Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Friday 14 February 2025
Asheboro Man Sentenced for Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – An Asheboro, North Carolina man was sentenced today in Winston-Salem to 9 years in prison after pleading guilty to a firearm charge, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
MUSIN SHABORR ROBERTS, age 22, was sentenced to 108 months imprisonment plus 3 years supervised release by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC.
According to court records, on June 30, 2023, an officer with the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) saw people standing around a car in the parking lot of a Greensboro Housing Authority property. Aware of recent violent crime in the area as well as issues with trespassing on that property, the officer asked the parties to provide identifications to ensure no one was banned from the property. ROBERTS identified himself as “Justin Jones.” The officer was eventually able to identify ROBERTS and learned that ROBERTS had active warrants for arrest. ROBERTS was arrested and the GPD officer found a round of 9mm ammunition in ROBERTS’ left front pants pocket.
The outstanding arrest warrant related to an incident which was the basis for a sentencing enhancement today. The Court found, after an evidentiary hearing, that ROBERTS and four to six other individuals went to a party in Asheboro on June 24, 2023, wearing ski masks and long-sleeved jackets and opened fire on the partygoers, striking four men, one in the back of the head. The Court characterized it as “a planned, coordinated, cold-blooded attack.” Charges against ROBERTS in Randolph County relating to that incident are still pending.
At the time of his arrest in Greensboro, ROBERTS had been previously convicted of felony possession of a stolen firearm (Randolph County, 2022) and was sentenced to a suspended term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Thus, at the time of the instant offense, ROBERTS was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
ROBERTS pleaded guilty on June 5, 2024, to one count of felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
The case was investigated by the Asheboro Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Anchorage man sentenced to 13 years for distributing methRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 13 years in prison and will serve five years on supervised release for distributing methamphetamine in Alaska and violating his conditions of release from a previous drug distribution conviction.
According to court documents, Todd Robert Klink, 55, made two sales of methamphetamine totaling over 82 grams to a law enforcement witness in July 2023 and January 2024. The first sale was of 97% pure methamphetamine and the second was of 68% pure methamphetamine.
On Feb. 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in Alaska indicted Klink and charged him with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. On March 1, 2024, agents arrested Klink and executed a federal search warrant on his home. During the search, agents located and seized over 3.5 kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine, over 500 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine, digital scales with drug residue and other assorted paraphernalia for drug use and distribution.
At all times during this conduct, Klink was on supervised release for a 2011 distribution of methamphetamine conviction in the U.S. District Court, District of Alaska.
On Jan. 29, 2025, Klink pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Klink received a 132-month sentence for distributing methamphetamine in 2023 and 2024, and a 24-month sentence for violating his supervised release, which will run consecutive, making his total sentence 156 months.
“Despite his past conviction for drug-related offenses and a history of criminal activity, Mr. Klink made the conscious decision to persist in trafficking dangerous drugs within our community, showing a disregard for both the law and well-being of others,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn R. Vogel for the District of Alaska. “The justice system will not stand by while illegal, poisonous substances are distributed in our communities, putting countless lives at risk. This sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to collaborating with law enforcement to dismantle drug trafficking operations and protect Alaskans.”
“Drug traffickers like Mr. Klink, who persistently violate our drug laws, pose an especially grave threat,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence he received in this case will both safeguard our communities and hold him accountable for his crimes and I am proud of our team for their hard work achieving this result.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division and Anchorage Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody Tirpak prosecuted the case.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Firearm Offenses
Michael Lee Smith, 49, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison with three years of supervised release to follow for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on April 9, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a property outside Cheyenne where the defendant lived. During the execution of the search warrant, LCSO found 10 firearms and multiple high capacity magazines. Smith is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Smith was indicted on Sept. 18. 2024, and pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2024. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Feb. 12, in Cheyenne. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and Laramie County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00146
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Roberto Palacios-Grimaldo, 39, of Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents on Nov. 22, 2024, the defendant was arrested by the Sheridan Police Department for driving under the influence of alcohol. He informed officers that he was from Mexico. Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were contacted and determined that Palacios-Grimaldo had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in September 2016. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Feb. 12, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00144
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
Thursday 13 February 2025
West Virginia Resident Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A West Virginia resident has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Joshua Noel, 42, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Noel was part of a drug trafficking organization operating in Monongalia County, West Virginia, that distributed large quantities of controlled substances for more than six years. The drug organization, with its origins in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, transported 5 to 10 pounds of methamphetamine to Morgantown per trip.
Noel will serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Washington County Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Dion, age 47, of Greenwich, New York, pled guilty today to charges that he distributed and possessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
Dion admitted that from July 2023 to January 2024, he distributed images and videos of CSAM via an encrypted chat messenger to another person, and possessed images of CSAM on five electronic devices on February 28, 2024, when his residence was searched. He also admitted that he produced morphed images of CSAM by using non-pornographic images of known children and superimposing the faces of those children onto other images of CSAM he found on the Internet to create an adapted or modified depiction of an identifiable minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dion possessed more than 130,000 images of CSAM across his devices.
Sentencing is currently scheduled for June 13, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Dion faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Dion may also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses and forfeit the devices used in the offenses. Dion will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI and NYSP are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Violent Bridgeport Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 22 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
KEISHAWN DONALD, 23, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 270 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang and his murder of a rival gang member in 2018.
Today’s announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents, statements made in court, and the evidence presented during a month-long trial, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Donald has been a member of the “East End gang,” which began as a local street gang based in the East End of Bridgeport, but currently has members and associates who are either incarcerated or living throughout Bridgeport and surrounding towns. The East End gang has been aligned with other groups, including the PT Barnum Gang, the East Side gang and 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport. These groups were aligned against rival organizations in Bridgeport, including the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”) and the “Greene Homes Boyz,” (“GHB/Hotz”), based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End.
Due to the level of gun violence Bridgeport was experiencing, the investigation commenced shortly before East End members shot and killed Myreke Kenion and shot and attempted to kill D’Andre Brown, both members and associates of the GHB/Hotz gang, on January 26, 2020. The next day, in retaliation for these shootings, GHB/Hotz and O.N.E. members attempted to kill East End gang members and associates in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a state courthouse on Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport that resulted in four victims being shot while sitting inside a car.
Donald and other East End members distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; used and shared firearms; and committed at least six murders and other acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals. East End members celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube, and committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities.
On January 30, 2018, Donald shot and killed Eric Heard, also known as “Fetti,” a member and associate of the GHB/Hotz gang. On October 17, 2019, Donald and others attempted to kill Joshua Gilbert, a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang, in a drive-by shooting.
On December 5, 2023, a jury found Donald and three associates guilty of conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Donald has been detained since October 17, 2019, when he was arrested on state charges after being found with a firearm shortly after the attempted murder of Joshua Gilbert.
Approximately 47 members and associates of the East End, O.N.E. and the GHB/Hotz gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has and solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick, and Karen L. Peck.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Utah Woman Sentenced for Stealing Veteran Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tiffany Ann Bright, 39, of Washington, Utah, was sentenced today to 36 months’ probation, and ordered by the court to pay $150,000 in restitution after she stole unearned veteran disability benefits for years.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow comes after Bright pleaded guilty to wire fraud and theft of government funds on October 29, 2024.
According to court documents, and statements made at Bright’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from December 2013 to April 2022, Ms. Bright unlawfully stole veteran disability benefits from a prior partner. In the summer of 2013, Bright helped the veteran set up an online benefits account to start receiving disability benefits, but later changed the direct deposit information to bank accounts wholly owned by her. Bright submitted fraudulent documentation to the U.S. government to increase the payments, and lied about her marital status to receive the veteran benefits. To carry out the scheme, the payments were transmitted via interstate wire from New Jersey to Bright’s account in Utah.
In 2022, the veteran received a letter about his benefits, indicating changes had been made to his account. The veteran was unaware benefits were being paid still. He had assumed the benefits were being used to pay off his education debt.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the Department of Veteran Affairs, Criminal Investigations Division, and the Washington City Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $23.5 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced today that the Eastern District of Missouri collected $23.5 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $11 million was collected in criminal actions and $12.5 million was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Eastern District of Missouri worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect $16.9 million in cases pursued jointly by these offices, the majority of which was collected in civil actions.
Among the civil settlements were two cases involving allegations of false claims for medical services. Total Access Urgent Care (TAUC) paid $9.1 million and a Festus pain management doctor, Dr. Nehal Modh paid $1.2 million.Nearly $1 million of the total collected in criminal actions came from a continuing case against two Jefferson County chiropractors who aided their clients in committing disability fraud. So far, 27 patients have pleaded guilty and been ordered to repay fraudulently-obtained disability payments.
More than $880,000 was recovered in fiscal year 2024 from the garnishment of the retirement accounts belonging to two doctors who pleaded guilty in separate criminal cases. About $628,000 was recovered from Dr. Amy Swegan, who admitted accepting kickbacks from telemedicine companies involved in a nationwide fraud scheme. Nearly $255,000 was collected from Dr. Ashu Joshi, who distributed child pornography involving the daughter of a former patient.
“These cases show that our Financial Litigation Unit will aggressively pursue restitution for victims and taxpayers, even if it takes years after a case is resolved,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $5.6 million in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
- U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Isleta Pueblo Man with Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm
U.S. Attorney's Office and HSI Collaborate to Charge Mexican National with Stolen Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mexican national in the country illegally is facing federal charges after allegedly possessing a stolen firearm during a traffic stop.
According to court documents, the charge stems from a traffic stop conducted on January 9, 2025, on Interstate 25 in Sandoval County. During the stop, Jose Adan Gonzalez-Torres, a passenger in the vehicle, admitted to having a firearm in the car. A subsequent search revealed a firearm in the center console. Further investigation determined that the firearm had been reported stolen.
In the course of the investigation, Gonzalez admitted to law enforcement that he is unlawfully present in the United States.
Gonzalez will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted, Gonzalez faces 15 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Burkhead is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing of El Salvadorian Woman for Assaulting Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Salvadoran national was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for biting a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
According to the complaint, on May 29, 2024, a Border Patrol agent encountered a group of five individuals, including Erika Jasmin Lobato-Melendez, 27, walking along the border wall. When the agent attempted to take the group into custody, Lobato-Melendez became obstinate, refusing to enter the agent's vehicle and grabbing onto the border wall.
When agents tried to physically separate Lobato-Melendez from the fence, she bit down hard on the agent’s forearm, causing bruising, swelling, and abrasions. Even after being brought to the ground, Lobato-Melendez continued her aggressive behavior, attempting to bite the agent’s leg and kicking them.
Upon her release from prison, Lobato-Melendez will be subject to two years of supervised release and deportation proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Chief Patrol Agent Walter "Neil" Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol’s El Paso Sector and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation investigated these cases with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. McNair is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Collects More than $60 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
BOSTON – United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts collected $60.17 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $19.56 million was collected in criminal actions and $40.6 million was collected in civil actions.
The District of Massachusetts also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $14.87 million in civil actions pursued jointly by these offices. Additionally, for calendar year 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts collected more than $1 billion.
“The American people deserve a government that is both accountable and effective in protecting their hard-earned tax dollars,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “These substantial recoveries reflect our unwavering commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, holding wrongdoers accountable, and securing justice for victims of fraud and other offenses. Whether through civil enforcement, asset recovery, or criminal prosecution, our Office will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to defraud the government and exploit the public.”
In Calendar Year 2024, the Office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit entered into settlements with defendants – totaling over $1 billion including agreements with Raytheon Company to resolve criminal and civil allegations of fraud against the government. As a result, Raytheon agreed to pay $147 million to resolve the criminal allegations and $428 million to resolve the civil allegations – making it the second largest government procurement fraud recovery under the False Claims Act (FCA).
In October 2024, the Unit recovered $425 million as part of a settlement agreement with Teva Pharmaceuticals to resolve allegations that Teva paid kickbacks via two co-pay assistance foundations in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute and FCA. This resolution stands as the largest individual co-pay assistance settlement to date.
Additionally, in May 2024, a $120 million settlement was secured with bankrupt lender Kabbage, Inc., to resolve FCA allegations that it knowingly submitted thousands of false claims for loan forgiveness, loan guarantees, and processing fees to the U.S. Small Business Administration as part of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). It is the largest federal civil settlement involving the PPP program.
In Fiscal Year 2024, the Office’s Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) was responsible for the collection of over $18.5 million in restitution for crime victims. They also recovered nearly $1 million in criminal fines and special assessments, as well as forfeiture of $15.5 million in criminal proceeds or other property involved in crimes. In addition, the Asset Recovery Unit forfeited 13 pit bull-type dogs alleged to be used in connection with dog fighting; forfeited a drone flying in a restricted zone during the 2024 Boston Marathon; filed a civil forfeiture action against 113 wildlife parts from endangered, threatened, or protected species; and filed three civil complaints to forfeit cryptocurrency and bank accounts connected to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
U.S. Attorney's Office Charges Mexican National for Attempted Bribery of U.S. Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mexican national faces federal charges for allegedly attempting to bribe a U.S. Border Patrol Agent after being apprehended for illegal re-entry into the United States.
According to court records, on February 8, 2025, Samuel Mendoza-Torres, 29, was taken into custody along with another individual near the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station. While being transported to the station, Mendoza-Torres allegedly asked the agent, "Can we fix this?" and offered $400 for his release.
During a post-arrest interview, Mendoza-Torres admitted to escorting illegal immigrants into the United States from Mexico. He also acknowledged knowing that offering money to the Border Patrol Agent was illegal.
Mendoza-Torres will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Mendoza-Torres faces 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and Chief Patrol Agent Walter "Neil" Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation and the U.S. Border Patrol are investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit Concludes Service as Top Federal Law Enforcement Official for IdahoRead the Press Release
BOISE – Josh Hurwit, 44, of Boise, concluded his service today as United States Attorney for the District of Idaho, the top federal law enforcement position in the state. It is customary for political appointees to depart at the start of a new presidential administration. Hurwit thanked President Biden for nominating him and Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo for their support during the nomination and confirmation process.
“It has been the honor of my professional life to serve as United States Attorney, and I am profoundly grateful to my colleagues and to all those who joined with us to fight crime and ensure justice for all Idahoans,” said former U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Leading a team of dedicated and extremely talented public servants has been a privilege every single day. The professionals in the U.S. Attorney’s Office exemplify the highest standards of excellence in their commitment to justice. Alongside our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners, we have used collaborative strategies to address the most pressing threats to Idaho communities, like fentanyl trafficking and the online exploitation of children. Our efforts have made an impact, and I have no doubt that this office will continue to positively impact our communities and ensure Idaho remains a wonderful place to live.”
During U.S. Attorney Hurwit’s tenure, the office redoubled its efforts to dismantle cartel-connected networks responsible for bringing dangerous drugs into Idaho. Working with its law enforcement partners, the office successfully prosecuted several drug trafficking conspiracies involving more than 10 defendants, including the Perez-Gomez, et. al. case in Jerome and the Cisneros-Guzman, et. al. set of cases in Canyon County. As the Perez-Gomez prosecution shows, the U.S. Attorney’s Office focused on ensuring that state and local enforcement can use federal prosecution in all parts of Idaho, even more rural areas hours away from a federal courthouse. The office also is now poised to host a new Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in its Coeur d’Alene branch office as a result of a partnership between the State of Idaho, Shoshone County, and other counties and cities in North Idaho.
The office remained focused on the opioid epidemic and the deadly scourge of illicit fentanyl, prosecuting 13 cases against drug dealers whose conduct led to a death due to the use of illicit fentanyl. The Basil, Walsh, and Goforth cases exemplify the office’s commitment to holding fentanyl dealers accountable and deterring other dealers from selling fentanyl in Idaho.
Under U.S. Attorney Hurwit’s leadership, the office also addressed fentanyl through robust training and awareness programs across Idaho:
- Along with federal and state partners, the office designed and conducted multiple two‑day fentanyl enforcement trainings for local law enforcement. These trainings provided up‑to‑date intelligence and covered investigation best practices for approximately two dozen agencies, including many in rural Idaho.
- With the DEA and the Idaho Office of Drug Policy, the office held the first Fentanyl Family Summit in Idaho, which provided support to the families of eight victims of fentanyl poisoning and, through the courageous and selfless efforts, raised awareness about fentanyl.
- The office also supported Idaho’s first Fentanyl Youth Summit, which brought together middle school students from three school districts to design projects in their schools to raise awareness about dangerous drugs and support healthy decision-making.
The office also continued to grow its Project Safe Childhood program, through which the office prosecutes child exploitation crimes. Since June 2022, 135 such cases were sentenced or charged. The Aguayo case from Pocatello, the Malone case from Boise, and the Richmond case from Post Falls are representative examples of how Project Safe Childhood removes dangerous predators from all parts of Idaho. This program is positioned to continue to excel through a broad array of partnerships, among them joint efforts with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at the Idaho Office of the Attorney General and the Treasure Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also remained focused on violent crime trends even as the violent crime rate declined in Idaho consistent with national trends. Through the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, the office’s prosecutors partnered with local and state law enforcement to target violent offenders in Idaho communities. The Bright, Logan, and Rhynecases are prime examples. In eastern Idaho, the prosecution of Morales, et. al. broke up a dangerous criminal network through which drugs from the southern border were exchanged for firearms in Idaho, some of which were recovered at crime scenes in Idaho and states across the region.
During U.S. Attorney Hurwit’s tenure, the office also dedicated increased resources to financial fraud. U.S. Attorney Hurwit established a COVID-19 Fraud Task Force to investigate illegal misuse of pandemic relief funds. So far, this effort has resulted in cases against 17 criminal defendants and civil settlements with four defendants. The amount of fraud associated with these cases is over $8.5 million. The office’s prosecutors also obtained guilty jury verdicts against (i) defendants in Meridian who sold counterfeit electronic devices made in China, (ii) a defendant who defrauded his partners in a Rexburg construction project, and (iii) a defendant from Coeur d’Alene who committed financial fraud as part of his forestry management business. The office’s civil enforcement attorneys obtained $5.9 million in judgments and settlements in cases involving health care fraud and procurement fraud.
The office also emphasized civil rights and hate crimes enforcement, including by hosting “United Against Hate” forums with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, among many other partners. The office was proud to strengthen its government-to-government relationships with Idaho’s sovereign Native American Tribes in other ways—for example, co‑hosting a regional law enforcement workshop with the Nez Perce Tribe.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit streamlined the office’s financial collection and asset forfeiture functions into a reorganized Asset Recovery Division. This team collected approximately $17.25 million in criminal and civil judgments, fines, restitution, and forfeiture. These funds were returned to victims and taxpayers.
Between 2012 and his confirmation as U.S. Attorney in 2022, Hurwit served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Idaho, first in the Civil Division and then the Criminal Division. He primarily prosecuted complex financial and environmental crimes, and he led the investigation into the Aryan Knights white supremacist prison gang, which resulted in charges against 10 defendants under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. In 2015, he received the Director’s Award for Excellence by a Litigative Team for his work as part of the team that successfully prosecuted United States v. Swenson et. al., the securities and wire fraud case arising from the collapse of DBSI, Inc. Prior to government service, Hurwit worked at the law firms of Covington & Burling LLP and Kirkland & Ellis in San Francisco, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York City. After law school, Hurwit clerked for U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in the Southern District of New York.
During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, Hurwit served on numerous Attorney General Advisory Council subcommittees. He was the Chair of the Border and Immigration Subcommittee, the Chair of the Hate Crimes Working Group within the Civil Rights Subcommittee, and served on the White Collar Crime and Cyber and Intellectual Property Subcommittees.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit proudly worked to strengthen relations between his office and tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, traveling to 40 of Idaho’s 44 counties to meet with sheriffs, police chiefs, and county prosecuting attorneys.
As provided for under the Vacancies Reform Act, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney will immediately assume office as Acting U.S. Attorney until further action by the new administration.
“I am excited to watch the office’s continued success,” said former U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Every member of the team has the highest professional and ethical standards and, together with our law enforcement partners, they will ensure that the administration of justice will continue seamlessly in the District of Idaho.”
The District of Idaho covers all counties and five tribal reservations across the state. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, with staffed offices in Boise, Pocatello, and Coeur d’Alene, employs 31 attorneys and 28 support staff who are responsible for conducting all criminal and civil litigation in the district involving the United States government. U.S. Attorney Hurwit had the distinct privilege of hiring 15 of these career public servants.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit will continue to reside in Boise and has not yet decided on his future professional plans.
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Two Kentucky Men Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY –Yesterday, two Kentucky men were sentenced for trafficking in fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Ron Eckart of the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force made the announcement.
According to court documents, Dominik Woods, 23, of Bonnieville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 5 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Woods was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On April 9, 2020, in Hardin Circuit Court, Woods was convicted of enhanced trafficking in marijuana, less than 8 ounces, and tampering with physical evidence.
Joshua Sanders, 36, of Cave City, Kentucky was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sanders was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On June 18, 2009, in Hart Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of receiving stolen property, firearm.
On March 29, 2010, in Barren Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of burglary, second degree, and theft by unlawful taking.
On December 22, 2010, in Hart Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of burglary, second degree, and receiving stolen property over $300.
On January 10, 2018, in Larue Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of receiving stolen property under $10,000 and possession of controlled substances.
On January 15, 2019, in Warren Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of fleeing or evading police, first degree.
On May 16, 2019, in Barren Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of fleeing or evading police, first degree.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF, the KSP, and the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari 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.
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Two Estonian Nationals plead guilty in $577M cryptocurrency fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle –Two Estonian nationals pleaded guilty yesterday for their operation of a massive, multi-faceted cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that victimized hundreds of thousands of people from across the world, including in the United States. As part of the defendants’ guilty pleas, they agreed to forfeit assets valued over $400 million obtained during the conspiracy.
According to court documents, Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turõgin, both 40, sold contracts to customers entitling them to a share of cryptocurrency mined by the defendants’ purported cryptocurrency mining service, HashFlare. Cryptocurrency mining is the process of using computers to generate cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, for profit.
Between 2015 and 2019, Hashflare’s sales totaled more than $577 million, but HashFlare did not possess the requisite computing capacity to perform the vast majority of the mining the defendants told HashFlare customers it performed. HashFlare’s web-based dashboard, which purported to show customers their mining profits, instead reflected falsified data. Potapenko and Turõgin used the proceeds of the fraud conspiracy to purchase real estate and luxury vehicles and maintained investment and cryptocurrency accounts. Potapenko and Turõgin have agreed to forfeit assets worth, as of the date of the plea, more than $400 million. The forfeited assets will be available for a remission process to compensate victims of the crime. Details about the remission process will be announced at a later date.
Potapenko and Turõgin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They are scheduled to be sentenced on May 8 and each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine each defendant’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Justice Department thanks the Cybercrime Bureau of the Estonian Police and Border Guard for its support with this investigation. The Estonian Prosecutor General and Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs provided substantial assistance with the extradition. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided extensive assistance to the investigation and the extradition of the defendants.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington, Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Seattle Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Friedman and Sok Jiang for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorneys Adrienne E. Rosen and David Ginensky of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jehiel Baer for the Western District of Washington is handling asset forfeiture aspects of the case.
Individuals who believe they may have been a victim in this case should visit www.fbi.gov/hashflare.
Two Estonian Nationals Plead Guilty in $577M Cryptocurrency Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Scheme Victimized Hundreds of Thousands of People in United States and Abroad
Two Estonian nationals pleaded guilty yesterday for their operation of a massive, multi-faceted cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that victimized hundreds of thousands of people from across the world, including in the United States. As part of the defendants’ guilty pleas, they agreed to forfeit assets valued over $400 million obtained during the conspiracy.
According to court documents, Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turõgin, both 40, sold contracts to customers entitling them to a share of cryptocurrency mined by the defendants’ purported cryptocurrency mining service, HashFlare. Cryptocurrency mining is the process of using computers to generate cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, for profit.
Between 2015 and 2019, Hashflare’s sales totaled more than $577 million, but HashFlare did not possess the requisite computing capacity to perform the vast majority of the mining the defendants told HashFlare customers it performed. HashFlare’s web-based dashboard, which purported to show customers their mining profits, instead reflected falsified data. Potapenko and Turõgin used the proceeds of the fraud conspiracy to purchase real estate and luxury vehicles and maintained investment and cryptocurrency accounts. Potapenko and Turõgin have agreed to forfeit assets worth, as of the date of the plea, more than $400 million. The forfeited assets will be available for a remission process to compensate victims of the crime. Details about the remission process will be announced at a later date.
Potapenko and Turõgin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They are scheduled to be sentenced on May 8 and each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Justice Department thanks the Cybercrime Bureau of the Estonian Police and Border Guard for its support with this investigation. The Estonian Prosecutor General and Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs provided substantial assistance with the extradition. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided extensive assistance to the investigation and the extradition of the defendants.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington, Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Seattle Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Adrienne E. Rosen and David Ginensky of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Friedman and Sok Jiang for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jehiel Baer for the Western District of Washington is handling asset forfeiture aspects of the case.
Individuals who believe they may have been a victim in this case should visit www.fbi.gov/hashflare.
Two East Bay Residents, One of Whom Was A Bank Teller, Indicted on Charges of Cashing Stolen U.S. Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has indicted Franchesca Calagui, 25, and Dondre Gray, 27, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud, and also charged Calagui with receipt of U.S. Treasury check with forged endorsement or signature.
According to the indictment unsealed yesterday, from around May 2022 through March 2023, Calagui and Gray, both of Emeryville, Calif., conspired to obtain stolen U.S. Treasury checks, recruit others to fraudulently endorse or sign the stolen U.S. Treasury checks, and give the checks to Calagui to cash for the defendants’ personal benefit. At the time, Calagui was a part-time associate banker at JP Morgan Chase Bank.
The indictment describes text messages between Gray and Calagui discussing the ongoing scheme in which Gray stated “I definitely don’t wanna scam with chase since you work there,” and Calagui responded “I do not care if u scam us lmao.” Gray allegedly explained how he operated the scheme using runners, individuals who gets paid to enter a bank with a fraudulent check, cash it, and return the proceeds to the person who employed the runner. In all, the defendants are charged with devising and executing a scheme to cash at least 339 stolen U.S. Treasury checks totaling more than $850,000.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Knarr, Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA OIG) Northwest Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Dean Lake of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG) made the announcement.
Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and five counts of bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344(1), (2). Calagui is also charged with five counts of receipt of U.S. Treasury check with forged endorsement or signature under 18 U.S.C. § 510(b). Calagui and Gray were arrested and made their initial appearances in federal district court yesterday. Defendants are next scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on April 3, 2025, for a status conference.
An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 on each charged count. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia Johnson is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, TIGTA, IRS-CI, FDIC-OIG, USPIS, VA OIG, and SSA OIG.
Franchesca Calagui Indictment
Truck driver pleads guilty to smuggling 36 illegal aliens in trailerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year-old Alamo resident has admitted to charges of human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On Dec. 13, 2024, Eusebio Cavazos drove a tractor-trailer into the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita. Upon initial inspection, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of humans in the trailer.
Authorities referred him to secondary where they discovered 36 illegal aliens in the back of the trailer and nothing else.
A total of 15 were from Guatemala, 10 from Honduras, eight from Mexico and three from El Salvador. All were illegally present in the United States, five of whom had allegedly been previously removed and have pending charges for illegal re-entry.
Cavazos admitted someone had hired him to drive all 36 illegal aliens from a point near Donna to Houston.
He expected to receive $1,000 per alien he was transporting.
“As we have unfortunately seen in prior instances, smuggling of people via a tractor trailer is extremely dangerous and can lead to mass casualties,” said Ganjei. “As the Department of Justice works to secure the border and bring down demand for smugglers, we simultaneously expect to see a decrease in the number of people transported through such means.”
U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing May 15. At that time, Cavazos faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 possible fine.
Cavazos has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting the case.
Three Sales Executives Charged in Connection with Pre-IPO Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging Robert Cassino, also known as “Bobby Cassino,” Joseph Passalaqua and Joseph Rivera with securities fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and securities fraud. The defendants were arrested today and are being arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho. Raymond John Pirrello, Jr., also known as “Ray John,” was previously indicted for his involvement in the scheme.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charges.
“The defendants repeatedly lied to investors about the costs associated with their investments and diverted millions of dollars in undisclosed mark-up fees to their sales offices,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “My Office will vigorously prosecute those who seek to take advantage of individual investors for their own greed.”
Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), New York Regional Office, for its significant cooperation and assistance during the investigation.
“At the behest of the company’s leadership, three defendants allegedly enticed investors with material misinformation to steal millions of their dollars through undisclosed upfront fees. This alleged scheme allowed the defendants’ respective sales offices to unlawfully profit at the expense of their clients’ trust and money. The FBI will never permit any individual to engage in hypocritical financial practices to covertly divert investments for personal enrichment,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.
As detailed in the superseding indictment, Pirrello, Cassino, Passalaqua and Rivera engaged in a scheme to defraud investors and prospective investors in securities offered by the company Late Stage Management, LLC (Late Stage). Late Stage was a New Jersey based manager of investment funds that offered investors “no fee” opportunities to invest in “Pre IPO” stocks, i.e., shares of stock in companies that anticipated an initial public offering (“IPO”) in the near term. Late Stage worked with several sales offices throughout New Jersey, New York and Florida to promote the investments, including Pre IPO Marketing, Inc. (“Pre IPO Marketing”), Prior2IPO and B4IPO.
Pirrello worked as the partner to the leadership of Late Stage, and Cassino, Passalaqua and Rivera led operations at Pre IPO Marketing, Prior2IPO and B4IPO, respectively. Pirrello and co-conspirators communicated with Cassino, Passalaqua, Rivera and others about how to market Late Stage to investors. Cassino, Passalaqua and Rivera then made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors and potential investors in Late Stage relating to, among other things, the existence and amount of fees paid by investors in stock offered by Late Stage. For example, they claimed that the only time Late Stage profited was on exit, when the company made its IPO or sold to a larger company, in which case it would be entitled to a 20% share of the investor’s profits. In reality, however, Late Stage charged fees in the form of upfront markups ranging from 10-50% of each investment. In total, between approximately March 2019 and July 2022, sales offices working on behalf of Late Stage raised approximately $528 million from investors and diverted approximately $88.6 million in undisclosed upfront markups to Pirrello, Cassino, Passalaqua, Rivera and their co-conspirators.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you believe that you or someone you know was victimized by Pirrello, Cassino, Passalaqua, Rivera or their co-conspirators, please inform the FBI at the following website: www.fbi.gov/Pirrello or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica K. Weigel is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Special Agent Martin Sullivan and Paralegal Specialist Sarah Burn.
The Defendants:
ROBERT CASSINO (also known as “Bobby Cassino”)
Age: 62
Long Beach, New YorkJOSEPH PASSALAQUA
Age: 36
Sparta, New JerseyJOSEPH RIVERA
Age: 45
Elmont, New YorkPreviously Indicted Defendant:
RAYMOND JOHN PIRRELLO, JR. (also known as “Ray John”)
Age: 48
Sparta, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-499 (S-1) (KAM)
cr-23-499_s-1_stamped.pdfThird Defendant Pleads Guilty in Car Dealership Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Louisiana man pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to use the stolen identities of others to purchase expensive vehicles in the Jackson, Mississippi metro area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2023, David L. Jones, Jr., of New Orleans, Louisiana, and his coconspirators obtained the identity information of credit-worthy individuals, created false identity documents in the names of those individuals, and then posed as those individuals at automotive dealerships in order to apply for vehicle financing. Jones and his coconspirators submitted credit applications and purchased or attempted to purchase vehicles from dealerships in the Jackson metro area.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 22 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Two of Jones’s coconspirators, Paul Anthony Robinson and Sarah Elizabeth Calderon, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Jones’s remaining coconspirators, Joshanique Elouise Bailey and Anna Waldei, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Their cases are still pending trial. If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
“When we established Mississippi’s Cyber Fraud Task Force four years ago, we knew that more and more criminal acts would have a cyber element and that our expertise and resources would be increasingly in demand,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “And we are pleased to see the results of our work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Secret Service in this case to put the brakes on this auto theft ring, put these criminals behind bars, and obtain justice for the people of Mississippi.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office are investigating the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FBI Launch Online Portal to Enhance Department’s Capability to Bring International Antitrust Fugitives to JusticeRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the FBI jointly announced the launch of a new online portal for information on international fugitives who have been charged with antitrust offenses and other crimes affecting the competitive process. The Antitrust Division and FBI are committed to bringing individuals to court to face their charges, wherever they are located.
“Individuals charged with anticompetitive crimes should understand that the DOJ Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will take all available steps to ensure that they answer the charges in court,” said Director of Criminal Enforcement Emma Burnham of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Defendants should understand that the charges will not go away, and the Antitrust Division urges them to contact us to discuss resolution of the charges.”
“The FBI is focused on identifying, tracking and arresting fugitives across all our threats,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “By streamlining intelligence sharing and coordination, we are better equipped than ever to ensure no criminal can evade justice by hiding across borders.”
The Antitrust Division works with the FBI and other law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute companies and individuals whose anticompetitive conduct harms American consumers and the American economy, wherever those companies and individuals are located. After bringing criminal charges, the Antitrust Division works actively with domestic and foreign authorities to locate international fugitives and secure their extradition to the United States. The Antitrust Division and the FBI welcome information from the public about the location of international fugitives.
For more information on antitrust fugitives, go to the Antitrust Division’s Fugitive webpage. The FBI maintains a list of current antitrust fugitives whose charges are not under seal.
To report potential antitrust crimes to the Antitrust Division, contact the Complaint Center. If your complaint relates to potential antitrust crimes affecting government procurement, grant, or program funding, contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force Tip Center.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Refusing a Court OrderRead the Press Release
A man was sentenced on January 31, 2025, to 24 months imprisonment for contempt of court.
Joel Perea-Duenas, age 24, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 30, 2024, guilty plea to contempt of court.
In the evening hours of June 23, 2020, Perea-Duenas was asked to serve as the getaway driver for a drive-by shooting. He agreed, put on dark clothing, and joined three armed men in a waiting car. The attackers drove to the home of their intended victim, but seeing law enforcement in the area, aborted their attack. Perea-Duenas suggested a secondary target, drove to that new target and identified it to his conspirators. It was a home, occupied by seven people including children. One of the gunmen repeatedly fired upon the home hitting the house at least eight times. Perea-Duenas was later caught by police and admitted he knew about the intended shooting before agreeing to drive, admitted knowing there were people, including children, in the targeted home, and he wanted the shooting to occur to in retaliation against a resident of the home and his family. On November 19, 2021, Perea-Duenas pled guilty to two counts of being a drug user in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison.
On October 27, 2022, defendant was called as a witness at the federal sentencing of an accomplice. He was sworn by the district court judge. When he was questioned under oath, however, he refused to testify because he did not want to testify. The district court advised him that he did not have a lawful right to refuse to answer the questions. Nonetheless, Perera-Duenas persisted in his refusal to testify. The district court continued the sentencing, in part, to give Perea-Duenas time to reconsider his refusal of the district court’s lawful order. The sentencing resumed on December 8, 2022. Perera-Duenas again, communicated his refusal to testify. He was sent back to federal prison to complete his federal sentence for the firearms charge.
On October 19, 2023, while he was still in federal prison, he was charged with contempt of court. On November 20, 2023, he was released from federal prison on the gun charges, he was re-arrested and haled back into federal court to answer for his criminal contempt. On July 30, 2024, he plead guilty. He was sentenced on January 31, 2025, in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Judge Strand indicated in sentencing Perea-Duenas that this was the only time in his career as a jurist that he had encountered a refusal to testify of this nature and that the crime had to be sanctioned stiffly to ensure others do not follow suit.
United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax said: “refusals to testify, like refusals of court orders generally, strike at the very heart of the American justice system and the rule of law. As a result, those who disobey lawfully issued court orders risk prosecution and incarceration.”
Perea-Duenas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4026/20-4071.
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Sin City Deciples Member Sentenced to 204 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Richard White, age 57, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after being found guilty of a racketeering conspiracy following an 18-day jury trial, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
White was sentenced to 204 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to the Second Superseding Indictment, the Sin City Deciples, originally formed in 1967 in Gary, Indiana, is an outlaw motorcycle organization in which its members and associates engaged in acts of violence, extortion, and narcotics distribution in the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere. Between 2009 and 2021, the defendant conspired with other members of the Sin City Deciples to commit racketeering activity and acted as the club’s National Head Enforcer. As part of that conspiracy, White committed multiple overt and predicate acts, the most serious of which were the attempted murder of Victim 2, as well as the beating and shooting of a Sin City member at the Gary clubhouse.
The agencies involved in this prosecution were: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Griffith Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents, the Merrillville Police Department, the Munster Police Department, the Schererville Police Department, the Pittsburgh (PA) Police Department and Allegheny County (PA) Sheriff’s Department. Also providing assistance were the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Indiana, the Western District of Kentucky, and the Western District of Pennsylvania.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick, Michael J. Toth, and former Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly L. Schultz.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.
This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
Sex offender sentenced to federal prison for failing to register in BeaumontRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A sex offender living in Beaumont was sentenced to federal prison for failing to register in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Lequinte Dangelo Johnson, 37, pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 13, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in 2006, in Riverside, California, Johnson was convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old. As part of his sentence, Johnson was required to register as a sex offender. In July of 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service in Beaumont received information containing Johnson’s updated sex offender registration paperwork from Arizona. The paperwork indicated that Johnson had registered as homeless with a “RESIDENCE OR PHYSICAL LOCATION” in Glendale, Arizona. However, he listed a “409” cell phone number as his contact information. Through information found on social media, it was determined that Johnson was living in Beaumont where he was eventually found living in a storage unit, although never having registered in Texas.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Sacramento Woman Pleads Guilty to Participation in Nearly $2.6 Million COVID-19 Benefit Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Tabitha Leigh Markle, 53, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between April 2020 and January 2021, Markle defrauded the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the United States out of unemployment insurance benefits. Markle collected personally identifiable information (PII) including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other information, and submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to EDD. Markle and her associates caused the UI debit cards to be mailed to addresses she listed in the fraudulent applications. They used the cards that were issued in the names of the supposed beneficiaries to withdraw cash from ATMs throughout California. Markle and her associates often appeared in ATM surveillance photos taking out large amounts of cash from the cards. Markle and her criminal associates obtained approximately $2,599,038 from the fraud.
Markle also used the means of identification of various victims, including N.T., who was a resident of Oakland. Without N.T.’s knowledge or permission, Markle filed a false unemployment insurance application with California EDD using N.T.’s true name and other identifying information, but using a false email address, phone number and mailing address. Markle’s associates withdrew thousands of dollars of unemployment insurance benefits from the card issued to N.T.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, California EDD – Investigation Division, and the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case.
Markle is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on May 13, 2025. Markle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine (or twice the amount of the loss) for mail fraud, plus supervised release of up to five years. She also faces a mandatory two-year consecutive prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the Court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Real Estate Executive Charged in Thirty-Million-Dollar Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Danielle Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of KEVIN FENG GAO. The Indictment unsealed today charges GAO with committing bank fraud as part of a scheme to steal $30 million intended as an investment in Manhattan real estate. GAO will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.
U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon said: “As alleged, Kevin Gao orchestrated a complex scheme to create a fraudulent, unauthorized bank account and use the account to steal $30 million from a real estate investor. Bank fraud schemes undermine the integrity of our financial system by corrupting it for criminal purposes, and I commend the FBI and our dedicated team of prosecutors for their outstanding work in uncovering this massive fraud.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Kevin Gao allegedly opened an unauthorized corporate bank account to intercept and steal a $30 million investment. This alleged establishment of an illicit bank account wrongfully diverted a significant sum from its intended use. The FBI remains dedicated to apprehending all individuals who implement deceitful measures to steal what is not owed to them.”
According to allegations in the Indictment:[1]
GAO carried out a fraudulent scheme to open and use an unauthorized bank account in the name of a company (the “Management Company”) that managed a real estate development project in Manhattan (the “Real Estate Project”). GAO was an executive at another company that participated in a joint venture to develop the Real Estate Project, but GAO had no authorization from the Management Company to open the account in its name (the “Fraudulent Account”).
When GAO applied to open the Fraudulent Account, GAO made false representations to employees of an FDIC-insured bank (the “Bank”), including falsely representing that GAO was opening the Fraudulent Account with the Management Company’s permission. Additionally, when a representative of the Bank asked GAO to provide a copy of the Management Company’s operating agreement, GAO provided a fraudulent document rather than the actual operating agreement.
After GAO created the Fraudulent Account, an investment company agreed to invest $30 million in the Real Estate Development managed by the Management Company. But the investment company transferred its $30 million into the Fraudulent Account created by GAO rather than a legitimate account actually held and controlled by the Management Company. GAO then dispersed the $30 million to several accounts under the control of GAO and his co-conspirators.
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GAO, 37, of Queens, New York is charged with one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding work of the FBI.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Brumwell and Maggie Lynaugh are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Previously convicted felon sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing 28 firearmsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to five years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court documents, on Dec. 26, 2023, officers of the Colonial Heights Police Department responded to the residence of Joshua J. Jernigan, 40, for an unrelated matter. After receiving authority from Jernigan to search his residence, the officers observed a loaded pistol magazine in the garage. The officers obtained a warrant to search the residence and recovered 28 firearms and five unregistered silencers.
Jernigan was convicted in 2004 in Chesterfield County of conspiracy/statutory burglary, statutory burglary with intent, and possession of burglarious tools. As a previously convicted felon, Jernigan cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller 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 Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-104.
Political Organizer and Former President of City Council of Atlantic City Pleads Guilty to Submitting Fraudulent Mail-In BallotsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man today admitted to the procurement, casting, and tabulation of fraudulent mail-in ballots submitted in connection with the general election held on November 8, 2022, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Craig Callaway, 64, a former member and President of the City Council of Atlantic City and a political organizer who assisted campaigns for elected offices in New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to an Information charging him with depriving, defrauding, and attempting to deprive and defraud the residents of the State of New Jersey of a fair and impartially conducted election process by the fraudulent procurement, casting, and tabulation of ballots.
“The defendant admitted to depriving New Jersey residents of a fair election by participating in a scheme to cast ballots for voters who did not vote in the election. Along with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to prosecuting those who criminally seek to undermine impartially conducted elections.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning in or about October 2022, approximately one month before the general election held on November 8, 2022 (the “2022 General Election”), Callaway and others who were working at Callaway’s direction approached numerous individuals in Atlantic City, promising to pay them between approximately $30 and $50 to act as purported authorized messengers for voters who supposedly wished to vote by mail.
After receiving Vote-By-Mail Applications from Callaway or his subordinates, these purported messengers entered the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office carrying anywhere from one to four completed Vote-By-Mail Applications. Inside the County Clerk’s Office, as instructed by Callaway or his subordinates, these individuals provided County Clerk’s Office personnel proof of identification and signed the Vote-By-Mail Applications in the authorized messenger portion of the application before handing those signed applications to office personnel. Further, as instructed by Callaway or his subordinates, these purported messengers waited while Clerk’s Office personnel processed the applications and, if the applications were approved, provided to the purported messengers mail-in ballots for the voters listed on the applications.
Under New Jersey law, a messenger was required to deliver any mail-in ballots they received directly to the voter who requested the ballots, and certify that they would do so. However, after receiving mail-in ballots, these purported messengers left the County Clerk’s Office and handed the ballots to Callaway or his subordinates, instead of delivering the ballots to the voters.
Many of the mail-in ballots collected by Callaway or his subordinates were ultimately cast in the names of voters who have confirmed that they did not vote in the 2022 General Election—either in-person or by submitting a mail-in ballot—and that they did not authorize Callaway, his subordinates, or anyone else, to cast ballots for them in the 2022 General Election. Many of these mail-in ballots were counted towards the 2022 General Election.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly; the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency's Public Corruption Task Force, including the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William Reynolds; the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Chief James A. Sarkos; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; as well as special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; the Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins; and the postal inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation leading to today’s complaint.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney James H. Graham of the Special Prosecutions Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2025.
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Defense counsel: Megan J. Davies, Haddonfield, New Jersey
callaway.information.pdfPhiladelphia Man Sentenced to 39 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Burglarize Ups Warehouses; Others Previously SentencedRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced today on conspiracy charges related to his role in a conspiracy to burglarize approximately 55 United Parcel Service (“UPS”) warehouses across the United States, resulting in the theft of over $1.6 million worth of merchandise, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Aboudramane Karamoko, 21, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 39 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Bumb in Camden, New Jersey.
Three other defendants, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were each sentenced previously before Chief Judge Bumb. Specifically, Sekou Fofanah, 20, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release; Shamaire Brown, 19, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release; and Quamaire Brown, 19, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release.
As part of their sentences, all four defendants were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,600,157.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning at least as early as January 2021 through at least as recently as April 2023, Sekou Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, Quamaire Brown, Aboudramane Karamoko, and others conspired to commit burglaries of UPS facilities throughout the United States, including warehouses in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Rhode Island, among other States. The defendants gained access to the UPS facilities by breaking the windows of the loading bay doors or by prying open the loading bay doors. Once inside, they sought parcels marked with “lithium-ion battery” warnings, which indicated that the packages contained high-value electronic devices such as a cell phones. Sekou Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, Quamaire Brown, and Aboudramane Karamoko each admitted that they participated in the burglary of at least 55 UPS facilities and stole items valued at approximately $1,600,157.00.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna also acknowledged South Brunswick Police Department, Warwick Rhode Island Police Department, Clarkstown New York Police Department, Livonia, Michigan Police Department, HSI State College, State College Police Department, New York State Police, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, Homeland Security Investigations Rhode Island, New Jersey State Police, Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Taylor Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, and Centre County District Attorney’s Office, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsels:
Anthony Iacullo, Esq. (for Sekou Fofanah)
Gary Mizzone, Esq. (for Quamaire Brown)
Stephen Natoli, Esq. (for Shamaire Brown)
Joel Silberman, Esq. (for Aboudramane Karamoko)
Pastor Is Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ashley James Crouse, 53, of Granite Falls, N.C., was sentenced today to 120 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Crouse was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Roger “Chip” Hawley, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Sheriff Alan C. Jones of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department, join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in April 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) referred a tip to law enforcement that a Dropbox account user had uploaded videos containing CSAM. Law enforcement determined that the Dropbox user was Crouse, who was a pastor at a church in Caldwell County. On November 3, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Crouse’s residence and the church. From Crouse’s office at the church, detectives seized a computer tower, an iPad, and two thumb drives.
Crouse admitted to law enforcement officers that he had been downloading and collecting child pornography for five to six years and that he viewed CSAM at the church while multi-tasking and completing church business. The investigation determined that Crouse routinely used his computer at the church to access, view, and download CSAM. A forensic examination of Crouse’s church computer and other digital devices revealed that Crouse shared child pornography and links to child pornography through the Telegram application and that he had used AI and a software program to make child and other pornography. In total, Crouse possessed over 1,200 videos and 450 images depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Also on the church computer, investigators found that Crouse maintained a book that outlines in detail how to sexually abuse children. The forensic examiner further found evidence that Crouse had installed an anti-forensic software program on his church computer which he used to permanently delete files and folders.
On August 21, 2024, Crouse pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography that involved a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years, and receipt of child pornography. Crouse remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron commended the FBI, the SBI, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hickory Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Park Hill Resident Sentenced for Felony Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jack Dewayne Neugin, a/k/a Jackie Dewayne Neugin, age 56, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
On September 5, 2024, Neugin pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 27, 2024, while being booked and processed by law enforcement officers at the Cherokee County Jail, Neugin was discovered to be in possession of 27.35 grams of methamphetamine, a portion of which Neugin intended for distribution.
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. Neugin 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.
Orlando Man Sentenced to One Year and Six Months in Federal Prison for Possessing A MachinegunRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Jeremiah Cundiff (19, Orlando) to one year and six months in federal prison for possessing a machinegun. Cundiff pleaded guilty on October 31, 2024.
According to court documents, on October 23, 2023, law enforcement apprehended Cundiff, who had an active warrant for his arrest. During the apprehension, Cundiff fled and made a stealthy movement. At the area of Cundiff’s movement, a loaded firearm with a machinegun conversion device installed (pictured below) was recovered. Cundiff’s DNA was found on the firearm.
The type of machinegun conversion device in this case is commonly referred to as a “switch,” and is designed and intended, solely and exclusively, to convert a semiautomatic pistol into a machinegun, causing the pistol to fire more than one shot with the single pull of the trigger.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with valuable assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.
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.
Orange County man sentenced for federal firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – An Orange, Texas, man has been sentenced for a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. today.
Alton Wayne Wallace, 31, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on February 13, 2025.
According to information presented in court, just before midnight on October 27, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a report of loitering behind a restaurant on 16th Street in Orange. When officers arrived, they found Wallace sitting on a gun in the passenger seat of the car that was described in the call. Another pistol was found on the floorboard in front of Wallace. Further investigation revealed that Wallace was previously convicted of carjacking in Beaumont. A federal grand jury indicted Wallace on May 1, 2024. Under federal law, convicted felons are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Orange Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.
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Ontario Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Ricardo Rodriguez, 61, of Ontario, Oregon, was sentenced to 155 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Rodriguez was a member of a drug trafficking organization operating out of eastern Oregon. Rodriguez supplied several of his co-conspirators with methamphetamine for redistribution in Idaho. The investigation revealed that Rodriguez was distributing approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine per week.
On January 24, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rodriguez’s residence. There, they found an unlawfully possessed .40 caliber firearm, several thousand dollars in U.S. currency, a bag with hundreds of fentanyl pills, and another with an ounce of methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Rodriguez to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
“This is another example of our law enforcement partners working together to ensure that drug traffickers are held accountable for distributing controlled substances in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Traffickers will not evade prosecution for dealing drugs here in Idaho simply because they live across state lines.”
“Methamphetamine traffickers like Mr. Rodriguez profit from the pain they cause selling poison to our neighbors,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “I am gratified that the DEA and our partners were able to stop the threat he posed to our communities and that he received this richly deserved accountability.”
“Teamwork is critical to stop drug trafficking groups. This case started in our community, but crossed many jurisdictional boundaries, to include the state line into Oregon,” said Nampa Police Sergeant Shane Huston. “If we didn’t have effective partnerships, we would not be as successful as we are in catching these career criminals. We’ll keep working hard and working together because we do not want this type of activity in Nampa.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the Boise Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, and the Oregon High Desert Drug Task Force, which led to the charges and arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case.
This case was 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.
The High Desert Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. They are supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Jose Israel Robledo, 45, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 13, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Robledo to 168 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Robledo is released from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On January 5, 2023, Robledo distributed approximately one pound of methamphetamine to a DEA Confidential Source (CS) at a local Burger King in Omaha. After Robledo sold the methamphetamine, he returned to his residence. Law enforcement followed him, and he was arrested. The CS purchased lab confirmed 449.2 grams of actual methamphetamine. Purity was 100%.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Ohio-based supplier of aircraft parts and three employees charged for illicit export scheme involving RussiaRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Flighttime Enterprises, Inc., an American subsidiary of a Russian aircraft parts supplier, along with three of its current and former employees, have been charged federally with crimes related to a scheme to illegally export aircraft parts and components from the United States to Russia and Russian airline companies without the required licenses from the Department of Commerce.
“We will not tolerate export violations or smuggling of items contrary to U.S. laws to any part of the world, Russia included,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “These illicit activities are extremely harmful to our country, regardless of the item that is smuggled. I am confident in the prosecution bringing accountability to the individuals named in the indictment on behalf of the people of the Southern District of Ohio – but even greater, on behalf of our nation.”
The three individuals charged include Daniela Friery, 43, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Loveland, Ohio; Pavil Iglin, 46, a citizen of Russia who currently resides in Florida pursuant to a non-immigrant visa; and Marat Aysin, 39, a legal permanent resident of the United States who currently resides in Florida.
According to the 11-count indictment unsealed today, the three defendants worked for Flighttime Enterprises, Inc., an aircraft equipment supplier with office locations near West Chester, Ohio, and Miami, Florida.
As alleged in the indictment, following Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Flighttime and the individual defendants knowingly and willfully violated and evaded export restrictions imposed on Russia to ship aviation parts to Russia and Russian end users, including airlines subject to Department of Commerce Temporary Denial Orders, by mislabeling shipments, providing false certifications, and using intermediary companies and countries to obscure the true end destination and end users. The indictment details four specific export transactions totaling more than $2 million.
For example, in June 2022, Flighttime employees allegedly negotiated the purchase of an auxiliary power unit from an American supplier for $395,000. The U.S. supplier initially expressed hesitation about the transaction due to the company’s connections to Russia. In connection with the purchase, Aysin falsely told the American supplier that the part would be used to replenish stock in West Chester. Through Aysin, Iglin allegedly signed and dated a Russia end-user certificate with the supplier falsely certifying that the part would not be exported to Russia. The part was thereafter illegally exported to Russia for a Russian aviation company without the required license.
The company and three defendants are each charged with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), and multiple counts of violating the ECRA, which are federal crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
They are also charged with conspiracy to commit smuggling, which carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison, and multiple counts of smuggling, which carry potential penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
Finally, they are each charged with one count of conspiring to launder monetary instruments, a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Jeffrey Levine, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, Office of Export Enforcement (BIS) announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case, along with Trial Attorneys Maria Fedor and Menno Goedman from the Department of Justice’s National Security Division Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Ohio-Based Supplier of Aircraft Parts and Three Employees Charged for Illicit Export Scheme Involving RussiaRead the Press Release
Flighttime Enterprises Inc., an American subsidiary of a Russian aircraft parts supplier, along with three of its current and former employees, have been charged federally with crimes related to a scheme to illegally export aircraft parts and components from the United States to Russia and Russian airline companies without the required licenses from the Department of Commerce.
The three individuals charged include Daniela Friery, 43, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Loveland, Ohio; Pavil Iglin, 46, a citizen of Russia who currently resides in Florida pursuant to a non-immigrant visa; and Marat Aysin, 39, a legal permanent resident of the United States who currently resides in Florida.
According to the 11-count indictment unsealed today, the three defendants worked for Flighttime Enterprises Inc., an aircraft equipment supplier with office locations near West Chester, Ohio, and Miami.
As alleged in the indictment, following Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Flighttime and the individual defendants knowingly and willfully violated and evaded the export restrictions imposed on Russia to ship aviation parts to Russia and Russian end users, including airlines subject to Department of Commerce Temporary Denial Orders, by mislabeling shipments, providing false certifications, and using intermediary companies and countries to obscure the true end destination and end users. The indictment details four specific export transactions totaling more than $2 million.
For example, in June 2022, Flighttime employees allegedly negotiated the purchase of an auxiliary power unit from an American supplier for $395,000. The U.S. supplier initially expressed hesitation about the transaction due to the company’s connections to Russia. In connection with the purchase, Aysin falsely told the American supplier that the part would be used to replenish stock in West Chester. Through Aysin, Iglin allegedly signed and dated a Russia end-user certificate with the supplier falsely certifying that the part would not be exported to Russia. The part was thereafter illegally exported to Russia for a Russian aviation company without the required license.
The company and three defendants are each charged with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), and multiple counts of violating the ECRA, which are federal crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
They are also charged with conspiracy to commit smuggling, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and multiple counts of smuggling, which carry maximum penalties of 10 years in prison. Finally, they are each charged with one count of conspiring to launder monetary instruments, a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio; Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Levine of the Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced the case.
The FBI and BIS are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan for the Southern District of Ohio is prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorneys Maria Fedor and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Norcross Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Defrauding U.S. Postal ServiceRead the Press Release
ATLANTA, Ga. -- Gregory Rehberg pleaded guilty today to wire fraud for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the U.S. Postal Service based on false invoices.
“Rehberg concealed the use of subcontractors, made false statements, and provided false documents to overcharge the U.S. Postal Service for maintenance work he never performed,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our office is committed to prosecuting those who defraud the United States and its agencies for their personal gain at the expense of taxpayers. We will continue to investigate and identify those who exploit government contracts and hold those bad actors accountable.”
“We are pleased to have contributed to this investigation and applaud the exceptional work by the United States Attorney’s Office for protecting both U.S. Postal Service funds and the integrity of our repairs and maintenance program,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cleevely of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “Special Agents of the USPS OIG will continue to aggressively investigate those who would engage in fraudulent activities designed to defraud the Postal Service.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: GLR Group LLC., operated by Gregory Rehberg, was contracted by EMCOR Facilities Services, Inc. to work on repairs and construction work at U.S. Postal Service locations in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Rehberg submitted false invoices to EMCOR for supposed services he had performed, when in fact, he subcontracted the work for lower rates than reported on the invoices he submitted.
Rehberg routinely marked up the price on his invoices, at times as much as forty percent. In total, Rehberg submitted nearly 900 invoices on behalf of GLR to EMCOR between 2019 and 2024, receiving approximately $2.9 million in payments, and overbilling by more than $730,000.
Sentencing for Gregory Rehberg, 55, of Atlanta, Georgia, is scheduled for May 15, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. before Chief United States District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr.
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Assistant United States Attorney Natasha Cooper is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
New Yorker Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison After Leading High-Speed Smuggling Pursuit and Injuring 11 MigrantsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A New York man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.
According to court documents, a Kendall County Sheriff’s Department deputy attempted a traffic stop on July 18, 2022, when the deputy observed Peter Diaz-Vasquez, 28, of Bronx, driving a pickup truck at 106 mph on I-10. Diaz-Vasquez led the deputy on a nine-mile pursuit, which included driving 110 mph through a 65 mph construction zone with numerous highway workers present. The pursuit ended when Diaz-Vasquez attempted to abruptly exit the highway, wove through traffic on the access road, and crashed over a curb into a fence. Six passengers fell out of the truck’s open bed as the truck rolled onto its side.
Diaz-Vasquez remained buckled in the driver’s seat until he was removed by law enforcement. He had been transporting 11 undocumented noncitizens at the time of the crash, two of whom were airlifted to a hospital after sustaining serious head injuries. Each of the migrants sustained serious bodily injury to their upper and lower bodies, including broken arms and legs, as well as head trauma. One suffered a severe spinal injury requiring endotracheal intubation and did not regain consciousness for 7-9 days. One of the smuggled migrants was a 17-year-old juvenile.
Diaz-Vasquez admitted that he traveled from New York by plane and rented a vehicle after being hired to pick up an unknown number of undocumented noncitizens in or near Uvalde. He said he would be paid $800 per person to transport them to a location at or near San Antonio or Austin.
“This case clearly highlights the extreme dangers posed by human smuggling,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “This defendant packed 11 passengers in his vehicle, endangering them, along with everyone on the road that day, with complete disregard for human safety. This sentence, sending Diaz-Vasquez to federal prison for 10 years, reflects the seriousness of this offense.”
Homeland Security Investigations and the Kendall County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Brown prosecuted the case.
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Muskogee Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Deland Ray Sam, age 62, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 31 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Muskogee Police Department.
On September 26, 2024, Sam pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. According to investigators, on June 21, 2021, Sam attempted to elude law enforcement in a highspeed chase which ended near 6th and Hancock in Muskogee. Officers uncovered an empty pistol magazine in the vehicle which led them to search the intersection of Main and Hancock, where Sam had noticeably swerved during the pursuit. There officers recovered a loaded .40 caliber pistol. Sam had previously been 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. Sam 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 Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Monmouth County Man Charged with Aiming Beam of A Laser at Federal Law Enforcement AircraftRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County man was charged with aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
James M. Pedone, 27, of Colts Neck, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with knowingly aiming the beam of a laser at an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Pedone had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court on February 13, 2025.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about December 12, 2024, Pedone pointed the beam of a laser on three separate occasions, striking an aircraft operated by federal law enforcement personnel in or near the vicinity of Colts Neck, New Jersey, erroneously believing the aircraft to be a drone.
Knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft in the special jurisdiction of the United States carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and Joint Terrorism Task Force Officers of the FBI Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, as well as the Colts Neck Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel DeVito, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent D. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Michael Thomas, Esq.
pedone.complaint.pdfMissoula accountant admits defrauding clients; obstructing IRSRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula accountant accused of defrauding clients by using their cash payments intended for income taxes for his own personal expenses admitted today to fraud and obstruction charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, William Arthur Clawson, 54, appeared for an arraignment on an information and pleaded guilty to wire fraud and to corrupt endeavor to obstruct and impede the administration of the internal revenue laws. Clawson faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the wire fraud charge and a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the corrupt endeavor charge.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 24. Clawson was released pending further proceedings.
A plea agreement filed in the case calls Clawson to pay full restitution to the victims of no less than $1,158,811.40.
The government alleged that from about 2016 to 2021, Clawson used his businesses, Quantum Business Solutions and Endeavor Financial Insights, to defraud clients. Clawson offered accounting and tax preparation services to clients in Montana, Washington and Oklahoma, who were engaged in the cash-intensive medical marijuana industry. Clawson promised to assess the taxes owned by his clients and receive cash payments from them that he would use to pay his fees and the taxes they owed. Instead, Clawson paid only a small portion of the taxes his clients owed and used the remainder of the money on his personal expenses and unrelated debts. Through Clawson’s actions, his clients unknowingly fell behind in paying the taxes they owed.
The government further alleged that between 2019 and 2020, one of Clawson’s clients came under IRS scrutiny because of unpaid taxes. An IRS revenue officer contacted the company as part of efforts to collect taxes owed. The company called Clawson, who was serving as its accountant. Clawson instructed the company not to communicate with the IRS officer and said he would take care of the reported issue. Clawson falsely told the IRS officer that the company had cash flow issues that were making it difficult for the company to pay its taxes. Clawson acted corruptly by making other false statements to the IRS officer on the company’s behalf that Clawson knew would impede the government’s tax collection efforts. Clawson did this to conceal his misappropriation of funds the company gave him to pay its taxes.
The U.S. Attorney’s office is prosecuting the case. The IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
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Minnesota Woman Sentenced to 84 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Kirsten M. Blackwell, 63 years old, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Blackwell was sentenced to 84 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,628,192.67 in restitution.
According to documents in the case, Blackwell conspired with others to defraud victims of millions of dollars and then laundered the fraud proceeds through various bank accounts she had created between 2019 and 2022. Through a variety of schemes, victim businesses and individuals were deceived into sending money to accounts under Blackwell’s control. After laundering the money through her accounts, Blackwell sent fraud proceeds to an overseas conspirator. In total, the conspirators attempted to steal over $5 million dollars, and Blackwell laundered well over $3 million dollars in fraud proceeds that had been obtained through business email compromise schemes, romance and military scams, as well as fraud against a government program.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
Mexican national with prior drug trafficking conviction arrested for illegally reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Fayette County man was charged with illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony.
Pedro Marquez, 34, of Bloomingburg, Ohio, was arrested by federal agents today.
According to court documents, Marquez is from Mexico and was originally removed from the United States in 2009.
In 2011, Marquez was convicted of participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and illegally reentering the United States and was sentenced to federal prison. Marquez had conspired with others in the Eastern District of Oklahoma to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Marquez transported, delivered and distributed the drugs on behalf of the conspiracy.
He was removed from the United States again in 2016 following his term of imprisonment.
Illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony crime is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and subsequent deportation.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the arrest. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Mexican national and gang member sentenced for illegally re-entering the country for 14th timeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old illegal alien and multiple-time felon has been ordered to prison after once again entering the country without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.
Jose Estrada-Corpus pleaded guilty Dec. 5, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Estrada-Corpus to serve 54 months in federal prison.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence Estrada-Corpus had been previously convicted of multiple felony convictions including assaulting a public servant and possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver. Estrada-Corpus was also previously removed on 13 different occasions and is a gang-member. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted Estrada-Corpus’s extensive criminal history and that Estrada-Corpus had previously received an lengthy sentence for the same offense. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.
“As the facts of this case demonstrate, the defendant has no respect for this nation’s laws,” said Ganjei. “His repeated disregard for our immigration laws has earned him a serious sentence. Hopefully this case will deter other aliens who might think that this country is not serious about defending its border.”
On Oct. 31, 2024, authorities arrested Estrada-Corpus as he attempted to illegally cross the Rio Grande River near Rio Grande City.
Estrada-Corpus was first removed in 2013 and had previously been convicted of immigration related offenses on six different occasions. Through the course of the investigation, Estrada-Corpus also admitted to being a member of the Paisas gang.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Israel Chaires-Villa, 22, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 6, 2024, Chaires-Villa drove to Cross Lanes, West Virginia, from Houston, Texas, with approximately 22 lbs. of methamphetamine in his possession that he intended to deliver to another person in Cross Lanes. Chaires-Villa was arrested as part of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston.
Chaires-Villa is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had previously put an administrative detainer on Chaires-Villa so that deportation proceedings can occur once Chaires-Villa serves the sentence imposed in this case.
The joint investigation also resulted in the indictment of German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 40, Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 31, and Silvester Barcenas, 23. The indictment alleges the three Mexican nationals conspired to distribute quantities of methamphetamine in the Charleston area from in or about March 2024 to in or about October 2024. Trial is scheduled for April 15, 2025. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-175.
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Mexican National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Maico Miguel Perez (27, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Miguel Perez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Miguel Perez is a citizen and national of Mexico. He was previously removed from the United States on November 23, 2022. Miguel Perez was found voluntarily back in the United States on September 2, 2024, when he was arrested in Duval County on a local warrant. Miguel Perez has not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security for the United States to apply for readmission to the United States.
An indictment 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 was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
Mexican Citizen sentenced to 78 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Luis Alberto Sanchez-Espinoza, 39 years old, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to distributing cocaine and illegal re-entry, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Sanchez-Espinoza was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on June 5, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on I-94 and recovered cocaine from Sanchez-Espinoza’s vehicle. Sanchez-Espinoza had previously been removed from the United States on multiple occasions. His most recent removal occurred on March 23, 2022, after the completion of his prison sentence for a distribution of methamphetamine conviction out of the Western District of Virginia.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Indiana State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.
Mexican Citizen Admits Conspiring to Distribute Heroin and CocaineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ. – A citizen of Mexico previously extradited to the United States today admitted to conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Norma Flores-Fernandez, a/k/a “Norma Camarillo,” 56, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to a Superseding Information charging conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Flores-Fernandez was part of a Guadalajara, Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that distributed kilogram quantities of narcotics, including heroin and cocaine, throughout the United States from in or around March 2018 through in or around December 2019. Flores-Fernandez acknowledged holding a leadership role in this conspiracy.
The charge to which Flores-Fernandez pleaded guilty carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentencing is scheduled for July 23, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and task force officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Sheila G. Lyons in Chicago, Illinois and Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark; and special agents of the Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Lafonda Sutton-Burke in Chicago, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked special agents and task force officers with the DEA operating in Lima, Peru and Guadalajara, Mexico; Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago; and officials in Mexico for their assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest of Flores-Fernandez and her extradition to the United States.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Michael Rubas, Esq., Jersey City, NJ
flores-fernandez.superseding_information.pdf