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28 March 2025
Mexican National Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was charged in federal court today following his arrest during the execution of a federal search warrant yesterday.
Jose Valencia-Soriano, 23, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 28. As set forth in the attached complaint, Valencia-Soriano is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm Valencia-Soriano was arrested yesterday and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on Thursday, March 27, agents with the Kansas City Field Division of the FBI, assisted by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, were executing a federal search warrant at a home in the Kansas City area. According to the affidavit, during the execution of this warrant, Valencia-Soriano was discovered at the location, in addition to approximately 102 lbs. of finished crystal methamphetamine, over 406 lbs. of liquids containing methamphetamine in various states, three firearms in the main bedroom, and $48,634 in cash. Two of the firearms recovered had been listed as stolen. The underlying investigation is out of the St. Louis area and is primarily being handled by the St. Louis Field Division of the FBI.
"FBI St. Louis prioritized this drug trafficking investigation after we confirmed this defendant entered the U.S. illegally," said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. "With the help of our law enforcement partners, we seized a large quantity of illicit drugs to include 100 pounds of finished crystal meth and 406 pounds of liquid that contained meth."
“This case serves as an important reminder that, in addition to fentanyl, large quantities of other dangerous drugs, in this case methamphetamine, are still a significant problem in our community. This office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute every one of these cases with the goal of making our communities a safer place to live,” said Acting United States Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray for the Western District of Missouri.
A courtesy copy of the complaint is attached to this release.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City and St. Louis Field Divisions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Rolla Area Drug Enforcement. HSI and KCMOPD also assisted with the execution of the warrant yesterday.
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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Attachments
25-mj-00040-wbglmc_complaint_redacted.pdfMemphis Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Tennessee man was sentenced today to over seven years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Memphis area.
According to court documents, Courtney Davis, 28, of Memphis, also known as Geo and Geo Grape, conspired with co-defendant Brian Lackland, also known as Stupid Duke, Spooky Duke, Duke, and Homework, and others, in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. This investigation targeted a Memphis-based gang Young Mob, also known as Young Mob Military, and its involvement in the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in March 2024, investigators and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit began court-authorized wiretaps in which Davis was intercepted multiple times discussing with Lackland the acquisition and distribution of “blues,” which are fentanyl pills that resembled blue 30mg oxycodone pills. Davis was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of approximately 90 grams of fentanyl and 1360 grams of methamphetamine.
Davis is one of 18 defendants charged as part of this ongoing investigation and the first to be sentenced. In December 2024, Davis pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl.
Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The ATF and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Neal Oldham for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in Memphis.
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Memphis Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A Tennessee man was sentenced today to over seven years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Memphis area.
According to court documents, Courtney Davis, 28, of Memphis, also known as Geo and Geo Grape, conspired with co-defendant Brian Lackland, also known as Stupid Duke, Spooky Duke, Duke, and Homework, and others, in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. This investigation targeted a Memphis-based gang Young Mob, also known as Young Mob Military, and its involvement in the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in March 2024, investigators and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit began court-authorized wiretaps in which Davis was intercepted multiple times discussing with Lackland the acquisition and distribution of “blues,” which are fentanyl pills that resembled blue 30mg oxycodone pills. Davis was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of approximately 90 grams of fentanyl and 1360 grams of methamphetamine.
Davis is one of 18 defendants charged as part of this ongoing investigation and the first to be sentenced. In December 2024, Davis pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl.
Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement.
The ATF and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Neal Oldham for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in Memphis.
Manchester Woman Pleads Guilty to Making a False Statement During Firearm PurchaseRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced that STACYANN M. HAYLETT, 32, of Manchester, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an ATF investigation identified Haylett as the straw purchaser of firearms on behalf of an individual who, as a felon, was prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. In pleading guilty, Haylett specifically admitted that on May 15, 2021, she purchased a Glock Model 20, 10mm caliber pistol from a licensed firearms dealer in Middletown. During the purchase, Haylett completed and signed an ATF Form 4473 in which she falsely represented that she was the actual purchaser of the firearm and was not acquiring it for another person. The investigation revealed that Haylett transferred the firearm to the prohibited individual.
On October 10, 2023, law enforcement recovered the firearm from a fentanyl trafficker in New Haven.
Haylett was arrested on July 15, 2024.
Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for July 9, at which time Haylett faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Haylett is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington and Sean P. Mahard, and Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker and Christopher Usher from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Hartford, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) programs.
Man, Guilty of Conspiring to Steal Mail and Possession of Stolen MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DARRYL ALEXANDER, age 22, of New Orleans, plead guilty on March 27, 2025 to Conspiracy to Steal United States Mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371 and Possession of Stolen Mail that had been deposited into authorized mail receptacles, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708. United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon set sentencing for June 26, 2025.
According to the indictment, on June 23, 2022, ALEXANDER and another man stole mail from one location, and attempted to steal mail from another location, in Kenner, Louisiana. ALEXANDER acted as the driver while the coconspirator used the United States Postal Service (USPS) “arrow key” to steal mail from the first location. They were unsuccessful at the second location. After a police chase, the pair were found in possession of 36 stolen checks, including one forged counterfeit check, six opened pieces of mail, and the USPS arrow key used to open the USPS mailboxes to steal mail.
For each charge, ALEXANDER faces a maximum penalty of up to five (5) years imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is charge of the prosecution.
Man Facing Federal Charges Following Montgomery Dry Cleaner Business RobberyRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – A Montgomery, Alabama man has been charged with federal crimes for his alleged role in the March 10, 2025, robbery of a Montgomery dry cleaning business, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. On March 26, 2025, law enforcement arrested 58-year-old Zedekiah Sykes, on charges of armed robbery, carjacking, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a federal crime of violence. The United States District Court in Montgomery unsealed Sykes’ criminal complaint today.
The arrest took place after an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Montgomery Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Task Force, with assistance from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office. Sykes will make his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon at 1:00pm.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted on all charges, Sykes faces a sentence of seven years to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul Markovits.
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).
Louisville Man Sentenced to over 16 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Louisville, Kentucky, man was sentenced this week to 16 years and 3 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after having previously been convicted of a felony offense and for possession of an unregistered firearm.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
According to court documents, Hassan Mohamed 20, was sentenced to 16 years and 3 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing 3 firearms, one of which was a short barrel rifle that required registration. Mohamed was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On April 23, 2019, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Mohamed was convicted of two counts of complicity to robbery in the first degree, three counts of robbery in the first degree, complicity to assault in the first degree and tampering with physical evidence.
On January 4, 2022, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Mohamed was convicted of robbery in the first degree, rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree, and criminal attempt rape in the first degree.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Lantz and Josh Porter prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Operation Take Back America is 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.
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Lexington Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Mikayla Daleness, 26, of Lexington, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 27, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. United Sates District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Daleness to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Daleness’s release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
From summer 2023 into early 2024, Daleness and three others from Cozad worked together to bring pounds of methamphetamine from Colorado to the Lexington-Cozad area where the drugs were distributed. Search warrants for Facebook communications allowed investigators to identify individuals and their residences involved in the distribution of methamphetamine. During a January 2024 search warrant at a co-conspirator’s residence in Cozad, investigators found a loaded handgun, ammunition, methamphetamine, and distribution paraphernalia. Search warrants for the residents’ cell phones contained messages showing drug distribution. Recorded jail calls tipped investigators to the group’s travel plans to get more methamphetamine in Colorado. A search warrant for a tracking device led investigators to making a traffic stop on February 6, 2024. Daleness was a passenger in the car containing more methamphetamine, THC, and drug paraphernalia. A later search of Daleness’s Cozad residence turned up drug use and distribution paraphernalia.
This case was investigated by the CODE Drug Task Force which is comprised of members from the Lexington Police Department, the Cozad Police Department, the North Platte Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol. Investigators from the West Metro Drug Task Force in Colorado also assisted in the investigation.
Leader of Fentanyl Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Providence, R.I. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for leading a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Estarlin Ortiz-Alcantara, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In December 2023, Ortiz-Alcantara pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Ortiz-Alcantara was charged in July 2022 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2022.
Between approximately February 2021 and July 2022, Ortiz-Alcantara managed a DTO that distributed fentanyl in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. As part of his DTO’s operations, Ortiz-Alcantara controlled a stash house in Fall River to store, process and distribute fentanyl and employ numerous individuals who assisted with mixing, packaging and distributing fentanyl. During a search of Ortiz-Alcantara’s stash house in July 2022, more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl, as well as items consistent with running a fentanyl business, including blenders, a hydraulic press and baggies were seized.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira; and Fairhaven Police Chief Michael J. Myers made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Homeland Security Investigations; Bristol County Sherriff’s Office; and the Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Scituate, Yarmouth, Providence (R.I.) and West Warwick (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident was sentenced Thursday by United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva to three and a half years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a scheme to defraud at least $385,000 in unemployment benefits from the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and identity theft.
According to court documents, from August 15, 2020, and continuing to September 18, 2020, Emelio Vladimir Rochester (28) and co-defendant Joseph Holmes Jr. conspired to obtain and possess 17 EDD debit cards issued in the names of victims without their authorization. To execute the scheme, Rochester and Holmes stole personal identifying information belonging to victims and filed fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. They then used the debit cards loaded with unemployment benefit funds to make ATM withdrawals in Santa Ana, Fountain Valley, and Garden Grove, California.
On September 18, 2020, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Rochester with Holmes as a passenger. A search recovered 17 EDD debit cards, $89,710 in cash, five cell phones, three laptop computers, and a tablet. All of the debit cards recovered were issued in different names. At least $385,000 in unemployment benefits were approved for the claims associated with the debit cards, and at least $192,234.29 was withdrawn from the accounts.
“Emelio Rochester filed fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in UI benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself at the expense of a program intended to assist American workers struggling during an unprecedented pandemic,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). “This sentencing underscores the commitment of the DOL-OIG and our law enforcement partners to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in DOL programs.”
Rochester pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess counterfeit and unauthorized access devices and one count of aggravated identity theft. In addition to imprisonment, he was ordered to pay $192,234 in restitution.
Co-defendant Holmes Jr. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess counterfeit and unauthorized access devices and one count of aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced to 54 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Heiden made the announcement.
The DOL-OIG investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Frayn prosecuted the case.
Suspected fraud or violations relating to any DOL program should be promptly referred to the OIG via the OIG Hotline online Complaint Form or 1-800-347-3756.
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KC Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo. man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Darren M. Wood, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Wednesday, March 26, to 5 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 20, 2024, Wood pleaded guilty to one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On Sept. 15, 2023, officers from the Belton, Mo. Police Department were dispatched on a suspicious activity call for someone sleeping in a vehicle. Wood exited the vehicle when officers began approaching the vehicle.
Officers observed a Glock 19, 9mm pistol in the front driver’s seat. The firearm was loaded with one round in the chamber and a fully loaded 15-round magazine. Officers searched Wood and located over $3,000 cash. Officers searched the vehicle and located 285 blue tablets labeled “M30” which contained fentanyl, 20 alprazolam tablets, 4 clonazepam tablets, and 2 bottles containing liquid promethazine.
Wood also possessed a black AR-15 style rifle with a loaded magazine and no serial number, which officers located in the vehicle’s trunk.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings It was investigated by the Belton, Mo. Police Department, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Premeditated Murder for Revenge KillingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deonte Patterson, 29, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and other charges for the August 2021 shooting of 32-year-old Ali Jamil Al-Mahdi on 9th Street NW, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Patterson also was found guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and obstructing justice. The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2025. Patterson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the crimes.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 2:24 a.m., on August 23, 2021, members of the Third District Metropolitan Police Department were in the area of 9th and T Street, N.W., when they heard the sounds of multiple gunshots. Officers canvassed the area and located Mr. Ali Al-Mahdi in front of 1822 9th Street, N.W., unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and transported Mr. Al-Mahdi to Howard University Hospital where all lifesaving efforts failed, and he was pronounced dead at 3:39 a.m. Surveillance video and witness testimony placed Patterson in the area of the shooting. Mr. Al-Mahdi was shot as he was trying to get to his car. Minutes after the shooting, there was a car crash at 9th Street and Massachusetts Ave N.W., where a car flipped over multiple times. Patterson and a gun flew out from the vehicle during the crash. DNA tied the gun that flew out of the car to the defendant. That gun was consistent with having fired the 40 caliber casings at the shooting crime scene. Other casings at the shooting scene came from an unknown firearm suspected to be return gunfire that hit the defendant’s fleeing vehicle. The defendant’s firearm was in a fanny pack in the backseat of his car. The decedent had previously shot the defendant in 2019, pled guilty, and served time.
An arrest warrant for Patterson was issued in January 2022 and he was on the run for a year until he was arrested on January 5, 2023. Since being held, the defendant communicated with his girlfriend in several jail calls instructing her not to say anything.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Tamara Rubb.
Judge Gives Southeast D.C. Woman Prison Term for Obstructing Justice in the Murder Investigation of 10-year-old Makiyah WilsonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Quanisha Ramsuer, 31, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to three years in prison for obstruction of justice in connection with the investigation into the murder of Makiyah Wilson, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Robert Okun ordered three years of probation.
Ramsuer was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on September 3, 2024, for her role in connection with the July 16, 2018 murder. The evidence at trial showed that on July 16, 2018, five members of the Wellington Park crew, Mark Price, Antonio Murchison, Isaiah Murchison, Gregory Taylor, and Qujuan Thomas, who have all been convicted, drove to the Clay Terrace neighborhood armed with guns. The driver of the vehicle, Mark Price, briefly stopped to allow the other defendants to exit the vehicle. They opened fire on the Clay Terrace courtyard, firing more than 50 shots, indiscriminately. Makiyah Wilson, who was sitting on the front stoop of her home, was killed. Two other members of the Wellington Park crew – Quentin Michals and Darrise Jeffers – were also convicted of their role in assisting in planning the shooting and securing the firearms that were used and crew member Marquell Cobbs was convicted of conspiracy in connection with the incident.
Ramsuer, who witnessed the defendants preparing for the shooting, continuously refused to testify truthfully when asked the identity of the shooters. The evidence at trial showed that Ramseur lived in or hung out in the Wellington Park neighborhood most of her life and knew almost all of the defendants, one of whom she identified as her cousin. She was observed on video surveillance interacting with the defendants as they loaded into the vehicles to drive to Clay Terrace to commit the shooting. Ramsuer was also observed on video closely engaging with one of the defendants who orchestrated the attack, but who remained behind. Despite the obvious familiarity, Ramseur steadfastly refused to identify the individuals with whom she was interacting in the video, resulting in the charge of obstruction of justice.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Bach and Natalie Hynum.
The trial team was assisted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chrisellen Kolb and Nicholas Coleman, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Supervisory Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Clark, Victim/Witness Program Specialist Jennifer Allen, Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Maenylie Watson, Information Technology Specialist Charlie Bruce, Supervisory Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, Information Technology Specialist Sigourney Jackson, Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, and Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman. Critical assistance also was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Merikas and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rich Barker, John Timmer, and Melissa Jackson who played key roles in the investigation.
Jamaican national sentenced to 14 years in prison for meth traffickingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Jamaican national was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for attempt to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Kirkville Virgo, aka Mark Thomas, 47, and another person shipped meth from California to a hotel in Richmond, purportedly for "Christoper Jackson." On March 23, 2024, law enforcement interdicted a package that contained 10 heat-sealed bundles of meth weighing approximately 9,080 grams. Agents replaced approximately 18 pounds of meth with "sham" rock salt, leaving approximately two pounds of meth in the parcel, and performed a controlled delivery to the hotel.
Virgo later entered the hotel, using the name Delbert Dujon, and took custody of the package from the front desk. Law enforcement then took custody of Virgo.
Virgo was previously permanently removed from the United States on Feb. 5, 2013, and was in the United States illegally at the time of the offense.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Col. Matt Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-127.
Jacksonville Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Jonathan Scott Thompson (45, Jacksonville) to 33 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Thompson to forfeit his interest in the firearm that he possessed. Thompson pleaded guilty on December 20, 2024.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2024, officers from the Jacksonville Beach Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance after a witness called 911 to report that Thompson was dragging a woman and throwing her to the ground. The victim and Thompson then argued inside a vehicle at the scene, and at some point, Thompson threw her down into the car and located a Glock semi-automatic pistol. The victim saw the firearm in his hands. Officers arrived at the scene and recovered the loaded firearm inside the vehicle. At the time, Thompson had multiple prior felony convictions, including armed burglary and burglary of a conveyance. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Beach Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry.
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.
Individual Indicted and Arrested for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 27, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a three-count indictment charging Carlos A. Guerra-Colón with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, Carlos A. Guerra-Colón, beginning on a date unknown, but no later than March 18, 2025, conspired and agreed with others to knowingly possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
While conducting inspection duties, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) employees identified a suspicious package that, upon examination, contained 2.365 kilograms of fentanyl. On March 18, 2025, Guerra-Colón went to the United States Postal Service (USPS) Aguadilla Main Post Office to pick up the package containing the fentanyl. When Guerra-Colón exited the post office, USPIS agents proceeded to arrest him. After he was detained, agents conducted a search of Guerra-Colón’s vehicle that resulted in the seizure of 24 zip lock bags containing cocaine.
“Eliminating drug trafficking networks is critical to our ongoing efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis in America and save lives,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Our office will prosecute fentanyl traffickers and dealers to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Fentanyl is a weapon of mass destruction disguised as a drug, it kills indiscriminately and fuels the suffering of countless families,” said DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Miranda. “The DEA will not stop. We will pursue every trafficker, dismantle every network, and enforce every law with unwavering resolve to protect our communities and save lives.”
If convicted the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment with a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is in charge of the investigation with the collaboration of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB).
Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section Max J. Pérez-Bouret; Deputy Chief of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, AUSA María L. Montañez-Concepción; and AUSA Luis A. Valentín are 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).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Indian-National Sentenced to Serve 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Extorting Minors through Social MediaRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – SAI KUMAR KURREMULA, 31, an Indian-national living in Edmond on an immigrant visa, has been sentenced to serve 420 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of three children and transportation of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On April 22, 2024, Kurremula was charged by Information with sexual exploitation of children and transportation of child pornography. According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, in October 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began investigating an account on the social media messaging app, Snapchat, involving a user who was sexually exploiting minor girls. The Internet Protocol address used to create the account led federal authorities to Kurremula. Public documents and evidence at the sentencing hearing allege Kurremula had sexually exploited at least 19 minors through Snapchat, often posing as a 13- to 15-year-old boy to gain the trust of his victims. When the victims refused his requests, Kurremula would manipulate, threaten, and extort his victims to produce even more child pornography.
On June 18, 2020, Kurremula pleaded guilty and admitted to sexually exploiting three minor victims and to knowingly transporting images of child pornography. Specifically, Kurremula admitted that, to ensure the minor victims complied, he: threatened Jane Doe #1 that he would drive to her house and show her parents sexually explicit images of her; threatened Jane Doe #2 that he would come to her house and shoot her family; and threatened Jane Doe #3 that he would publicly post sexually explicit images and videos of her.
“The appalling exploitation, manipulation, and coercion of multiple children by this defendant justly warranted the 35-year sentence imposed by the Court,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. “This case serves as a clear warning to others that the strongest of penalties await those who exploit and victimize our children. I applaud the work done by federal prosecutors and law enforcement for stopping Kurremula from harming any other children and holding him accountable.”
“This defendant manipulated children into sending him explicit images for his own perverse gratification. These disgusting actions robbed the victims of their innocence and caused unthinkable harm,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “The dedicated men and women of FBI Oklahoma City will relentlessly pursue those who prey upon children in our communities. Thank you to our partners at the US Attorney’s Office for their efforts in holding this defendant accountable. The sentence imposed in this case will serve as a reminder of what is waiting for those who victimize children.”
At the sentencing hearing on March 27, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Kurremula to serve 420 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Goodwin noted that these offenses are among those that society considers the most serious because they involve such vulnerable victims. Judge Goodwin further highlighted that Kurremula inflicted trauma on his victims that will echo throughout their lives and their families’ lives, and his lengthy sentence of imprisonment reflects that trauma.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Joynes prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Illegal alien indicted for smuggling 19 other illegal aliensRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 33-year-old Mexican national has been charged for smuggling 19 people and for illegally re-entering the United States following an order of removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Orlando Daniel Hernandez-Cepeda is now in custody and is expected to appear for his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III April 10 at 8:45 a.m.
The criminal complaint originally filed in the case alleges that on March 10, authorities observed a white cargo van drive towards the Rio Grande River and come to a stop. At that time, they observed approximately 20 individuals entering the van, according to the allegations.
The charges allege that after the vehicle departed the location, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. A search allegedly resulted in the discovery of 19 illegal aliens in the back with no legal status to enter or remain in the United States.
The indictment, returned March 27, alleges authorities also identified Hernandez-Cepeda as a Mexican citizen with no legal status to enter or remain in the United States and had been previously removed.
Hernandez-Cepeda is charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and faces up to 10 years in federal prison, upon conviction. If convicted of any of the three counts of transporting illegal aliens, he could receive up to five years and another two years upon conviction of illegal reentry. All charges also carry a potential $250,000 maximum fine.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Salazar is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Illegal Alien Indicted for Fentanyl, Firearm, and Immigration-Related CrimesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Sarah Maud Jess, 61, of Capitol Heights, Maryland. Jess is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, and reentry of an alien removed after conviction for an aggravated felony.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge William DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Police Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGCPD).
According to the indictment, Jess engaged in a conspiracy to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl between November 2023 and October 2024. She also distributed 40 grams or more of fentanyl on specific dates in June and September 2024. Additionally, Jess is charged with possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl on October 2, 2024; illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition on the same date; and as an alien who was previously removed from the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony. Jess was found in the United States without receiving permission to reapply for admission into the country as required by law.
If convicted, Jess faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years for the drug charges; up to 15 years for the firearm charge; and up to 20 years for the aggravated illegal reentry charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, DEA, FBI, MCPD, and PGCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Honduras Citizen Charged with Illegal Re-Entry into U.S. and Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Honduras has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal immigration and fraud laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The nine-count Indictment named Jose Antonio Mejia-Sarmiento, 66, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Mejia-Sarmiento was found in the Western District of Pennsylvania after being deported and removed from the United States three times between 1996 and 2016, including after having been convicted of a felony on the latter occasion. The Indictment further charges Mejia-Sarmiento with making false statements to the Social Security Administration on four different dates between May 2024 and February 2025 by possessing and using the identification of another person.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Hobbs Man Who Sold Illegal Firearm Devices to Undercover Agents Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Hobbs man admitted to selling illegal devices that convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns to undercover agents investigating a series of shootings in Carlsbad.
According to court records, the investigation began after several shootings involving juvenile suspects took place in Carlsbad, New Mexico, in 2024. During a review of a phone belonging to one of the juvenile shooting suspects, officers from the Carlsbad Police Department discovered conversations indicating the sale of machine gun conversion devices. These devices convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute with a single trigger pull.
The investigation led to Tevon Wayne Davis Cobbs, 24, who used the online aliases "Tee Swoo" and "TMURDA." Subsequently, undercover agents with the Lea County Drug Task Force (LCDTF) contacted Cobbs through Facebook, posing as potential buyers, and arranged to purchase machine gun conversion devices. Over the course of two controlled buys, Cobbs sold the undercover agents multiple machine gun conversion devices and a silencer. He admitted to dealing in illegal firearm modifications for three to four years and showed the undercover agents videos of himself firing weapons converted to fully automatic capability. During these deals, Cobbs not only offered to sell the agents more machine gun conversion devices but also boasted that he had a machine gun on his person at that moment and offered to retrieve it from his car to show them.
Cobbs pled guilty to four charges, including possession and transfer of a machinegun, possession of an unregistered NFA firearm, possession of NFA firearm without serial number and illegal transfer of NFA firearm.
At sentencing, Cobbs faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Cobbs faces up to $280,000 in fines.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating this case with assistance from the Lea County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.
Greensboro Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A Greensboro, North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday in Winston-Salem to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
MICHAELL HUMBERTO GUTIERREZ, age 31, was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment plus 5 years of supervised release by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison and supervision, GUTIERREZ was ordered to forfeit a Glock 9mm handgun, a Romarm Micro Draco 7.62x39mm handgun, a Romarm 5.45x39mm AK-style rifle, and a Hi-Point .380 handgun.
According to court records, GUTIERREZ was a member of a California-based drug trafficking organization and distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in North Carolina. From December 2023 through February 2024, he and his co-defendant coordinated the shipment of large amounts of narcotics from California to Greensboro for GUTIERREZ to sell. Unbeknownst to GUTIERREZ, he was regularly communicating with an undercover agent about the sale of these drugs, as well as firearms. On January 24, 2024, GUTIERREZ was involved in a single-car accident after which law enforcement found a bag containing 980 grams of methamphetamine GUTIERREZ had hidden as he ran from the scene. On February 23, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on GUTIERREZ’s residence and found methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, as well as a loaded assault-style pistol, a loaded semi-automatic handgun, and a loaded semi-automatic rifle, among other contraband.
GUTIERREZ pleaded guilty on October 8, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B).
“Fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to devastate communities in the Middle District of North Carolina,” said Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon. “We are dedicated to holding those responsible for distributing these drugs accountable in the court of law.”
“This sentencing is another step forward in our ongoing mission to protect our communities from the devastating impact of drug trafficking,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, which oversees North and South Carolina. “By dismantling this criminal network and seizing dangerous drugs like methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, along with numerous firearms, HSI and its partners are making our neighborhoods safer and sending a clear message that these illegal activities will not be allowed to thrive.”
The case was investigated by Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, Greensboro Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Laura Jeanne Dildine.
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Government Receives $100,000 to Resolve Fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Mac C. Johnson and a company he owned and operated, Mac Johnson & Sons Dumpster, Crane & Demolition, LLC, agreed to pay $100,000 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly providing false information in support of a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan application.
In 2019, Johnson was sentenced to one year and a day in prison after pleading guilty to tax fraud, wire fraud, structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements, and harboring undocumented aliens.
Following his conviction, Johnson knowingly submitted false claims to the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) in support of a PPP loan made to Defendant Mac Johnson & Sons Dumpster, Crane & Demolition, LLC. Specifically, in the April 2020 loan application, Johnson failed to report that the owner of the company had been convicted of a felony within the prior five years. Knowing that his company was ineligible to participate in the PPP, Johnson used false information to secure a loan for $48,514.
“This settlement, which is more than twice the fraudulently obtained amount, reflects the diligence and determination we will use to pursue businesses who defraud the government,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle Spaven. “Here, a defendant who was punished for fraud and harboring aliens continued to take funds unlawfully. Our Civil Division ensured that this fraudster will not benefit from what rightfully belongs to the American people.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Ann Couch and Marie Moyle from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, with assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The criminal matter is detailed at the following link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl/pr/alachua-county-man-sentenced-prison-harboring-undocumented-aliens-and-evading-workers
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Four Pomona Gang Members and Mexican Mafia Associates Found Guilty of Racketeering, Murder, Drug Trafficking, and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Four Pomona gang members and Mexican Mafia associates were found guilty by a jury today of a series of racketeering-related crimes, including the murder of a federal inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in downtown Los Angeles in June 2020.
At the conclusion of a 20-day trial, the following defendants – all of Pomona – were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, one count of violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder, and one count of first-degree murder within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States:
- Michael Lerma, 68, a.k.a. “Pomona Mike” and “Big Mike;”
- Carlos Gonzalez, 41, a.k.a. “Popeye;”
- Juan Sanchez, 33, a.k.a. “Squeaks;” and
- Jose Valencia Gonzalez, 44, a.k.a. “Swifty.”
The jury also found Lerma and Valencia Gonzalez guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (methamphetamine and heroin) at MDC and in the Pomona area. Finally, the jury found Gonzalez and Valencia Gonzalez guilty each of one count of being felons in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Sanchez was found not guilty of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
All the defendants have been in federal custody since 2018.
“These defendants were key players in a criminal enterprise that committed murder, assault, and drug trafficking,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Today’s verdict will take these offenders off our streets and make our community safer.”
"This case makes it clear that gang violence by Mexican Mafia members and associates has not only been directed from the streets, but also from prisons in California," said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “This lengthy investigation exemplifies the commitment by agencies at the federal, state and local level who've collaborated for several years on a task force to arrive at justice in this case.”
According to evidence presented at trial, from February 2012 to June 2020, Lerma – a full member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang – controlled and extorted drug proceeds from Latino street gangs in and around Pomona, as well as from incarcerated Latinos in Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County. Members of Lerma’s criminal enterprise also engaged in robberies, identity theft and fraud, drug trafficking, and other acts of violence.
In June 2020, Carlos Gonzalez, Valencia Gonzalez, and Sanchez – at Lerma’s direction – entered the cell at MDC Los Angeles and killed a victim – identified in court documents as “S.B.” The defendants murdered S.B. in retaliation for S.B. failing to pay drug debts deemed owed to Lerma’s cell of the Mexican Mafia prison gang.
United States District Judge George H. Wu will schedule sentencing hearings in the coming months, at which time each defendant will face a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison.
Federal prosecutors so far have secured 16 convictions in this case, including that of Cheryl Perez-Castaneda, 62, of Pomona, who is serving a 12-year prison sentence for using her power on the street as a “señora” – a high-level female associate of Lerma’s – to solicit a murder and for participating in a carjacking attempt that resulted in the July 2013 shooting of M.A.
Kelly Deshannon, 43, of La Verne, is serving a prison sentence of more than seven years for serving as a “secretary” to Lerma and for facilitating the July 2013 armed robbery of M.A. and for extortion and distributing narcotics.
The FBI’s San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets Task Force (SGVSSTF), which is comprised of agents and officers with the FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Pomona Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, investigated this matter in conjunction with the FBI’s Los Angeles Metropolitan Violent Crime Task Force. The Pomona Police Department is the sponsoring agency of the SGVSSTF and has been the headquarters for the task force since its inception in 2008.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle W. Kahan and Jason A. Gorn of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Kellye M. Ng of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Four Defendants Charged After Warrant Served in El CajonRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – John Washburn, general manager of San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings in El Cajon, and three employees, made their first appearances in federal court today to face immigration charges stemming from a search warrant that was served by federal agents at the property yesterday.
Washburn, along with employees Gilver Martinez-Juanta, Miguel Angel Leal-Sanchez and Fernando Casas-Gamboa, were arrested yesterday. Washburn was charged with Conspiracy to Harbor Aliens; the employees were charged with using false documents to work in the United States.
According to the complaint, Washburn employed undocumented workers and allowed them to live in the company’s warehouse. The three charged employees allegedly provided a false attestation regarding their immigration status to secure employment at the business.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major set bond for Washburn at $5,000 and ordered him and the other defendants to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 8, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
The Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego Office is investigating these cases with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; United States Border Patrol; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; Drug Enforcement Administration, San Diego Field Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry F.B. Beshar and Michael A. Deshong.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 25mj1458-BLM
John Washburn Age: 57
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Harbor Aliens, in violation of Title 8, U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) and (v)(I); Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison; $250,000 fine.
Case Number 25mj1459-BLM
Gilver Martinez-Juanta Age: 39
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Attestation (Felony), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1546(b)(3); Maximum Penalty: 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine.
Case Number 25mj1460-BLM
Miguel Angel Leal-Sanchez Age:39
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Attestation (Felony), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1546(b)(3); Maximum Penalty: 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine.
Case Number 25mj1461-BLM
Fernando Casas-Gamboa Age: 21
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Attestation (Felony), in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. § 1546(b)(3); Maximum Penalty: 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General
General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General
Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Bureau Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm,s and Explosives
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This investigation 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).
Former federal officer sentenced for smuggling aliens and receiving bribes from cartelRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been sentenced to federal prison in two separate cases for allowing aliens and cocaine across the border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Emanuel Isac Celedon, 37, Laredo, pleaded guilty March 11, 2024, for his role in illegally smuggling illegal aliens into the United States through the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry (POE) in Laredo. He also admitted to bribery and attempted importation of cocaine for accepting money to allow what he thought was cocaine to cross into the United States from Mexico.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now imposed a total of 117 months in prison for both cases to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a money judgment of $17,980. At the hearing, the court noted Celedon’s job was to protect the United States from introduction of controlled substances and people not authorized to be in the country, and that he had failed in both regards. Judge Saldana added that Celedon was deeply involved in the organization and appeared to want to go even deeper.
“Anybody who aids or works for the cartel is going to find themselves on the wrong end of a federal indictment,” said Ganjei. “This case was especially troubling given the position of trust the defendant held. His criminal conduct stands in stark contrast to the heroic work the men and women of CBP are doing every day to keep our border and ports secure.”
While employed as a CBP Officer in Laredo in 2023, Celedon sought contacts within the Mexican criminal organization known as the Cartel del Noreste in order to smuggle drugs and aliens through his inspection lane in exchange for monetary payment.
During an undercover operation, Celedon expressed his interest in smuggling cocaine for payment, provided his duty schedule and gave instructions directing a loaded vehicle to his inspection lane at the port of entry. He then allowed the vehicle to safely cross into the United States.
Using his position as a CBP officer, Celedon allowed several kilograms of what he believed to be cocaine into the United States on two separate occasions in October 2023. In exchange, he received $6,000.
Further investigation revealed Celedon also conspired with at least three others to bring illegal aliens into the United States without inspection. Celedon provided his daily lane assignment to Mexican national Homero Romero-Hernandez, 32, who passed the information to Jose Osvaldo Zapata-Vasquez, 25, another Mexican national with ties to the cartel. Zapata-Vasquez hired Cotulla resident Beatris Guadalupe Martinez, 22, to act as the driver.
Zapata-Vasquez relayed instructions to Martinez based on information Celadon provided regarding when to pick up the aliens in Mexico and which lane to approach when making entry to the United States.
The investigation revealed Martinez transported people through Celedon’s lane on at least nine separate occasions between September and November 2023. Each time, Celedon permitted entry without inspecting any of Martinez’s passengers. Additionally, on at least two of those dates, Celedon falsely inputted information into a CBP database in order to avoid sending Martinez to a mandatory secondary inspection.
Celedon then asked Zapata-Vasquez and Romero-Hernandez to relay this to smugglers in Mexico in order to reassure them that he was doing his part to facilitate the cartel’s smuggling efforts. Law enforcement seized $1,980 in cash from Celedon at the time of his arrest, which he admitted were proceeds from human smuggling.
Judge Saldana previously sentenced Zapata-Vasquez, Romero-Hernandez and Martinez to 46, 36, and 42 months in prison, respectively.
Celedon has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and CBP - Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation with assistance from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, Texas Department of Public Safety, Border Patrol, Webb County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office and CBP Laredo Joint Forensic Center.
The case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation and coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA).
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
JTFA, a partnership with DHS, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling, more than 320 U.S. convictions, more than 265 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is also 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 OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Day and Arthur R. Jones prosecuted the cases.
Former Puerto Rico Police Officer Sentenced for Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –On March 26, 2025, United States District Court Judge María Antongiorgi-Jordán sentenced Luis Javier Pérez-Badillo, a 50-year-old man from Aguadilla, P.R., to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Pérez-Badillo is a former officer from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.
On October 9, 2024, Pérez-Badillo pleaded guilty to Transportation of Child Pornography.
From on or about October 11, 2023, through February 21, 2024, Luis Javier Pérez-Badillo used a cellular phone device with internet capabilities to knowingly transport images of child pornography.
“The defendant, who was entrusted by the community to serve and protect, violated that trust by committing these crimes. As this case demonstrates, those who exploit children will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute persons who exploit minors for sexual purposes.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos stated: “The actions of this individual are a disgrace to the amazing men and women that compile our Puerto Rico Police Bureau. As law enforcement officers, we are entrusted with the responsibility to protect and serve, not to harm. While no sentence can ever truly undo the harm caused to the victim, it is our duty to ensure that justice is served. This eleven-year sentence clearly conveys that no one, regardless of their position, is above the law. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of our children.”
Assistant United States Attorney Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto prosecuted the case.
The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit iGuardians™: Combating Child Predators and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969.
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Former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti Convicted of Visa FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of illegally obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) by means of a false statement, specifically, that he ordered and carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings, and other acts of violence, against the Haitian people.
Jean Morose Viliena, 52, was convicted of three counts of visa fraud. Chief U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 20, 2025. Viliena was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023.
“The political corruption and violence that the people of Haiti endured at the direction of Jean Morose Viliena, is appalling,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The United States is not where you come to hide from your crimes. Today’s conviction is proof that running away from your crimes and lying to federal officials will catch up to you. I applaud the courage of the witnesses who spoke up about the abuse they suffered as a result of Viliena.”
“Today a jury found that Jean Morose Viliena lied his way into gaining entrance into the United States after committing unspeakable acts of violence in Haiti,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will not stand for human rights violators illegally entering and roaming the streets of our communities. Thank you to the brave victims and witnesses who helped our law enforcement partners and prosecutors begin to hold Viliena accountable for his crimes.”
“Viliena knowingly lied to conceal his violent past, deceiving immigration authorities to come to the United States. The brave witnesses who came forward to testify in this case relayed their experiences of extreme violence and oppression committed by Viliena and his associates. Thanks to their testimony, his fraud has been uncovered and he will now face consequences for his violence and deception,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations New England.
“The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the people in our communities. Emigrating to the United States is a privilege and if you conceal your criminal conduct to deceive your way into this country, you will ultimately be detected, held accountable and brought to justice,” said Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office.
According to court documents, Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence.
According to the indictment, as Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first occurred in or around July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.
The second incident occurred in or around April 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes and picks.
On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena because of his association with the radio station. On the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms.
On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the United States Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he submitted an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part II in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether or not they are a member of any class of individuals that are excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded that he was not. Viliena thereafter swore to, or affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008 and based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application.
On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent residence status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card. Viliena has continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and has used such card on numerous occasions to enter the United States.
The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Foley; Acting DOJ Head Galeotti; HSI SAC Krol; CBP’s Director of Field Operations De La O; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Malden Police Department and HRSP historian Christopher Hayden. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the National Security Unit and Alexandra Skinnion of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Unit Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case.
Former Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Kansas City, MO man plead guilty in federal court today to conspiring to commit bank fraud against two local financial institutions.
Gerald Humphrey Jr., 30, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Jill A. Morris to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
By pleading guilty today, Humphrey, Jr. admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to commit bank fraud by defrauding FDIC-insured financial institutions of money. On July 1, 2022, an investigator with a local financial institution contacted FBI Kansas City to report an alleged check fraud scheme in the Kansas City area. The fraud scheme consisted of individuals being recruited via social media to voluntarily provide their debit cards and PIN numbers to the fraudsters. The fraudsters would then deposit fraudulent checks into the customers’ accounts. The investigator determined that similar check card stocks were used, similar dollar values were used on the checks, and the same two individuals, eventually identified, with one of them being the defendant, Gerald Humphrey Jr., were seen in surveillance videos making the deposits. These co-defendants would make cash withdrawals at ATMs, debit card purchases, and transfer money via Cash App. Through its investigation, the FBI was able to determine that two FDIC insured financial institutions in the Kansas City area where being targeted as victims of this scheme. The evidence discovered in the investigation indicated the scheme began in April 2022 and continued until at least September 2022 with the actual loss incurred being approximately $90,000 with an intended loss of approximately $400,000.
Under federal statutes, Humphrey Jr. is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based upon the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of criminal investigators from the two financial institutions.
Former Haitian Mayor Convicted of Immigration Crimes Based on Lying about Past Involvement in Haitian Political ViolenceRead the Press Release
A jury has convicted Jean Morose Viliena, the former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, for possessing and using a Permanent Resident Card he had fraudulently obtained by falsely stating he had not ordered, carried out, or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.
“Today a jury found that Jean Morose Viliena lied his way into gaining entrance into the United States after committing unspeakable acts of violence in Haiti,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will not stand for human rights violators illegally entering and roaming the streets of our communities. Thank you to the brave victims and witnesses who helped our law enforcement partners and prosecutors begin to hold Viliena accountable for his crimes.”
“The political corruption and violence that the people of Haiti endured at the direction of Jean Morose Viliena, is appalling,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “The United States is not where you come to hide from your crimes. Today’s conviction is proof that running away from your crimes and lying to federal officials will catch up to you. I applaud the courage of the witnesses who spoke up about the abuse they suffered as a result of Viliena.”
“Viliena’s horrific violence, committed both by his own hand and by armed groups he directed, made him ineligible to enter the United States,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol, who oversees HSI operations in all of New England. “He has now faced the consequences of lying to come to live in Massachusetts. HSI actively investigates and apprehends human rights violators who seek to escape their criminal pasts and come here, and we will not allow this country to become a safe haven for these criminals.”
Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerted power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and other armed supporters in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, armed men enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting individuals in Les Irois through armed violence.
As Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. According to evidence presented at trial, the first occurred on July 27, 2007, when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal, that evening, according to testimony at trial, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’s home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’s younger brother and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.
The second incident occurred in April 2008, after several community members founded a radio station. According to multiple witnesses’ testimony, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized armed members of his staff and supporters to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to his men, some of whom also carried machetes and picks.
On the day of the attack on the radio station, according to evidence presented at trial, Viliena beat the man whose residence housed the radio station. Viliena ordered an associate to shoot him, according to witness testimony. The individual was shot in the leg and spent several months in various hospitals, resulting in his leg later being amputated. Viliena also beat up another individual present at the radio station that day and dragged him through the radio station to the front of the building, according to the evidence at trial. When he tried to flee, the individual was struck by bullets in his face resulting in him being blinded in his right eye after months of intensive medical treatment that included surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his body. According to evidence introduced at trial, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s body to this day, sometimes coming out of his skin on their own.
On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the U.S. Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti, where he submitted an application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires each applicant to state whether they are a member of any class of individuals excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded “no,” indicating that this category did not apply to him. Viliena thereafter swore to, and affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. Thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008, based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application.
On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent resident status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “Green Card.” Viliena continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and used such card on numerous occasions.
The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Viliena is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The HSI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Invaluable assistance was also provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from Boston Logan Airport.
Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.
Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.
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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
Former Forest City Man Sent to Federal Prison on Multiple Counts of Firearm Possession by a Drug User and Making False Statements to Purchase FirearmsRead the Press Release
A former Forest City man who possessed firearms as a drug user and made false statements during the purchase of firearms was sentenced to 45 months in Federal Prison.
Brian Lee Byers, age 39, from Forest City, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2024, guilty plea to 4 counts of possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user and 4 counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.
Evidence showed Byers admitted that between July of 2019 and February of 2020, in Cero Gordo County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, Winnebago County, Iowa, Grundy County, Iowa and Hancock County, Iowa he possessed multiple firearms while using marijuana and methamphetamine. He admitted that on July 25, 2019, November 9, 2019, February 22, 2020, and February 24, 2020, he stated on federal forms he was not a drug user while he purchased multiple firearms
Byers was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Byers was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Byers is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Mason City Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Fletcher and Jack Lammers.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-3018.
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Former Fifth-Grade Teacher at San Gabriel Valley School Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A former elementary school teacher who worked at a school district in the San Gabriel Valley was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for possessing more than 400 videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Steven Pilar, 47, of Las Vegas, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes, who also ordered him to pay $115,000 in restitution.
Pilar pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of possession of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since August 2024.
In February and April of 2020, Pilar used his computer and a peer-to-peer file-sharing program called BitTorrent to download videos and images containing CSAM via the internet. Specifically, Pilar – at his then-home in Victorville – knowingly received and downloaded approximately 444 videos containing CSAM, and knowingly possessed the videos for a time before deleting them.
At the time of download and possession, Pilar knew these videos and images contained visual depictions of actual children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Many of the videos and images that Pilar knowingly downloaded involved a pre-pubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, sadistic and masochistic conduct, and sexual abuse and exploitation of an infant and toddler.
Pilar was employed as a fifth-grade teacher working in the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District at the time of the offense. He no longer works at the school.
In April 2020, Pilar was arrested on state charges, which were later dropped so a federal case could be pursued.
“His actions caused direct and significant harm to the victims in this case, and his offense is aggravated by fact that he was teaching young children at the time,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “In fact, when [Pilar] downloaded and viewed the CSAM, he took part of a perpetual re-victimization of the victims.”
The FBI and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua J. Lee of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Former EDD Employee Sentenced to 66 Months for Mail Fraud and Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Regina Brice, a former employee of the California Employment Development Department, was sentenced in federal court today to 66 months in prison for using her position to file $858,339 in fraudulent unemployment claims, effectively stealing money that was intended to give economic relief to people impacted by the pandemic.
According to court documents, Brice was employed by the EDD since 2010. During the pandemic, she was responsible for processing COVID-related unemployment claims. However, between July 2020 and May 2021, Brice exploited her employee access at EDD to manipulate and file fraudulent unemployment claims for her co-conspirators in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribes. These co-conspirators included California prison inmates whom she instructed on how to bypass the system’s fraud checking software to obtain the money.
“This defendant turned her back on the oath of her office and those she was supposed to help during a once-in-a-century pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Today she is being held accountable for her greed.”
“Former California Employment Development Department (EDD) Employment Program Representative Regina Brice filed fraudulent and manipulated unemployment insurance (UI) claims in exchange for kickbacks, diverting vital taxpayer resources away from unemployed American workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). “Brice violated the public trust afforded to her as an EDD employee to enrich herself and others. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the integrity of the UI program for those who need it. This sentencing demonstrates DOL-OIG’s commitment to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in DOL programs.”
DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., said, “Regina Brice defrauded government programs meant to help Americans at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. DHS OIG will continue to prioritize pandemic-related fraud investigations and work with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justice. I appreciate the continued partnership between DHS OIG and the Department of Labor OIG in bringing this case to a close.”
“Today’s sentencing marks a significant victory for justice and accountability,” said Matt Shields, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Los Angeles Division. “The exploitation of vulnerable individuals’ personal information for nearly a million dollars in fraudulent gains, facilitated by an EDD employee’s corruption, is a betrayal of public trust. I commend the relentless efforts of our inspectors and collaboration with the Department of Labor OIG and Department of Homeland Security OIG in bringing this case to a close and ensuring that such misconduct results in severe consequences.”
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Sou.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23-CR-2082-RBM
Regina Brice Age: 43 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Mail Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1341
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General
Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General
United States Postal Inspector Service
California Employment Development Department – Investigation Division
Former Deputy Director at District Office of Neighborhood and Safety Engagement Pleads Guilty to BriberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dana McDaniel, 44, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today to bribery for accepting at least $10,000 in exchange for agreeing to use her position as Deputy Director at the District’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) to benefit another.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office, and District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.
U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras set a sentencing date for August 6, 2025.
According to court documents, from January 2020 to April 2023, McDaniel served as the Deputy Director of ONSE. In that role, McDaniel managed agency programming and community-based services focused on providing resources and interventions for at-risk individuals in at-risk communities impacted by violence in the District, including the Violence Intervention (VI) Initiative, a collaborative community engagement strategy designed to support D.C. residents in reducing gun-related violence in their communities.
Court documents show that, prior to September 2022 and continuing through at least August 2024, McDaniel accepted at least $10,000 in cash from a Maryland resident to direct contracts and grants to two different District of Columbia-based businesses associated with the Maryland resident. Those companies included a company that represented itself as a community-based initiative to serve high-risk youths and adults and operated throughout the District, and a company that provided VI services as part of ONSE’s VI initiative in Ward 5.
McDaniel faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance from Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca G. Ross, John Crabb, and Joshua Rothstein.
Former Colombian Navy Lieutenant Sentenced to 15 Years for Helping Sell Locations of Navy Drug Interdiction Vessels to International Drug TraffickersRead the Press Release
On Wednesday, Cesar Augusto Romero Caballero, of Colombia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge James Moody Jr. for conspiracy to distribute cocaine having reasonable cause to believe it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Romero Caballero pleaded guilty on April 8, 2024.
According to court documents, Caballero, 35, was a former member of the Colombian Navy. In exchange for money, he recruited active-duty members of the Colombian Navy to secretly plant global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices in Colombian Navy vessels. Transnational Criminal Organizations used the location data derived from these tracking devices to direct vessels filled with cocaine bound for the United States around Colombian Navy ships and patrols.
“This foreign national committed serious crimes to enable the flow of drugs into our country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This sentencing reflects the Department of Justice’s ironclad commitment to not only hunting down criminals, but ensuring that they suffer severe legal consequences following their apprehension.”
“Our teams focus on sophisticated and violent drug trafficking organizations and work countless investigative hours,” said Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division. “I am proud of our team’s efforts and thankful for our law enforcement partners who brought this case to conclusion.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Stoia for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted this case.
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Former Colombian Navy Lieutenant Sentenced to 15 Years for Helping Sell Locations of Navy Drug Interdiction Vessels to International Drug TraffickersRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — On Wednesday, Cesar Augusto Romero Caballero, of Colombia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge James Moody Jr. for conspiracy to distribute cocaine having reasonable cause to believe it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Romero Caballero pleaded guilty on April 8, 2024.
According to court documents, Caballero, 35, was a former member of the Colombian Navy. In exchange for money, he recruited active-duty members of the Colombian Navy to secretly plant global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices in Colombian Navy vessels. Transnational Criminal Organizations used the location data derived from these tracking devices to direct vessels filled with cocaine bound for the United States around Colombian Navy ships and patrols.
“This foreign national committed serious crimes to enable the flow of drugs into our country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This sentencing reflects the Department of Justice’s ironclad commitment to not only hunting down criminals, but ensuring that they suffer severe legal consequences following their apprehension.”
“Our teams focus on sophisticated and violent drug trafficking organizations and work countless investigative hours,” said Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division. “I am proud of our team’s efforts and thankful for our law enforcement partners who brought this case to conclusion.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Stoia for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted this case.
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations
Five People Charged with Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Tyler Kenneth George Leavine, 34, of Dannemora, New York, and Jody Lynn McGuire, 52, of Plattsburgh, New York, have been charged by criminal complaint with illegally transporting Sandeep Chawla, 34, Jay Sisodiya Kumar, 27, and Chintan Patel, 29, all citizens of India, within the United States. Chawla, Kumar, and Patel were also charged with illegally entering the United States at a place not designated by immigration officers. On March 26, 2025, Leavine and McGuire appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Jerome J. Neidermeier, who ordered them to be detained during the pendency of their prosecution. During their initial court appearances yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Neidermeier in Burlington, Chawla, Kumar and Patel all pleaded guilty and were sentenced to time-served. Chawla, Kumar and Patel had faced up to 6 months in prison.
According to court records, in the early morning hours of March 26, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol received a tip that there would be a smuggling attempt in the area of Hunter Road North in Alburgh, Vermont. Border Patrol agents responded to the area and observed a vehicle with a NY registration driving slowly up the road. A camera operated by Border Patrol then observed several subjects running to the vehicle, which had stopped in a corner of a gas station parking lot. Border Patrol agents stopped the vehicle and found McGuire and Leavine in the front seat, and Chawla, Kumar and Patel in the back. Chawla, Kumar and Patel identified themselves as citizens of India. A review of DHS databases returned no documents or authorizations that would allow Chawla, Kumar and Patel to have legally entered or remained in the United States. McGuire and Leavine later told agents that they had been paid to drive to pick up people.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaints contain allegations only and that Leavine and McGuire are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. McGuire and Leavine face up to five years in prison and/or up to a $250,000 fine or both, if convicted. The actual sentences, 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 the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Wendy L. Fuller. Jody Lynn McGuire is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. Tyler Kenneth George Leavine is represented by Kevin Henry, Esq. Jay Sisodiya Kumar is represented by Robert Behrens, Esq. Chintan Patel is represented by Chandler Matson, Esq. Sandeep Chawla is represented by Karen Shingler, Esq.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Junius, 47, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 500 or more grams of cocaine intended for distribution. Junius pleaded guilty to this charge on December 19, 2024.
In late 2022, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating a large cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking organization operating in Portage, Madison, and La Crosse. Intercepted phone communications in April 2023 led to the surveillance of a delivery of 4 kilograms of cocaine from Junius to other individuals. Further investigation led agents to a storage unit in Madison rented and regularly accessed by Junius in which police found almost 1½ kilograms of cocaine and $20,000 in U.S. currency.
In sentencing Junius, Judge Peterson expressed concern that despite Junius’s extensive criminal history, which included nine prior convictions for drug-related offenses, Junius again became involved in drug trafficking. Judge Peterson found that Junius played a significant role in the drug organization by storing drugs and cash, as well as by making deliveries. Judge Peterson further found that such large-scale trafficking encouraged criminal enterprises and violence in the community.
Junius’s co-defendant, Angel Flores, also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2025.
The charge against Junius was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Anderson and William M. Levins prosecuted this case.
The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore,Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Querida Moran, age 53, of Owings Mills, to 135 months’ imprisonment in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Moran pled guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute two kilograms of fentanyl and over 50 kilograms of cocaine recovered from a storage unit and from her purse in August 2023. Moran was on federal supervised release at the time.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, made the announcement with Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (“DEA”) Washington Division.
According to the guilty plea, in 2023, the DEA identified Moran as a source of supply for numerous drug traffickers in the Baltimore region. During the investigation, agents watched Moran conduct numerous drug transactions. For example, on July 26, 2023, Moran drove her SUV to a restaurant parking lot in Arundel Mills, Maryland. While in the parking lot, a Subaru arrived and parked. Moran walked over to the Subaru, gave the driver a bag, and returned to her SUV. Both vehicles drove away in different directions. Agents followed the Subaru and initiated a traffic stop. A probable cause search followed, and they recovered 100 grams of fentanyl from the driver.
A week later, on August 1, 2023, agents were monitoring the GPS tracking device on Moran’s SUV as she drove to a Travel Plaza and parked near the area where tractor trailers park. From there, Moran drove directly to a storage center. Agents watched the video footage from the storage center and saw Moran transport two large duffle bags and a cardboard box to her storage unit.
The next day, Moran returned to her storage unit and left with a black suitcase. After leaving the storage unit, agents watched Moran conduct multiple drug transactions. In response, they obtained search warrants, which included Moran’s storage unit and her residence.
On August 3, 2023, agents searched Moran’s storage unit and recovered fifty kilograms of cocaine and two kilograms of fentanyl. After the search, Moran was arrested at a separate location from the storage unit. Agents searched Moran’s purse and recovered two additional kilograms of cocaine. A forensic analysis of the drugs recovered confirmed two kilograms of fentanyl and fifty kilograms of cocaine was in Moran’s storage unit and two kilograms of cocaine was in her purse. On the same date, agents searched Moran’s residence, located in Owings Mills, Maryland. Agents seized approximately $56,000 in U.S. currency from the apartment. The seized currency constituted proceeds of Moran’s drug trafficking activity or was used, or intended to be used, to facilitate Moran’s drug offense.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Calvin C. Miner, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Federal and State Violent Crime Initiative in Oklahoma City Receives National AwardRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – On March 27, 2025, the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program recognized a local joint law enforcement initiative with an award for “Investigation Involving a Violent Organization” at the National HIDTA Awards in Tysons Corner, Virginia.
Last September, federal and local law enforcement combined forces in a two-month targeted initiative called “Operation Sonic Boom,” which was aimed at reducing violent crime in Oklahoma City. The operation resulted in 50 people being charged in federal and state court with various firearms and drug-related offenses. In addition to the arrests, law enforcement recovered from the streets:
- 193 firearms, including:
- 81 Pistols
- 4 Revolvers
- 10 Rifles
- 6 Shotguns
- 9 Machineguns, and
- 83 Machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), including 30 partially completed MCDs
- Two 3-D printers (used to print MCDs)
- More than 63 kilograms of drugs, with an approximate street value of almost $750,000, including:
- 53 kilograms of methamphetamine
- 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl
- 5.2 kilograms of cocaine, and
- 3.8 kilograms of marijuana
Operation Sonic Boom was led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Other critical partners included the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotic and Dangerous Drugs, and the Texoma HIDTA.
“National recognition of this important initiative is yet another example of our commitment to promote public safety in the Western District of Oklahoma, and the ongoing, collaborative efforts by federal and state prosecutors and law enforcement at every level,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Troester. “The success of Operation Sonic Boom is the result of the dedicated and coordinated efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement to reducing violent crime in Oklahoma.”
“I could not be prouder of the men and women who participated in Operation Sonic Boom for winning this prestigious National HIDTA Award. However, as they would each tell you, they did not do this for recognition or honors; they did it to help keep Oklahoma safer from violent criminals plaguing our streets,” said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “As I said in September, ATF, the United States Attorney’s Office, and HIDTA have doubled down in Oklahoma City. This award is merely the beginning of the work that is yet to be done. Bandits and gangsters beware; we are still here!”
“The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program exists to build law enforcement partnerships and provide critical funding for important public safety efforts, and the successful outcome of Operation Sonic Boom is a clear example of the value of HIDTA,” said Keith Brown, Executive Director of the Texoma HIDTA. “I am proud the Office of National Drug Control Policy is recognizing the incredible efforts of the ATF agents and other law enforcement personnel involved in Operation Sonic Boom.”
Operation Sonic Boom was funded by the Texoma HIDTA, which is made up of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in North Texas and Oklahoma. HIDTA fosters and supports intra-agency cooperation strategies to target the region's drug-related and violent crime threats to public safety by using funding provided by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, out of the Executive Office of the President of the United States.
- 193 firearms, including:
Federal Prison Nurse Indicted for Abusive Sexual Conduct with an InmateRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An Iowa woman has been indicted for abusive sexual contact with an inmate and making false statements to federal law enforcement about the interaction, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, Jessica Lynn Larson, 37, was employed as a nurse by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) assigned to the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Rochester, Minnesota. Larson entered into a romantic relationship with an incarcerated inmate, Victim A, at FMC Rochester. Over the course of their relationship, Larson exchanged sexually explicit letters with Victim A. On April 3, 2024, Larson and Victim A had a sexual encounter in a shower room. Shortly afterwards, other nursing staff reported Larson’s inappropriate relationship with Victim A, prompting a search Victim A’s cell, where they discovered hidden letters from Larson. Board of Prison (BOP) officials then found letters from Victim A inside Larson’s backpack. After being confronted about her relationship with Victim A, Larson submitted a BOP indicate report in which she falsely accused Victim A of sexual assault and claimed that he had threatened to hurt her children if she refused his sexual advances or reported his assault. Two months later, after being placed on administrative leave, Larson drove more than 600 miles from her home in Iowa to Cincinnati, Ohio, to mail a love letter to Victim A who had been transferred to another BOP facility.
“In Minnesota, we take sexual abuse—particularly when committed by those in positions of authority—very seriously,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Likewise, lying to the United States is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute defendants who commit these crimes.”
Larson will make her initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty on April 9, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General and the Bureau of Prisons.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Federal Jury Convicts Chicago Man of Sex Trafficking and Kidnapping OffensesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a Chicago man of violently sex trafficking five young victims, including a 15-year-old girl, and kidnapping two of them.
The jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Tuesday convicted DENNIS WILLIAMS, 33, on all seven sex trafficking and kidnapping counts against him. Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland set sentencing for Oct. 7, 2025.
The convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department and the Lansing, Ill. Police Department. The government has been represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen Totten, Sushma Raju, and Michelle Parthum.
According to evidence presented at the week-long trial, Williams used threats, violence, drugs, and other coercive means to force five victims to engage in commercial sex. Williams often restrained or assaulted the victims to force them to comply and turn over the proceeds to him. Williams also caused a 17-year-old girl, whom he also assaulted repeatedly, to assist him in trafficking the victims. Williams operated his sex trafficking operation in 2022 and 2023 out of his Chicago residence and motels in Lansing, Ill.
On Aug. 2, 2022, Williams kidnapped one of his victims by luring her inside his truck and abruptly driving away. The victim escaped by leaping from the moving vehicle.
On Jan. 10, 2023, Williams kidnapped another of his victims by confining her to his closet overnight and then forcing her to engage in commercial sex with strangers. The victim escaped by jumping out of a second-floor window and running a quarter mile to a Chicago Public Library branch.
All five of Williams’ victims, including both of the kidnapping victims, testified about their ordeals at trial.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Federal Prison for Assault with Prohibited ObjectRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JERRY EARNEST BALLARD, 41, of South Carolina, has been sentenced to serve 180 months in federal prison for committing assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a prohibited object at the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On February 20, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Indictment against Ballard, charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a prohibited object. According to public record, on August 10, 2023, Ballard—an inmate at the FTC serving a 336-month federal sentence for four counts of robbery affecting interstate commerce and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and drug trafficking offense—assaulted another inmate with a sharpened object—a shank. The victim sustained injuries but recovered.
On July 17, 2024, Ballard pleaded guilty, and admitted he assaulted another inmate at the FTC with a prohibited object.
At the sentencing hearing on March 21, 2025, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Ballard to serve 180 months in federal prison, to run consecutive to his existing sentence. In announcing his sentence, Judge Palk noted Ballard’s history of assaultive behavior and the need for just punishment.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Dual Pakistani-Canadian National Arrested for Years-Long Scheme to Circumvent U.S. Export Control LawsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – An indictment was unsealed yesterday charging Mohammad Jawaid Aziz, also known as Jawaid Aziz Siddiqui and Jay Siddiqui, 67, of Pakistan and Canada, with conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws and violating U.S. export laws. Siddiqui was arrested on March 21 in the Western District of Washington while attempting to cross into the United States from Canada. He remains detained, pending transfer to the District of Minnesota.
As alleged, from as early as 2003 through approximately March 2019, Siddiqui operated an illicit procurement network through his Canada-based company Diversified Technology Services. The purpose of the network was to obtain U.S.-origin goods on behalf of prohibited entities in Pakistan that were associated with the country’s nuclear, missile, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programs.
According to the indictment, Siddiqui, while operating through Diversified Technology Services, procured various goods – including sensitive and restricted items subject to export administration regulations (EAR) and those on the Commerce Control List – from U.S. companies on behalf of the restricted entities in Pakistan. As alleged, Siddiqui and his co-conspirators worked to conceal the true end-users of the goods from U.S. companies, often using front companies and transshipping goods through third countries to evade detection.
Siddiqui is charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Export Control Reform Act, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison; and violating the Export Control Reform Act, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini of the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Chicago Field Office, Office of Export Enforcement made the announcement.
“I am proud of the strong partnership between my office and the Justice Department’s National Security Division,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “We have no tolerance for defendants who violate U.S. export laws to send U.S.-origin goods to prohibited entities—here, entities in Pakistan associated with the country’s nuclear, missile, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programs. Mohamaad Aziz will now face federal justice here in Minnesota.”
Homeland Security Investigations Minneapolis, the FBI Minneapolis Field Office, and the Department of Commerce’s BIS Chicago Field Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Endicott for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. They received assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jensen from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington and the Department’s Office of International Affairs.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dual Pakistani-Canadian National Arrested for Years-Long Scheme to Circumvent U.S. Export Control LawsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday charging Mohammad Jawaid Aziz, also known as Jawaid Aziz Siddiqui and Jay Siddiqui, 67, of Pakistan and Canada, with conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws and violating U.S. export laws. Siddiqui was arrested on March 21 in the Western District of Washington while attempting to cross into the United States from Canada. He remains detained, pending transfer to the District of Minnesota.
As alleged, from as early as 2003 through approximately March 2019, Siddiqui operated an illicit procurement network through his Canada-based company Diversified Technology Services. The purpose of the network was to obtain U.S.-origin goods on behalf of prohibited entities in Pakistan that were associated with the country’s nuclear, missile, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programs.
According to the indictment, Siddiqui, while operating through Diversified Technology Services, procured various goods – including sensitive and restricted items subject to export administration regulations (EAR) and those on the Commerce Control List – from U.S. companies on behalf of the restricted entities in Pakistan. As alleged, Siddiqui and his co-conspirators worked to conceal the true end-users of the goods from U.S. companies, often using front companies and transshipping goods through third countries to evade detection.
Siddiqui is charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Export Control Reform Act, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison; and violating the Export Control Reform Act, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tambrini of the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Chicago Field Office, Office of Export Enforcement made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations Minneapolis, the FBI Minneapolis Field Office, and the Department of Commerce’s BIS Chicago Field Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Endicott for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorney Nicholas Hunter of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. They received assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jensen from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington and the Department’s Office of International Affairs.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Indicted on Felony Charges for Strangulation and Assault of Former Girlfriend on New Year’s DayRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Byron Ajanel, 24, of Washington, D.C., was indicted on March 26, 2025 on felony charges for strangulation, assault with significant bodily injury, and threats stemming from his attack on his former girlfriend, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced.
Ajanel is scheduled to be arraigned on May 13, 2025, at a hearing before the Honorable Judith Pipe.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 1, 2025, the defendant got into an argument with the victim that escalated into a physical assault that included the defendant pushing down the victim, strangling her with both hands around her neck, punching her in the face, and threatening her.
The defendant’s charges include strangulation, which the D.C. Council’s Secure D.C. Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024 made a felony offense. Strangulation is widely recognized as one of the most lethal forms of intimate partner violence. A major strangulation study in San Diego, which is frequently cited, found: “Many victims suffer internal injuries, including permanent brain damage. Signs and symptoms do exist and can be documented even without visible injury… Most abusers do not strangle to kill. They strangle to show they can kill. Victims often suffer major long-term emotional and physical impacts. Surviving victims are much more likely to die later if their abuser has strangled them.” The study also noted that “…..the odds of becoming a victim of attempted homicide increased by 700%, and the odds of becoming a homicide victim increased by 800%, among women who had been strangled by their partner.”
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Lieberman.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Diopsys Inc. Agrees to Pay up to $14.25 Million to Resolve Alleged Federal False Claims Act and State Law Violations Relating to Vision TestingRead the Press Release
Diopsys Inc., a medical device company based in Middletown, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay up to $14.25 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act and various state laws by knowingly submitting or causing others to submit false claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid in connection with certain vision testing services.
The settlement resolves allegations relating to Diopsys’ NOVA device, an electrophysiological device that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared for visual evoked potential (VEP) testing. The United States alleged that, during the period from Jan. 1, 2015 through Dec. 31, 2021, Diopsys caused healthcare providers to submit false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for services in which the NOVA device was utilized for medically unnecessary uses, specifically electroretinography (ERG) vision testing, a substantially different vision test for which the NOVA device lacked FDA clearance. The government further contended that Diopsys made substantial changes to the NOVA device that it never submitted to FDA for clearance or approval despite knowing that such a submission was required.
“Today’s resolution reaffirms our commitment to protect the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs,” said U.S. Attorney John Giordano for the District of New Jersey. “Health care companies must not encourage doctors to submit claims for payment for medically unnecessary tests.”
Under the terms of the settlement, Diopsys will make guaranteed payments of $1,225,000 and contingent payments of up to $13,025,000. The settlement is based on Diopsys’ financial condition.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Dr. Atul Jain, a California ophthalmologist. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. Approximately $1,120,000 of the guaranteed payment and up to approximately $11,900,000 of the contingent payments constitute the federal portion of the recovery. Dr. Jain will receive at least approximately $207,000 as his share of the federal recovery in this case.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud Unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and Trial Attorney Daniel Meyler of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Jain v. Diopsys Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 21-18151 (D.N.J.).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Just over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Firing Gun on Crowded SidewalkRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A man from Detroit, Michigan was sentenced today for a July 2024 shooting near Grand Circus Park announced Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck.
Beck was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detroit Field Division and Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison.
Christopher Wade, 30, was sentenced to 25 months in prison by United States District Judge Matthew F. Leitman.
According to court records, following a dispute, Wade opened fire at the busy intersection of Woodward Avenue and Adams Avenue, firing nine rounds into the air. Thankfully, no one was injured, but a witness who was driving in the area reported that one of the rounds struck her vehicle. Officers quickly responded to the scene and apprehended Wade without further incident. Security cameras captured the shooting on video. This was the second time within a month that Wade opened fire in public and the fourth time in the last 10 years.
Wade pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm in November of 2024.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Philip M. Jacques. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Detroit Police Department.
Convicted Sex Offender Indicted for Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Juan Antonio Ruiz, 47, a naturalized United States citizen, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Tucson on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, for Naturalization Fraud.
According to the indictment, in June 2015 Ruiz became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In his application for citizenship, his interview with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and his naturalization oath ceremony, Ruiz answered “no” as to whether he had ever committed a crime for which he had not been arrested.
Three years later, in May 2018, Ruiz was arrested for the crimes of Sexual Conduct with a Minor Under Fifteen, committed between January 17, 2004 and January 16, 2008 and Attempted Molestation of a Child, committed between September 9, 2003 and September 8, 2006. In 2021, Ruiz pleaded guilty to those charges in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County, Case Number 20182491-001.
Naturalization Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 and loss of citizenship and cancelation of naturalization certificate.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Sydney Yew, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01502-AMM-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-043_RuizConvicted Gun Felon, Bond Jumper Headed to Federal Prison for 11 YearsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – United States District Judge Aileen M. Cannon has sentenced 29-year-old Joseph John Pyrzyk to 11 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition and failing to report to federal authorities to serve his sentence on a prior felony gun charge.
Pyrzyk pleaded guilty to the charges in this case on Nov. 21, 2024.
The facts: In 2021, Pyrzyk was charged in the Southern District of Florida with one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon (the 2021-gun charge). See case no. 21-cr-80180. Pyrzyk was released on bond pending resolution of the case. Pyrzyk pled guilty to the 2021-gun charge and, on June 30, 2022, received a two-year federal prison sentence. Pyrzyk did not begin serving his sentence immediately. Instead, he remained free on bond, with the judge ordering Pyrzyk to surrender to federal authorities on August 29, 2022. Pyrzyk didn’t appear on that date, and the judge issued an arrest warrant.
In January 2023, law enforcement officers located Pyrzyk at an address in West Palm Beach, Florida and moved in to arrest him pursuant to the warrant. As they cleared a vehicle in the driveway connected to Pyrzyk, an agent saw marijuana on the center console. The agent opened the door to get the marijuana and saw a pistol under the driver’s seat. Law enforcement sought and executed a search warrant for the vehicle. They found a Tan/Black Glock Model 17 9mm pistol with 12 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one in the chamber. Pyrzyk was arrested and later charged with jumping bond in the 2021-gun case. He was also charged for possessing the Glock and ammunition found in the car on the day of his arrest.
Note: Pyrzyk has been in prison since his arrest, during which he completed his two-year sentence in the 2021-gun case. He now will serve the recently imposed 11-year sentence.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and U.S. Marshal Gadyaces S. Serralta of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), made the announcement.
ATF West Palm Beach and U.S. Marshals West Palm Beach investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Sadlo prosecuted it.
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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80088.
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