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27 March 2025
Covert Agent, NCMEC CyberTips Lead to 30-Month Sentence for Cornville Man Who Accessed Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Cornville man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for accessing child sexual abuse material.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Wade Willette, 46, to 30 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Willette pleaded guilty on October 3, 2024.
According to court records, in August 2020, an individual using the Kik Messenger app contacted an FBI online covert employee (OCE) after the OCE posted on an online bulletin board known to be frequented by people with a sexual interest in children and/or child pornography. The username for the Kik account and associated email address were traced to Willette. In January 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from Kik revealing that the same username had uploaded three videos containing child sexual abuse material the previous month.
In March 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Willette’s residence, and FBI agents interviewed him. In the interview, he confirmed the Kik account was his, that he had searched for and viewed child sexual abuse material on his phone, and that he had engaged in online conversations about child pornography in the past. Two images of young children being sexually abused were recovered from his phone.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – in legal terms, “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with NCMEC at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Coventry Township Man Sentenced to more than 10 Years in Prison for Transportation and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Matthew Lamp, 29, of Coventry Township, Ohio, was sentenced March 11, 2025, by U.S. District Judge David Ruiz to 130 months in prison after he admitted to transporting and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography. He pleaded guilty to transportation of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography. Lamp was also ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to the victims of the child pornography images he possessed.
According to court documents, in February 2024 during a search warrant execution at the defendant’s residence, federal investigators seized a cellphone and other electronic devices that contained CSAM. During the investigation, it was determined that Lamp possessed more than 2,000 images of CSAM, including prepubescent minors, toddlers, and images involving sadistic or masochistic conduct.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI-Akron Field Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Copley Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – Brandon E. Crawford, 24, of Copley, Ohio, was sentenced March 11, 2025, by U.S. District Judge David Ruiz to 13 years in prison after he admitted to committing child sexual abuse related offenses (CSAM), also known as child pornography. He pleaded guilty to receipt and distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and register as a sex offender, per the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.
According to court documents, Crawford admitted to receiving and distributing CSAM files from about November 2022 to January 2024. During a search warrant execution, federal investigators seized a cellphone that contained sexually explicit content of children. During the investigation, they found that Crawford used social media applications on his cellphone to trade CSAM with others, including at least one image that involved a minor under the age of 12.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI-Akron Field Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter E. Daly for the Northern District of Ohio.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Ammunition in Ghost GunRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Leopold Rob Finley, 45, of Candler, N.C. was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing ammunition loaded in a “ghost gun,” announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. At the time, Finley was on supervised release for a federal drug conviction.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department (APD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to filed documents and court proceedings, on December 20, 2022, Finley’s vehicle was stopped by APD officers for a traffic violation. During a search of the vehicle, a “ghost gun” was recovered from Finley’s car. A “ghost gun” is an untraceable firearm with no serial number that is assembled by components purchased separately or as part of a kit. The ghost gun was loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition. When Finley was arrested, he was on federal supervised release for a prior drug conviction, specifically distribution of heroin and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and marijuana.
Finley is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
Clearfield Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 80 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Toby Coker, 50.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around July 2019 to June 2020, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Coker conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Further, in or around February 2020, Coker distributed a quantity of methamphetamine. Coker was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of methamphetamine that he distributed to others.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Coker. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Millcreek Police Department, Erie Bureau of Police, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Chinese National in Custody and Indicted After Allegedly Checking a Bag with a Firearm at Provo AirportRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Chinese national was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City for a firearm crime after she allegedly possessed an undeclared pistol in her checked luggage and ammunition in her carry-on bag at the Provo Airport.
Xuemei Zhao, 53, of People’s Republic of China, was initially charged by complaint on March 20, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 20, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered a black Rossi Braztech Int’l .357 revolver pistol in Zhao’s checked luggage, which was destined for Dallas – Ft. Worth via American Airlines flight 6189. Prior to delivering the suitcase to American Airlines, Zhao did not disclose the presence of the handgun to TSA or American Airlines. In addition to the firearm, Zhao had 9 rounds of .357 ammunition in her carry-on luggage. Zhao was taken into custody and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted and confirmed Zhao arrived on a tourist visa, and had a currently pending asylum application, and was not a lawful permanent resident of the United States (she did not have a “green card”).
Zhao is charged with possession of a firearm by a restricted person (alien). Her initial appearance on the indictment is March 28, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.
Charlotte Man Sentenced for Brandishing AR-15 Rifle During Restaurant RobberyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jermond Santa Lowery, Jr., 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced in federal court today to seven years in prison for brandishing an AR-15 rifle during the robbery of a Waffle House, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to information in filed documents and court proceedings, on October 31, 2023, Lowery entered a Waffle House in Charlotte, where he brandished an AR-15 rifle. As the employees began to flee through the back door, Lowery shouted at the employees to get back and open the cash register, threatening to kill them. Court documents show that Lowery removed the cash register from the restaurant and fled the scene. CMPD officers arrested Lowery the next day.
On September 26, 2024, Lowery pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He remains in federal custody pending placement by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The investigation was handled by the FBI and CMPD.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ijaz Oliver, 40, of Charleston, was sentenced today to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 28, 2023, Oliver possessed a Smith & Wesson model 36 .38-caliber revolver in Charleston.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Oliver knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to distribute 5 grams or more of cocaine base in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on May 29, 2007.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Charleston Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe and former Assistant United States Attorney Troy D. Adams prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-136.
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Cedar City Property Manager Admits to Defrauding Victims of over $2.1MRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Utah property manager pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and bank fraud after admitting he embezzled funds from homeowners associations, property owners, and tenants in Cedar City. He also admitted to fraudulently presenting cashier’s checks to Las Vegas casinos.
Blake Floyd Cozzens, 35, of Cedar City, was charged by Felony Information on March 24, 2025.
According to court documents and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, from January 2020 to January 2025, Cozzens was the property manager for multiple HOAs and property owners in Iron County, Utah. Cozzens admitted to defrauding HOAs, property owners, and tenants by embezzling funds he was responsible for safekeeping and diverting the funds for his own use. He also submitted fraudulent deposits to an online application that helps manage properties. The California corporation that offers the application lost $210,000 due to Cozzens’ fraudulent conduct. As a result of the scheme, Cozzens fraudulently obtained at least $772,966 from HOAs, property managers, tenants, and the California corporation.
In addition, Cozzens admitted to defrauding a bank in Las Vegas. He did so by presenting seven cashier’s checks totaling $1,414,000 to Las Vegas casinos in exchange for markers, i.e., credits to gamble. After gambling, Cozzens then falsely reported to the bank that he had lost the checks, causing the bank to stop payments to the casinos. Cozzens caused the bank to lose $1,395,673.58.
Cozzens has agreed to pay restitution to the fraud victims. If you think you are a victim in this case, information can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Assistance page or from contacting the Victim-Witness Coordinator at [email protected] or (801) 325-1430.
Cozzens is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. before a U.S. District Court Judge in Room 2B of the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Cedar City Police Department, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
Canadian National Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that John Francis, 23, of Canada, was sentenced on March 27, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of possession with intent to distribute MDMA and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Francis to a total of 181 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Francis’s release from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On March 4, 2023, a Saline County Sheriff’s Deputy performing patrol and drug interdiction duties on I-80 westbound initiated a traffic stop of a 2023 Chevy Tahoe. Instead of slowing, the Tahoe accelerated, resulting in a 30-minute pursuit over three counties for approximately 50 miles, at sustained speeds of more than 100 mph. Officers from six different departments were called in to assist with the stop due to the excessive speed of the fleeing Tahoe.
Officers had to deploy three sets of spike strips (tire deflation devices) across the interstate. The spike strips ultimately caused three of the four tires on the Tahoe to fail, and the Tahoe came to rest in the middle of the passing lane on the interstate. Francis emerged from the Tahoe with his hands in the air and immediately laid down on his chest in the median.
The driver and only occupant of the vehicle was eventually identified as John Francis, although another person’s Canadian driver’s license was found in the Tahoe. Francis had a loaded handgun in the cupholder and a duffle bag on the passenger seat. The duffle bag contained approximately 6.65 pounds of
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in crystalline form. Officers also found more than $6,000 and other indicators of drug trafficking on Francis and in the Tahoe. The $6,000 was forfeited to the United States as proceeds from drug trafficking.Francis previously pled not guilty. He was found guilty by a federal jury on November 13, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Saline County Sheriff’s Office, Seward County Sheriff’s Office, York County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Lincoln Police Department.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking in Downeast Maine, HawaiiRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A California man, Codee Houston, 33, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to commit money laundering. In addition, Houston agreed to the transfer of a pending case from the District of Hawaii and pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.
According to court records, from May 2022 through May 2023, Houston and others were part of a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine in Maine. While living in California, Houston shipped large quantities of methamphetamine from California to Maine. In Maine, his coconspirators distributed the methamphetamine in the Downeast region of the state. Proceeds from the sale of the methamphetamine were sent to Houston using various money services, including Walmart2Walmart, Cash App, and Venmo. He enlisted the aid of coconspirators to use their identifications and accounts to receive the money. He did this to conceal and disguise his involvement in the transactions and the money laundering.
From April 2023 through September 2023, Houston conducted similar acts in Hawaii, distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. On four separate occasions he shipped packages from California to Hawaii that contained controlled substances. The substances were later tested and confirmed to be pressed fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine.
For the most serious offenses, Houston faces a mandatory term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $10 million to be followed by five years to life of supervised release.
Houston will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the Maine case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Ellsworth Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Holden Police Department, and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the Hawaii case with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican National, residing in Leominster, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to charges related to passport fraud and other offenses.
Hector Eduardo Arias Mejia, 44, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and making a false statement in an application for a United States passport. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2025. In December 2023, Arias Mejia was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Arias Mejia, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, applied for a United States passport and a Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Real ID using the name and other biographical information of a resident of Puerto Rico. In support of his application, Aris Mejia submitted a Massachusetts driver’s license in the citizen’s identity (with Arias Mejia’s photo on it), a Social Security card with the name of the citizen and a birth certificate issued in Puerto Rico in the citizen’s name.
On February 25, 2020 Arias Mejia, again using the citizen’s identity, applied for a United States Passport at the Fall River post office. In support of the passport application, Arias Mejia submitted the Real ID he obtained in the citizen’s name and the birth certificate in the citizen’s name. The passport was issued.
Law enforcement became aware of Arias Mejia fraudulent acts when it investigated individuals who simultaneously received government benefits in Boston and Puerto Rico. When it was revealed that the same individual was receiving benefits in both places, the individual in Puerto Rico was interviewed and it was determined that he was lawfully receiving benefits. Further investigation revealed that the person receiving benefits under the same name in Boston was Arias Mejia, a Dominican national. Aris Mejia had been using the Puerto Rico citizen’s identity since at least 2011.
The charge of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Santo Domingo; Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Bloods Gang Member Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Role in Gang-Related ShootoutRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Ulysses Jaheim Page, age 22, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and injuring a man in a gang-related shooting. Page pled guilty to the charge on September 19, 2024.
According to court records and evidence presented at sentencing, on May 4, 2024, Page, a validated Bloods gang member, was the backseat passenger in a car that was stopped by the Wilmington Police Department. The driver of the car had an unserved arrest warrant for a firearms offense. Officers searched the car and found a stolen firearm by Page’s feet. The firearm was swabbed for DNA and testing confirmed Pages’ DNA was on the gun.
Page’s sentence was also based on an incident in 2023 when Page was involved in a gang related shootout. On April 27, 2023, Wilmington Police Department responded to a shooting at the Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington. During the investigation, officers learned that members of the 720 Gangster Disciples gang had planned a balloon release at the gravesite of a deceased gang leader. As a crowd gathered at the cemetery, a car pulled into the area, four individuals jumped out of the car and fired 28 shots into the crowd, striking one person in the arm. Members of the 720 Gangster Disciples returned approximately 29 shots. Page was identified as one of the shooters from the car.
Page is a previously convicted felon prohibited from legally possessing a firearm. His felony convictions include common law robbery and possession of a stolen firearm in 2020 as well as multiple convictions in 2019 for larceny of a firearm.
The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative, which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, interagency coordination, and intelligence-led policing.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Wilmington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Dixon, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Van Trigt, prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 7:23-CR-00060-D-BM.
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Blaine Man Pleads Guilty in FBI White Powder Hoax CaseRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Blaine man has pleaded guilty to two counts of False Information and Hoax, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on June 30, 2020, Oleg Petrashov, 45, mailed a manila envelope containing a brown and tan powder to the FBI Field Office in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. On November 4, 2022, Petrashov mailed a second envelope containing a white powder to the same FBI Field Office. Both mailings were examined for explosive and biological agents resulting in significant disruptions at the FBI Field Office, requiring the temporary relocation of employees, implementation of decontamination protocols, and deployment of special agent bomb technicians.
Petrashov admitted to FBI agents in April 2023 that he sent the letters and that he made them appear to be from a family member with whom he had a personal dispute, intending to trigger an investigation of that individual.
Petrashov pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Laura M. Provinzino to intentionally conveying false or misleading information that could reasonably be perceived as a biological agent or explosive.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley M. Endicott for the District of Minnesota and Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi Launches Compliance Review Investigation into Admissions Policies at Stanford University and Several University of California Schools, Advancing President Trump’s Mandate to End Illegal DEI PoliciesRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi directed the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to begin compliance review investigations into admissions policies at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Irvine. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellow of Harvard Coll., 600 U.S. 181 (2023), colleges and universities are prohibited from using DEI discrimination in selecting students for admission, and the Department of Justice is demanding compliance.
“President Trump and I are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity across the country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Every student in America deserves to be judged solely based on their hard work, intellect, and character, not the color of their skin.”
For decades, elite colleges and universities have prioritized racial quotas over equality of opportunity, dividing Americans and discriminating against entire groups of applicants, all in the name of DEI. The prior administration advanced the ideology behind this illegal practice and did nothing to protect the civil rights of American students.
“The Department of Justice will put an end to a shameful system in which someone’s race matters more than their ability,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle. “Every college and university should know that illegal discrimination in admissions will be investigated and eliminated.”
The compliance investigations into these universities are just the beginning of the Department’s work in eradicating illegal DEI and protecting equality under the law.
Armed Whiteville Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 23 YearsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A Whiteville man was sentenced today to 23 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. On February 9, 2024, Marion Lamont Flowers, age 43, pled guilty to the charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in 2020, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Whiteville Police Department, and the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) began investigating Flowers for drug trafficking. Between December 2020 and July 2021, law enforcement oversaw seven controlled purchases of cocaine and methamphetamine from Flowers. On July 20, 2021, a confidential informant arranged to purchase 1 kilogram of methamphetamine from Flowers. When Flowers arrived to make the sale, he was apprehended by law enforcement and taken into custody. A search of Flowers’ vehicle recovered 893.8 grams of methamphetamine (97% purity), more than $2000 in cash and a loaded PH 13 handgun. l
Based on surveillance during the investigation, Flowers was operating out of a hotel room at an EconoLodge. Agents executed search warrants on two rooms rented by Flowers and seized MDMA pills, Xanax pills, Alprazolam and Buprenorphine pills. They also seized 37 grams of cocaine base (crack), 249 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of fentanyl and nearly $4000 in cash.
Flowers has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1995 when he was convicted of assault with intent to kill and robbery with a dangerous weapon for robbing a Hasty Mart Store. During the robbery, Flowers shot a customer in the neck. In 2004, he pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon after robbing a BB&T bank. In 2016, Flowers pled guilty to possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine and to delivering cocaine. As the sentencing judge noted at Flowers’ hearing, Flowers has also performed poorly while incarcerated, incurring over 30 infractions while serving time for previous convictions.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, the Whiteville Police Department and the Columbus County Sheriff investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-00135-D-001.
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Armed Greenville Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced to 11 YearsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Ernest Russell Early, Jr., of Greenville, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison for an armed robbery and for possessing fake oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl. Early, 37, pled guilty to the charges on August 21, 2024.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 19, 2023, Early entered the Falkland Mini Mart located on South Main Street in Falkland. He approached the clerk at the back of the store and brandished a black pistol. He then compelled the clerk to return to the register and demanded that he hand over all the money. When the clerk opened the register, Early grabbed $1,500, exited the store, and entered a black Nissan Sentra with New Jersey plates. The cashier followed him outside and was able to obtain a partial license plate number.
Pitt County Sheriff’s Deputies responded and located the suspect's vehicle, initiating a pursuit. After initially evading the deputies, Early crashed the car and fled on foot. Deputies were able to collect fingerprints from the vehicle, which had been reported stolen, and later confirmed that the prints matched Early's.
Early remained at large until he was spotted by a detective from the Greenville Police Department on December 8, 2023. The police arrested Early on active warrants in a parking lot in Greenville. During the arrest, they seized 103 counterfeit oxycodone pills and a .40 caliber handgun from his pockets. The pills were subsequently tested and found to contain fentanyl.
Early’s criminal history features three state felony convictions and fifteen misdemeanor convictions. In 2013, he was convicted in Wake County Superior Court of common law robbery.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Greenville Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Jake D. Pugh prosecuted.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-0025-M.
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Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Armed Robberies Targeting Ross StoresRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a string of violent armed robberies targeting multiple Ross Dress for Less stores in 2022.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jason Pete Roper, 46, committed three armed robberies at Ross Dress for Less stores on August 14, August 15, and September 8, 2022. Each time, Roper would approach the register with a small item for purchase, wait for the cashier to open the till, and then brandish a firearm and demand money from multiple registers. At trial, the victims, most of whom were teenagers, testified to the fear and emotional distress they continue to suffer, with some forced to leave their jobs and withdraw from school due to the psychological impact.
Evidence further revealed that Roper not only committed these robberies himself but also perpetuated the cycle of violence by involving his 12-year-old nephew in his criminal activities. Surveillance footage, witness testimony, and a CrimeStoppers tip linked Roper to additional robberies committed by his nephew at a Ross store, a Walgreens, and an attempted robbery at a Taco Bell.
Upon his release, Roper will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jon Stanford and Samuel Hurtado prosecuted the case.
15 charged in scheme to defraud government aid programsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Fourteen Texas residents and one Louisiana woman have been indicted for participating in schemes using falsified documents to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and unemployment insurance benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The final five taken into custody are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m. Those include Brittany Garner-Richard, 38, Humble; Miguel Bell, 39, Port Arthur; Candace Booker and Andrea King, both 33 and of Beaumont; and Joshe Johnson, 34, Corrigan.
A federal grand jury returned the 18-count indictment March 4.
The charges allege Ebone Myrriah Mott, 37, Houston, conspired with others to falsify applications and claims to help them qualify for PPP loans and unemployment insurance benefits for which they were not otherwise eligible.
Mott allegedly created fictitious companies, prepared falsified records and submitted the applications on behalf of co-conspirators. The charges allege they paid her for her assistance - approximately $200 up front and 10% of the payouts.
The Small Business Administration relied on the fraudulent loan applications, insurance claims and falsified supporting records in the application process and the subsequent disbursement of loan proceeds or benefits, according to the charges.
Mott is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 17 counts of wire fraud.
In addition to Garner-Richard, Bell, Booker, King and Johnson, all others are also charged in the conspiracy and one or two counts of wire fraud. They were also taken into custody between March 23-26 and include Tiara Petties, 31, and Jennifer Petties, 32, both of Livingston; Kierra Patrice Chancey, 29, and Dekovan Williams, 28, both of Nacogdoches; Roy Shemeaker, 38, Dallas; Trakeesha Nishell Brown, 40, Lufkin; Veronica Moses, 40, Diboll, Travecia Hampton-Isabell, 37, Whitehouse, and Frankie Desiree Bogany 33, Vivian, Louisiana.
PPP loans are a source of financial relief The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides. The CARES Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans who were suffering economic effects the COVID-19 pandemic caused. Unemployment insurance provides benefits to persons who are out of work due to no fault of their own and who meet other eligibility requirements of state laws.
If convicted, each face up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service, Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General and California Employment Development Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day 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.
26 March 2025
York County Man Sentenced to 217 Months in Prison for Armed Robbery and Discharging a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Diaz-Garcia, age 24, of York, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 217 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Keli M. Neary for three counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Diaz-Garcia previously pleaded guilty to these offenses, which involved Diaz-Garcia’s armed robberies of the Smoke and Chill convenience store, the Family Dollar store, and Rod’s Corner Store in December 2021, during a 5-day crime spree in York County. During each of these robberies, Diaz-Garcia pointed a loaded handgun at employees and took money by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury. During the robbery at the Family Dollar on December 8, 2021, Diaz-Garcia discharged the firearm in the presence of store patrons and employees, and held the gun against an employee prior to robbing the store and fleeing to a nearby hotel.
Judge Neary also ordered Diaz-Garcia to pay $4,601.58 in restitution to the businesses, and to serve 5 years of supervised release after he completes his prison sentence.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the York City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christian Haugsby prosecuted the case.
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Woman Who Mailed Fentanyl from Arizona to Dubuque Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who mailed fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and “ice” methamphetamine from Arizona to Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison for her involvement in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Tiffani Katrina Bradley, age 42, from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, received the prison term after an October 30, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.
From March 2023 through December 2023, Bradley mailed re-distribution quantities of controlled substances from Arizona to Dubuque to her co-conspirator, Alexander John Chapman. During this time, Bradley mailed Chapman over $4,000 worth of fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
Bradley was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Bradley was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Bradley is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-01003.
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Utah Man Facing Federal Charges After Allegedly Attempting to Rob a BankRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for a violent crime after he allegedly attempted to rob First Utah Bank.
Christopher Thomas Kirby, 37, of West Valley City, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 19, 2025.
According to court documents, on March 19, 2025, at approximately 1:32 p.m., a man, later identified at Kirby, passed a note to a teller at First Utah Bank in West Valley City demanding money. According to responding officers, the note read “this is a robbery I have a bomb on my [sic] that will explode I need 20,000 in bag.” While the teller went into the vault under the guise of getting the money, she hit the silent alarm button and called 911. Officers arrived and took Kirby into custody.
Kirby is charged with one count of attempted bank robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment was March 26, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by an FBI Task Force Officer assigned to the Salt Lake City Violent Crimes squad and the West Valley City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.
United States Secures Forfeiture of over $5 Million Traceable to Business Email Compromise Scheme Targeting Massachusetts Workers UnionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office has announced that, pursuant to a court-ordered default judgment and final order of forfeiture entered today, it has secured the forfeiture of approximately $5,315,746 of proceeds of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme and property involved in the subsequent laundering of the proceeds. The judgment is the result of a civil forfeiture complaint filed by the United States in June 2024 seeking the forfeiture of the funds.
“This case underscores the sophisticated and global nature of financial fraud schemes that prey on organizations and their hard-earned resources,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Thanks to the diligent efforts of our law enforcement partners, we have successfully traced and recovered millions of dollars stolen through deception. This forfeiture serves as a stark warning: We will relentlessly pursue stolen funds – no matter where cybercriminals operate.”
As alleged in the complaint, in January 2023, a workers union based in Dorchester, Mass., was defrauded out of $6.4 million after it received a spoofed email, which appeared to be from its investment manager. The email, which had the intended effect of misleading the workers union into transferring funds to a bank account controlled by someone other than the intended recipient, changed the beneficiary bank account of the $6.4 million payment.
After the workers union sent the payment, the fraudulently-obtained funds were transferred through a series of intermediary bank accounts, with some funds transferred, or attempted to be transferred, to a cryptocurrency exchange and to various bank accounts located in Hong Kong, China, Singapore and Nigeria. Investigators traced proceeds of the scheme to seven domestically held bank accounts, the contents of which were subsequently seized.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Deputy Assistant Attorney General Josh Goldfoot of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and William Mancino, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Criminal Investigative Division, Washington Field Office made the announcement. The civil forfeiture action was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons of the Office’s Asset Recovery Unit along with Trial Attorneys Jasmin Salehi Fashami and Adrienne Rosen of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering & Asset Recovery Section.
United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint for $47 Million in Proceeds from the Sale of Iranian OilRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A civil forfeiture complaint was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that $47 million in proceeds from the sale of nearly one million barrels of Iranian petroleum is forfeitable as property of, or affording a person a source of influence over, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or its Qods Force (IRGC-QF), designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO).
The forfeiture was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. of the Minneapolis Field Office, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso of the New York Office.
The forfeiture complaint alleges a scheme between 2022 and 2024 to facilitate the shipment, storage, and sale of Iranian petroleum product for the benefit of the IRGC and IRGC-QF. The facilitators used deceptive practices to masquerade the Iranian oil as Malaysian, including by manipulating the tanker’s automatic identification system (AIS) to conceal that it onboarded the oil from a port in Iran. The facilitators presented falsified documents to the Croatian storage facility and port authority, claiming that the oil was Malaysian. The facilitators paid for storage fees associated with the oil’s storage at the Croatian facility in U.S. dollars, transactions that were conducted through U.S. financial institutions that would have refused the transactions had they known they were associated with Iranian oil. The petroleum product was sold in 2024, and the United States seized $47 million in proceeds from that sale.
The civil forfeiture complaint further alleges that the petroleum product constitutes the property of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which has perpetuated a federal crime of terrorism by providing material support to the IRGC and IRGC-QF. As alleged, profits from petroleum product sales support the IRGC’s full range of malign activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and both domestic and international human rights abuses.
“We will aggressively enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran, in furtherance of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “With the continued seizures of Iranian oil and U.S. dollar profits, we are sending a clear message to Iran that bypassing the sanctions put in place by the U.S. Government is not as easy as playing a shell game with tankers filled with oil. We remain committed to thwarting Iran’s devious attempts, and to deprive its terrorists of the funding they desire.”
“The FBI will not allow hostile regimes to evade U.S. sanctions or exploit our financial systems to fund designated terrorist organizations,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Winston. “The FBI, alongside our partners, will relentlessly enforce U.S. sanctions against Iran and safeguard U.S. national security by disrupting illicit networks that seek to profit from sanctioned oil sales.”
“Through the work of HSI’s Counterproliferation Investigations group, alongside the FBI, the U.S. government has seized $47 million worth of funds allegedly meant for terrorist groups intent on causing catastrophic harm," said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. "The expertise of HSI personnel, coupled with federal law enforcement’s whole-of-government approach, ensures the wellbeing of the United States and our innocent foreign counterparts, alike. We are relentlessly utilizing every tool at our disposal in pursuit of any and all security threats.”
Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.
FBI Minneapolis Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations New York are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert, Maeghan O. Mikorski, and Brian Hudak for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are litigating the case. They received assistance from former Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
47million_-_forfeiture_complaint.pdfUnited States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint for $47 Million in Proceeds from the Sale of 1 Million Barrels of Iranian OilRead the Press Release
A civil forfeiture complaint was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that $47 million in proceeds from the sale of nearly one million barrels of Iranian petroleum is forfeitable as property of, or affording a person a source of influence over, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or its Qods Force (IRGC-QF), designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
The forfeiture complaint alleges a scheme between 2022 and 2024 to facilitate the shipment, storage, and sale of Iranian petroleum product for the benefit of the IRGC and IRGC-QF. The facilitators used deceptive practices to masquerade the Iranian oil as Malaysian, including by manipulating the tanker’s automatic identification system (AIS) to conceal that it onboarded the oil from a port in Iran. The facilitators presented falsified documents to the Croatian storage and port facility, claiming that the oil was Malaysian. The facilitators paid for storage fees associated with the oil’s storage in Croatia in U.S. dollars, transactions that were conducted through U.S. financial institutions that would have refused the transactions had they known they were associated with Iranian oil. The petroleum product was sold in 2024, and the United States seized $47 million in proceeds from that sale.
The civil forfeiture complaint further alleges that the petroleum product constitutes the property of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), which has perpetuated a federal crime of terrorism by providing material support to the IRGC and IRGC-QF. As alleged, profits from petroleum product sales support the IRGC’s full range of malign activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and both domestic and international human rights abuses.
Funds successfully forfeited with a connection to a state sponsor of terrorism may in whole or in part be directed to the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund.
FBI Minneapolis Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations New York are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert, Maeghan O. Mikorski, and Brian Hudak for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Adam Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are litigating the case. They received assistance from former Paralegal Specialist Brian Rickers and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation. The burden to prove forfeitability in a civil forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.
Two-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
According to court documents, Antonio Eirby, 34, plead guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and received 105 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Eirby has two prior felony convictions for Domestic Violence Strangulation and Burglary 2nd out of Mobile County Circuit Court. On October 3, 2023, the Mobile Police Department responded to a location on Highway 90. A victim reported having encountered Eirby in the parking lot. Eirby robbed him of his firearm. Police apprehended Eirby on foot a short distance away and found the firearm on Eirby’s person. The firearm was returned to its lawful owner.
U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Two Members of Violent NE Philadelphia Drug Trafficking Organization Convicted of All Charges at TrialRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Kelvin Jimenez, aka “Nip,” 34, and Dominique Parker, aka “Dom,” 33, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were convicted late yesterday afternoon at trial of crimes arising from their membership in a violent drug trafficking organization known by several names, including “SG1700” and “L-Block,” which operated in the Frankford section of Northeast Philadelphia.
As proven at trial, defendants Jimenez and Parker, as part of SG1700, sold large quantities of narcotics over a multi-year period, using violence and threats of violence to protect their reputation and drug territory. Both were convicted of all charges against them, including racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, maintaining a drug-involved premises, assaults in aid of racketeering, firearms offenses, and related crimes. Jimenez was also convicted of the murder of Kaseem Rogers, and Parker of the murder of Dontae Walker.
Jimenez and Parker, along with Hassan Elliott, aka “Haz,” 26, and Khalif Sears, aka “Leaf” and “Lil Leaf,” 23, both also of Philadelphia, were charged in March 2023 by superseding indictment with conspiracy to engage in a racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO), violent crimes in aid of racketeering, to include murder, stemming from the killings of victims Rogers, Walker, Tyrone Tyree, and Philadelphia Police Sergeant James O’Connor, and numerous related offenses.
On March 13, 2020, Elliott, Sears, and others previously indicted were inside a stash house on the 1600 block of Bridge Street, when Sergeant O’Connor and other members of the Philadelphia Police Department SWAT team arrived with an arrest warrant for Elliott for the March 2019 murder of Tyrone Tyree. As Sergeant O’Connor and his fellow officers ascended the staircase to the second floor of the residence and repeatedly announced their presence, Elliott fired a semiautomatic assault rifle 16 times, striking and killing Sergeant O’Connor.
Elliott and Sears pleaded guilty this January to RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, causing the death of Sergeant O’Connor by firearm, and multiple drug, gun, and violent offenses. Elliott is scheduled to be sentenced on April 29 and Sears on April 30; both face maximum possible sentences of life in prison.
Jimenez is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7 and Parker on July 9; both also face maximum possible sentences of life in prison.
“Jimenez and Parker led the gang that killed Sergeant James O’Connor. These defendants also committed murder themselves,” U.S. Attorney Metcalf said. “Today, however, the Department of Justice put an end to SG1700 and their campaign of violence and destruction. We cannot bring back the lives that have been lost. But we have sent an unambiguous message that everyone involved in a criminal organization that attacks our brave law enforcement officers will be held accountable through federal prosecution.”
“By direction of these gang-leaders, Philadelphia’s Frankford neighborhood was subjected to deadly shootouts targeting rivals,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “This conviction brings some justice for the murder of Philadelphia Police Sergeant James O’Connor, for his family and colleagues, and for the three others murdered and more than a dozen wounded by this brutal criminal enterprise. Through our ATF agents’ hard work in cooperation with the Philadelphia Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office successfully prosecuted this series of cases to take down this lethal enterprise and make Philadelphia’s streets safer.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Martin, Christopher Diviny, and Lauren Stram.
Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Mario Garibay-Reyes, 47, and Diego Mendoza-Aguilar, 37, of Mexico were sentenced on March 26, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Garibay-Reyes to 160 months’ imprisonment and Mendoza-Aguilar to 70 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Garibay-Reyes and Mendoza-Aguilar are released from prison, they will each begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Because they are in the United States illegally, they are subject to deportation following their release from prison.
On November 9, 2023, law enforcement utilized an undercover agent to purchase 414 grams of actual methamphetamine from Mendoza-Aguilar in Omaha. Following this controlled buy, law enforcement observed Mendoza-Aguilar distribute 208 grams of actual methamphetamine to other individuals. Law enforcement arrested the individuals and seized the methamphetamine. Garibay-Reyes provided the aforementioned methamphetamine to Mendoza-Aguilar for these drug transactions.
On November 14, 2024, law enforcement served a search warrant at Mendoza-Aguilar’s residence in Omaha. At the time, Garibay-Reyes was residing at Mendoza-Aguilar’s residence with Mendoza-Aguilar. During the search, law enforcement located 559 grams of actual methamphetamine from Garibay-Reyes’s bedroom and 22 grams of actual methamphetamine from Mendoza-Aguilar’s bedroom. Parked outside the residence was Garibay-Reyes’s vehicle. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and located 5,718 grams of actual methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. 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.
Tunica County Man Convicted for Possession of Ammunition in Connection to a HomicideRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A federal jury convicted a Tunica County Man today for illegally possessing ammunition after having been convicted of a felony.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Korea McKay, 44, shot and killed Davao Thomas on February 18, 2023. McKay killed Mr. Thomas after Mr. Thomas told him to slow down in the Kirby Estates apartment complex. Two shell casings were recovered at the scene.
McKay fled the scene in his truck. A few days later, local investigators discovered the truck hidden behind a trailer in Dundee, Mississippi. After being released from state custody on the state arrest warrant for Murder, a federal complaint was issued, and McKay was arrested for felon-in-possession of a firearm related to a prior Desoto County arrest in 2020. McKay was detained and held without bond in federal custody. In May 2023, he was indicted for felon-in-possession of ammunition stemming from the homicide. McKay is currently serving a 48-month sentence on the Desoto County case. He will be sentenced on the felon-in-possession of ammunition on July 17, 2025.
Records reflect that at the time McKay possessed the ammunition, he had multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for assault of a police officer and a federal drug conviction. He faces up to 15-years imprisonment.
“We appreciate the jury’s careful deliberation of the evidence and their guilty verdict, and we hope this brings some sense of justice to the victim’s family,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute violent felons in our communities who possess weapons and ammunition, and we will use all of the tools at our disposal to prosecute those individuals to the maximum extent allowed by law.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Tunica County Sheriff’s Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Stringfellow and Julie Addison are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Tips to NCMEC CyberTipline Lead to Guilty Plea from Lewiston Man for Possessing, Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, in June 2022, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSPCCU) received two CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and traced the identified phone number to Harold Clayton III, 35. In September 2022, MSPCCU and the Lewiston Police Department executed a search warrant at Clayton’s residence. A cell phone and laptop seized from the residence contained multiple images and videos of children, some as young as toddlers, being sexually abused by adult men. The cell phone also contained Telegram Messenger communications in which Clayton distributed such images and videos.
Clayton faces 5–20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution of child pornography charge and up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the possession charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and MSPCCU investigated the case with assistance from the Lewiston Police Department.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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Tampa Man Arrested for Robbing Gas Station with A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Rafael Jimenez (30, Tampa) with one count of Hobbs Act robbery. If convicted, Jimenez faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, on March 8, 2025, Jimenez entered a gas station in Tampa and brandished a firearm while demanding money from the register. Shortly after making this demand, Jimenez fired a shot in the direction of the clerk, striking the ground directly behind the clerk.
Jimenez stole more than $600 from the store as well as cigarettes. He was apprehended after surveillance footage from days before the robbery showed physical similarities between Jimenez and the robber, including a distinctive tattoo. Evidence found in Jimenez’s trash outside his home included a ski mask, gloves, and cigarettes of the same brand the robber had used. Surveillance video from nearby businesses showed a vehicle like Jimenez’s traveling on roads close to the scene of the robbery before and after it occurred.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
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).
Starkville Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Violating Federal Firearms LawsRead the Press Release
Greenville, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for violation of federal firearms laws.
According to court documents, Antonio Johnson, 49, pled guilty to possession of one or more firearms by a previously convicted felon as well as possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Johnson today to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Johnson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
“The public has every right to expect repeat offenders to receive significant sentences, and this defendant will now have 10 years in a federal prison to reconsider his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “AUSA Robert Mims and our partners at the FBI, ATF and Starkville Police Department worked seamlessly to bring justice to an individual who earned every day of this sentence.”
“Protecting the safety of our communities is one of the cornerstones of what ATF seeks to accomplish every day,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “To convicted felons and others making our streets unsafe with gun violence and drugs – law enforcement is here. No matter how long it takes, we will investigate, arrest, prosecute and ensure you are held accountable for your actions.”
“Mr. Johnson’s sentencing demonstrates a steadfast commitment of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to protect the public from those individuals who illegally possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes,” stated FBI Jackson Field Office Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff. “Criminals possessing and using firearms in the commission of any crime are threats to our communities, for those who seek to threaten and intimidate Mississippians through these egregious crimes will be aggressively pursued by the FBI and brought to justice. We will continue our collective efforts through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, to reduce violent crime and gun violence in our communities across Mississippi.”
"Strong convictions matter; they have a lasting impact and require hard work,” said Chief Mark Ballard of the Starkville Police Department. “Our community is safer as a result of these agencies’ efforts. On behalf of the Starkville Police Department, we are very thankful for our working relationship with FBI Jackson, the ATF New Orleans, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Mississippi."
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Starkville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Mims prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Stamford Man Indicted for Defrauding Mars, Inc. out of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Region of the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a nine-count indictment charging PAUL R. STEED, 58, of Stamford, with fraud and tax offenses stemming from his alleged commission of multiple frauds against his former employer Mars, Inc.
The indictment was returned yesterday, and Steed was arrested this morning. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport, pleaded not guilty, and is currently detained.
The indictment alleges that, between approximately 2011 and 2023, Steed was employed by Mars Wrigley, a subsidiary of Mars. Inc. (“Mars”), working remotely from his home in Stamford. Steed served as Global Price Risk Manager for Mars Wrigley’s Global Cocoa Enterprise. As part of his employment, Steed was responsible for managing Mars Wrigley’s participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Sugar-Containing Products Re-Export Program. In approximately 2016, Steed created a company, MCNA LLC, to mimic an actual Mars entity, Mars Chocolate North America. He then diverted millions of dollars in Mars assets to a bank account he set up in MCNA’s name by directing sugar refineries purchasing Mars’s re-export credits, obtained through the USDA program, to pay MCNA LLC as if it were a legitimate Mars entity.
The indictment also alleges that Mars had an ownership interest in Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (“ICE”), a financial services company that operated financial exchanges and clearing houses, and received quarterly dividends in connection with that ownership. In 2017, Steed directed Computershare Limited (“Computershare”), a company that ICE utilized for stock-related services, to pay MCNA LLC for Mars’s dividends from its ownership shares in ICE. As a result, more than $700,000 in dividend payments were diverted to the MCNA LLC account. In 2023, after Steed had used a fraudulent letter purportedly from the Mars Treasurer authorizing him to trade ICE shares, Steed directed Computershare to sell Mars’s ICE shares entirely. Computershare issued a check in the amount of more than $11.3 million, which Steed deposited into the MCNA LLC account.
The indictment further alleges that, from 2013 through 2020, Steed used a company he owned called Ibera LLC to invoice Mars for services Mars did not receive. Mars paid Ibera LLC approximately $580,000 through this scheme.
The indictment charges Steed with seven counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment on each count. Steed is also charged with two counts of tax evasion, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count, for failing to report and pay taxes on his stolen income, as alleged.
According to statements made in court, Steed is alleged to have stolen more than $28 million from Mars and through his schemes. More than $18 million was seized today for forfeiture, and the government is seeking to forfeit a Greenwich home that Steed is alleged to have purchased with nearly $2.3 million in stolen funds. It is alleged that another $2 million was sent by Steed to Argentina, where he is a dual citizen, has family ties, and owns a ranch.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
St. Tammany Man Sentenced for Threatening Federal EmployeeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOHN JOSEPH KEIPER, JR. (“KEIPER”), age 57, a resident of Lacombe, La., was sentenced on March 18, 2025, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to threatening a federal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 115(a)(1)(B), announced Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson .
KEIPER was sentenced to 17 months’ imprisonment, to run consecutive with any sentence that may be imposed in any other State case. Judge Long also ordered a 3-year term of supervised release following KEIPER’s release from prison. Additionally, KEIPER was ordered to pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, KEIPER threatened to assault a Social Security Administration (SSA) employee. On November 6, 2023, KEIPER placed a phone call to the SSA office. During the call, KEIPER became irate, disruptive, and threatened SSA employees in the Lacombe, La. office.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
St. Louis man sentenced to 12+ years’ imprisonment in $1.7 million check fraud schemeRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A southern Illinois district judge sentenced a St. Louis man to 145 months in federal prison for his involvement in a vehicle sale scheme using fake cashier’s checks and targeting victims in Madison, Jasper, Bond and Fayette counties.
Valentino Colic, 34, pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of interstate transportation of property taken by fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft. Following imprisonment, he will serve three years of supervised release.
The 11-count indictment also named co-conspirators Alen Saric, 36, Almir Palic, 25, and Emad Hasanbegovic, 34, all of St. Louis. Saric pleaded guilty in January to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of interstate transportation of property taken by fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 7.
Palic was sentenced to 51 months in February. Hasanbegovic is facing one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of identity theft. He is scheduled for a court hearing in May.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
“Criminals are skilled at creating fake checks to look real and defraud victims, so it’s critical for the public to authenticate checks from people not personally known to them by confirming with the issuing bank or waiting until checks are accepted into their bank account before transferring property or otherwise sending funds,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
According to court documents, the co-conspirators participated in a scheme to defraud private vehicle sellers on Facebook marketplace and Craigslist with fake cashier’s checks from 2018 until August 2023. The checks were printed on security-enhanced check paper with the names and logos of real banks with fake routing numbers.
Once the fraudsters possessed a vehicle, they would then resell the vehicle to another individual for cash before the original victim could try to cash the check and realize it was worthless. The conspirators issued at least $1,710,999 in fake cashier’s checks.
"This investigation is a testament to the strength of collaboration across local, state, and federal law enforcement,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “This sentencing as well as the upcoming sentencing of co-conspirators highlights efforts the FBI and our partners are making to ensure those who attempt to exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable."
To keep the co-conspirators’ names out of the chain of title, they used the names of prior victims to buy and sell the vehicles and forged signatures to complete documents such as titles and bills of sale. When posing as the victims, they often used copies of their photo IDs they had received during the previous sales. By writing bad checks from prior victims, the conspiracy caused even more financial hardship by revictimizing the same people repeatedly.
The fraudsters bought and resold vehicles from more than 100 victims across five states. Colic and Saric admitted to driving the vehicles over state lines to benefit the scheme.
The FBI Springfield Field Office, the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Illinois State Police, Illinois Secretary of State Police, Jefferson County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department and several local police departments contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter T. Reed is prosecuting the case.
Southern California Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Involvement in a Fentanyl Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
BOISE – Brian Arthur Goodale, 56, of Lake Elsinore, California, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin D. Whatcott announced today. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford, also ordered that Goodale pay restitution to the family of the victim to cover funeral expenses and to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
According to court records, on March 16, 2023, law enforcement conducted a welfare check on the victim who had not responded to calls or knocks on the door. They found the deceased victim with a small drug tube clutched in his hand and a small piece of tin foil next to him. A toxicology report and autopsy showed that the victim had a lethal dose of fentanyl in his system at the time of death. The investigation revealed Facebook messages between the victim and Goodale. Goodale sent a message that said, “shoot the $100 and I’ll send it now . . . 3pk . . . but I’m gonna need the $200 on Wed. if your still alive!!” The investigation revealed that the victim purchased fentanyl from Goodale, who shipped the fentanyl through the Post Office in Chula Vista, California to Boise, Idaho. Goodale has an extensive criminal history that includes 29 prior convictions in the state of California, 20 of which are controlled substance offenses. At the time he sold the fentanyl to the victim in Idaho, Goodale was on felony probation for offering a controlled substance for sale, fentanyl, in Riverside County, California.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50–100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for severe pain management and prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges. While prescription fentanyl can be diverted for misuse, most cases of fentanyl-related overdoses in the U.S. are linked to Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations, who are the world’s leading producers of illicit fentanyl. These Drug Trafficking Organizations often collaborate with transnational cartels to smuggle illicit fentanyl into the U.S.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the Boise Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service for their investigation in this case, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian S. Nafzger prosecuted the case.
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Sallisaw Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Devon Ray Gillispie, age 33, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Sallisaw Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On October 15, 2024, Gillispie pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 31, 2022, officers discovered Gillispie was in possession of 42 rounds of ammunition despite having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Gillispie will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Punxsutawney Woman Sentenced for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to five years of probation on her conviction of theft of government funds, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Patty Merlo, 66.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around May 2016 to in and around January 2022, Merlo embezzled and converted for her own use approximately $91,300 in Social Security payments to which she knew she was not entitled.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Merlo.
Private Shipping Company to Pay $400,000 to Settle Allegations of Transshipping Fentanyl Precursor ChemicalsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – IMC Pro International Inc. has agreed to pay $400,000 to the United States to resolve allegations it violated the Controlled Substances Act through transshipping fentanyl precursor chemicals.
The United States alleged IMC Pro International Inc., a North Carolina-based shipping and logistics company, entered business agreements with several companies operating in China. Under the terms of these arrangements, IMC Pro agreed to provide these Chinese companies with access to IMC Pro’s accounts for common carriers in order to generate domestic shipping labels for the final destinations of various goods and products sold or manufactured by the Chinese companies. These labels identified IMC Pro as the company or entity shipping the packages, though IMC Pro did not store or handle the packages at any time, nor did IMC Pro maintain any records concerning the contents of the packages.
The United States became aware of these business agreements after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized five packages in Eagle Pass, identifying IMC Pro as the shipper. Chemical analysis determined the five packages contained a total of 26.4 kgs of 1-BOC-4 Piperidone, a List I Regulated Chemical; and 138.66 kgs of (2-Bromoethyl) benzene, a chemical on the DEA’s Special Surveillance List and a laboratory supply within the definition provided under 21 U.S.C § 842(a)(11). Both chemicals are known to be used in the production of fentanyl. The United States alleged its investigation determined these packages were imported into the United States from China, transshipped to Eagle Pass, and intended for transport across the U.S./Mexican border where they were to be sent to be used in the production and manufacture of illicit fentanyl.
“In the face of the fentanyl epidemic, my office will hold both those who distribute illicit fentanyl and those who provide the means to manufacture such substances accountable for their actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “IMC Pro took on a responsibility to ensure the packages shipped under its name complied with federal laws and regulations. I encourage shipping and logistics companies that may have engaged in similar business arrangements to uphold their own responsibilities and assist in the efforts to stop the flow of fentanyl.”
“In addition to going after the drug cartels, DEA will continue to hold companies accountable who make it easy for drug trafficking organizations to get their hands on precursor chemicals to produce deadly synthetic drugs like fentanyl,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux for the DEA Houston Division. “This first-of-its-kind settlement exposes loopholes some companies are exploiting to bring poison to our communities.”
The settlement includes an affirmation by IMC Pro that it will not engage in similar business agreements with foreign-based entities at any time now or in the future; the affirmation is binding on the company’s successors in interest as well. IMC Pro, upon being made aware its domestic shipping accounts had been used to transship fentanyl precursors, immediately took steps to shut down such shipping accounts and end the prior business agreements. IMC Pro is further cooperating with the United States to assist in identifying other instances of transshipment of fentanyl precursors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Van De Walle negotiated the settlement on behalf of the United States.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Prichard Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
According to court documents, on October 23, 2023, Mobile police went to a local residence to arrest Clarence White, 45, for multiple outstanding warrants. After speaking with White through the door, White began shooting out of a window of the home, narrowly missing one of the officers. White has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for attempted murder, possession of a controlled substance, and assault. As a convicted felon, White is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
White was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Callie V. S. Granade sentenced White to 151 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing and Attempting to Prevent the Seizure of FirearmsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 45 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his convictions of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon and attempting to take action to prevent seizure, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Javon Pope, 36.
According to information presented to the Court, on the morning of November 19, 2019, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation discovered Pope inside a Wilkinsburg residence at which another individual had just been arrested and officers had observed several firearms in plain view. The agents detained and searched Pope, finding a digital scale, a small amount of marijuana, and a cellular telephone. Upon the execution of a search warrant for the residence, agents found four firearms, but in different locations from where they had been initially observed by officers. A search warrant for Pope’s cellular telephone revealed an internet search for “how long does it take to get a search warrant” during the morning of November 19 while the FBI would have had the house secured pending the warrant, as well as a picture of the defendant with several of the firearms found in the residence. Pope has a prior felony conviction, and federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The cell phone also revealed several telephone calls between Pope and a resident of the home beginning around the time the Pittsburgh S.W.A.T. Team arrived at the residence, during which Pope was informed that federal agents were at the home and intending to search it. It is a violation of federal law to attempt to take action to prevent seizure of items pursuant to a federal search warrant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh S.W.A.T. Team for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Pope.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Pittsburgh Drug Dealer Sentenced to 8.5 Years in Prison for Series of Fentanyl, Heroin, Fentanyl Analogue, and Cocaine Trafficking ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 102 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on charges of violating federal drug trafficking laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Jervey Shackelford, 45, on March 25, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, Shackelford delivered or attempted to deliver fentanyl and mixtures of heroin and fentanyl to an undercover officer on six separate occasions between February 2022 and June 2022 on Pittsburgh’s North Side. In October 2023, City of Pittsburgh officers executed a search warrant on Shackelford and his vehicle and recovered over 60 grams of fentanyl and 10 grams of cocaine, along with drug packaging materials. Additionally, in August 2024, City of Pittsburgh officers executed a search warrant on an apartment utilized by Shackelford, during which officers recovered 11 bricks of fentanyl and heroin and approximately 100 grams of fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. Shackelford possessed with an intent to distribute a total of over a quarter kilogram of mixtures of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and heroin across the various incidents.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shackelford.
Par Funding CEO Sentenced to 15½ Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy, Securities Fraud, Tax Crimes, and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Joseph LaForte, 54, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 186 months in prison and three years of supervised release, to include 12 months in home confinement, for numerous crimes arising from the defendant’s operation of a fraudulent investment vehicle known as Complete Business Solutions Group Inc. d/b/a Par Funding (“Par Funding”). In addition, LaForte was sentenced to forfeit various assets, including a private jet and an investment account totaling approximately $20 million, along with a $120 million forfeiture money judgment, as well as restitution in the amount of $314 million, and a $50,000 fine.
In January 2025, the Court found the Par Funding fraud scheme caused an actual fraud loss of approximately $404,000,000, which it reduced to $288,395,088 after factoring in credit for collateral that federal authorities seized from Par Funding when the investigation became public in July 2020, upon the SEC placing Par Funding in receivership.
The defendant, who functioned as Par Funding’s president and CEO, his brother James LaForte, Par Funding’s “enforcer,” and Joseph Cole Barleta, Par Funding’s chief financial officer, were charged in a February 2024 amended second superseding indictment with racketeering conspiracy and related crimes.
In September 2024, Joseph LaForte pleaded guilty to the RICO charge, securities fraud, tax crimes, and perjury. He also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for his role in aiding and abetting James LaForte’s violent assault on one of the receivership’s Philadelphia attorneys, and to a gun possession charge for firearms found in his former residence during the execution of a search warrant.
James LaForte pleaded guilty in September 2024 to racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and extortionate collection of debt, as well as obstruction of justice, for his assault on the receivership attorney, and retaliation, for threatening several government witnesses. He was sentenced earlier this month to 11½ years in prison.
Barleta pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2025.
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As detailed in court filings, the defendant served as the undisputed leader of a years-long criminal enterprise consisting of his codefendants and others. The principal purpose of this enterprise was to generate money for its leadership and members, primarily by defrauding the investors in Par Funding, which the enterprise controlled until it was placed in receivership.
Joseph LaForte and his conspirators caused false and misleading information to be conveyed to investors regarding various issues, including:
▪ Joseph LaForte’s true name, his role at Par Funding, and his criminal history;
▪ Par Funding’s underwriting process;
▪ the diversity of the company’s MCA portfolio;
▪ Par Funding’s default rate;
▪ Par Funding’s financial success and profitability;
▪ the company’s insurance; and
▪ the defendants’ self-dealing.
Par Funding’s principal means of generating income was to “advance” money to businesses (known as merchant cash advance or “MCA” customers) that were in need of short-term financing at high rates of return.
The enterprise would use threats of violence to collect money from customers whose payments were overdue. James LaForte admitted that, in threatening one particular Par Funding customer, he told the customer that he must repay the company immediately because James LaForte was not to be messed with and had previously torched people’s cars and kicked people’s teeth in.
Another Par Funding collector admitted to extorting multiple customers at Joseph LaForte’s direction, including through threats of physical harm to the customers or their families if the debt was not paid back. And as established at his sentencing hearing, Joseph LaForte also threatened and extorted customers who fell behind in their payments, such as by telling a Par Funding customer to keep paying her debts or he would bomb her car, kidnap her children, and outfit her with “cement shoes” to sink her to the bottom of the Hudson River.
The reality hidden from Par Funding’s investors was that, during every year from 2016 through mid-2020, Par Funding’s MCA business was not profitable enough to repay the money owed to Par Funding’s investors while also covering its operating expenses (including tens of millions of dollars Joseph LaForte was paying himself annually). LaForte thus needed to acquire increasingly large injections of new investor money just to keep the lights on and the business running, a hallmark of a traditional Ponzi scheme.
From 2015 until the unraveling of the fraud in mid-2020, Joseph LaForte caused Par Funding to pay him and his wife more than $120,000,000 in fraudulent proceeds, with which he purchased homes, vacation properties, vehicles, artwork, jewelry, dozens of investment properties, a boat, and a private jet. LaForte rewarded the loyalty of co-conspirators, including James LaForte and Cole Barleta, by making each of them multi-millionaires.
For years, the defendant committed a variety of tax crimes related to his fraudulent proceeds, including conspiring to defraud the IRS and filing false tax returns, as well as employment tax fraud. The total federal tax loss stemming from LaForte’s crimes exceeds $8 million. He also caused $1.6 million in state tax loss to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue by falsely reporting that he and his wife were residents of Florida from 2013 through 2019, when in fact they resided in Pennsylvania.
“Joe LaForte is a career grifter,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He has spent his adult life lying, cheating, and stealing his way to a lavish lifestyle paid for with other people’s money. Consider LaForte’s vast criminality here: a decade’s worth of financial and tax crimes, acts of obstruction, perjury, extortionate threats, the aiding and abetting of his brother’s violent assault on an attorney, and the illegal possession of multiple guns. He has earned every day of his prison sentence. My office is committed to prosecuting these complex financial cases, to bring fraud victims some relief and the crooks who victimized them to justice.”
“Today’s sentencing holds Joseph LaForte accountable for the full scope of his criminal conduct in leading a long-running fraudulent enterprise,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “The FBI and our partners remain unwavering in our commitment to uncover, investigate, and dismantle complex financial fraud schemes — and to pursue justice and restitution for the victims they leave behind.”
“This case exemplifies how cooperative law enforcement efforts lead to the exposure of individuals and groups seeking to circumvent our laws for financial gain,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “An investigation such as this takes a dedicated team of investigators and prosecutors many hours of hard work and sacrifice to bring to a successful conclusion.”
“Today’s sentencing brings Joseph LaForte to justice for operating a fraudulent investment vehicle that he and his co-conspirators used to generate hundreds of millions of dollars illegally, while harming Par Funding’s numerous investors,” said Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), New York Region. “The FDIC OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who deceive investors for their own selfish gain and threaten the safety and soundness of our Nation’s financial system.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Samuel Dalke, and Eric Gill, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Boscia and DOJ Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro on the tax portion of the prosecution.
The SEC in Florida investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges, which formed the basis of a portion of the criminal prosecution.
Orlando Man Sentenced to 32 Years for Possessing Illegal Firearms and Selling Fentanyl That Killed A WomanRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Joel David Fonseca Flores (45, Orlando) to 32 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl that resulted in death, possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On June 27, 2024, a federal jury found Fonseca Flores guilty of the conspiracy resulting in death charge. Prior to trial, on June 3, 2024, Fonseca Flores pleaded guilty to the other two offenses.
According to evidence presented at trial, Fonseca Flores and his co-defendant, Misty Lynn Parady (35, Orlando), sold fake “M30” pills laced with fentanyl to “N.K.” Between April 2020 and April 2022, Fonseca Flores and Parady sold N.K. what she, at first, believed to be oxycodone. After some time, N.K. realized that the pills she was buying from them contained fentanyl.
On October 31, 2021, N.K. warned Parady by text message that she had tested positive for fentanyl. Parady relayed that information to Fonseca Flores. On March 31, 2022, within days of purchasing “M30” pills from Fonseca Flores, N.K. sent a text message to Parady containing an image of her drug test, showing that N.K. had tested negative for oxycodone and positive for fentanyl.
Despite these and other warnings, Fonseca Flores and Parady continued to supply N.K. with the counterfeit fentanyl pills, and N.K. ultimately died from a fentanyl overdose on April 4, 2022.
Following a traffic stop of Fonseca Flores and Parady’s vehicle on October 3, 2022, about six months after N.K.’s death, officers seized fake “M30” fentanyl pills from the vehicle. The fake pills were tested by the DEA lab and were shown to contain fentanyl. Inside the car, officers also recovered cocaine, a digital scale, baggies, and hundreds of dollars in cash. Fonseca Flores, a convicted felon, also possessed a firearm.
On April 4, 2024, law enforcement officers arrested Fonseca Flores and Parady when they executed a search warrant at their home in Orlando. Inside the home, law enforcement found three firearms, ammunition, fake M30’s (fentanyl), other illegal drugs, cash, and drug paraphernalia.
On May 24, 2024, Misty Lynn Parady pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. She was sentenced on August 26, 2024, to six years and six months in federal prison.
“Cases like this reinforce drug traffickers care only about profit and driving addiction,” said Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter, Drug Enforcement Administration, Miami Field Division. “DEA will pursue drug traffickers with everything we have to make our communities safe and healthy.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orlando Police Department Overdose Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kara M. Wick, Stephanie McNeff, and Michael P. Felicetta.
Orange County Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Theft and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Ryan Anthony Aheran (28, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to mail theft and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Aheran faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for the firearm offense and up to five years’ imprisonment for the mail theft offense. Ahearn has also agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition used in the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on October 1, 2024, Aheran stole more than 1,000 pieces of mail from a U.S. Postal Service mailbox in Orlando. He was arrested on October 25, 2024, on a criminal complaint related to that mail theft incident. In connection with his arrest, Ahearn was observed carrying a black bag, in which law enforcement later located a loaded firearm, cash, mail addressed to others, and a debit card in Aheran’s name. At the time, Aheran had multiple prior felony convictions, including burglary of a conveyance, possession of more than 20 grams of cannabis, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
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.
Omak Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Violently Assaulting His Intimate PartnerRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Louis Lee Zacherle, age 37, of Omak, Washington, was sentenced for Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner in Indian Country. Zacherle was convicted on August 13, 2024, following a jury trial. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 60 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the trial and sentencing, on the evening of December 7, 2023, Zacherle began arguing with his intimate partner at a home on the Colville Indian Reservation. During the argument, Zacherle went out to the shed, grabbed an ax, came back into the kitchen, and began smashing the kitchen cabinets. Zacherle then hit his intimate partner in the face, knocking her down. Zacherle, who was wearing boots, proceeded to kick the victim several times as she was lying on the ground.
At the hospital, doctors treated the victim for injuries to her face and scalp, as well as two broken ribs. The victim also had to be treated for a condition in which air leaked out of her lung and into her chest wall.
“Domestic violence is one of the root causes underlying the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons crisis impacting Native American Communities,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rich Barker. “Through DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women, our office has a dedicated Special Assistant United States Attorney, Michael Vander Giessen, who handles many of the domestic violence cases that arise on Tribal land in Eastern Washington. With SAUSA Vander Giessen in this role – and as a result of our close partnerships with the Kalispel, Spokane, and Colville Tribes – the U.S. Attorney’s Office is able to seek justice in more of these cases, ensuring domestic violence victims are heard before it is too late.”
“What began as a disagreement quickly turned into a brutal assault resulting in serious injury.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Fortunately, the victim survived and stood up for herself, leading to Mr. Zacherle being held accountable for his violence with a federal prison sentence. The FBI and our partners will not tolerate domestic violence on our state’s reservations, and it is a crime we will vigorously investigate.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen and former Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Ohms.
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Newcomb Man Sentenced for Role in Fatal AltercationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Newcomb man was sentenced to three years of probation for his role in the death of an individual who died from a fatal stab wound during a drunken altercation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on June 2, 2021, Leighton Spencer, 32, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and two other individuals were at Spencer's home, consuming a mixture of Gatorade and hand sanitizer, followed by beers, when an altercation between the two other individuals occurred. After one person left to cool down and returned, they discovered the third individual deceased in the doorway, covered in blood. Spencer initially claimed the person was sleeping, but emergency services were called.
The Office of the Medical Investigator ruled the death a homicide caused by a stab wound to the neck, which damaged major blood vessels and the right upper lung lobe. Spencer initially provided conflicting accounts of the incident, blaming others and fabricating causes of death before eventually admitting to the killing. Throughout the investigation, Spencer attempted to deflect responsibility and mislead law enforcement. Ultimately, Spencer admitted he lied and pleaded guilty to the charge of involuntary manslaughter.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Newburyport Man Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Home Repair Insurance ProviderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Newburyport man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to defrauding a home repair insurance provider by billing for purported repair jobs that never were performed.
Christian Decristofaro, 40, pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2025. In October 2024, Decristofaro was arrested and charged by criminal complaint.
According to the charging documents, Decristofaro caused NE Premier Home Services LLC (NE Premier) – a purported home repair company he controlled – to enroll as a contractor with a home repair insurance provider (the victim). Decristofaro used false identities to enroll non-existent homeowners in insurance plans with the victim insurance provider. Decristofaro then reported fictitious home emergencies to the victim on behalf of the purported homeowners and requested that NE Premier be assigned to perform the repairs. He then caused NE Premier to bill the victim insurance provider for the repair jobs, even though there was no repair work done. As a result of these fraudulent billings, between approximately October 2020 and June 2023, the victim insurance provider paid NE Premier approximately $2,196,323 for services that NE Premier had not rendered.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Leslie A. Wright of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
More than Two Dozen Sentenced in Connection with Prison-Based Drug RingRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Today, the United States concluded the prosecution of 27 defendants in connection with an extensive drug and money laundering conspiracy that operated in middle Tennessee and elsewhere between 2018 and 2021, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. The prosecution originated from an extensive multi-agency investigation of a prison-based drug ring, led by Humberto Morales, a Tennessee state prisoner, that culminated in a series of federal charges.
“For years, our office has worked diligently to break up this deadly criminal organization and hold its members accountable,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “These dangerous criminals who plagued our community are behind bars, some for decades. Thanks to the dedication of our prosecutors and our law enforcement partners, their day is over, and justice has been served.”
According to court records, as part of that investigation, federal law enforcement agents identified numerous U.S. Mail parcels containing substantial quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, as well as marijuana, which were related to a largescale drug trafficking conspiracy being operated from within the Tennessee state prison system by Humberto Morales. The investigation, which included the review of the contents of dozens of contraband cellular phones seized from prison facilities, witness interviews, drug seizures, and other evidence, revealed that the conspiracy led by Morales operated in various counties in the Middle District of Tennessee, as well as in other states, namely California, and Mexico from at least 2018 to 2021. Morales and his co-conspirators routinely used encrypted communication services, principally WhatsApp, to communicate regarding drug trafficking, drug proceeds, firearms, and, in some instances, related armed violence. These communications included WhatsApp text and voice messages and drug-related photographs and videos.
During the conspiracy, Morales, a ranking Surenos gang member who was serving a decades-long sentence in the Tennessee Department of Correction in connection with a home invasion in Williamson County, Tennessee, arranged for and coordinated the delivery of kilogram quantities of the identified dangerous drugs from Mexico to California, using numerous co-conspirators. Those drugs were then transported or mailed at Morales’ direction to specific locations in middle Tennessee and elsewhere for distribution. Morales principally directed these activities by utilizing cell phones smuggled into the prisons.
In the course of this conspiracy, Morales recruited dozens of co-conspirators to carry out his scheme. At his direction, members of the conspiracy routinely sent wire transfers consisting of drug proceeds totaling, at a minimum, hundreds of thousands of dollars to Mexico – primarily Sinaloa, Mexico, and sometimes to locations within the United States, to pay for controlled substances and to promote the continued operation of his drug enterprise. At Morales’ direction, co-conspirators also wire transferred money to other members of the conspiracy to pay for the transportation and expenses related to the trafficking of controlled substances and the transferring of drug proceeds using electronic services, such as Cash App. Further, co-conspirators deposited drug proceeds into bank accounts, purchased money orders with drug proceeds, and collected and delivered drug proceeds, often thousands of dollars in bulk cash, either by hand or by mail to other members of the conspiracy.
The conspiracy resulted in the delivery of massive quantities of drugs into middle Tennessee, as evidenced by numerous drug seizures of kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl during the investigation and by messages reviewed by investigators detailing discussions among co-conspirators about the drugs being received and distributed in this area.
Those prosecuted in this investigation and their resulting sentences include the following:
Humberto Morales, a/k/a “Pelon” – age 33 – life imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release
Armando Lopez, age 48, 324 months’ imprisonment and 7 years of supervised release
Jennifer Montejo, age 37, 300 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Avigael Cruz, age 33, 264 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Jose Alvarado, age 48, 240 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Kevin Oliva-Hernandez, age 35, 216 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Jesse Sanchez, age 35, 216 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Jacob Lee, age 29, 216 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Billy Cruz, age 30, 204 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Phillip Christopher Smith, age 45, 204 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Mario Garcia Flores, age 37, 180 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Terrance Marquette Bobo, age 32, 180 months’ imprisonment in two cases and 5 years of supervised release
Austin Dodd, age 29, 180 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Justin Blake Lee, age 30, 168 months’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release
Jairo Rostran, age 32, 156 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Grecia Rocio Barrios, age 37, 156 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Ricardo Davalos Martinez, age 32, 144 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Kevin Tidwell, age 31, 120 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Kim Lamont Birdsong, age 53, 100 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release
Tiffany Messick, age 30, 84 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Jasmine Taylor, age 30, 78 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
David Ku, age 49, 66 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release
Oscar Avelar Anguiano, age 37, 66 months’ imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release
Luis Ramirez Escudero, age 32, 60 months’ imprisonment and 1 year of supervised release
Melinda Tidwell, age 35, 50 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release
Stacy Owens, age 35, 12 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release, followed by an additional 11-month sentence in a related matter.
Korrine Parker, age 47, time served and 5 years of supervised release.
Six of these defendants, who are native to Mexico, are expected to face deportation proceedings at the conclusion of their sentences. Two defendants charged in this case remain fugitives from justice – Erika Vasquez, a/k/a “Chula,” and Magdiel Pina Ramirez, a/k/a “Big Show.” Another half-dozen individuals associated with Morales were also charged and convicted in separate cases.
“With both law enforcement and financial investigation expertise, our special agents are uniquely qualified to partner with state and federal agencies with these types of cases,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. “IRS CI is proud to provide its financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice”
“Postal Inspectors tirelessly work to rid the mail of illegal drug trafficking and its accompanying violence,” said Acting U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Jessica Wagner, Atlanta Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). “These sentencings highlight the effectiveness of the collaboration between USPIS and our law enforcement partners, and the commitment of Postal Inspectors to provide a safe environment for postal employees and Postal Service customers – the American public.”
“The collaboration between HSI and IRS-CI exemplifies the relentless pursuit of justice, even when crimes are committed behind prison walls,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud. “Together with our partners, HSI will continue to disrupt criminal networks, ensuring that we hold these violent gangs accountable, regardless of where they operate.”
“These sentences are a victory for the dedicated men and women in law enforcement, combining efforts of Federal, State and Local partnerships to perfect a case that will have a lasting effect in the community. ATF is committed to these partnerships in its fight against violent crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Nashville Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Several other law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) – Office of Investigations and Conduct, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Clarksville Police Department (CPD), and Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip H. Wehby and Juliet E. Aldridge prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Monroe County Man Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eli Valentine Calero, age 43, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on a drug trafficking charge.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on March 12, 2025, in Monroe County, Calero possessed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and an amount of cocaine for distribution.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pocono Mountain Police Department and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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