first removal from the United States, Morelos-Torres was convicted of felony Burglary, 2nd degree, in violation of California Penal Code 459. Morelos-Torres also has two prior felony convictions for illegally reentering the United States, one in federal court in the District of Colorado, and another in the Central District of California.
If convicted, Morelos-Torres faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
If convicted, Cortez-Cruz faces a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Florida Woman Convicted of Embezzling from Car DealershipRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that SEHRELINA TARDO (“TARDO”), age 36, from Tallahassee, Florida, pled guilty on March 26, 2025 to wire fraud, in connection with an embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents, from November of 2018 through May of 2023, TARDO was a senior accountant at a car dealership in New Orleans, where she embezzled customer cash down payments and deposits, taking the funds for herself. TARDO hid her theft by creating fake journal entries of customer transactions on her employer’s books and records. Under the terms of the plea agreement, TARDO agreed to pay restitution of $535,750.77 to her former employer.
The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for June 25, 2025.
At sentencing, TARDO faces up to twenty years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator and member of the Financial Crimes Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Ferguson Man Sentenced to 93 Months in Prison for Drug SalesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Tuesday sentenced a man from Ferguson, Missouri who sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to undercover St. Louis County police officers to 93 months in prison.
Theodise Reece, 37, has been in custody since his arrest on Aug. 30, 2023, bringing the total he will likely serve for the crime to about nine years.
After receiving several tips in June of 2023 that Reece was selling illegal drugs, the St. Louis County Police Department set up a series of undercover purchases, Reece’s plea agreement says. Reece sold $100 worth of fentanyl on June 14, 2023, then $150 worth of methamphetamine six days later, Reece admitted in his guilty plea.
After making four more undercover purchases and witnessing Reece make another sale, investigators sought a search warrant for Reece’s home. They arrested him during an undercover buy on Aug. 30, 2023, and found a semiautomatic pistol in his car loaded with one chambered round and 18 more in an extended magazine. Inside a satchel slung across his chest, police found nearly 40 grams of fentanyl and 225 grams of meth as well as ecstasy, cocaine base and marijuana. Reece admitted that he sold drugs for a living. Investigators found an AR-style rifle in Reece’s home.
Reece pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in November to three felonies: distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Drug Enforcement investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nino Przulj prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms After Being Intercepted with Guns on Reinhardt University CampusRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Joshua Timothy Rex has pleaded guilty to possession of two firearms by a convicted felon after law enforcement officers intercepted him on his way to confront a student on the campus of Reinhardt University.
“Rex is a repeat violent offender who placed the citizens of Cherokee County and the Reinhardt University community at serious risk by bringing guns to campus in anticipation of an encounter with a student,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “We are relieved that local law enforcement intervened before Rex harmed anyone, and we are grateful for the collaborative efforts of our federal and local law enforcement partners who aided this successful prosecution.”
“Rex posed a serious threat to the public,” said Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons. “Identifying and apprehending Rex shows that ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to utilize all resources to protect the community.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, Jr., the charges and other information presented in court: Joshua Rex is prohibited by law from possessing firearms due to his record of prior felony drug convictions and a prior conviction of domestic violence. But in spite of his previous criminal history, on July 20, 2024, he drove to the campus of Reinhardt University armed with two fully loaded firearms and extra magazines of ammunition. Law enforcement was alerted to Rex’s apparent violent intentions when they received a 911 call stating that Rex was en route to the school to confront and potentially harm a student.
Officers of the Cherokee County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Reinhardt University Department of Public Safety prevented a potentially life-threatening incident when they intercepted Rex just as he entered the campus and arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol and bringing firearms to the campus. Rex later admitted to federal agents that he had armed himself in anticipation of an encounter with a Reinhardt University student.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before Senior United States District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with valuable assistance provided by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Reinhardt University Department of Public Safety.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wylly 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Father and Son Executives Charged with Defrauding Sports Park BondholdersRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging RANDY MILLER, former Chairman and President of Legacy Sports, and his son, CHAD MILLER, former CEO of Legacy Sports, with engaging in a scheme to defraud investors of more than $280 million in two municipal bond offerings. RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER were arrested today and will be presented tomorrow in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Randy Miller and Chad Miller swindled investors out of over a quarter of a billion dollars by selling municipal bonds they knew were backed by forgeries and lies. Municipal bonds fund critical public projects and investors rely on accurate financial disclosures to make informed decisions. This Office is committed to protecting the integrity of the public finance system. When individuals abuse that system and investors’ trust, we will hold them accountable.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Fathers and sons have found shared bonds in sports for generation. Randy and Chad Miller allegedly chose to use a planned sports complex as a means to exploit and defraud investors. The Millers allegedly executed the scheme using fraudulent documents to lie about the status of the proposed project in order to raise hundreds of millions of dollars which they used to enrich themselves. The FBI will continue to ensure a level playing field by holding fraudsters accountable in the criminal justice system.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]
From November 2019 through May 2023, RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER engaged in a scheme to defraud investors in municipal bonds used to fund the development of a major sports complex in Mesa, Arizona called Legacy Park. The defendants worked together and with others to lie to potential bond investors about the interest sports organizations and other potential customers had in using or relocating to Legacy Park. The defendants and their associates forged and altered purported “binding” letters of intent and other documents from those potential customers to make it appear that the customers were committing to holding many events at Legacy Park, with a significant number of spectators, and agreeing to pay large fees – all far beyond what the organizations were considering, if they were considering Legacy Park at all. In some instances, RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER signed and directed others to sign customers’ names without the customers’ knowledge or permission. At other times the defendants copied and directed others to copy the signatures of other customers onto the fabricated letters, again without the customers’ knowledge or permission. As part of their scheme, the defendants forged documents on behalf of numerous persons and organizations, including an organization that promotes sports for disabled athletes.
RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER presented the fraudulent documents to prospective bond investors and incorporated them into their solicitation materials by claiming that Legacy Park would be 100% occupied at opening and would generate nearly $100 million in revenue in its first year of operations, more than enough to cover the bond payments.
After the Legacy Park bonds were sold to investors, RANDY MILLER and CHAD MILLER used some of the proceeds to pay for personal expenses such as a home and SUVs. The defendants also paid themselves inflated salaries and withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars in addition to their salaries.
While the defendants enriched themselves, Legacy Park struggled to survive. The park opened in 2022, but within months failed to generate enough revenue to make the monthly bond payments, and by October 2022 it was in default. On May 1, 2023, the project filed for bankruptcy and was later sold for less than $26 million. Of those proceeds, less than $2.5 million went to repay the approximately $284 million owed to Legacy Park bondholders. Accordingly, because of the defendants’ fraud, bondholders were left with near total losses.
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RANDY MILLER, 70, and CHAD MILLER, 41, both of Phoenix, Arizona, were both charged in the Indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and securities fraud, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison; one count of securities fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison; and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a parallel civil action.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney L. Heavey and Matthew R. Shahabian are in charge of the prosecution.
u.s._v._randy_and_chad_miller_indictment.pdf
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Fairfield Man Pleads Guilty to Prescription Drug DiversionRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Fairfield pharmacist pleaded guilty on March 27, 2025, to stealing thousands of prescription pills from a pharmacy he owned and operated.
According to public court documents, Bryan Paul Vander Linden, 42, admitted that from June 2022 to at least November 2023, he obtained prescription pills from Summit Pharmacy of Iowa for his own use. To obtain the pills, Vander Linden would order and not report the pills in the pharmacy’s inventory, take from the pharmacy stock, or take pills from the controlled substance collection bin. In total, Vander Linden obtained more than 3,500 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, Schedule II controlled substances, and more than 400 carisoprodol pills, a Schedule IV muscle relaxant.
Vander Linden is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025 and faces a potential sentence of up to four years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating this case.
Dallas Man Convicted of Selling Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
On Thursday, March 27, 2025, Corey Wilson, 20, was convicted by Senior United States District Judge Barabara M. G. Lynn for possession of an unregistered machinegun on May 30, 2023 and June 6, 2023, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
According to evidence presented at trial, Wilson advertised machinegun conversion devices—which can be installed in an AR-platform to allow the firearm to fire fully automatic—for sale on his Instagram account. Although these devices can be made quickly from a few dollars’ worth of material, Wilson asked for $150 apiece.
Testimony at trial revealed that undercover ATF agents contacted Wilson to purchase the devices. During the first purchase of six devices, Wilson explained that the devices had to be “activated” and demonstrated how to adjust and place them in a rifle to get them to fire “fully,” meaning fully automatic. He sold six to the agents on May 30, 2023 and twenty on June 6, 2023, all within the Project Safe Neighborhood area of Northeast Dallas.
Wilson is facing up to ten years in federal prison on each count.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Withers, Walt Junker, and Elise Aldendifer are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative taking aim at machinegun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” which transform commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machineguns.
This case is also 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.
DRI Relays Inc. to Pay $15.7M to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving the Sale of Non-Military Grade Parts to Department of DefenseRead the Press Release
DRI Relays Inc. (DRI), a subsidiary of TE Connectivity Corporation (TEC), has agreed to pay $15.7 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by supplying military parts that did not meet military specifications, the Justice Department announced today.
TEC acquired DRI in October 2020. DRI manufactures electrical relays and sockets for numerous military platforms and has manufacturing locations in Long Island, New York, and Bangalore, India. In January 2021*, TEC disclosed to the Department of Defense that DRI had not conducted certain required tests on MIL-PRF-83536 relays and MIL-DTL-12883 sockets, and cooperated with the government’s investigation. The United States subsequently alleged that between 2015 and 2021, under various Department of Defense (DoD) contracts and subcontracts, DRI invoiced for military grade electrical relays and sockets when it knew those parts had not met the testing requirements to be deemed military grade.
“It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our military that contractors comply with applicable military specifications,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly supply equipment to the U.S. military that fails to meet their contract obligations.”
“Maintaining the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense supply chain is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “The DoD expects its suppliers to adhere to contract specifications and perform required testing on products sold to the U.S. military. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of contractors failing to meet testing protocols and disclose product deficiencies.”
“This settlement demonstrates the resolve of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID) and our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of the equipment and materiel procured or used by the United States Army,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army CID Fraud Field Office. “Failures to adhere to established standards when providing military parts can place our Soldiers at significant risk and adversely impact the Army’s warfighting capabilities.”
This matter was handled by Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section. DCIS, Army CID, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency assisted in this investigation.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
* A previous version of this release stated "2011". It has now been changed to reflect the correct year.
Cuban National to Spend Nearly a Decade in Federal Prison for Human SmugglingRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Cuban national was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 111 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, conspiracy to harbor aliens, and sexual assault of an alien.
According to court documents, Humberto Yosvany Arriola-Rivero, 30, assisted in the harboring of illegal aliens and managed a stash house in El Paso. He also was an occupant in a vehicle that fled law enforcement that was transporting more than a dozen illegal aliens in April 2023. An investigation revealed that Arriola-Rivero sexually assaulted one of the illegal aliens at the El Paso stash house. Arriola-Rivero was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 17, 2023 and was arrested Sept. 7, 2023. He pleaded guilty Aug. 27, 2024.
“It’s important to note that Arriola-Rivero is being held responsible not only for the significant role he played in human smuggling operations, but also for his abhorrent decision to further dehumanize and sexually violate one of his victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman. “This sentence makes it clear to smugglers in El Paso and across the southern border, that if you engage in alien smuggling in our district, you will be held accountable.”
“Justice was served today for a stash house operator who organized the smuggling of hundreds of illegal aliens and sexually assaulted one of them, all while cramming individuals into tractor-trailers in the sweltering Texas heat,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge for El Paso, Jason T. Stevens. “HSI is committed to aggressively targeting human smugglers and smuggling organizations that continuously exploit individuals for profit. We will relentlessly pursue these criminals who prey on vulnerable people, ensuring they are held accountable for their actions.”
HSI investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol.
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Centralia man sentenced to 10+ years’ imprisonment for possessing firearms as a felonRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a Centralia man to 125 months in federal prison for possessing three firearms as a convicted felon in three separate incidents with police.
Lamar R. Bennett, 33, pleaded guilty in July to three counts of felon in possession of a firearm.
“Three brushes with the law by one defiant felon—this sentence of more than a decade in federal prison sends a strong message that repeat offenders who defy the law can expect to face certain justice in the federal system,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
According to court documents, Bennett was convicted as a felon in possession of a firearm in Marion County Circuit Court in 2020, further barring him from legally possessing firearms.
Bennett was the driver of a vehicle in a single-car crash in Washington County on April 21, 2023. Following the accident, Bennett placed a Smith and Wesson 9-millimeter pistol behind a concrete barrier on the side of the highway. Law enforcement recovered the firearm.
On Oct. 14, 2023, emergency personnel and law enforcement responded to Bennett’s residence in Jefferson County. Officers observed a Glock 43X pistol in his sweatshirt and recovered the firearm.
On November 23, 2023, law enforcement tried to conduct a traffic stop on Bennett’s vehicle in Marion County, but he fled. Ultimately, Bennett was apprehended and law enforcement recovered one Ruger SR9C pistol from him.
“This investigation and sentencing are a direct result of FBI Springfield Field Office’s dedication to disrupting and dismantling violent threats in our territory,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “This sentencing is a direct warning to those who continue criminal activity in our area.”
Following imprisonment, Bennett will serve three years of supervised release.
The FBI Springfield Field Office, Centralia Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Hudson prosecuted the case.
Caldwell County, Kentucky Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – A Caldwell County, Kentucky man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison for multiple child pornography charges.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court documents, William Guill, 50, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for four counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor. Guill recorded himself engaged in sexual acts with two minor girls and used an online social media application to distribute child sexual abuse material and send nude images of himself to one of the minors.
Guill was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution to victims.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by HSI and KSP.
Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and 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.”
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Butler County man pleads guilty to sexually exploiting toddler on Snapchat, faces 25 to 30 years in prisonRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Middletown man pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati today to sexually exploiting a toddler in Snapchat videos.
Daveion Wright, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. His plea agreement includes a sentencing recommendation of 25 to 30 years in prison.
According to court documents, on at least five instances in January 2024, Wright sexually exploited a 2-year-old victim, uploaded videos of the explicit conduct, and shared one video on Snapchat.
For example, one 54-second video depicted Wright and an adult female having vaginal intercourse as the toddler victim pushed on Wright’s hips. The other videos showed Wright exposing the toddler’s anus and vagina while Wright had intercourse with the adult female.
He will be sentenced at a future court hearing.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division and Middletown Police Chief Earl Nelson announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
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Buffalo, New York Man Charged with Transporting a Minor Victim Across State Lines with Intent to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on January 22, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Ian Blochwitz, 33, of Buffalo, New York, with transporting a minor victim from Vermont to New York with intent to engage in sexual activity for which Blochwitz could be charged with a criminal offense in New York.
Blochwitz entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on March 20, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. United States Magistrate Judge Jerome Niedermeier held a detention hearing on March 26, 2025, and ordered that Blochwitz be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, Blochwitz met his twelve-year-old victim on an anonymous chat platform. In February 2023, Blochwitz drove a rental car from Buffalo, New York, to Vermont to meet the minor victim. He then took the minor victim to a short-term rental location in Whitehall, New York, where he engaged in sexual activity with the minor victim. He then drove the minor victim back to Vermont before returning to Buffalo.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Blochwitz is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Blochwitz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years of imprisonment and up to a lifetime of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Joshua L. Banker. Blochwitz is represented by Attorney Robert Singer, of Williamsville, New York.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
Bemidji Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl, Illegal Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Patrick Burton Strong, a Bemidji man, has been sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to fentanyl trafficking and illegal possession of a machinegun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, between March 31, 2024, and April 20, 2024, Patrick Burton Strong, 29, conspired to distribute fentanyl and illegally possessed a machinegun. On March 31, 2024, Strong traveled with co-defendants Danielle Diane Goodman, 27, and Leticia Jean Sumner, 24, from Bemidji to Minneapolis, where Strong purchased $10,000 worth of fentanyl.
The next day, Strong, Goodman, and Sumner were driving back toward Bemidji when a Minnesota State Patrol trooper stopped their vehicle for traffic violations, then came to suspect Strong, Goodman, and Sumner were trafficking drugs. The trooper searched the SUV and found a backpack belonging to Strong. In Strong’s backpack, the trooper found approximately 100 grams of fentanyl powder; a ghost gun with a switch—that is, a privately manufactured 9mm pistol bearing no serial number, equipped with a conversion device enabling the pistol to be fired as a fully automatic weapon; and a large-capacity magazine filled with more than 30 rounds of ammunition.
Law enforcement obtained a warrant and searched Strong and Sumner’s apartment in Bemidji. Officers found a 12-gauge Radikal Turkey P3 shotgun next to Strong’s clothing, and 23 grams of methamphetamine.
Later, while Strong and Sumner were in custody in the Morrison County Jail, law enforcement officers found them in possession of approximately 30 grams of fentanyl.
“Strong possessed a gun equipped with a switch, an item with no purpose other than killing people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “He trafficked in fentanyl—the deadliest illegal drug commonly sold today. And he intended to sell that deadly fentanyl into Native communities in the Bemidji area, communities that experience the highest overdose rates in Minnesota. He is well-deserving of a 72- month federal sentence. Minnesota is safer with Strong off the streets.”
Strong pleaded guilty on November 7, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of illegal possession of a machinegun. He was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez.
Goodman and Sumner each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Their sentencing hearings will be scheduled at later dates.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrison County Community Corrections.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
Bemidji Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Advertising, Distributing Images of Child Sexual Abuse over the Dark WebRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Craig James Myran, a Bemidji man, was sentenced today to 262 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for his involvement with a site on the dark web dedicated to the advertisement and distribution of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse and his possession of similar material in his apartment.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Craig James Myran, 47, of Bemidji, Minnesota, was an active participant on a site on the dark web that was dedicated to discussing and trafficking in child sexual abuse material. For years, he used an account with a unique username to make over a thousand posts in which he shared images of child sexual abuse on the site. In at least one post, Myran requested specific files of known child sexual abuse material from other users. And in another post, he advertised over 100 images depicting the sadomasochistic sexual abuse of two prepubescent minors. FBI special agents executed a search warrant on Myran’s apartment in Bemidji on Dec. 8, 2022, where they found numerous hard drives and a cell phone. Forensic analysis of these devices uncovered evidence establishing that Myran was the user of this unique account on the dark web site — including files of the child sexual abuse material that he shared and requested on the website, as well as a message directed to his unique alias — and thousands of other images of child sexual abuse material.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Myran’s sexual exploitation of minors was not limited to his activity on this particular dark-web site. He was simultaneously an active participant on multiple other dark-web sites dedicated to trafficking in child sexual abuse material and reported that he previously produced his own child sexual abuse material by screen-recording minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct during online webcam interactions.
On Nov. 20, 2024, a federal jury convicted Myran for advertising, distributing, and possessing material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud. In handing down the sentence, Judge Tostrud remarked, “The defendant’s crimes reflected disregard for the victims’ humanity. He treated society’s most vulnerable victims, young children, as sex objects and nothing more.” Judge Tostrud added that Myran’s “crimes were far from impulsive. He did not stumble onto the dark web by accident. He used it in an effort to conceal his activities, because he knew what he was doing was very wrong.” Judge Tostrud concluded that Myran’s “depraved mind” and his “refusal to accept any responsibility” for his crimes created a “serious need to protect the public.”
“Crimes involving the sexual abuse of children are incalculably serious,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “For decades, believing he was protected by the dark web’s cloak of anonymity, Myran proudly trafficked in child sexual abuse material. He was deeply enmeshed in dark-web communities —sprawling criminal enterprises and flourishing online communities where offenders from around the world gather to normalize and encourage their sexual interest in children. This depraved behavior is sick, it is wrong, and it is not acceptable in Minnesota.”
“Myran’s actions represent a calculated and deliberate effort to abuse and victimize society’s most vulnerable while hiding behind the dark web,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Today’s sentencing proves there is no refuge for those who prey on children. The FBI and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to unmask predators who believe the dark web can shield them from justice.”
The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) prosecuted the case.
Bank Fraud Ringleader, “Scamdaddy,” Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Utah Credit UnionsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Matthew Acquah, 24, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced today to 36 months’ imprisonment, a term of three years’ supervised release, and ordered by the court to pay $452,000 in restitution for his role defrauding Utah-based credit unions out of nearly half a million dollars.
The sentence, imposed by Chief District Judge Robert J. Shelby, comes after Acquah pleaded guilty in January 2025 to counts of bank fraud, bank fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and statements made at Acquah’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Acquah admitted that he used fraudulent identification documents to open lines of credit on behalf of unwitting victims and then take out unauthorized cash advances. He also admitted helping plan and execute numerous bank fraud sprees in Utah involving out-of-state coconspirators. According to prosecutors, Acquah was referred to as “Scamdaddy” or “Playboy Prince” by his coconspirators. Acquah arranged airfare for coconspirators, booked hotel rooms, facilitated vehicles and drivers, trained new recruits, and performed other management functions for the bank fraud ring.
Between December 2023 and June 2024, Acquah admitted that his fraud ring managed to obtain over $450,000 in fraud proceeds from credit unions in Utah. According to documents filed with the court, Acquah used his share to fund a lavish lifestyle, including an apartment in downtown Los Angeles and a vehicle. He was arrested with over $100,804 in U.S. currency split between his apartment and an offsite storage unit, which will be used to repay victims.
The case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations and the Taylorsville City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Zumwalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi Directs Prosecutors to Seek Death Penalty for Luigi MangioneRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement:
“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America. After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.”
- As alleged, Luigi Mangione stalked and murdered UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024. The murder was an act of political violence. Mangione’s actions involved substantial planning and premeditation and because the murder took place in public with bystanders nearby, may have posed grave risk of death to additional persons.
- Following federal murder charges handed down on Dec. 19, 2024, Attorney General Bondi has now directed Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky to seek the death penalty in this case.
- This is in line with Attorney General Bondi’s Day One Memo as Attorney General entitled Reviving The Federal Death Penalty And Lifting The Moratorium On Federal Executions
Attorney General Pamela Bondi Appoints Gregory W. Kehoe as Interim United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed Gregory W. Kehoe as Interim United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546, which provides that “the Attorney General may appoint a United States Attorney for the district in which the office of United States Attorney is vacant.” This appointment took effect on March 31, 2025.
Mr. Kehoe worked for the U.S. Department of Justice as a prosecutor for over 20 years with postings in the United States, Europe, Asia and South America. While serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, he was responsible for prosecuting a number of high-profile cases involving financial institutions and corporate fraud allegations, as well as racketeering charges.
Mr. Kehoe also led the team of lawyers and investigators which advised the Iraqi Special Tribunal, an ad hoc court formed to prosecute Saddam Hussein and members of his former regime.
Most recently, Mr. Kehoe was a shareholder at the law firm of Greenberg Traurig.
Mr. Kehoe received his bachelor’s degree from Boston College, summa cum laude, and his Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University.
Armed Drug Dealer from Oahu Sentenced to 170 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Ryan “Junior” Guzman, 40, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced today in federal court by Chief U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 170 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Guzman admitted that on March 13, 2023, he distributed one pound of methamphetamine to a third party in the Magic Island parking lot in downtown Honolulu. He also admitted that in June 2024, he possessed a privately made firearm, known as a “ghost gun,” loaded with 15 hollow point rounds. Guzman further admitted he possessed that firearm in connection with his methamphetamine trafficking.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Honolulu Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Arizona to Receive Additional Resources from Justice Department to Investigate Unresolved Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Justice Department today announced that it will boost FBI assets across the country over the next six months to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country through Operation Not Forgotten.
The FBI will send a total of 60 personnel, rotating in temporary duty assignments over a six-month period to select FBI field offices across the United States, including Arizona. Operation Not Forgotten is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. The detailed FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. FBI Phoenix will receive 11 agents on a rotating basis over the next six months, who will be spread across offices in Arizona.
FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and will work in partnership with Tribal law enforcement agencies across the country.
“Protection of the public is one of the key responsibilities of the Department of Justice. Here in Arizona, the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI have a special trust relationship with the 22 federally recognized tribes in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Operation Not Forgotten reflects the continued commitment of the federal government to pursue justice for crime victims in all Native American communities.”
“Our FBI personnel and Safe Trails Task Forces work closely every single day with our law enforcement partners to investigate crimes of violence throughout the many tribal territories in Arizona,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “We are responsible for investigating the most serious crimes in Indian Country and this initiative will provide much needed additional resources to help us better serve those same communities by assisting victims and bringing criminals to justice.”
“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.
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.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-046_Operation Not Forgotten
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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.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking in Southwest MissouriRead the Press Release
Springfield, Mo. – A Phoenix, Ariz. man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.
Joseph A. Gilbert, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 240 months in federal prison without parole. The Court also ordered Gilbert to forfeit to the government $616,756 which represents the proceeds of Gilbert’s drug trafficking.
On Nov. 19, 2024, Gilbert pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Gilbert admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Barry, Stone, Polk, Lawrence, Green, Jasper, and Newton Counties from Nov. 1, 2020, to April 28, 2022. According to court documents, Gilbert served as a source of methamphetamine supply for the drug trafficking organization. During the conspiracy Gilbert distributed more than 220 pounds of methamphetamine from Arizona into southwest Missouri.
On April 23, 2022, MSHP attempted a traffic stop of a red Chevrolet Captiva Gilbert was driving on eastbound Interstate 44. Gilbert fled from the scene and led law enforcement on high-speed pursuit on the interstate to southbound Missouri Hwy 43 near Seneca, Mo. During the pursuit, Gilbert failed to stop at red lights, overtook traffic at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, and swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid a tire deflation device. Later that day, Gilbert was located in Ottawa County, Okla. in possession of methamphetamine and approximately 100 M-30 pills (containing fentanyl).
Gilbert is among 18 defendants in this case who have pleaded guilty. Gilbert is the seventh defendant to be sentenced.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, the Barry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Stone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, COMET (the Combined Ozark Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team), the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Polk County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, the Ottawa County, Ok., Sheriff’s Department, the Bolivar, Mo., Police Department, the Cassville, Mo., Police Department, the Kimberling City, Mo., Police Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case 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.
All Three Defendants Plead Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Scheme to Defraud Automobile AuctionRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – On Monday, March 31, 2025, defendant Brian Baker, 53, of Mount Juliet, Tenn., pled guilty to all charges against him for a wire fraud and money laundering scheme to defraud an automobile auction business in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The other co-defendants, Stephanie Louise Baker, 54, of Mount Juliet, Tenn. and Jerry W. Hutchins, 50, of Dowelltown, Tenn., each pled guilty last week to all charges against them stemming from their involvement in the same wire fraud and money laundering scheme.
“I commend the effort of the prosecutors from our office who are holding these thieves accountable for their crimes,” said Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will continue to tirelessly seek justice for those affected by economic crimes here in our community.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to unraveling intricate financial transactions and money laundering schemes where individuals attempt to conceal the original source of their money,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “IRS Criminal Investigation, along with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney's Office, will vigorously pursue those individuals who willfully try to enrich themselves by fraudulent means.”
“These defendants used fake transactions to operate a wire fraud and money laundering scheme to illegally enrich themselves," said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "The FBI remains vigilant in the fight against fraud and will bring those who cheat and steal to justice.”
The federal indictment, returned by the grand jury in October 2023, had charged Stephanie Baker and Brian Baker, who are married, and Hutchins with a wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The indictment also charged all three defendants with substantive offenses for acts of money laundering. According to the indictment, between February 2017 and November 2018, Stephanie Baker was the General Manager of the Dealers Auto Auction Group’s Murfreesboro auction location. Brian Baker and Jerry Hutchins each owned and operated used car dealerships and did business at the auction. The defendants devised a scheme to defraud Dealers Auto Auction Group, LLC by creating fake transactions to make it appear that the defendants’ businesses had sold cars at the auction and were entitled to receive funds from Dealers Auto Auction Group, when in fact the defendants had not sold vehicles at the auction. Based on the fake transactions, Stephanie Baker caused Dealers Auto Auction Group to issue checks to Brian Baker’s and Hutchins’ businesses. Then, on a rolling basis each month, the defendants would create additional fake transactions using the same vehicles in order to conceal the original fraud and avoid detection. Brian Baker and Hutchins then converted proceeds of the fraud scheme for their own personal use and benefit.
As a result of this scheme, the defendants defrauded Dealers Auto Auction Group of more than $2 million.
The three defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2025. The defendants face up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy, the money laundering conspiracy, and the concealment money laundering offenses, and up to 10 years in prison for domestic transaction money laundering. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation in which the government seeks to forfeit any property derived from the proceeds of the crimes, including a money judgment in the amount of at least $2,041,170 from Stephanie Baker, $1,357,310 from Brian Baker, and $683,830 from Jerry Hutchins.
This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Suedekum and Nani M. Gilkerson are prosecuting the case.
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Alaska Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
An Alaska man pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, William Steadman, 35, of Juneau, a registered sex offender, enticed a young boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which Steadman recorded and posted on the dark web. After the CSAM was posted, law enforcement began working to determine who had created and posted the images. Even though Steadman attempted to hide his identify from law enforcement by using the dark web, a cryptocurrency payment for additional CSAM and thorough analysis of online statements tied to his alias led to his identification and arrest. A search of Steadman’s residence led to the discovery of over 4,000 images and videos of CSAM on his devices.
Steadman pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on a later date and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison. 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; U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska; Special Agent in Charge Glen Peterson of the U.S. Secret Service’s Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
The Secret Service’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case.
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
31 March 2025
“Make D.C. Safe Again” Initiative Gets Off to Fast Start, Doubling the Monthly Average since January 2021Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office brought federal firearms charges against 18 defendants in the month of March—twice the monthly average since January 2021—announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is continuing its work to Make D.C. Safe Again by aggressively prosecuting violent offenders, adopting eligible Superior Court cases into District Court, and coordinating federal and local resources,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. “Our efforts directly support the President’s Executive Order to restore law and order in the District and help make our nation’s capital not only safer, but also worthy of its place as the pride of every American.”
“We are committed to reducing violence by addressing the flow and supply of illegal firearms within the District, we at ATF will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners as well as the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure those who violate federal firearm laws and terrorize our communities with violence are held accountable and brought to justice for their crimes,” said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood. “We remain steadfast in our mission of fighting violent crime in D.C.”
During the month of March, the U.S. Attorney’s Office accepted 23 cases for federal prosecution, 18 of which have already been charged in the U.S. District Court. This is the highest number of case adoptions since before January 2021. As a result of this surge, more dangerous offenders are off the streets. Examples of these cases include:
- Traffic Stop in Southeast D.C. Leads to Federal Indictment, Firearm Recovery, and Drug Seizure.
- Three District Men Indicted Following Firearms Arrest During Early Morning Traffic Stop in Logan Circle.
- Repeat Felon on Probation Is Indicted for Alleged Possession of Ammunition.
Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating these cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
York County Man Charged with Filing False Income Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Waylon Wilcox, age 45, of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal information on March 28, 2025, with filing false individual income tax returns.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the criminal information charges Wilcox with two counts of making and subscribing false individual income tax returns. The criminal information alleges that Wilcox engaged in a complex cryptocurrency scheme, wherein he sold his shares for over $7,402,935 in 2021 and $4,899,180 in 2022 and failed to report his gains from the sale of the cryptocurrency on his individual tax returns.
The information alleges that Wilcox filed a false individual income tax return for tax year 2021, which underreported his income for tax year 2021 by approximately $8,511,238 and reduced Wilcox’s tax then due and owing by approximately $2,180,453. It is further alleged that Wilcox filed a false individual income tax return for tax year 2022, which underreported Wilcox’s income for tax year 2022 by approximately $4,599,532 and reduced Wilcox’s tax then due and owing by approximately $1,098,623.
“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to unraveling complex financial schemes involving virtual currencies and non-fungible token (NFT) transactions designed to conceal taxable income,” said Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “In today’s economic environment, it’s more important than ever that the American people feel confident that everyone is playing by the rules and paying the taxes they owe.”
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams is prosecuting the case.
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Venezuela Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
DENVER – Abraham Gonzalez Romero, 23, a citizen of Venezuela, was charged with forcibly assaulting a federal officer with physical contact and made his initial appearance in federal court today.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Gonzalez Romero last entered the United States unlawfully at or near Eagle Pass, Texas, on or about September 20, 2023.
On February 28, 2025, ICE Denver Fugitive Operations Unit and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver encountered Gonzalez Romero upon his release from the Denver County jail. The officers present had ICE badges and placards clearly visible as they approached Gonzalez Romero. As one of the officers attempted to contact Gonzalez Romero, he jumped over a nearby handrail and began to run. Officers pursued him, and one officer positioned himself to block his exit. Gonzalez Romero continued running and ran straight at the officer rather than swerve to avoid him. The two collided, the officer was knocked backwards from the impact, and both fell to the ground. The officers subsequently subdued and arrested Gonzalez.
The prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crimes and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The charges in the complaint and indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Case Number: 25-cr-00106-REB
Trio Sentenced for Roles in Reservation MurderRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI – Three tribal members were sentenced for their respective roles in a murder, which occurred in September of 2023, in the Pearl River Community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Reservation.
According to court documents, Michael Jeffrey Shaffer, Sr., 48, and Montero Ray Willis, 22, were both sentenced to prison for Murder in the Second Degree. Shaffer was sentenced to 262 months, and Montero was sentenced 151 months. Deyonkia Alice Willis, 32, was sentenced to 60 months for the crime of Accessory After the Fact. All three were previously indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2023 and previously plead guilty.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case as part of the Project Safe Neighborhood’s Tribal Initiative.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhood’s Tribal Initiative refers to the inclusion of tribal law enforcement officials and community leaders within the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a national initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice that aims to identify and address the most pressing violent crime issues in a community by bringing together federal, state, local, tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and community partners to develop comprehensive solutions; essentially, it signifies the program's efforts to actively involve tribal entities in combating crime within their jurisdictions.
Tren de Aragua members arrested on federal charges of international drug distributionRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two Venezuelan nationals and alleged members of the recently designated foreign terrorist organization known as the Tren de Aragua (TdA) have been arrested on charges filed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jesus Miguel Barreto Lezama, 29, who was residing in Houston, has now appeared in federal court in Houston.
Also in custody is Briley Jesus Ballera Farias aka Derek, 32, who was arrested March 30 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he made his initial appearance.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment Jan. 29.
According to the allegations in the indictment, both men participated in a conspiracy, along with others, to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Venezuela and Colombia. Barreto Lezama is also charged with importing nearly five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia between June 26, 2024, and July 3, 2024.
If convicted, they face a up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Colombian National Police. FBI-Houston’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force made the Houston arrest with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan.
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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
This case is also part of JTFV, which was created in 2019 to destroy MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA. It is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada, Alaska; Northern District of Ohio; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia; as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners and spearheaded JTFV’s investigations.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Tonia Haddix Admits Lying Repeatedly to Court About Death of Tonka the ChimpanzeeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Missouri woman on Monday admitted lying in U.S. District Court and in court filings about the purported death of “Tonka,” a chimpanzee that was one of the subjects of a long running federal civil suit.
Tonia Haddix waived her right to indictment by a grand jury and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three felony charges: two counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. She admitted that her false statements influenced and obstructed the administration of justice in the pending civil suit.
That suit, originally filed in 2016, involved allegations by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) over the care of primates, including Tonka, at a facility near Festus, Missouri.
On October 2, 2020, the District Court entered its consent decree requiring that Haddix, who was then operating the Festus facility, take certain steps relative to Tonka. What followed, based upon Haddix’s failure to comply with the provisions of the District Court’s consent decree, were a series of motions seeking civil contempt against Haddix filed by PETA. The District Court entered a number of orders granting temporary restraining orders against Haddix, finding Haddix in civil contempt relative to the District Court’s consent decree. On March 26, 2021, the District Court issued a temporary restraining order against Haddix requiring that Haddix not transfer Tonka and continue to provide appropriate caregiving to him. On July 14, 2021, the District Court found Haddix in violation of that order and entered an additional order requiring that Tonka and six other chimpanzees be transferred from Haddix’s possession to the Center for Great Apes. During that July 14, 2021 hearing, Haddix falsely claimed that Tonka had died, but failed to provide the Court with proof of death. The District Court’s July 14, 2021 order provided that the transfer of Tonka and the six other chimpanzees to the Center for Great Apes be carried out by representatives of PETA, representatives of the Center for Great Apes, and Deputy U.S. Marshals. On July 28, 2021, access was only provided to the six chimpanzees which were duly transferred to the Center for Great Apes, but no information was provided by Haddix as to the whereabouts of Tonka.
On August 2, 2021, PETA filed its fourth motion seeking civil contempt against Haddix for failing to transfer Tonka as ordered by the District Court. On August 16, 2021, Haddix filed her declaration with the District Court, under penalty of perjury, which contained the materially false statement that, “On May 30, 2021, Tonka died. On that same date, [my husband] cremated Tonka’s body. After the cremation, he gave me Tonka’s cremated remains. Since then, I have retained—and continue to retain—Tonka’s remains.” Haddix well knew at that time that Tonka was not dead, but alive and living in a known location. On December 27, 2021, Haddix filed in the District Court her pro se motion to dismiss with prejudice PETA’s fourth motion seeking civil contempt. In that motion, Haddix again made numerous materially false representations that Tonka was dead. Her materially false statements influenced, obstructed and impeded the due administration of justice in that pending civil case.
On January 5, 2022, the District Court convened a hearing during which Haddix gave sworn testimony and again made materially false statements, including that on May 30, 2021, “…and then I went in and I opened the cage door and [Tonka] was dead. He was dead.” “…we took him around and let the chimps say good-bye. Then we put him in the Gator and we backed the Gator up against the truck, the bed of the truck, the tailgate, and then we put his body over into the truck and then he left.” “…and I waited for [my husband] to call me, to let me know [that he had completed his cremation.]” “…I wanted to keep trying to save Tonka if I could. But then he just died on his own, so there was no saving him.” Based upon her false testimony, the District Court denied PETA’s motion for civil contempt.
On June 2, 2022, based upon newly discovered evidence presented to the District Court that Tonka was alive, the District Court entered its temporary restraining order requiring Haddix to cooperate in the transfer of Tonka from her possession to a facility designated by PETA. On June 8, 2022, representatives of PETA and representatives of the Save the Chimps Foundation, with the assistance of Deputy U.S. Marshals, were finally able to transfer Tonka from where he was being held in a cage in Haddix’s basement to a Save the Chimps sanctuary, where Tonka continues to live to this date.
“Despite repeatedly being warned by the District Court about the consequences of flouting the consent decree and court orders and being given ample opportunity to come into compliance, Haddix continued to defy the Court,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “She then repeatedly lied about Tonka’s death while she was under oath.”
"Tania Haddix swore to tell the truth under oath and then proceeded to blatantly lie to a federal judge," said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “There is no excuse."
Haddix is scheduled to be sentenced July 16. Each perjury charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The obstruction charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and the same fine range.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is prosecuting the case.
Three Charged with Multiple Drug Charges Following Arrests at Local NightclubRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Rimon Salim, 37, a naturalized citizen of the United States; Antuan Rhodes, 44, of Nashville, Tennessee; and Jorge Luis, 35, a citizen of Mexico without legal status in the United States, have been arrested and charged in three separate criminal complaints for their involvement in drug-related crimes at two Antioch, Tennessee, nightclubs, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“The extraordinary number of calls from citizens to police about these establishments justifies law enforcement efforts to hold these individuals accountable for their criminal activity,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “Night clubs like these, where illegal activity is rampant, are a blight on our city and we will do what it takes to clean them up for the benefit of the community.”
“This operation exemplifies the effectiveness of collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies who have united to combat a drug trafficking operation,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to working with our partners to keep illegal drugs off our streets and holding those accountable for endangering our communities.”
According to court documents, Salim owns and operates Miami Club and Paisanos bar and billar. Paisanos operates as a nightclub on the weekends from 6:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. When Paisanos closes, Miami Club opens next door as an “after-party nightclub” from 2:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Between 2020 and 2024, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has received over 400 calls for service from these clubs and nearby businesses. These calls have been for fights, weapons, shots fired, individuals suffering gunshot wounds, theft, disorderly conduct, and various other crimes.
Approximately 18 months ago, law enforcement began investigating drug trafficking in these clubs. Undercover agents went inside the clubs and observed drug sales and drug usage. Law enforcement also used informants to purchase drugs from individuals in the nightclubs’ bathrooms. Specifically, between February 2024 and March 2025, Jorge Luis sold informants cocaine in Paisanos’ bathroom on multiple occasions. In addition, between August 2024 and March 2025, Salim, Rhodes, and others sold and provided informants methamphetamine and cocaine in Miami Club on multiple occasions.
Salim is charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises and distributing controlled substances. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine for maintaining a drug-involved premises. He faces up to life in federal prison and a $10,000,000 fine for distributing controlled substances.
Luis and Rhodes are both charged with distributing controlled substances. They face up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1,000,000 fine for each count.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed Safeeullah 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.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Texas residents admit to smuggling $2 million in fentanyl from MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two people have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import 11.65 kilograms of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Taneka Desha Felder, 27, Amarillo, and Gustavo Morales Aguilar, 40, a naturalized U.S. citizen living in Dumas, admitted they traveled into Mexico Dec. 17, 2024. There, they allowed drug smugglers to load their car with 10 bundles of fentanyl powder in the car’s hidden compartment.
They then attempted to enter the United States from Mexico at the Lincoln Juarez International Bridge.
At secondary inspection, authorities discovered the bundles hidden in the specially-manufactured compartment under the center console. They admitted they bought the car a few days before traveling to Mexico for the specific purpose of smuggling drugs on their return trip. Both admitted that they expected to be paid after successful delivery of the car and drugs to other persons in Dallas.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Felder and Morales Aguilar face up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Both have been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.
Taos Man Admits to Killing Up-And-Coming Native American Artist Deanna SuazoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Santiago Martinez pleaded guilty in federal court to voluntary manslaughter for the death of his girlfriend, DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo, a talented Indigenous artist, following a late-night argument in November 2021.
According to court records, on November 12, 2021, Santiago Martinez and his girlfriend, DeAnna Suazo, were at their shared home, where they consumed alcohol and listened to music in her vehicle. Early in the morning hours, the couple engaged in a heated argument outside their home about the future of their relationship, during which Suazo reiterated her desire to end things. The argument escalated into a physical altercation, leading to Martinez intentionally running over Suazo with her SUV, resulting in her death due to mechanical asphyxia and blunt trauma
Although Martinez had consumed alcohol, he acknowledged being aware of his actions and their wrongfulness at the time of the incident.
DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo (Diné, Taos Pueblo) was a talented artist and the daughter of Native American artists Geraldine Tso, a Navajo artist, and David Gary Suazo, a Taos Pueblo painter. She celebrated her Indigenous heritage through figural paintings of strong Indigenous women, blending traditional and contemporary styles with inspiration from Japanese manga. Suazo's work was exhibited nationwide, including at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts and the Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery. In 2022, IAIA established the DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo Memorial Fund for Indigenous female artists in the MFA in Studio Arts Program, honoring her legacy and contributions to the art world.
David Gary Suazo DeAnna pictured with her artwork courtesy of David Gary SuazoAt sentencing, Martinez faces between 10 and 15 years in prison followed by not less than three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrinand Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary Jones and Nora Wilson are prosecuting the case.
South Carolina Construction Company to Pay $191,070 to the United States to Resolve False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced today that Thompson Construction Group Inc., of Sumter, South Carolina, has agreed to pay the United States $191,070 to resolve civil allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act by submitting false claims for payment from federal disaster recovery grant funds and by falsely certifying that homes it had constructed were compliant with contract conditions.
On June 26, 2016, portions of central and southern West Virginia experienced extreme levels of rainfall, resulting in historic flooding over a vast swath of the region. Flood waters rushing across West Virginia’s mountainous landscape damaged or swept away thousands of homes, businesses, bridges and other infrastructure, leaving thousands of West Virginia residents homeless and at least 23 dead. Following a presidential disaster declaration issued in response to the flooding, Congress appropriated funds for disaster recovery in West Virginia to be administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the form of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. These funds were made available to fund an array of recovery needs in West Virginia including housing rehabilitation and replacement for low income homeowners.
Thompson was awarded a series of contracts to reconstruct homes that were damaged or destroyed during the catastrophic flood. Because future flooding and water intrusion was a concern, the contracts included specific requirements for water management including crawl space drainage systems and sump pumps to be installed in homes constructed in a flood plain. These requirements were detailed in pre-bid construction specifications and incorporated into the contracts awarded.
Thompson completed construction of these homes and submitted invoices certifying compliance with the contract terms and was paid from federal CDBG-DR funds. Investigators later learned, however, that crawl space drainage systems and sump pumps had not been installed as required, making Thompson’s claims and certifications false.
The Settlement Agreement announced today requires Thompson to pay $95,535 in restitution and $95,535 in double damages pursuant to the False Claims Act.
“Numerous West Virginia families devastated by the 2016 flooding relied on Thompson Construction, which received significant taxpayer dollars only to leave these families vulnerable to future flooding,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “I commend HUD-OIG and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations for conducting the civil investigation, the Affirmative Civil Enforcement-Health Care Fraud Investigative Specialist Tyler E. Japhet in our office for assisting the investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil for securing this settlement.”
“Thompson Construction Group’s actions diverted limited federal taxpayer resources that were intended to help victims rebuild homes that had been damaged by devastating floods and instead used that money to line their pockets,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with HUD-OIG. “HUD OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our prosecutorial, law enforcement, and oversight partners to aggressively pursue individuals who engage in activities that threaten the integrity of HUD programs.”
“The Commission on Special Investigations is committed to investigating all matters involving the misappropriation and theft of public funds,” said Commission Director Rick Eplin. “Commission investigators spent many days in the field interviewing homeowners and contractors in this matter. In addition, they collected photographic evidence that clearly supported the allegations set forth. We are thankful for the support of our federal partners with HUD-OIG and the United States Attorney’s Office who made a successful resolution of this case possible.”
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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San Francisco Resident Who Shot and Killed Victim in the Presidio Found Guilty of Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today found Leion Butler, aka Leniyah Butler, 21, of San Francisco, guilty of voluntary manslaughter. The verdict followed a two-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge Susan Illston.
The jury found that Butler, a sex worker, killed a man in the Crissy Field East Beach area of the Presidio of San Francisco on Nov. 12, 2023, after performing a sex act on the victim. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Butler shot the victim once in the eye after he asked for a refund and asked Butler to get out of the car. After killing him, Butler stole the victim’s vehicle, drove it to Hunters Point, and tried to wipe away the fingerprints and DNA. Butler spent the rest of that morning scattering the physical evidence, including the murder weapon.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the victim’s family, whose son and brother was taken from them prematurely, and hope today’s verdict brings some measure of justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “We commend the swift actions of the FBI agents, who promptly and thoroughly investigated this case from the moment the victim’s body was found in the Presidio.”
“This conviction demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to seeking justice for victims of violent crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Through tireless investigative work and collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we ensured that the defendant was held accountable for this senseless act. The FBI will continue to pursue those who commit violent offenses and threaten the safety of our communities.”
The jury acquitted Butler of murder in the second degree.
Butler, who is currently being held in custody, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2025. The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1112 is 15 years and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate. Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Davidson and George Hageman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Helen Yee, Jessie Chelsea, Marina Ponomarchuk, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of a monthslong investigation by the FBI.
Rotterdam Felon Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing a ShotgunRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jesse Taber, age 46, of Rotterdam, New York, was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a shotgun. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
As part of his prior guilty plea, Taber admitted that on December 26, 2023, inside of his Rotterdam residence, he possessed a 12-gauge Stoeger Coach Gun shotgun. Taber further admitted that he has three prior felony convictions in New York that prevent him from lawfully possessing any firearms.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a three-year term of supervised release to begin after Taber is released from prison.
ATF investigated the case with the assistance of the Rotterdam Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Romanian National Sentenced to 24 Months’ Imprisonment for Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Stefan-Alin Doleanu, age 29, of Romania, was sentenced on March 27, 2025, to 24 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between November 2022 and March 2023, Doleanu and multiple co-conspirators, including co-defendant Eliza Doleanu, conspired to use stolen SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (“EBT”) card information at Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club stores in Camp Hill, Chambersburg, Mechanicsburg, and York. During this period, the Doleanus illegally purchased several thousand dollars in goods.
Judge Wilson further ordered Doleanu to pay restitution in the amount of $14,255.97.
Doleanu will be removed from the United States upon the completion of his sentence.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams prosecuted the case.
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Richmond Sexual Predator Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— Moises Bojorquez, 29, of Richmond, Indiana, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of child sexual abuse material, and possession of matter containing child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Bojorquez sexually abused a prepubescent relative, who was in his care and custody. In several instances, Bojorquez live chatted the sexual abuse. In other instances, Bojorquez recorded the sexual abuse and sent it to a woman via Telegram, an encrypted, cloud-based instant messaging service.
Bojorquez and the woman engaged in a months-long conversation via Telegram in which they described their shared sexual interest in children. Bojorquez also shared other child sex abuse material with the same woman via Telegram and with others via email. Investigators located more than 1,000 images and videos on Bojorquez’s two cell phones, some of which depicted infants or toddlers engaged in sexually explicit conduct and sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
“No child should suffer sexual abuse,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This predator cruelly exploited an innocent child to satisfy his criminal sexual desires with other likeminded predators. Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement officers, this defendant will now spend 40 years in federal prison, where he cannot sexually abuse another child.”
“This case is a sobering reminder of the depths of pravity some individuals will go to exploit the most innocent among us,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “HSI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying and bringing to justice those who prey on children. We will continue to use every available resource to protect the innocent and disrupt the networks that facilitate these horrific crimes.”
“The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force remains vigilant and committed to working with its local and federal partners to protect society’s most vulnerable to sexual exploitation: our children. Caretakers, parents, and others in positions of trust who fail in their duty to protect children but instead seek to sexually exploit them for their own selfish and devious reasons will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted,” said Christopher D. Cecil, Commander of Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Homeland Security Investigations and members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including Indiana State Police, Richmond Police Department, and Plainfield Police Department, investigated this case, with assistance from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Wood and Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this 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. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
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