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26 March 2025
Anchorage man sentenced to 16 years for producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced yesterday to 16 years in prison and will serve 15 years on supervised release for exploiting a 16-year-old minor to produce child pornography.
According to court documents, in 2019, the minor female victim moved from Oregon to Alaska and began living with Donteh Devoe, 46. At some point after the victim began living with him, Devoe started sexually abusing her and convinced her that because she was 16, the sexual abuse was legal.
The victim confided in a friend, explaining that she and Devoe were “dating and having sex.” The victim also disclosed instances where Devoe physically abused her and texted her sexually graphic images during the school day. The victim’s friend promptly reported the alleged abuse to law enforcement and an investigation began.
In February 2020, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for accounts on Devoe’s and the victim’s devices. Law enforcement reviewed those accounts and discovered sexually explicit conversations between Devoe and the victim. During conversations on Sept. 30, and Oct. 1, 2019, Devoe directed the victim to take sexually explicit photos and send them to him.
On Nov. 15, 2024, Devoe pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography.
“Mr. Devoe used emotional and physical manipulation to carry out his sexual abuse and get what he wanted. The harm that he caused with his conduct is lasting,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “I want to thank the investigators and prosecutors who were essential in securing a serious penalty for the crime he pleaded guilty to, and the witness for promptly coming forward to report the abuse. I also want to commend the victim for showing extraordinary bravery and resilience in bringing this perpetrator to justice. Our office will continue our strong partnerships with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute anyone who threatens the safety of children.”
“Through manipulation and a betrayal of trust, Devoe emotionally, physically, and sexually abused a minor in our community, including the production of CSAM,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is inexcusable and will not be tolerated by Alaska's law enforcement community."
“The Anchorage Police Department remains committed to ensuring justice for victims and their families. Our officers and investigators worked diligently to bring this case to a resolution, and we appreciate the collaboration with our law enforcement partners and the judicial system. Today’s sentencing is a testament to the dedication of those who seek justice and uphold the safety of our community,” said Christopher Barraza, Deputy Director, Community Relations Unit for the Anchorage Police Department.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ivers and Ainsley McNerney 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 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.
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Allentown Man Pleads Guilty to March 2023 Armed Robbery Spree in Lehigh CountyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Rubiel Perez, 30, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, charges arising from an armed robbery spree in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in March of 2023.
Perez was charged by indictment in November 2023.
As detailed in the indictment and admitted to by the defendant, on March 28, 2023, Perez entered a 7-Eleven convenience store on Union Boulevard in Allentown, pointed a handgun at a store employee, and stole $937 before fleeing.
The next night, the defendant targeted a 7-Eleven convenience store on South 4th Street in Allentown. He pointed a handgun at a store employee and threatened him, before stealing $150 from the store. Later the same night, the defendant entered a 7-Eleven on West Tilghman Street in South Whitehall Township and attempted to rob the store by pointing a firearm at the store employee and threatening him.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10 and faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years’ incarceration.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Allentown Police Department, and the South Whitehall Township Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert W. Schopf.
Alien smuggling group dismantledRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A group of five Laredoans have now been sentenced for operating an alien smuggling organization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jaquon Davis is the last to be sentenced and pleaded guilty Oct. 10, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo determined him to be the leader of the conspiracy and sentenced him to 44 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that showed Davis was a long-time alien smuggler who recruited several people.
“This case demonstrates the Southern District of Texas’ commitment to stopping the flow of illegal aliens into our country,” said Ganjei. “That means prosecuting not only illegal aliens, but also those who support and help them in breaking our laws.”
On March 19, 2024, Davis and four others travelled in three cars around the I-35 checkpoint north of Laredo using the access road in an attempt to avoid law enforcement.
One car was used as a scout and the other two cars carried illegal aliens. Authorities ultimately pulled them over and discovered a total of 12 illegal aliens in the vehicles. One was concealed in a box located in a truck bed.
Two of the illegal aliens claimed they had arranged to be smuggled to cities in Texas for large amounts of money. They had crossed the Rio Grande River and stayed at a stash house before being picked up by someone in the group.
The investigation revealed the smugglers had stayed in a local motel and coordinated the event from there. Davis was the leader and coordinator of this event and had paid for the hotel rooms.
Carlota Herrera, 34, and Ruben Campos, 30, previously received 21 and 37 months, respectively, for transporting the illegal aliens. Bobby Vaughan Hoodye, 40, was sentenced to six months for his role in providing one of the cars that was used to transport the illegal aliens, while Jakhalib Fisher, 21, was ordered to serve 33 months for coordinating and overseeing the smuggling event.
Davis has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan L. Oliver prosecuted the case.
Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for 2023 Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man pleaded guilty in federal court to multiple robbery and firearms charges for a crime spree in the summer of 2023.
According to court records, between July 11, 2023, to September 16, 2023, Demetrius Antonnie Bailey, 41, engaged in a series of armed robberies targeting retail stores in Albuquerque. Bailey and his accomplice conspired to commit robberies at Harbor Freight Tools, multiple Metro by T-Mobile locations, a T-Mobile store, a Verizon store, and a JC Penney. During these robberies, they threatened and overpowered store employees and security to steal merchandise and cash. In each robbery, a replica firearm or a real handgun was brandished to intimidate store employees and security personnel. The stolen items included electronics, cellular phones, cash, and clothing valued at tens of thousands of dollars.
Bailey pleaded guilty to 10 counts, including interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. His offenses also included knowingly participating in violent retail thefts. At sentencing, if the district court accepts the plea agreement, Bailey faces not less than ten years and up to twenty-two years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrinand Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Natasha Moghadam are prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Bailey)_0.pdfAlbany Felon Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Henassy McConico, age 27, of Albany, pled guilty yesterday to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
McConico admitted to personally distributing fentanyl pills numerous times in 2024, including on October 15, 2024, when he distributed approximately 485 fentanyl pills to another individual. McConico further admitted that he possessed a loaded handgun and assorted ammunition in his home. As a result of his prior conviction for attempted robbery, McConico could not lawfully possess the handgun.
At sentencing scheduled for July 23, 2025, McConico faces a minimum term of 10 years and a maximum term of life in prison, a maximum fine of $8 million, and a term of supervised release after imprisonment of at least 8 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
DEA investigated this case with the assistance of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Hudson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting this case.
Alaska Businesswoman Sentenced for Tax Evasion SchemeRead the Press Release
An Alaska woman was sentenced yesterday to 12 months in prison for evading taxes on income she earned from the business she operated.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Tina H. Yi, was the sole owner and operator of SJ Investment LLC, a hotel, bar, and liquor store in Nome, Alaska, that did business as Polaris HBL. Yi created the business in approximately April 2007 and operated it until approximately October 2017, when the property was destroyed in a fire.
From approximately 2014 to 2018, Yi maintained two sets of financial records relating to the business’s income and expenses, one of which accurately captured SJ Investment’s income and expenses, and one that understated the business’s income. Yi provided the false records to her accountant to prepare her tax returns. As a result, her 2014 through 2018 tax returns were false.
Yi caused a total tax loss to the IRS of over $550,000.
In addition to her prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess for the District of Alaska ordered Yi to serve three years of supervised release. The court will determine restitution at a later date.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Trial Attorney John C. Gerardi of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bradley for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case. Former Tax Division Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal assisted with the prosecution.
Air Force Member Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Nine-Year-Old Child on Long IslandRead the Press Release
This morning, in federal court in Central Islip, David Ibarra was arraigned on an indictment charging him with sexual exploitation of a child, coercion, and enticement. Ibarra, an active-duty senior airman in the United States Air Force, was initially charged by complaint in February 2025 and ordered detained in Anchorage, Alaska, before his transfer to the Eastern District of New York. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Court Judge Joanna Seybert who ordered the defendant detained pending trial.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Leslie Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendant, a 31-year-old man posing as a 13-year-old boy, manipulated a vulnerable child into producing and sending him sexually explicit images and videos of herself via text message in exchange for money,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “My Office will continue its relentless pursuit of sexual predators who target children and work to secure lengthy prison sentences in these cases to protect our community and children from such conduct.”
“As alleged in the indictment, this individual targeted and then repeatedly coerced a child into sending him sexually explicit photos and videos of herself—produced at his specific direction—in exchange for money,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “The FBI is committed to finding and arresting the monsters who prey on vulnerable children, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure these predators are off the streets and behind bars where they can no longer pose a danger to our communities.”
As set forth in court filings, law enforcement identified Ibarra from cell phone records obtained for an individual who was communicating, via text message, with a 9-year-old girl living in Suffolk County, New York, and soliciting sexually explicit images and videos from her in exchange for money. During these communications, Ibarra, who claimed to be a 13-year-old boy named “Dave” living in Texas, repeatedly pressured the victim to send him more images and gave her specific directions as to what sexually explicit poses he wanted her to record (“Can we be a little dirty before we go to sleep? Pls and I’ll send money…”). Ibarra made approximately 17 payments to the victim’s Apple Pay account to induce her to continue producing sexually explicit images for the defendant’s gratification.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, Ibarra faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Paul G. Scotti is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
DAVID IBARRA
Age: 31
Anchorage, AlaskaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-90 (JS)
ibarra_complaint.pdfActing U.S. Attorney Announces $5 Million False Claims Act Settlement with Providers of Programs for Adults with Developmental DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today that the United States has filed and simultaneously settled a civil fraud lawsuit against COMMUNITY OPTIONS, INC. (“COI”) and COMMUNITY OPTIONS NEW YORK, INC. (“CONY”, and together with COI, the “Defendants” or “Community Options”).
CONY is a New York not-for-profit corporation that, among other things, operates a network of residential and non-residential facilities and programs for adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities throughout the State of New York. As part of its operations, CONY provides Day Habilitation services—which are programs intended to help adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities improve their independence and skills in daily activities. COI is a New Jersey not-for-profit corporation that, among other things, oversees CONY’s operations in New York and provides administrative support, including a centralized billing team that handles CONY’s submission of claims for reimbursement to the New York Medicaid Program. The settlement resolves claims that the Defendants fraudulently billed Medicaid by submitting claims for Day Habilitation services that did not meet applicable requirements, and improperly avoiding the return of overpayments received from the Medicaid program for Day Habilitation services that failed to meet those requirements.
Under the settlement agreement approved today by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni, the Defendants will pay the U.S. $2,148,540.37 and have admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct alleged in the Complaint as further described below. The Defendants have also agreed to pay $2,868,085.74 to the State of New York to resolve the State of New York’s claims, for a total recovery of $5,016,626.11.
In connection with the settlement agreement, the Defendants have also entered into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG. The Corporate Integrity Agreement requires that the Defendants maintain a compliance program designed to foster adherence to federal health care program requirements and thereby protect the programs, and that they engage an independent organization to review claims they submit to Medicaid to ensure they comply with applicable requirements.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Community Options billed Medicaid for services that failed to meet program requirements and retained potential overpayments received from Medicaid when it had an obligation to report and return those funds. Community Options has now admitted and accepted responsibility for its conduct. This Office will continue to ensure that our most vulnerable New Yorkers receive the services they deserve, and that our federal health care programs are protected against fraud and abuse.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “Individuals and entities that participate in the federal healthcare system are required to obey the laws meant to preserve the integrity of program funds and the provision of appropriate services to patients. The settlement in this case involves a provider that is responsible for a vulnerable population, for which it should be prioritizing quality services.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
In order to receive payment from the New York Medicaid Program for the provision of Day Habilitation services, COI was required to ensure that such services were delivered and documented in compliance with applicable program requirements promulgated by the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (the “OPWDD Requirements”).
However, between January 1, 2017, and September 13, 2024, (the “Relevant Period”), COI failed to maintain adequate policies concerning the provision and documentation of Day Habilitation services consistent with the OPWDD Requirements and failed to adequately train their employees on compliance with the OPWDD Requirements. As a result, COI’s employees failed to document CONY’s provision of Day Habilitation services in accordance with the OPWDD requirements.
COI understood that they were prohibited from submitting claims for reimbursement to New York’s Medicaid program for Day Habilitation services if the OPWDD Requirements were not met. Nonetheless, COI frequently submitted claims to Medicaid for Day Habilitation services that did not meet these requirements.
COI further understood that, as a provider of services under New York’s Medicaid Program, they were required to report and return identified overpayments to the New York Medicaid Program. During the Relevant Period, COI conducted non-routine reviews that identified their receipt and retention of Medicaid overpayments associated with Day Habilitation services. Nevertheless, COI failed to report and return those overpayments to the New York Medicaid Program.
As part of the settlement, the Defendants admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct alleged by the U.S., including the following:
- In order to receive payment from the New York Medicaid Program for the provision of Day Habilitation services, the Defendants were required to ensure that such services were delivered and documented in compliance with the OPWDD Requirements.
- During the Relevant Period, the Defendants failed to maintain adequate policies concerning the provision and documentation of Day Habilitation services consistent with the OPWDD Requirements and failed to adequately train their employees on compliance with the OPWDD Requirements. As a result, the Defendants’ employees failed to document CONY’s provision of Day Habilitation services in accordance with the OPWDD Requirements.
- Nonetheless, the Defendants submitted claims for, and received, reimbursement from the New York Medicaid Program for Day Habilitation services that did not meet OPWDD Requirements.
- CONY was required to report and return overpayments associated with Day Habilitation services that did not meet the OPWDD Requirements to the New York Medicaid Program. Nonetheless, when the Defendants conducted non-routine reviews that identified their receipt and retention of overpayments associated with Day Habilitation services, they failed to report and return those overpayments to the New York Medicaid Program.
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
* * *
Mr. Podolsky thanked both HHS-OIG for its investigative efforts and assistance with the case, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit at the New York State Attorney General’s Office for its collaboration in the resolution of this case.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Farber is in charge of the case.
20cv4684_2025.03.26_government_settlement_stipulation_signed_redacted.pdf community_options_complaint-in-intervention.pdf
25 March 2025
Woodford County Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Versailles, Ky., man, Austin David Stafford, 31, was sentenced on Friday to a total of 540 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for production of child pornography.
The sentence is the result of two separate court cases against Stafford. According to his plea agreement from the first court case, Stafford and his co-defendant and girlfriend, Crystal Campbell, now deceased, used a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating visual depictions of that conduct on two occasions, once at the couple’s trailer and once in an outdoor setting. Stafford’s Facebook records contained two instances of Stafford distributing the videos.
According to his plea agreement from the second court case, law enforcement was alerted to Stafford because of a minor victim’s father seeing a group message on Facebook Messenger that contained nude photos of the minor victim. An investigation revealed that Stafford was using a fake persona, “Craig Wright,” on social media to lure the minor victim into an online romance. Under this persona, he obtained intimate details and visual depictions of the minor victim. He then created additional fake personas and used the information that he had learned about the victim to extort and manipulate the minor victim. The “sextortion” scheme led the minor victim to send more sexually explicit visual depictions to Stafford and to engage in sexual acts with him. Eventually, Stafford communicated with James Campbell, 26, of Versailles, Ky., Stafford’s co-defendant, and on June 10, 2022, coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct with Campbell and film it, under the guise that one of his fake personas would hurt her family if she didn’t comply. Stafford admitted to orchestrating the sexual exchange with the victim and Campbell, and that Campbell knowingly and willingly aided and abetted the product of the June 10th series.
Campbell is scheduled to be sentenced on April 21, 2025.
Under federal law, Stafford must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 30 years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI and KSP. Hart Megibben, Commonwealth Attorney for the 53rd Judicial Circuit, and Assistant Commonwealth Attorney, Jon Fee, also provided significant assistance to the investigation and prosecution of Stafford’s second case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the 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.
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Woodbury Man Pleads Guilty in Child Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Timothy Lennard Gebhart, a Woodbury man, has pleaded guilty to the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material and for coercing minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on multiple occasions between approximately July 10, 2021, and March 11, 2022, Timothy Lennard Gebhart, 38, coerced a 16-year-old child, Minor A, and a 14-year-old, Minor B, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing pornographic videos. After obtaining the images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, Gebhart distributed the videos via computer and cellular phone. Gebhart then used the pornographic videos to extort money and other items of value from Minor A, threatening to damage the victim’s reputation by sending nude photos and videos to their family and friends.
Gebhart pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell to two counts of child pornography production, one count of child pornography distribution, and one count of interstate communication with the intent to extort. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date. Gebhart faces a mandatory minimum 15-year sentence.
“Sextortion—threatening to share explicit images of a victim unless they comply with a predator’s demands—is abhorrent,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “All too often, our children become victims of these monstrous schemes. My office will continue to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.”
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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Woodbury Police Department, Greene County (Indiana) Sheriff’s Department, the Indiana State Police, and the FBI, with assistance from the Owatonna Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Classen is prosecuting the case.
Woodbury Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Machinegun and Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Alfonso Lee Seals, a Woodbury man, has been sentenced to 182 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon and interfering with commerce by robbery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on June 14, 2023, Minneapolis police responded to a 911 call reporting a shootout between two cars along University Avenue Northeast. Responding officers found an abandoned car crashed into a utility pole. On the floorboard of the driver’s seat, law enforcement discovered a Glock model 27 .40 caliber pistol with a “switch” or “auto-sear” attached to it, making it fully automatic. Forensic testing confirmed that that the defendant, Alfonso Lee Seals, 28, possessed the pistol. On November 7, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s brother’s home where they recovered a Taurus model G2S 9-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, which had been reported stolen from Mounds View, Minnesota, in October 2022. Forensic testing confirmed that the defendant possessed that pistol as well. On October 17, 2023, the defendant and an accomplice robbed a convenience store at gunpoint in Oakdale, Minnesota. Security camera footage showed the defendant ordering the victim cashier to his knees, placing a semiautomatic firearm to the cashier’s back, forcing him to open a cash register, and repeatedly threatening to kill the cashier during the robbery.
On December 23, 2024, Seals pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm as a felon and one count of interfering with commerce by robbery. In his plea agreement, Seals admitted that he knowingly and willingly possessed both firearms and that he possessed the Glock in connection with two other felonies—felony drive-by shooting and intentionally discharging a firearm under circumstances that endanger the safety of another. He also admitted that he and his accomplice robbed the convenience store at gunpoint and threatened to kill the victim cashier. Because Seals has multiple prior felony convictions for assault in both Hennepin and Dakota Counties, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
“Minnesotans should have no tolerance for armed and violent career criminals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “This behavior is shocking and unacceptable. My office will continue to hold Seals—and others who would terrorize our community—accountable.”
Seals was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Donovan W. Frank.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department, the Oakdale Police Department, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.
Wilburton Resident Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Teresa Louise Lightfoot, age 51, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Lightfoot pleaded guilty to the charge on November 8, 2024. According to investigators, on September 28, 2023, Lightfoot knowingly possessed a .40 S&W caliber semi-automatic pistol after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Lightfoot 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.
Violent Crime Consortium Keeps Public Safety at ForefrontRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The Northern Ohio Violent Crime Consortium (NOVCC) recently brought together more than 100 regional law enforcement participants, representing more than 20 agencies, to take part in a region-wide initiative to discuss public safety. The annual event is hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio. The District covers the 40 northern-most counties in the state of Ohio, which is home to more than 5.7 million people.
The violent crime consortium was established in 2007 through a Department of Justice grant to specifically address violent crime issues in eight Northern Ohio cities: Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Elyria, Lorain, Mansfield, Toledo, and Youngstown.
As the current top federal law enforcement officer for the District, Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik provided welcoming remarks on the importance of the consortium’s work to keep crime off the streets.
Photo courtesy of Jessica Salas Novak, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio.“The Consortium’s purpose is to prevent and reduce violent crime through the use of data-driven and evidence-based technologies,” said Skutnik. “NOVCC enhances our member agencies through skills training on accepted best practices and emerging technologies.”
Subject-matter experts addressed several key topics at this year’s gathering including the importance of inter-agency data sharing and information to combat crime, promising law enforcement practices, and modern policing in the digital age.
The USAO would like to acknowledge and thank the following for attending and participating in this year’s event:
Event speakers representing
- Fordham University
- Johns Hopkins University Center for Gun Violence Solutions
- Blacksburg, Virginia Police Department
- Brookhaven, Georgia Police Department
- Research Innovations, Inc.
Law enforcement agencies represented
- Akron Police Department
- Avon Police Department
- The University of Akron Police Department
- Barberton Police Department
- Berea Police Department
- Canton Police Department
- Cleveland Division of Police
- Cuyahoga County Sheriff
- Elyria Police Department
- Lorain Police Department
- Mansfield Police Department
- Maple Heights Police Department
- North Royalton Police Department
- Put-in-Bay Police Department
- Sandusky Police Department
- Toledo Police Department
- Warren Police Department
- Westlake Police Department
- Youngstown Police Department
State agencies
- Ohio Adult Parole Authority
- Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
- Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services
Nonprofit agency
- Partnership for a Safer Cleveland
Federal agencies
- ATF-Cleveland
- FBI-Cleveland
- U.S. Marshals Service-Cleveland
- U.S. Department of Justice-Office of Legal Policy
For more information about the consortium, contact Thomas McCartney at 216-622-3955.
Photo courtesy of Jessica Salas Novak, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio.Two Plead Guilty to Roles in COVID-19 Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, William Powell, 34, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and Jasmine Spencer, 32, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting bank fraud. Powell and Spencer each received $15,625 in proceeds from criminally derived Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, co-defendant Kisha Sutton conspired with Powell, Spencer, and others to obtain fraudulent PPP loans. Sutton submitted a PPP loan application on Powell’s behalf on April 19, 2021, and a PPP loan application on Spencer’s behalf of May 27, 2021. Powell and Spencer were each listed as a sole proprietor hair stylist who received $75,000 in gross income in 2020. Each application was filed with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1040, Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business, stating that the applicant had earned $75,000 in 2020. As part of their guilty pleas, Powell and Spencer admitted that they never earned $75,000 as a hair stylist in one year and that the IRS Form 1040 submitted with their application was fraudulent and created solely to obtain the PPP loan.
A PPP lender in Florida approved Powell’s loan application and a PPP lender in California approved Spencer’s. The $15,625 in proceeds from each loan was deposited in their respective personal bank accounts in late June 2021. Between June 30 and July 20, 2021, Sutton received $2,000 from Powell and $3,000 from Spencer as her shares of the fraudulent PPP loan proceeds. Powell and Spencer each transferred the money to Sutton using a digital wallet application. Powell and Spencer spent the remainder of their respective fraudulent loan proceeds on personal expenses.
The CARES Act made forgivable PPP loans available to qualifying sole proprietors, independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Applicants were required to certify that they were in operation on February 15, 2020, and provide documentation showing their prior gross income from either 2019 or 2020.
Powell is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2, 2025, and Spencer is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2025. Each faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Powell and Spencer each also owe $15,625 in restitution.
Powell, Spencer, and Sutton, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, are among seven individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they and others conspired, as well as aided and abetted one another, to obtain fraudulent PPP loans totaling $140,625. The indictment against Sutton and the other defendants remains pending. 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.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage, Jennifer D. Gordon, and Holly Wilson are prosecuting the case.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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-192.
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Two Defendants Arrested for Sledgehammer Smash-And-Grab Robbery of Jewelry StoreRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging KEVIN WILLIAMS and BYRON WILSON with the robbery of a jewelry store in Hartsdale, New York, on December 16, 2024, in which the defendants stole approximately $1.7 million of jewelry. WILLIAMS and WILSON were arrested this morning in New Jersey, and are expected to be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Kevin Williams and Byron Wilson, along with their co-conspirators, carried out the violent robbery of a jewelry store in broad daylight. Armed with sledgehammers, the defendants smashed their way in and then plundered the store of about $1.7 million in jewelry, diamonds, and luxury watches, all while innocent customers and employees hid for their safety. Today’s arrests should make clear that if you commit such brazen and dangerous crimes in this District, we will find you and hold you responsible.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
On December 16, 2024, WILLIAMS, WILSON, and their co-conspirators drove a stolen vehicle with a stolen license plate from New Jersey to New York. At around 11:07 a.m., they arrived at a jewelry store in the Westchester Square shopping plaza in Hartsdale, New York, got out of the vehicle, and sledgehammered their way into the store. Once inside, and while innocent customers cowered in fear for their safety, the robbers smashed jewelry display cases and stole around $1.7 million in jewelry, diamonds, and luxury watches. Soon after, they returned to their vehicle with bags of stolen goods and drove back to New Jersey. Surveillance images of the robbery are below.
Once they arrived in New Jersey, WILLIAMS drove to the Diamond District in New York City, while WILSON returned to their shared residence. A few hours later, WILLIAMS, WILSON, and their co-conspirators took photographs of themselves holding large stacks of cash.
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KEVIN WILLIAMS, 26, and BYRON WILSON, 24, both of Irvington, New Jersey, are charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and Newark Field Office, as well as the Nassau County Police Major Case Squad, the Town of Greenburgh Police Department, and the Newark Police Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Reyhan Watson is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._tarrytown_jewelers_complaint.pdf[1]As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Truck Yard Murderers Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Three defendants were sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death, multiple counts of kidnapping resulting in death, and kidnapping.
James Edward Daniels, 59, and Frederick Eugene Rudolph, 69, both of Miami, Fla., were sentenced to life in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Herbert Barr, 56, of Miami, the third defendant, was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. The sentences come after Daniels and Rudolph were found guilty of all charges at trial on Dec. 17, 2024, and Barr pleaded guilty to kidnapping on Nov. 26, 2024.
On Dec. 5, 2020, Daniels, Rudolph, Barr and other co-conspirators kidnapped three victims from a truck yard in Opa-locka, Fla. They bound and tortured the victims, duct-taped their eyes and threw them in the back of a rented van after stealing the victims’ drugs. They drove around the city for hours before taking the victims to an abandoned house in Opa-locka and attempting to execute them by shooting the three victims. Two of the victims died, while one miraculously survived.
Daniels stole jewelry from one of the murdered victims, and all defendants benefitted by receiving drugs, money, or both, in exchange for their participation in the conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division announced the sentences.
The FBI Miami Division Homestead Resident Agency, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Homicide Bureau and DEA Homestead Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Yara Dodin and Katie Guthrie prosecuted the case.
This investigation was carried out by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force. The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies who, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations. The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats. For more information regarding HIDTA visit https://www.dea.gov/operations/hidta.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20431.
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Starkville Man Sentenced to Three Years for Possession and Sale of Illegal Glock DeviceRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced today to three years in prison for possession and transfer of a “Glock switch,” which is a device that converts a semi-automatic handgun to fully automatic.
According to court documents, Kylen Ingram, also known as “KTM Prime,” 22, previously pled guilty to possession and transfer of a “Glock switch” which constitutes a machinegun under federal law. U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Ingram today to 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Ingram was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson; and FBI Jackson Field Office Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Starkville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Terrance Payne Hayes, age 40, from Sioux City, sentenced March 25, 2025, to more than seven years in federal prison. Hayes received the prison term after an October 16, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon, drug user and person convicted of domestic violence.
Hayes’ unlawful possession of a firearm and drug use were discovered by law enforcement during an investigation into a July 2023 home invasion and homicide. The investigation revealed an individual entered Hayes’ residence, armed with knives, to steal back a stolen firearm Hayes possessed. Hayes was repeatedly stabbed and repeatedly shot the invader with the stolen firearm, ultimately killing the invading individual.
Hayes has a history of violence that the sentencing court described as “stunning.” He has repeatedly been convicted of domestic abuse assault and assault. He has repeatedly been convicted of a myriad of other crimes involving violent, dangerous, and freighting behavior. For example, confronting his one-time girlfriend’s father and breaking the family’s gate; throwing a brick through the window of a home; threatening people with a gun, even causing a 13-year old bystander to fear for herself and her sister; “taunt[ing]” a security guard with a broken bottle; stalking his girlfriend at her workplace; threating a witness stating: “After the court date I’m going to come kill everyone in your house;” threating to knock a victim unconscious; banging repeatedly on the windows of a victim’s home; throwing a rock through the window of a victim’s home; slapping and holding the neck of his wife; and stalking a female taxi passenger. Additionally, Hayes has been convicted of possession of controlled substances, attempted burglary, operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent, and numerous other offenses.
Hayes was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 90 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.
United States Attorney Timothy Duax stated, “Individuals like Mr. Hayes who repeatedly assault and threaten the citizens of our district will be caught, prosecuted, and punished. I compliment the Sioux City Police Department, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the ATF for their fine work which resulted in a dangerous criminal being removed from our streets.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.
Hayes 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, Iowa Police Department, the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was 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 23-4068.
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Sioux City Felon Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jamiah Burton, age 30, from Sioux City, was sentenced March 21, 2025, to five years in federal prison, after an August 8, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case revealed on January 19, 2024, Burton entered a Sioux City, Iowa bar with a female companion. The couple argued, the female left, and Burton turned his attention to the sole remaining person in the bar: the female bartender. For the next hour and half or so, Burton who had been drinking, refused to leave, repeatedly came behind the bar, simulated a sex act on his victim, manhandled her, at various points become emotional, brandished a loaded handgun -- claiming he had a bullet for his victim and one for himself -- and stole a bottle of alcohol all before being tricked out of the bar by his victim’s promise to leave with him. A video of the event shows the victim’s attempts to navigate an impossible situation: she laughs and drinks and plays along with Burton all while secretly texting for help and trying to escape. The moment she tricks him out of the bar, she locked the doors, hid in the bathroom, and called 911.
Approximately 16 minutes after Burton left the bar, law enforcement in South Sioux City, Nebraska located the vehicle he was using which was high centered and stranded in the snow. Law enforcement located several open containers and a bottle of tequila (consistent with the one he stole from the bar) in the vehicle.
Burton has a serious criminal history. Among numerous convictions, Burton has twice committed violent home invasions, and driven drunk while attempting to elude police.
Burton was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 60 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.
Burton 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 South Sioux City, Nebraska and the Sioux City, Iowa Police Departments and was 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 24-4015.
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Shiprock Man Charged with Assault After Shots Fired at PedestrianRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after he allegedly fired multiple shots at an unsuspecting pedestrian.
According to court records, on March 13, 2025, the Navajo Nation Police responded to a shots-fired report. Isaiah Benally, 33, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly fired multiple shots at a passerby who escaped unharmed despite bullets striking nearby. Benally was taken into custody by the Navajo Nation SWAT team after a brief standoff. Inside his residence, officers found body armor and firearm accessories. Benally has a history of arrests for aggravated battery and assault.
Benally will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Benally faces up to 10 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Benally).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nicholas Hammer, age 46, formerly of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender, which is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment.
The Indictment alleged that Hammer was convicted of Rape—First Degree on January 4, 2001, in the State of Oklahoma and is required to register as a sex offender. The Indictment further alleged that Hammer failed to register and update his registration from October 10, 2024, until November 4, 2024, despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Hammer will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Hammer will be sentenced by a U.S. District Court Judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
San Francisco Man Charged with Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Ricci Lee Wynne on charges of producing child sexual abuse materials. Wynne made his initial appearance in federal court this morning.
According to the indictment filed March 18, 2025, Wynne, 39, of San Francisco, allegedly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing videos and/or images of the conduct on or about April 9, 2022, and Oct. 29, 2022.
Wynne has been in federal custody since December 2024 following a report of a supervised release violation in another case. He is next scheduled to appear in district court on March 26, 2025, for a status conference before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.
Wynne is charged with two counts of production of child pornography under 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a). An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a). 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Wistar Wilson and Eric Cheng are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Soana Katoa and Marina Ponomarchuk. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI appreciate the assistance of the San Francisco Police Department and HSI. Anyone with information relevant to this case can report it by contacting the FBI at (415) 553-7400 or tips.fbi.gov.
Ricci Lee Wynne Indictment
Romanian Men Indicted for Card SkimmingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DANIEL IULIAN TEUTOC (“TEUTOC”), a/k/a “Simon Mikula,” and CONSTANTIN CALIN (“CALIN”), citizens of Romania, were charged on March 21, 2025, in a nine-count indictment for conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343, 1344, and 1349; conspiracy to commit access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 1029(a)(3) and 1029(a)(4); and seven counts of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(3).
According to the indictment, TEUTOC and CALIN went to Walmart stores across the Eastern District of Louisiana, including Laplace, Slidell, Harvey, Boutte, Chalmette, and New Orleans. TEUTOC and CALIN captured card information at different the points of sale, from card skimming devices that had been previously installed by other members of the conspiracy. TEUTOC and CALIN used magnets to activate the card skimmers and send the card information electronically to TEUTOC and CALIN’s cell phones. After gaining possession of the Walmart customer’s credit, debit, and EBT card information, TEUTOC and CALIN sent the information to another co-conspirator with the intent to allow members of the conspiracy to make fraudulent charges with the stolen card information.
If convicted of the conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, TEUTOC and CALIN face up to 30 years imprisonment, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release. If convicted of the conspiracy to commit access device fraud, TEUTOC and CALIN face up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. If convicted of possession of unauthorized access devices, TEUTOC and CALIN face up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to each count, TEUTOC and CALIN, individually, face payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, United States Secret Service, New Orleans Police Department, St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, and St. John the Baptist Parish’s Sheriff’s Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit, Nicholas Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator, and André Jones, lead OCDETF Narcotics Task Force Attorney, are in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Richland County Man Sentenced for Drug Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jocobia Dozier-Eaddy, 37, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Dozier-Eaddy and others were responsible for shipping and selling cocaine and counterfeit oxycodone pills made with fentanyl through the U.S. Postal Service from Arizona into South Carolina. During this investigation agents seized marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, and counterfeit oxycodone pills. Agents were able to identify Dozier-Eaddy following his sale of counterfeit pills to an undercover agent. During the sale, Dozier-Eaddy sold the undercover agent 200 counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
Following his identification, the agents learned that Dozier-Eaddy called the USPS to inquire about a package that had been seized by them. The package contained two individually wrapped packages containing over 900 grams of cocaine and 5 grams of crack cocaine. The package was supposed to be delivered that day. Dozier-Eaddy confirmed the package seized was the correct package and gave the correct tracking number, his cellular telephone number, and the correct address for delivery. During the time of this conspiracy, Dozier-Eaddy also wired money to the supplier of the drugs in Arizona, who was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations in a separate investigation in Arizona.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Dozier-Eaddy to 46 months' imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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Rensselaer County Man Admits to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Justin Zimmer, age 45, of Wynantskill, New York, pled guilty today to distributing methamphetamine. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
Zimmer admitted to distributing over 5 grams of pure methamphetamine in Albany County, on or about January 14, 2022. Zimmer is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on July 28, 2025. He faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, and a term of supervised release of at least 4 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.
ATF investigated the case with the assistance of the New York Police Department High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Group, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Troy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen J. Vickey is prosecuting the case.
Registered Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Steven Christopher Kelban, age 50, of Catonsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Kelban was identified as a suspect in the trafficking of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also called child pornography, during Baltimore County Police Department’s online investigation of the BitTorrent network.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Kelly O. Hayes, along with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Baltimore Field Office, Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger, and Chief Robert McCullough of the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).
According to his guilty plea, Kelban has two prior convictions for child pornography. In 2015, Kelban was convicted of possession of obscene matter of persons under 17 in Shelby County, Alabama, and in 2016, he was convicted of distribution of child pornography in Baltimore County, Maryland.
As detailed in the plea agreement, on November 20, 2023, Kelban was released from imprisonment in Alabama and returned to Maryland. He registered as a sex offender in Maryland on November 21, 2023, listing an address in Baltimore County, Maryland.
On November 28, 2023, the Baltimore County Police Department conducted an online investigation of the BitTorrent network to find offenders sharing child pornography. His IP address was associated with a torrent that contained over 2000 files, including at least one file of suspected child pornography. Between 12:33 am and 1:38 am on November 28, 2023, investigators directly connected to the device and downloaded the torrent, and therefore each file was downloaded directly from the IP address. The IP address for the device was connected to Kelban’s residence in Baltimore County, the same address that Kelban used when he registered as a sex offender a week prior.
Kelban faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025, at 11 a.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended FBI and the BCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood, who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced for LarcenyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Larceny. The sentencing took place on March 24, 2025.
Zyin Wright, age 22, was sentenced to time served from his arrest on March 27, 2024, through March 24, 2025, equal to approximately one year in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Wright was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,124.47.
Wright was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on December 16, 2024.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred in March of 2024. On the evening of March 26, 2024, Wright stole a motor vehicle from a residence in Rapid City. He then drove the vehicle to Mission, South Dakota, in the Rosebud Indian Reservation. The vehicle was reported stolen on the morning of March 27, 2024, and it was located in Mission a short time later with the assistance of vehicle-tracking software. Wright was arrested in Mission later that day.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Pueblo Pintado Man Charged with MurderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Pueblo Pintado man is facing murder charges in federal court for the fatal shooting of John Doe during an altercation.
According to court records, on March 17, 2025, Thurman Curley, 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and John Doe were hanging out and drinking at a residence in Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico. Around 1:00 a.m., the men got into an argument which turned physical. Witnesses heard multiple threats, then heard a gunshot and saw Curley outside the residence with a gun.
Officers from the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to a 911 call and began life-saving measures on John Doe. Despite their best efforts, officers and EMTs were unable to revive John Doe, and he died.
FBI agents collected a handgun and one shell casing from the location.
Curley is charged with murder and will be on conditions of release imposed by the Court pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Curley faces up to life in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mia Ulibarri-Rubin is prosecuting the case.
View the Complaint (Curley).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Principals of Fire Alarm Repair Company Plead Guilty to Decade-Long Scheme to Defraud New York City AgenciesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Walter Stanzione and William Neogra, the principals of a fire alarm maintenance company, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Both defendants were charged with a decade-long scheme to defraud the City of New York by seeking payment on millions of dollars of grossly inflated fraudulent bills. The proceedings were held before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo. When sentenced, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York) announced the charges.
“For over a decade, the City of New York relied on the defendants to ensure that the fire safety systems in hundreds of city buildings were in safe, working order,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “The defendants abused this position of trust so that they could scheme and steal, defrauding New York City out of millions of dollars. The guilty pleas announced today make clear that reprehensible conduct like this will be uncovered and prosecuted.”
“Millions of dollars went up in smoke as Walter Stanzione and William Neogra fraudulently inflated the cost of their company’s products to finance personal luxurious purchases,” stated Acting FBI Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “For more than ten years, the defendants charged various New York City clients exaggerated pricing for fire alarm systems and obfuscated this misconduct through doctored invoices. The FBI remains determined to protect our city’s citizens and infrastructure from criminals seeking to unlawfully profit with little concern for safety.”
“Stanzione and Neogra orchestrated a scheme to defraud the City of New York. They created shell companies to pass-through supplies sold to NYC agencies at inflated prices with false invoices. Millions of dollars were billed over a decade, and the excessive profit left these fraudsters living large. Today’s plea means the defendants’ lifestyle will go from extravagant in size to a reduction in square feet,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.
“These defendants systematically inflated costs billed to multiple City agencies—including the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the Department of Education, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Sanitation, for more than a decade,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber. “When vendors exploit their contractual relationship with the City by overbilling, they steal public funds from City taxpayers. I thank our federal law enforcement partners for their commitment to protect the City’s resources and to ensure vendors who commit fraud are held responsible.”
As set forth in various public court filings and in today’s proceedings, the defendants exercised control over Fire Alarm Electrical Corp., a company that held numerous contracts with New York City agencies to repair and maintain fire alarm systems. For more than a decade, the defendants overbilled those agencies by submitting fraudulent invoices with dramatically inflated prices. They accomplished this scheme in several ways:
- The defendants created numerous shell companies that were secretly owned by defendant Stanzione. After purchasing supplies from legitimate retailers, the defendants would re-invoice the parts through the shell companies for roughly three to five times the real purchase price, ultimately passing along those “costs” to the City.
- The defendants took advantage of pre-existing shell companies that were being used in other ongoing frauds. For example, the defendants used shell companies created by convicted EDNY defendant David Motovich, which Motovich had used in an entirely separate fraud scheme that was also investigated and prosecuted by EDNY, FBI, DOI and IRS (21-CR-497).
- When city auditors became suspicious of the shell companies, the defendants fraudulently modified the documents of legitimate retailers, passing off the altered invoices from these companies as if they were genuine.
These methods enabled the defendants to submit millions of dollars of fictitious payment requests to four separate city agencies over an eleven-year period. Defendant Stanzione, the leader of the fraud, then siphoned off much of the ill-gotten gains and used the stolen money to fund his family’s lavish spending habits.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Erik Paulsen, Michael Gibaldi and Eric Silverberg are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kavya Kannan.
The Defendants:
WALTER STANZIONE
Age: 66
East Meadow, Long IslandWILLIAM NEOGRA
Age: 65
Millsboro, DelawareE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-482 (RPK)
Pittsford father and son facing multiple fraud and ID theft charges in Rochester area credit card scamRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Talib Hussain, 74, and Mirza Khan, 46, both of Pittsford, NY, were charged by criminal complaint with bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, since January 2015, JP Morgan Chase, Discover Financial Services, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Bank of America, Barclay Bank, US Bank, Capital One and American Express have identified fraudulent credit card activity in the Rochester area. A high number of newly issued credit cards were charged to their maximum credit limit and almost all the cards had no valid payments applied to the accounts.
The investigation determined that several of the credit cards were connected. The credit cards were applied for using an actual social security number but a fabricated name and date of birth to create a new, or “synthetic” identity, which was then used to acquire lines-of-credit used by the creator and/or his co-conspirators to make fraudulent purchases until the credit limit was reached. Some of them were used to pay property taxes to the City of Rochester and the Rochester Gas & Electric Corporation bills for properties in Rochester, including Lucky Beverage on Norton Street, Chili Express on Chili Avenue, and Easy (EZ) Food Market on Plymouth Avenue. A total of 32 different fraudulent credit cards were used to make periodic online property tax payments for the three properties between 2016 and 2022, totaling approximately $163,000. Further investigation determined that Lucky Beverage and Chili Express are owned by Mirza Khan, while Easy Food Market is owned by Khan’s father and co-defendant Talib Hussain.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation New York, under the direction of Harry Chavis, Acting Executive Special Agent in Charge, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Amy Connelly.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 24, 2025, to federal drug and firearm charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Marques Coffey, 21, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge David S. Cercone to two counts of violating federal law: knowingly possessing with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on March 4, 2023, Coffey was found to be in possession of fentanyl and a loaded firearm upon being detained after allegedly breaking the window on the back door of a Bellevue, Pennsylvania, area residence.
Judge Cercone scheduled Coffey’s sentencing for August 5, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Coffey remains detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Bellevue Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Coffey.
Ottumwa Man Sentenced to 125 Months in Federal Prison for Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – An Ottumwa man was sentenced today to 125 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in early 2024, Nolan Ryan Rork, 19, was on probation with the State of Iowa. In April 2024, Rork removed his electronic ankle monitor. In June 2024, law enforcement located Rork. While fleeing, Rork threw his backpack, which had two loaded firearms and more than 60 grams of methamphetamine.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Rork will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Wapello County Sheriff’s Office and the Ottumwa Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Oklahoma Man Charged with Operating Large-Scale Dog Fighting and Trafficking VentureRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma unsealed a grand jury indictment recently charging an Oklahoma man with violations of the dog fighting prohibitions of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
Leshon Eugene Johnson, of Broken Arrow, made his initial appearance in court last week. He is charged with possessing 190 pit bull-type dogs for use in an animal fighting venture and for selling, transporting, and delivering a dog for use in an animal fighting venture. Federal authorities seized the 190 dogs from Johnson in October 2024 as authorized under the Animal Welfare Act. This is believed to be the largest number of dogs ever seized from a single person in a federal dog fighting case.
“Animal abuse is cruel, depraved, and deserves severe punishment,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and will remain committed to protecting innocent animals from those who would do them harm.”
“The FBI will not tolerate criminals that harm innocent animals for their twisted form of entertainment,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI views animal cruelty investigations as a precursor to larger, organized crime efforts, similar to trafficking and homicides. This is yet another push in the FBI's crackdown of violent offenders harming our most innocent.”
“Dog fighting is illegal, and courts have upheld its prosecution time and again,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This strategic prosecution of an alleged repeat offender led to the seizure of 190 dogs destined for a cruel end. It disrupts a major source of dogs used in other dog fighting ventures.”
“Dog fighting is a cruel, blood-thirsty venture, not a legitimate business or sporting activity,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “I applaud the investigative work of the FBI and the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division in detecting and dismantling breeding operations which only serve to propagate this deplorable conduct.”
According to court documents, Johnson ran a dog fighting operation known as “Mal Kant Kennels” in both Broken Arrow and Haskell, Oklahoma. He previously ran “Krazyside Kennels” also out of Oklahoma, which led to his guilty plea on state animal fighting charges in 2004. Johnson selectively bred “champion” and “grand champion” fighting dogs — dogs that have respectively won three or five fights — to produce offspring with fighting traits and abilities desired by him and others for use in dog fights. Johnson marketed and sold stud rights and offspring from winning fighting dogs to other dog fighters looking to incorporate the Mal Kant Kennels “bloodline” into their own dog fighting operations. His trafficking of fighting dogs to other dog fighters across the country contributed to the growth of the dog fighting industry and allowed Johnson to profit financially.
Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that effects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase, or receive dogs for fighting purposes.
If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty on each count of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The FBI’s Shreveport Resident Agency office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sarah Brown and Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Native of Guatemala arrested, charged with making a false statementRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Gendry Amilcar Niz-Niz, 25, a native of Guatemala, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with making a false statement, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Henning and Sasha Mascarenhas, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, at approximately 4:30 p.m. on March 16, 2025, Niz-Niz was pulled over on Main Street in the City of Lockport for numerous vehicle and traffic violations. The Lockport Police Department requested assistance from U.S. Border Patrol personnel after Niz-Niz provided a foreign identification document. He presented an identification card appearing to have originated from the Republic of Guatemala Department of Transportation, bearing the name Juan Martinez-Chavez. When asked his name and country of citizenship by a U.S. Border Patrol agent, Niz-Niz responded “Juan Martinez.” The photo on the identification card matched the defendant. An immigration check utilizing the name and date of birth listed on the identification card did not show any documentation of a legal entry into the United States. In addition, Niz-Niz admitted to entering the U.S. illegally and stated that this was the first time he had been encountered or arrested by immigration authorities. Niz-Niz was then taken into custody. Further investigation determined that Niz-Niz had previously been arrested under the name Gendry Amilcar Niz-Niz in Tucson, Arizona in November 2021.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Lockport Police Department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott and U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Martin B. Coombs.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Missoula woman sentenced to thirteen years in prison for trafficking meth and fentanylRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula woman who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 156 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Emily Svoboda, 31, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on November 23, 2022, a confidential source purchased 100 fentanyl pills from Svoboda for $600. The source asked Svoboda if she had any “clear” – a slang term for meth – and Svoboda said she did not currently but likely would be resupplying later in the evening. The confidential source asked for a “roll” of fentanyl pills (100), and Svoboda said she could provide that. Svoboda had a bag of approximately 200 pills but was not willing to sell all of them. Five days later, on November 28, 2022, the confidential source purchased 26.5 grams of methamphetamine and 50 fentanyl pills from Svoboda for $1,000. And on December 9, 2022, Svoboda sold the source 53.7 grams of methamphetamine and 100 fentanyl pills for $1,400. A review of Svoboda’s Facebook pages revealed messages related to drug transactions and she admitted to law enforcement she sold drugs. She said she received between two and four ounces of methamphetamine from a co-conspirator every two to four weeks from roughly September to December 2022.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The ATF, Missoula Police Department, and Missoula HIDTA conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Missoula man sentenced to ten years in prison for trafficking meth and fentanylRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A Missoula man who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 120 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Andrew David Ambler, 27, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on May 24, 2024, Ambler was arrested by members of the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force on a parole violation for suspected drug trafficking and firearm-related offenses. Prior to being taken into custody, Ambler attempted to flee on foot while trying to get to his vehicle and discarded a backpack and a bag that were on his person. The backpack and bag contained a loaded .22 caliber pistol, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. A search of Ambler’s vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills, which he admitted he intended to distribute.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Transporting AliensRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 97 months in prison for conspiracy to transport aliens.
According to court documents, Victor Ubaldo Hernandez-Ortega, 33, of Durango, worked as a load driver for a known human smuggler. As such, he would pick up illegal aliens in El Paso and transport them to other locations in El Paso or to a predetermined location in Albuquerque, New Mexico in exchange for $100 to $500 per alien. Additionally, Hernandez-Ortega was recruited to oversee two stash houses, between which more than 200 illegal aliens were harbored.
Hernandez-Ortega had previously been granted four voluntary departures, most recently on June 9, 2024, through Santa Teresa, New Mexico. He was arrested Aug. 21, 2024, and pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dearden prosecuted the case.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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McAlester Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Leslie Ray Upchurch, age 36, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the McAlester Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On October 29, 2024, Upchurch pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on April 28, 2023, Upchurch knowingly possessed a Ruger 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol and several rounds of 9mm Luger caliber ammunition after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Upchurch 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.
Marion Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for Misspending Money from Special Needs TrustRead the Press Release
A woman who spent nearly all of the funds in a special needs trust on her own expenses pled guilty on March 20, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Megan Middaugh, age 39, from Marion, Iowa, was convicted of wire fraud.
In a plea agreement, Middaugh admitted that in September 2019 she petitioned a state court for the authority to, among other things, settle a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of the victim and establish a special needs trust for the victim. The court granted her petition in October 2019. In February 2020, Middaugh opened a checking account as the medical assistance special needs trust for the victim and funded it with $67,070.50 from the lawsuit settlement. Middaugh was the trustee on the account. Thereafter, Middaugh spent nearly all of the funds in the trust on her own personal expenses, including gambling. Between February 2020 and January 2021, Middaugh spent $52,000 of the trust funds on online gaming. Middaugh failed to file required annual accountings of the trust in 2020, 2021, and 2022 with the state court. After appearing at a compliance hearing with the court, Middaugh created and filed false reports that appeared to show regular expenditures on the behalf of the victim.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Middaugh remains free on bond previously set. Middaugh faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and was investigated by Marion Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-0089.
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Lynchburg Man Sentenced to 106 Months on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
LYNCHBURG, Va. – A local man who trafficked pressed fentanyl pills and oxycodone while possessing a firearm was sentenced last week to 106 months in federal prison.
Shytrez Robey, 25, pled guilty in November 2024 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, after repeatedly making controlled purchases of pressed fentanyl pills from Robey’s roommate, Elijah Pollard, police obtained and executed a search warrant for the two-bedroom apartment Robey and Pollard shared in Lynchburg. Pollard pled guilty to separate federal charges and was sentenced to 12 years in July 2024.
In Robey’s bedroom, police found pressed blue fentanyl pills and two loaded handguns – a Glock 19 9 mm and a Smith & Wesson 9 mm. Police also found a money counter, medical gloves, and empty vacuum-sealed bags. Robey was not home at the time the search warrant was executed.
Approximately two months later, law enforcement arrested Robey at his girlfriend’s apartment in Lynchburg. Police subsequently obtained and executed a search warrant for that apartment, and, in the bedroom occupied by Robey, his girlfriend, and a toddler, they found a large quantity of marijuana, 60-70 pills of assorted colors, which were predominantly oxycodone, and a loaded Romarm Micro Draco AK-pattern pistol. Police also seized Robey’s cell phone which contained text messages related to the sale of pills.
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Lynchburg Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Brett prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Announces Anticipated Distribution of at Least $2B to Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism in 2026Read the Press Release
Today, Special Master Mary Patrice Brown announced that she will authorize sixth-round payments for all eligible claims in the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (the Fund) by Jan. 1, 2026. The Fund, which continues to collect deposits, anticipates that the sixth distribution will be at least $2 billion. The amounts available for this distribution come from qualifying federal enforcement actions and the termination of the Beirut barracks / Khobar Tower reserve fund.
“It is a privilege for the Criminal Division to administer the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which has provided more than $7 billion to victims of state sponsored terrorism since its founding,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement of a distribution of at least $2 billion to victims in 2026 is the largest general distribution in the Fund’s history and will make a significant difference in victims’ lives. Victims are at the heart of everything we do at the Criminal Division, and we are proud to support them through our administration of the Fund.”
The Fund was established by Congress and is administered by the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), under the leadership of the Fund’s Special Master. To date, the Fund has paid more than $7 billion to thousands of victims of state sponsored terrorism and their families in five rounds of distributions and two rounds of lump-sum catch-up payments. The anticipated distribution announced today is in addition to these prior distributions. Apart from an initial appropriation of approximately $1 billion from Congress and additional congressional appropriations for lump-sum catch-up payments, funds available for distribution come from certain Justice Department prosecutions and cases and other United States government enforcement actions.
The Fund continues to accept applications from potential new claimants. As the Special Master announced, the deadline for new claimants to submit applications to be considered for sixth-round payments is June 1. Claimants who were eligible for payments in prior rounds remain eligible for the sixth distribution and should not complete new applications.
More information about the Fund’s compensation to victims of state sponsored terrorism is available on the Fund’s website at www.usvsst.com, including application materials, frequently asked questions, and publications.
Jessamine County Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Wilmore, Ky., man, Jason Horton, 43, was sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to 35 years in prison, for production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, in October 2023, law enforcement received a tip that Horton, a previously convicted sex offender, was using online platforms to engage in the sexual exploitation of minors. Law enforcement obtained search warrants for Horton’s residence and electronic devices. On Horton’s phone, it was revealed that he engaged in online conversations with minors in which he solicited them to produce sexually explicit images. Horton specifically admitted to engaging in an online relationship with a 16-year-old victim, conducted primarily via Snapchat, and persuading her to create sexually explicit images which were transmitted to him via the internet.
Horton also admitted that he was required to register as a sex offender at the time of this offense, due to a 2004 Kentucky conviction for rape and sodomy in the second degree.
Under federal law, Horton must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Horton’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sherriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HIS, Kentucky State Police, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the 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.
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Illegal alien cartel member sent to prison for possessing nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunitionRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 20-year-old Mexican national affiliated with Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) unlawfully residing in Laredo has been sentenced for illegally possessing ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Charbel Garza Macias pleaded guilty Oct. 8, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Macias to serve 63 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Macias as member of the CDN. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Macias was providing tools of war to a brutal criminal organization.
“This defendant’s goal was to get this ammunition to Mexico and, if he had succeeded, would have contributed to the cartels’ ongoing campaign of brutality,” said Ganjei. “Those who work to arm, supply, fund, or otherwise aid these organizations take notice; you are going to be found and prosecuted.”
“The conviction and sentence of this individual highlights the serious consequences of smuggling ammunition across international borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI). ICE-HSI remains committed to disrupting cross-border criminal operations and ensuring that individuals who engage in these illegal activities face the full weight of the law.”
Macias had made several bulk purchases of ammunition in Laredo with the intention of transporting them to Mexico for profit.
On July 16, 2024, authorities were conducting surveillance when they observed a vehicle previously suspected of transporting large amounts of high caliber ammunition. Macias was driving and had loaded ammunition into the trunk of the vehicle.
Macias attempted to elude law enforcement as they followed him after departing the parking lot.
Following a traffic stop, a search resulted in the discovery of approximately 4,800 rounds of .223/5.56 caliber ammunition in the vehicle. At the time of his arrest, Macias admitted he was hired to purchase approximately 20,000 rounds of ammunition to be smuggled into Mexico. He claimed the ammunition was for the CDN operating in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Macias did not have a license to export ammunition or firearms and knew it was illegal to smuggle ammunition into Mexico.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
ICE-HSI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan L. Oliver prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Honduras Man Charged with Multiple Firearms Charges Following Burglary of a Federal Firearms Licensee in Dickson, TennesseeRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Manuel De Jesus Guirola-Amaya, 20, a citizen of Honduras without legal status in the United States, has been indicted by a federal grand jury with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, possession of a stolen firearm, and stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee, announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to court documents, on December 5, 2024, a burglary occurred at Golden Eagle Pawn, a Federal Firearms Licensee, in Dickson, Tennessee. Surveillance video showed two stolen cars arrive at the shop, one of which rammed the front door. Four people got out of the cars and went into the store, targeting several firearms displays. About two minutes after crashing into the store, the four subjects left in one of the stolen cars. More than 40 firearms were stolen during the burglary.
Later that day, a La Vergne Police Department officer stopped a car with an expired registration. The sole occupant of the car was Guirola-Amaya. Inside the trunk of the car, officers discovered a backpack containing five pistols that had been stolen in the Golden Eagle Pawn burglary and still had the price tags attached. Officers also found another backpack in the backseat with two pistols which were also reported stolen from Golden Eagle Pawn, one of which still had a price tag attached. The backpack also held suspected marijuana, and a set of digital scales.
Agents later executed a federal search warrant at a residence tied to Guirola-Amaya. They discovered, among other things, a high-capacity magazine, ammunition, and price tags consistent with the Golden Eagle Pawn price tags. Agents also executed several search warrants on cell phones found on Guirola-Amaya or in the car the day of his arrest. The data extraction results from the phones provided further ties to the burglary including photographs and videos of firearms, location data, and search queries.
Guirola-Amaya entered the United States illegally in March 2022, and has no lawful status.
If convicted, Guirola-Amaya faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison on Count One, which charges possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and 10 years each on the other two counts. Guirola-Amaya also faces a $250,000 fine on each count.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the La Vergne Police Department and the Dickson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Hartford Man Charged with Narcotics Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned a three-count indictment charging JOSE BARET, 33, of Hartford, with narcotics trafficking offenses.
The indictment was returned on January 29, 2025. Baret appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since May 23, 2024, when he was arrested in Lebanon, New Hampshire, on separate charges.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Baret was arrested on related state charges on April 10, 2024. On that date, a search of Baret’s vehicle and a hotel room he used revealed a distribution quantity of fentanyl, and a search of his residence on Goodrich Street in Hartford revealed quantities of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
The indictment charges Baret with two counts of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and heroin. Each offense carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Hardy County Man Admits to Federal Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Justin Ray Guessford, age 40, of Fisher, West Virginia, has admitted to the unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Guessford, also known as “Justin Ray Gilbert,” was found with a .22 caliber rifle in Hardy County. Guessford is prohibited from having firearms because of prior malicious wounding and child neglect convictions.
Guessford is facing up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Greenville Woman Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking 15-year-old StudentRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — True Heaven Heflin, 25, of Greenville, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for trafficking a 15-year-old Greenville student.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the minor victim went to a party over Christmas break in 2022 where she met Heflin. Heflin then took the minor victim to her residence and forced the victim to engage in sexual acts for money. Heflin held the minor victim for over a week before the teen was able to escape.
“If you abuse and exploit children for money, we will find you, we will charge you, and we will ensure you go to prison. Human trafficking inflicts profound and lasting damage on its victims and our community," declared Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “We, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continue to tirelessly investigate and prosecute these despicable acts until our children and communities are safe.”
“The successful prosecution and sentencing of True Heflin exemplifies what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies collaborate to tackle the horrific crime of human trafficking. This case serves as a reminder of our unwavering commitment to seeking justice for victims and holding traffickers accountable,” said Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis. “Human trafficking has been — and will continue to be — a top priority for the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. We will persist in defending and advocating for those who cannot defend themselves, ensuring that those responsible for such heinous acts are brought to justice.”
United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced Heflin to 300 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Heflin was also ordered to pay the victim $5,000 in restitution. Heflin pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy in November 2024.
If anyone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. For more information on reporting and to learn the signs of human trafficking, visit https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/report-human-trafficking
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard is prosecuting the case.
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Grenada County Man Sentenced in Ocdetf Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – A Grenada County man was sentenced today to over twelve years in prison for selling methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Billy Wayne Winters, of Grenada County, Mississippi pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to distribution of methamphetamine. Winters was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson on Tuesday to 151 months in prison for drug trafficking. He was further sentenced to three years supervised release following his release from prison.
“The defendant, a meth dealer, was willing to destroy lives in return for a profit,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Our office will continue our outstanding partnership with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics to get dangerous narcotics, and the people who sell them, off of our streets.”
“Great job to everyone involved in this case,” said Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “Another drug dealer taken off the streets, preventing further harm to the livelihood of our citizens."
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Fraud Conspiracy Leader SentencedRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Johnston man, identified in court documents as the leader of a conspiracy that used stolen personal identifications of unsuspecting individuals to gain financing for the purchase of Land Rovers from dealerships in Rhode Island and New Hampshire, has been sentenced to two-and-one-half years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Dennis Odoom, 27, previously admitted to a federal judge that he enlisted others to join the conspiracy. Odoom admitted that he provided a co-conspirator with a fraudulent ID and that he drove that person to a dealership in New Hampshire to pick up a Land Rover valued at $96,256 purchased with fraudulently obtained credit. The person accompanying him was expecting to be paid $2,000 by Odoom.
Additionally, court documents allege that fraudulently obtained financing was used by co-conspirators to purchase a Land Rover from a Rhode Island dealership. The final sales price for the vehicle and financing was $111,183.
Odoom was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. Dubose to a term of 30 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000. Restitution will be determined by the court at a later date. Odoom pleaded guilty on December 12, 2024, to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
A co-defendant in this matter, Roy Sweets, 27, of Pawtucket, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2025, to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2025.
A third defendant, Adalberto Mauricio Romero, 28, of Providence, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matter was investigated by Warwick, RI, and Bedford, NH, Police Departments, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
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Fort Eisenhower woman pleads guilty to murder in child’s deathRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A U.S. Army spouse at Fort Eisenhower awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to the stabbing murder of her infant son.
April Evalyn Short, 31, of Fort Eisenhower, pled guilty to Murder in the Second Degree, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The negotiated plea agreement subjects Short to a sentence of 20 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and five years of supervised release following her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The plea agreement in this disturbing case represents a difficult but appropriate resolution to this tragic and shocking homicide,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons.
As described in the plea agreement, on Nov. 15, 2023, at Fort Eisenhower, Short killed her 11-month-old son “willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with malice aforethought,” using a knife.
Short remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing upon completion of a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
“This plea is a testament to the outstanding investigative efforts of our Army CID personnel, particularly the child forensic interview team, as well as the dedication of the DOJ prosecution and Victim Advocacy teams, and is indicative of our commitment to ensure justice for victims of heinous crimes such as this,” said Steven Ausfeldt, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division Southeast Field Office. “Army CID will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to pursue those who would harm the most innocent members of our communities, and to hold them fully accountable for their actions.”
“April Short will now have 20 years to think about her heinous actions,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This plea cannot undo that tragedy and loss, but brings another measure of justice to those who knew and loved the child during his short life.”
The case is being investigated by Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry W. Syms Jr. and Patricia G. Rhodes.
For any questions, please call the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422.