Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Wednesday 12 February 2025
Member of the 764 Criminal Enterprise Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
Jairo Jaime Tinajero, 25, pleaded guilty yesterday in the Western District of Kentucky to the following charges contained in the superseding information: racketeering conspiracy, online enticement, three counts of production of child sexual abuse material, three counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), five counts of interstate communications of threats, cyberstalking, and conspiracy to murder Jane Doe 1 in aid of racketeering. The terms of the plea agreement specify that both parties agree to the applicability of the terrorism sentencing enhancement (U.S.S.G. § 3A1.4 n. 4).
On Oct. 11, 2023, a grand jury in the Western District of Kentucky returned an indictment charging Tinajero with online enticement and production of child sexual abuse material. On Oct. 4, 2023, in the Eastern District of Arkansas, Tinajero was arrested on a criminal complaint that was filed in the Western District of Kentucky.
According to the court documents, Tinajero is a self-identified member of the 764 network. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the U.S. Government. Beginning in 2020, Tinajero started communicating with, and grooming, several minor victims to obtain sexually explicit content from them, including Jane Doe 1. In 2023, Tinajero began to threaten the safety of Jane Doe 1 and her family. Tinajero posted online in encrypted platforms associated with 764 and related groups a “Lorebook” – commonly used in 764 blackmail schemes — containing Jane Doe 1’s identifying information along with nude pictures of the minor.
Between July 2023 and September 2023, during multiple discussions over social media, Tinajero and a co-conspirator agreed that Tinajero should kill Jane Doe 1. Tinajero and the co-conspirator specifically discussed that Tinajero should murder Jane Doe 1 and dispose of Jane Doe 1’s body in a barrel of acid after the murder. Tinajero posted multiple messages on various social media websites stating that he planned to kill Jane Doe 1 with a firearm because Jane Doe 1 refused to provide additional child sexual abuse material.
On Aug. 26, 2023, Tinajero posted on Telegram, “Im determined to die” and “If I gotta kill her I can’t let her live and f**k with dudes and girls while I’m sick and miserable” and “Im gonna live stream it.” Tinajero also posted a picture of Jane Doe 1. On Sept. 2, 2023, Tinajero posted on Telegram, “I wanna kill them so bad just show up at their cribs and shoot 100 rounds in 5 seconds” and, on Sept. 3, 2023, posted “I didn’t wanna do anything bc I was scared of dying or prison but now I’m determined to die if I have to after getting rid of [Jane Doe 1] . . . .” Tinajero also began soliciting others to assist with attempting to kill Jane Doe 1.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts for the Western District of Kentucky and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Violent Crime and Racketeering Section for the Criminal Division and the Eastern District of Arkansas provided assistance.
Member of Mexican Cartel and Prison Gang Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Mexican national has been sentenced to 300 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine throughout Minnesota and the surrounding region, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, Charly Cruz-Jimenez, 40, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in 2018 after serving a 74-month sentence for a first degree controlled substance violation imposed by the Hennepin County District Court. Beginning in at least October 2021—following his deportation to Mexico—Cruz-Jimenez organized and led a drug trafficking organization that distributed mass amounts of methamphetamine in Minnesota, while remaining safely outside of the jurisdiction of the United States in Matamoros, Mexico. Specifically, drug customers inside the United States contacted the defendant by electronic messaging applications and place orders for illicit drugs. Cruz-Jimenez then used a large network of “runners” inside the United States to store the drugs, make deliveries to his customers, and funnel money back to Mexico.
According to court documents, law enforcement began investigating Cruz-Jimenez after arresting one of his customers, Nicholas Horak. Investigators learned that the defendant had sold approximately 32-34 pounds of methamphetamine to Horak between October 2021 and March 2022. Officers obtained Cruz-Jimenez’s phone number from Horak’s phone and used his number to introduce an undercover (UC) police officer to him. Over the course of the next 16 months, the UC had repeated contact with Cruz-Jimenez and ordered drugs from him on 15 different occasions. In his communications with the UC, Cruz-Jimenez admitted that he was a member of the Sureños, a national prison gang with connections to organized crime in Mexico. He also admitted to being a member of the Gulf Cartel (Cartel del Golfo or CDG), a major drug trafficking cartel in Mexico. Cruz-Jimenez sent the UC photographs of himself fighting a war over territory with a rival cartel (Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación or CJNG). Included among the photographs was a photo of the defendant posing with a rifle in front of a bound and blindfolded captured member of the rival cartel. Cruz-Jimenez stated that he and his team had captured the man, that he was the “enemy,” and he was “confessing.”
In August 2023, Cruz-Jimenez illegally reentered the United States by crossing the Rio Grande into Texas. From Texas, the defendant continued to discuss methamphetamine deals with the UC and informed them that they would need to increase the quantity of purchases to multiple pounds in order to keep working together. Given the defendant’s return to the United States, investigators arrested him on the current indictment. Before his removal to the District of Minnesota, Cruz-Jimenez was charged and pleaded guilty to illegal reentry into the United States in the Southern District of Texas.
Cruz-Jimenez was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team (VCET), the Maplewood Police Department, the Mounds View Police Department, the New Brighton Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Saint Paul Police Department, and the White Bear Lake Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan H. Nelson and Bradley M. Endicott are prosecuting the case.
McAlester Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeremy David Crawley, age 47, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for one count of Drug Conspiracy.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Department, and the McAlester Police Department.
On September 4, 2024, Crawley pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, between 2019 and approximately December 2022, Crawley conspired with others to obtain and distribute over 100 pounds of methamphetamine.
“Today’s sentencing of Jeremy David Crawley reflects a win for all citizens of Eastern Oklahoma who value safe and drug-free communities,” said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA operations in Oklahoma. “We will continue to work hand in hand with our law enforcement partners across the state to ensure justice is served.”
“Prior to being indicted, the defendant chose to quit selling and using methamphetamine—an admirable decision, but not one that erases the past nor lessens the impact of his actions. Methamphetamine is a scourge which destroys lives, families, and relationships. Justice demands accountability, and the sentence imposed by the Court holds the defendant responsible for his crimes,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.
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. Crawley 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 Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Massachusetts Resident Sentenced on Gun and Drug ConvictionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Taylor, age 29, of Malden, Massachusetts, was sentenced last month to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
When he pled guilty in September 2024, Taylor admitted that he sold multiple firearms and controlled substances to another person in Rensselaer County between September 2023 and January 2024. Taylor admitted that he had sold two firearms to this person on separate occasions in October 2023, and on both occasions also distributed controlled substances. In December 2023, Taylor and a co-conspirator sold this person over 400 fentanyl pills along with approximately 25 grams of fentanyl powder.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 4-year term of post-incarceration supervised release.
ATF investigated this case with assistance from the Troy Police Department, the Brookline (Massachusetts) Police Department, and the Cambridge (Massachusetts) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted the case.
Mason City Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City.
Todd Aaron Howard Hamilton Sutton, Jr., age 33, from Mason City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of pure methamphetamine.
In a plea agreement, Sutton admitted that on July 27, 2024, he was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation in Cerro Gordo County. He was arrested for driving while barred and taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail. While being booked into the jail, law enforcement found a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine on his person.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sutton was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Sutton faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and 4 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR03037.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Lee County Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Austin Charles Wesley (25, Lehigh Acres) today pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Wesley faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on October 24, 2024, Wesley was pulled over for speeding by the Florida Highway Patrol on SR-82 in Lee County. During the traffic stop, law enforcement located a loaded Walther .22 caliber handgun concealed underneath Wesley’s clothing. As a multi-time convicted felon, who previously served sentences in Florida state prison for various crimes, Wesley is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
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.
Leader of Violent Armed Robbery Crew Sentenced to 32 Years’ Imprisonment for String of Six Store Holdups in February 2021Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Lawrence McKay, 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh to 32 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for leading six violent armed robberies in the city and surrounding counties in February 2021, all targeting cell phone stores. Judge McHugh also ordered McKay to pay restitution to victims, including money toward medical bills, of more than $100,000.
In February of last year, McKay pleaded guilty to all six robberies with which he was charged and two counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
At each robbery, McKay had at least one co-conspirator with him, and together they would force employees at gunpoint to turn over the store’s merchandise and cash. During one of these robberies, McKay shot a store employee in the stomach, and in another, codefendant Brenton Holmes shot a store employee in the leg. Both employees survived.
Holmes pleaded guilty to participating in five of the robberies with McKay and was sentenced in May of last year to 30 years in prison.
Dana Toby pleaded guilty to participating in two of the robberies and was sentenced in September 2023 to 15 years in prison.
Demon McNeil and Dashonna Hoskins each pleaded guilty to participating in one robbery, with McNeil sentenced in June 2024 to eight years in prison and Hoskins in May 2024 to 50 months in prison.
“Lawrence McKay and his crew were a crime spree unto themselves, racking up six armed robberies in less than three weeks,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “In these holdups, they made store employees fear for their lives, threatening them at gunpoint, bringing them into back rooms, tying some up, and even shooting two victims. It was imperative to get McKay off the street before anyone else was harmed, or worse, at his behest. This sentence keeps him behind bars for decades and holds him accountable for the crimes he led. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by focusing on the most violent offenders and bringing them to justice.”
“The brazen acts committed in this case instilled fear in our community and put our citizens at risk,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to combat violent crime, protect our city, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department, with assistance from the Lower Merion Township Police Department, Bristol Township Police Department, Norristown Police Department, and Warminster Township Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz, Amanda McCool, and Anthony Carissimi.
Lakeland Convicted Felon Charged with Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today the filing of a criminal complaint charging Taqiy Lewis (27, Lakeland) with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted, Lewis faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to the criminal complaint, on December 24, 2020, M.C., a 70-year-old woman, was outside her Lakeland home with her family, including young children. At approximately 5:30 p.m., Lewis and others engaged in a shootout just outside M.C.’s residence. M.C. was struck twice and killed. A.L., a thirteen-year-old child, was also shot and wounded.
More than two years later, on February 9, 2023, during an unrelated investigation, ATF special agents and officers from the Lakeland Police Department recovered a Kahr CM9 9mm pistol while executing a search warrant. Forensic testing using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) confirmed that this firearm was the one used to kill M.C. and injure A.L. Further investigation revealed that six casings collected from the crime scene, two spent projectiles recovered from a home, and a bullet recovered from M.C.’s body were all fired by Lewis and the Kahr CM9 pistol he possessed. At the time of the shooting, Lewis was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lakeland Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
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.
Juvenile Charged with August 2024 Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Aniq-Kai Covington, 16, of Washington, D.C., was charged as an adult (under Title 16) on February 11, 2025, in Superior Court with armed carjacking in connection with an August 13, 2024 incident in Southeast D.C. The charge was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to documents filed in court, on August 13, 2024, at approximately 9:15 p.m., police officers were dispatched to the 2700 block of 31st Street S.E., where they located the victim of an armed carjacking. The victim told the officers that at least two suspects approached the victim, who was sitting in their vehicle waiting for a family member. One suspect approached the victim’s driver’s side door and pointed a firearm at the victim, ordering the victim to get out of the vehicle. Another suspect attempted to open the victim’s passenger door. The victim complied and got out of the car. The first suspect then demanded money and took the victim’s wallet and cell phone, before the suspects fled northbound on 31st Street, SE in the victim’s car. The victim borrowed a phone from a family member and called 911.
The victim’s vehicle was located in the 2500 block of High Street S.E., stationary and unoccupied, just before 9:30 p.m., approximately 15 minutes after police were dispatched to the scene of the carjacking. The victim’s vehicle was forensically processed, and a latent fingerprint recovered from the interior passenger’s side door handle was later determined to belong to Covington.
Covington was presented in court yesterday and ordered detained. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 14, 2025.
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Winer is prosecuting the case.
These charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hunting Outfitter Pays $500,000 to Resolve Allegations Related to the Cow Creek Fire in Ouray County, ColoradoRead the Press Release
DENVER—The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced today that Jackson Outfitters, LLC, a hunting outfitter based in Placerville, Colorado, has agreed to pay $500,000 to resolve allegations that it is liable for the ignition of a wildland fire, which became known as the Cow Creek Fire and which burned 850 acres on the Uncompahgre National Forest in Ouray County, Colorado, in October 2019.
The United States alleges that the Cow Creek Fire was caused by a wood-burning stove located inside a wall tent in the Green Mountain Camp, which is owned and operated by Cow Creek Outfitters, an affiliate of Jackson Outfitters. At the time of the incident, the Green Mountain Camp was occupied by a party that had booked a self-guided elk hunt through Cow Creek Outfitters. Jackson Outfitters operates its business in the National Forest under a Special Use Permit, which states that Jackson Outfitters has an affirmative duty to protect the land, property, and other interests of the United States—including fire suppression costs—from damage.
The United States alleges that the Cow Creek Fire started at Green Mountain Camp when embers and other ignited material exited a stovepipe attached to the wood-burning stove and landed on the ground, igniting dry vegetation. The Cow Creek fire ultimately burned approximately 850 acres of National Forest System lands. The United States incurred significant suppression costs fighting the fire. The United States alleges that by not ensuring that the wood-burning stove was equipped with a functional, properly-installed spark arrestor, Jackson Outfitters breached its duty to ensure that its activities did not result in an escaped fire.
“Outfitters must ensure that the equipment they use in National Forests is safe and protects public lands for all of us,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “We appreciate that this resolution was cooperative and reimburses the United States for costs incurred in fighting the fire.”
The claims against Jackson Outfitters are allegations, and in agreeing to settle this matter, the company did not admit to any liability.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations and was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Ross.
Hughes County Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lucas James Mitchell, age 37, of Lamar, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for one count of illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On July 29, 2024, Mitchell pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. According to investigators, on November 25, 2023, Mitchell knowingly possessed one .22 caliber, semi-automatic pistol and 24 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition after having been previously convicted 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 John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Mitchell 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 Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
Honolulu Woman Charged with Distributing Methamphetamine from Her ResidenceRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Phitsmai Khamkhay, 58, of Honolulu, Hawaii was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distributing more than fifty grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II federally controlled substance, from her residence on three separate occasions in 2022. A detention hearing in federal court is scheduled for February 18, 2025.
According to the facts stated in the complaint, in April, May, and June 2022, Khamkhay arranged for the sale of approximately 680 grams of methamphetamine. She distributed the drugs from her home in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was surveilled by law enforcement during three controlled purchases involving a confidential source. During an interview with law enforcement, Khamkhay elected to waive her Miranda rights and admitted that, on several occasions, she purchased multiple pounds of methamphetamine from numerous individuals on Oahu and distributed multiple pounds of methamphetamine to numerous individuals on Oahu and Kauai.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Muehleck and Rebecca A. Perlmutter.
Honduran National, Previously Deported 6 Times, Arrested for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Honduran national with previous removals and criminal convictions was transferred into federal custody in Austin on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal re-entry.
According to court documents, Melvin Armando Funes-Canales, was located in the Williamson County jail on or about July 16, 2024, where he had been detained for alleged possession of a controlled substance. An investigation revealed Funes-Canales had been previously removed from the U.S. to Honduras on or about Oct. 9, 2020, and had also been deported on five other occasions. Additionally, Funes-Canales was previously convicted of burglary, grand theft and illegal re-entry.
Funes-Canales is charged with illegal re-entry. If convicted, Funes-Canales faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Harding is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Head of Commercial Real Estate Investment Firm Pleads Guilty in $62.8M Fraud Scheme Targeting Atlanta Financial Center InvestorsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Elchonon “Elie” Schwartz pleaded guilty today to wire fraud for executing a massive investment fraud scheme that caused more than 800 investors to send approximately $62.8 million to Schwartz, which he then diverted for his own use. Approximately $54 million dollars in investments were intended for the Atlanta Financial Center, a planned commercial real estate complex on Peachtree Road.
“Seeking to do nothing more than pad his own bank accounts and buy expensive luxury items, Elie Schwartz betrayed hundreds of investors who sought the opportunity to invest in these commercial real estate projects,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “This office is committed to protecting investors from individuals, like Schwartz, who defraud donors out of their hard-earned money and seek to prioritize their own greed at the expense of legitimate investors.”
“Although investment fraud schemes are not violent crimes, they are just as destructive as they can destroy the livelihoods of entire families. Schwartz admitted to this complex scheme out of pure greed and will now face the steep consequences,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: Elie Schwartz ran a successful commercial real estate investment firm. Beginning in May 2022, he solicited investments through CrowdStreet Marketplace in connection with a large commercial real estate complex in Atlanta, Georgia (“Atlanta Financial Center”), and ultimately raised approximately $54 million from approximately 654 investors for this venture. Later, beginning in November 2022, Schwartz again solicited investments through CrowdStreet concerning a mixed-use building in Miami Beach, Florida (“Lincoln Place”), and ultimately raised approximately $8.8 million from approximately 167 investors for this development. In total, Schwartz raised approximately $62.8 million from investors through CrowdStreet for the investments in the Atlanta Financial Center and Lincoln Place. The CrowdStreet investor funds were deposited into a segregated bank account for each investment.
As part of the investment solicitation process, Schwartz executed agreements with CrowdStreet that stated, among other terms, that the funds raised from CrowdStreet investors would be held in segregated bank accounts controlled by Schwartz. In the documentation that was provided to CrowdStreet investors, Schwartz represented that he would only “use any proceeds from this Offering, net of any organizational and offering expenses, to fund” the investment in each property and that Schwartz had a fiduciary duty to safeguard the funds and prohibit commingling or use of the money that did not benefit each investment.
But contrary to the representations he made to CrowdStreet investors, and before either the Atlanta Financial Center or Lincoln Place transaction closed, Schwartz misappropriated and converted CrowdStreet investor funds for his own use. Beginning in June 2022, and continuing through June 2023, Schwartz transferred nearly all of the $62.8 million raised through CrowdStreet for the Atlanta Financial Center and Lincoln Place investments out of the segregated bank accounts. He then diverted these funds to his personal bank account, personal brokerage account, and accounts for other unrelated commercial real estate investments affiliated with, and controlled by, him.
Schwartz used the funds raised from the CrowdStreet investors to, among other things, pay for payroll expenses for his commercial real estate businesses, purchase luxury watches, and invest in stocks and options in his brokerage account. Ultimately, in mid-July 2023, the corporate entities that Schwartz formed to receive funds from CrowdStreet investors for their investments in the Atlanta Financial Center and Lincoln Place both filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Schwartz, 46, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly K. Connors and Trial Attorney Matthew F. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorneys David O’Neal and Christopher Huber provided substantial assistance in the investigation and prosecution.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 84 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Yesterday, Hamed A. Martin, 42 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to distributing methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Martin was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in July 2022, Martin distributed methamphetamine on several occasions. A search warrant executed at his residence in August 2022, resulted in the recovery of a firearm along with evidence of drug distribution.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. Also assisting in the investigation were the Drug Enforcement Administration and the DEA’s North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 180 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Yesterday, Jonathon Buck Eason, 37 years old, of Fort Wayne Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Eason was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on October 22, 2022, Fort Wayne police officers responded to a 911 call for assistance. Upon arrival, they spoke to an individual who reported being battered and threatened with a firearm by Easton. When Officers located Easton at his residence, they recovered a firearm from his pocket. Based on a prior felony conviction, Easton was prohibited from possessing the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fort Myers Man Pleads Guilty to Pizza Shop Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Shadarien Lamarr Ward (22, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ward faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on the evening of September 1, 2024, Ward robbed a pizza shop near downtown Fort Myers at gunpoint, pistol-whipping an employee in the process. After grabbing the cash register drawer and approximately $700 in cash, Ward fled the area on foot. Though he was hooded and masked during the robbery, Ward was later identified by law enforcement after an extensive review of surveillance cameras in the area that tracked him to a nearby motel.
Ward, a registered sex offender, was wearing a GPS monitor at the time of the robbery as part of his state sex offender probation, which helped law enforcement retrace his steps leading up to and immediately following the robbery. Although he cut off his GPS monitor and absconded from supervision following the robbery, Ward was located and arrested at a North Fort Myers motel soon thereafter.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Myers Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Eth.
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.
Former Riverside School Counselor Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation Crimes, Including Hiding Cameras in BathroomsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former counselor at a private school in Riverside County was sentenced today to 360 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and placing a hidden camera inside bathrooms to film boys using the toilet and showers.
Matthew Daniel Johnson, 34, of Bryan, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, who scheduled a restitution hearing for May 28. Upon his eventual release from prison, Johnson will be placed on lifetime supervised release. Johnson has been in federal custody since October 2024.
Law enforcement searched Johnson’s home in March 2020 and seized several videos featuring minor boys engaged in sexual activity. The videos depicted victims under the age of 12 and some as young as 3 to 5 years old.
During the search of his residence, Johnson admitted to law enforcement that he had hidden a pen-shaped recording device in a toilet paper holder inside of a school bathroom, across the hall from his office as a school counselor at La Sierra Academy in Riverside.
Another video file depicted Johnson adjusting a recording device inside a different bathroom at a Junior High School Bible Camp where he was working as a chaperone of children attending the camp. The video file subsequently captured minor boys using the toilet and the shower.
Johnson further admitted to using and employing a minor victim in January 2020 for the purpose of creating a visual depiction of the victim engaging in sexual conduct.
The Fontana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Riverside Police Department, and the FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
Former Prison Guard Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Smuggle Drugs into Virginia PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Virginia man was sentenced yesterday for conspiring to distribute controlled substances and launder drug proceeds with co-conspirators in Massachusetts and Virginia.
Kenneth J. Owen, 24, of Charlotte Court House, Va., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 21 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2024, Owen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA and buprenorphine and two counts of money laundering conspiracy.
In December 2019 and January 2020, Owen conspired with Sathtra Em, a Lowell resident, and Michael Mao, an inmate at the Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn, Va., to smuggle MDMA and buprenorphine in the form of Suboxone and generic Suboxone sublingual films into the prison. At the time, Owen was working as a correctional officer at Buckingham.
As part of the conspiracy, Em mailed the drugs to Owen’s residence and paid him $1,600 in bribes to deliver the drugs and other contraband to Mao in the prison. Mao then sold the smuggled drugs to other inmates at Buckingham and Em collected the drug debts on behalf of Mao in the same Cash App accounts she used to pay the bribes to Owen. Owen used a Cash App account with the name “Carlos” to receive the bribes from Em, and he cashed out the funds to his bank account within minutes of receiving them.
Em and Mao previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy. In August 2024, Em was sentenced to 21 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Mao was sentenced to 121 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, in November 2024.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations and the Virginia Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Navy Detective Sentenced to 15 Months for Using Unreasonable Force and Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Jonathan Christopher LaRoche, a former detective with Naval Base San Diego Criminal Investigations Division, was sentenced in federal court today to 15 months in prison in connection with his use of a carotid restraint on a handcuffed Navy sailor to the point of unconsciousness and later grabbing the man by the throat and pushing his head against a wall.
LaRoche pleaded guilty in July 2024 to Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law in connection with the November 2023 incident of excessive force. He also admitted that he intentionally concealed his prior record of excessive force at the El Cajon Police Department in order to be hired as a detective by the Navy.
During the hearing, the Navy sailor – identified in court records only as G.D. – told the court that LaRoche had subjected him to “unimaginable pain, trauma, and brutality” and left him “feeling violated, discarded, and dehumanized.”
Before imposing sentence, U.S. District Judge John A. Houston told LaRoche that he “got a pass after three [excessive force] incidents with a local law enforcement agency” and then “lied your way into this job and set yourself up to harm someone else.” Judge Houston observed that the excessive force used by LaRoche against G.D. was “extraordinary conduct for someone with your law enforcement experience” and called it “disgusting, violent, and extremely disturbing.”
The defendant was ordered to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons by April 21, 2025.
“The victim in this case was handcuffed, defenseless, and posed no threat—yet a sworn officer chose to violate his rights through violence,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This office will hold accountable anyone who chooses to abuse their power at the expense of another’s rights.”
“Mr. LaRoche betrayed his oath as a law enforcement officer when he used excessive force on a sailor who was handcuffed and defenseless,” said Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Carter of the NCIS Southwest Field Office. “NCIS remains committed to fully investigating criminal behavior that threatens the safety of our warfighters and their families.”
As required by his plea agreement with the United States, LaRoche resigned from his position with the Criminal Investigations Division prior to the sentencing hearing. He is prohibited from seeking or applying for any position of employment with any law enforcement agency in the future.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Askins in coordination with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr1431-JAH
Jonathan Christopher Laroche Age: 41 Spring Valley, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Statement – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law (misdemeanor) – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242
Maximum penalty: One year in prison and $100,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan Convicted on Federal Conspiracy and Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago today convicted former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives MICHAEL J. MADIGAN on conspiracy and bribery charges for using his official position to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates.
Madigan, 82, of Chicago, was convicted on ten counts against him, including one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, four counts of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity, three counts of wire fraud, and two counts of bribery. The jury acquitted Madigan on four counts of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity, two bribery counts, and an attempted extortion count. U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey declared a mistrial on six other counts for which the jury did not reach a unanimous verdict – one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and one count of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity.
The jury returned its verdicts against Madigan after a four-month trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Each wire fraud count is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while each bribery count is punishable by up to ten years. The maximum for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and each count of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity is five years.
Judge Blakey also declared a mistrial as to all six deadlocked counts against a co-defendant, MICHAEL F. MCCLAIN, 77, of Quincy, Ill. McClain was charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of wire fraud, one count of bribery, one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and one count of using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity.
Evidence at trial revealed that Madigan, who served as House Speaker and occupied a number of other political roles, conspired with others to cause the utility company Commonwealth Edison to make monetary payments to Madigan’s associates as a reward for their loyalty to Madigan, in return for performing little or no legitimate work for the business. The true nature of the payments was to influence and reward Madigan in connection with specific legislation ComEd sought in the Illinois General Assembly.
Madigan was also convicted of scheming to accept legal work unlawfully steered to his private law firm and his son by an Alderman of the Chicago City Council, in exchange for Madigan’s assistance in inducing the Governor of Illinois to appoint the Alderman to a compensated State Board position.
The verdicts were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu, Diane MacArthur, Sarah E. Streicker, and Julia Schwartz.
Florence Doctor Sentenced for Distributing Oxycodone in “Sex for Scripts” SchemeRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. — David Carlos Rodriguez, Jr., 50, of Florence, was sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing Oxycodone outside the scope of medical practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Rodriguez provided 15 prescriptions for Oxycodone over an eight-month period to a patient who felt pressured to engage in sexual activity with the doctor to obtain the pills. In total, Rodriguez distributed more than 600 Oxycodone pills to the patient during the eight months. At one point, one of the prescriptions Rodriguez had written the patient was rejected by a pharmacy because the patient was taking Suboxone, and a patient should not be taking both Suboxone and Oxycodone. When Rodriguez was notified of the pharmacy’s refusal to fill the Oxycodone prescription, he responded by requesting the patient send him pictures of various body parts. He then sent a new Oxycodone prescription to a different pharmacy. Rodriguez pleaded guilty in August 2024.
“Medical providers should be a place of safety and healing, not criminal exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “This sentence underscores our commitment to prosecuting those who abuse the vulnerable regardless of their profession.”
Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division stated, “DEA investigators did remarkable work in uncovering this doctor’s unlawful acts. The DEA will continue to aggressively pursue healthcare providers who distribute outside the scope of medical practice and without a medical purpose.”
United States District Judge Joseph Dawson, III sentenced Rodriguez to 57 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Carolina Department of Public Health. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Flynn and Lauren Hummel are prosecuting the case.
###
Felon sentenced after hiding firearm under child’s mattressRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 34-year-old Laredo felon has been ordered to federal prison for possessing ammunition and firearms, one of which he hid under his son’s mattress, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Miguel Angel Ferreyro Jr. pleaded guilty June 20, 2024. He was also convicted in 2022 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. As such, he was unable to possess weapons or ammunition per federal law. He was still on his term of supervised release when he was arrested on this case.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now ordered Ferreyro to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
In imposing the sentence, the court commented about him leaving firearms in his child’s bedroom, calling it “crazy” and “insane.” He further noted the circumstances were “fraught with the risk of danger.”
Authorities arrived at Ferreyro’s residence Feb. 14, 2024, after learning there was a gun hidden there. At that time, they recovered three firearms, approximately 184 rounds of ammunition as well as three 30-round high-capacity rifle magazines and one rifle scope. They found one of the firearms, a Palmetto State Armory, Model Halloween-15, multi-caliber pistol, under the mattress of his 12-year-old son’s bed.
The rest of the items were found in the minor’s closet.
Forensic examination of Ferreyro’s cell phone revealed he instructed another one of his minor children to hide two of the firearms, one of which was loaded.
Ferreyro has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Oliver and Ann Booth prosecuted the case.
Federal jury convicts Florida man of attempting to coerce minor for sex in Missoula undercover investigationRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A federal jury today convicted a Florida man of attempting to coerce a minor for sex after he was arrested in Missoula in an undercover investigation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
After a three-day trial that began on Feb. 10, the jury found the defendant, Stevenson Metelus, 36, of Margate, Florida, guilty of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Metelus faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 24. Metelus was released pending further proceedings.
“Metelus was a truck driver passing through Montana when he used social media to attempt to coerce a minor to have sex with him. The problem for him was he was unwittingly talking to an undercover law enforcement officer. This is the kind of critical work our office and our law enforcement partners are doing across the state to keep kids safe. Our work will continue, and it can only be done effectively due to the diligence, brilliance, and dedicated service of the people in our office and our law enforcement partners,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The government alleged at trial and in court documents that in October 2023, an FBI special agent, using a persona identified as Child 1, posted on MegaPersonals an advertisement for prostitution services in Missoula, listed the age of Child 1 as “99” and a phone number at which to contact Child 1. Metelus responded to the ad on Nov. 16, 2023 and asked Child 1 what her “specials” were. Metelus spoke with Child 1, eventually negotiating a price and sexual acts to engage in with her. Child 1 noted she was a minor girl. Ultimately, Metelus asked Child 1 to meet him in his truck when he arrived, but Child 1 said she had a room at the hotel and would leave the door open for him. Child 1 then said that she could meet him at a nearby gas station when he expressed concern about the plan. The undercover FBI agent had confidential source call Metelus and, acting as Child 1, spoke briefly with him. The confidential source again told Metelus that she was a minor. The parties then confirmed their plans to meet. Shortly thereafter, Metelus texted Child 1 that he had arrived at the gas station, where law enforcement arrested him. Metelus eventually admitted to law enforcement his intention was to meet Child 1 for commercial sex.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, Missoula Police Department and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
XXX
Federal Inmate Sentenced to One Year for Possessing Methamphetamine in PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marco Cota-Tamaura, 44, Oxford, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to one year and one day in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine in prison. Cota-Tamaura pleaded guilty to this charge on December 2, 2024.
On March 22, 2024, Cota-Tamaura was serving a prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Oxford, Wisconsin (FCI Oxford). During a drug test that day, he tested positive for methamphetamine and then prison staff found him in possession of methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is prohibited in federal prisons.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley expressed disappointment that Cota-Tamaura abused his placement at FCI Oxford after achieving a reduced security level during his current prison term. He noted that Cota-Tamaura’s possession of methamphetamine presented a grave risk to inmates and guards, and that this justified adding a year to Cota-Tamaura’s current sentence.
The charge against Cota-Tamaura was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Louisville Man for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an indictment on February 4, 2025, charging a local man with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Emmett Morris, 28, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on July 29, 2024. Morris was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On January 14, 2022, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Morris was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree less than 10 dosage units of opiates, trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree under 2 grams of methamphetamine and convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
On January 21, 2016, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Morris was convicted of facilitation to murder, receiving a stolen firearm and 3 counts of robbery in the second degree.
On February 6, 2025, Morris made an initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He remains in federal custody pending trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the LMPD and the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Porter is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Federal Grand Juries in Bowling Green and Paducah Indict 5 Individuals for Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
Bowling Green and Paducah, KY – Federal grand juries in Bowling Green and Paducah, Kentucky, returned indictments on February 11th and 12th, 2025, charging 5 individuals with illegal reentry after deportation or removal.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for ERO Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement made the announcement.
According to the indictments:
Julio Rodriguez Aguilar, age 33, a citizen of Honduras, was charged in Bowling Green with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about February 4, 2025, Aguilar was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about July 8, 2016, October 26, 2018, and August 8, 2022. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI, ICE/ERO.
Antonio Pu-Us, age 39, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged in Bowling Green with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about January 6, 2025, Pu-Us was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about April 24, 2014, and October 1, 2014. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI, ICE/ERO.
Edgar Agustin-Gil, age 35, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Bowling Green with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about January 10, 2025, Agustin-Gil was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about October 4, 2017. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI, ICE/ERO.
Jose Mayorga-Basurto, age 29, a citizen of Mexico, was charged in Bowling Green with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about January 28, 2025, Mayorga-Basurto was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about May 30, 2015, and June 7, 2015. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI, ICE/ERO.
Deyvi Humberto Cruz-Guerra, age 30, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged in Paducah with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about November 30, 2024, Cruz-Guerra was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about May 20, 2013, and October 8, 2021. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. This case is being investigated by HSI, ICE/ERO.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl, Mark J. Yurchisin II, and Raymond McGee are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Fayette County registered sex offender pleads guilty to sexually exploiting child, sharing sexual abuse material on dark webRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A registered sex offender pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child pornography.
Brian J. Roberts, 44, of Washington Court House, admitted to sharing child pornography of infants and toddlers and sexually abusing a young boy.
According to court documents, federal agents began investigating Roberts as a result of his activity across various dark web sites dedicated to the sexual abuse of children.
Roberts sexually exploited an approximately 3-year-old boy he had access to from November 2022 until August 2023 and uploaded videos and photos of the abuse. For example, one video titled Preview.mp4 showed more than three minutes of Roberts sexually abusing the child and ended with the words “NEXT TIME…POTTY FUN!”
The defendant uploaded 195 images to one dark web site, more than 100 of which focused on child sexual abuse of babies and toddlers as young as three weeks old.
Roberts was a twice-convicted sex offender at the time of his online conduct. He has prior convictions in Madison and Clark counties and, at the time of his arrest, had an active warrant in Highland County for telecommunications harassment toward a family member of the 3-year-old boy based on his alleged attempts to contact the child.
Sexually exploiting a minor is a federal crime punishable by 15 to 30 years in prison and possessing child pornography carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. If the Court finds that Roberts’s prior conviction qualifies as a predicate offense, he will face 25 to 50 years in prison and 10 to 20 years in prison respectively.
Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit, announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Eight Venezuelan Nationals Charged with Offenses Related to their Roles in a Transnational Commercial Sex EnterpriseRead the Press Release
A four-count indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Middle District of Tennessee charging eight defendants with various offenses arising from their respective roles in a transnational commercial sex enterprise.
According to court documents, the defendants, all of Venezuela, Yilibeth del Carmen Rivero-De Caldera, 51; Kleiver Daniel Mota-Rivero, 35; Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca, 39; Wilmarys Del Valle Manzano Solorzano, 22; Frankyanna Del Valle Romero-Rivero, 30; Endrik Alexander Morales-Rivero, 25; Jesus Enrique Castillo Rodriguez, 24; and Ariannys Beatriz Gutierrez-Carrillo, 24, operated an illegal commercial sex and sex trafficking enterprise out of Nashville motels from July 2022 through March 2024.
According to the indictment, once the defendants facilitated the victims’ arrival in the United States, the defendants utilized online commercial sex websites to post advertisements for the victims and then used the internet and their cellular phones to direct commercial sex buyers to engage in commercial sex with the victims at the motels before collecting the proceeds from that commercial sex for the defendants’ benefit.
“This indictment demonstrates our commitment to stop human trafficking whenever and wherever we find it, and to hold those involved accountable” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We are coming after transnational criminal organizations like TdA, but this case shows that we will also do whatever it takes to stop those who would traffick women and girls no matter who is behind their suffering.”
“The success of this operation to stop Tren da Aragua operating in our communities is a significant step forward in our ongoing battle against human trafficking and transnational organized crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville. “This investigation exemplifies the importance of collaboration among local, state, and federal agencies in ending these crimes in our communities while leaving a trail of suffering in their wake.”
“We will not allow TdA – or any criminal organization – to get a stronghold in Tennessee,” said Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. “We are thankful for our local, state, and federal partners who joined us in investigating this case, and we stand prepared to continue aggressively investigating human trafficking in our state, holding traffickers and buyers accountable and helping victims take their first steps toward becoming survivors.”
“Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes the FBI encounters,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “This devastating crime exploits vulnerable members of communities nationwide, including those in Tennessee. The FBI and our partners are committed to rescuing victims, investigating and prosecuting traffickers, and supporting survivors.”
“While the focus of this investigation centers around human trafficking, Tren de Aragua is involved in all manner of criminal activity, to include the sale of narcotics and dangerous drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA)’s Louisville Division. “The dedicated men and women of DEA will continue to work side by side with our federal, state and local partners to rid our communities of the transnational criminal gangs, like TdA.”
“The trafficking of human beings is abhorrent to all of us, it’s a modern-day form of slavery,” said Chief John Drake of the Metro Nashville Police. “I want to be very clear, our police department will always make human trafficking an investigative priority regardless of where the suspects are from and will work with our partners for an intentional and coordinated law enforcement response.”
A grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee previously returned the four-count indictment charging all eight defendants for their respective roles in facilitating the recruiting of young women from impoverished parts of Venezuela and other South and Central American countries, then facilitating their transportation across the U.S. southern border and across state lines to engage in commercial sex in the Nashville area.
Three of the defendants — Yilibeth del Carmen Rivero-De Caldera, Kleiver Daniel Mota-Rivero, and Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca — are additionally charged with a sex trafficking conspiracy for conspiring to use force, fraud, and coercion to compel the women into engaging in commercial sex acts for the defendants’ profit that include invoking alleged ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and its reputation for violence.
The indictment further charges defendant Kleiver Daniel Mota-Rivero with one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
Mother and son defendants Rivero-De Caldera and Mota-Rivero are charged with conspiring to impose a coercive debt scheme upon the victims to compel them to continue engaging in commercial sex acts until the defendants deemed their debts repaid. Defendants Rivero-De Caldera and Mota-Rivero previously were arrested and detained on state charges relating to their conduct.
If convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison. A conspiracy to commit interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a conspiracy to commit interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
If convicted of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, Mota-Rivero also faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, and additional federal, state, and local Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) partners who coordinated related law enforcement operations across multiple jurisdictions. OCDEFT identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke K. Schiferle for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Jessica Arco of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888 which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Eight Venezuelan Nationals Charged with Offenses Related to their Roles in a Transnational Commercial Sex EnterpriseRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A four-count indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Middle District of Tennessee charging eight defendants with various offenses arising from their respective roles in a transnational commercial sex enterprise.
According to court documents, the defendants, all of Venezuela, Yilibeth del Carmen Rivero-De Caldera, 51, Kleiver Daniel Mota-Rivero, 35, Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca, 39, Wilmarys Del Valle Manzano Solorzano, 22, Frankyanna Del Valle Romero-Rivero, 30, Endrik Alexander Morales-Rivero, 25, Jesus Enrique Castillo Rodriguez, 24, Ariannys Beatriz Gutierrez-Carrillo, 24; operated an illegal commercial sex and sex trafficking enterprise out of Nashville motels from July 2022 through March 2024.
According to the indictment, once the defendants facilitated the victims’ arrival in the United States, the defendants utilized online commercial sex websites to post advertisements for the victims and then used the internet and their cellular phones to direct commercial sex buyers to engage in commercial sex with the victims at the motels before collecting the proceeds from that commercial sex for the defendants’ benefit.
“This indictment demonstrates our commitment to stop human trafficking whenever and wherever we find it, and to hold those involved accountable” said Acting U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We are coming after transnational criminal organizations like TdA, but this case shows that we will also do whatever it takes to stop those who would traffic women and girls no matter who is behind their suffering.”
“The success of this operation to stop Tren da Aragua operating in our communities is a significant step forward in our ongoing battle against human trafficking and transnational organized crime,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville Rana Saoud. “This investigation exemplifies the importance of collaboration among local, state, and federal agencies in ending these crimes in our communities while leaving a trail of suffering in their wake.”
“We will not allow TdA – or any criminal organization – to get a stronghold in Tennessee,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “We are thankful for our local, state, and federal partners who joined us in investigating this case, and we stand prepared to continue aggressively investigating human trafficking in our state, holding traffickers and buyers accountable and helping victims take their first steps toward becoming survivors.”
“Human trafficking is among the most heinous crimes the FBI encounters,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “This devastating crime exploits vulnerable members of communities nationwide, including those in Tennessee. The FBI and our partners are committed to rescuing victims, investigating and prosecuting traffickers, and supporting survivors.”
“While the focus of this investigation centers around human trafficking, Tren de Aragua is involved in all manner of criminal activity, to include the sale of narcotics and dangerous drugs,” said Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Division. “The dedicated men and women of DEA will continue to work side by side with our federal, state and local partners to rid our communities of the transnational criminal gangs, like TdA.”
“The trafficking of human beings is abhorrent to all of us, it’s a modern-day form of slavery,” said Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake. “I want to be very clear, our police department will always make human trafficking an investigative priority regardless of where the suspects are from and will work with our partners for an intentional and coordinated law enforcement response.”
A grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee previously returned the four-count indictment charging all eight defendants for their respective roles in facilitating the recruiting of young women from impoverished parts of Venezuela and other South and Central American countries, then facilitating their transportation across the U.S. southern border and across state lines to engage in commercial sex in the Nashville area.
Three of the defendants, Yilibeth del Carmen Rivero-De Caldera, Kleiver Daniel Mota-Rivero, and Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca are additionally charged with sex trafficking conspiracy for conspiring to use force, fraud, and coercion to compel the women into engaging in commercial sex acts for the defendants’ profit that include invoking alleged ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and its reputation for violence.
The indictment further charges defendant Kleiver Daniel Mota-Rivero with one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
Mother and son defendants Rivero-De Caldera and Mota-Rivero are charged with conspiring to impose a coercive debt scheme upon the victims to compel them to continue engaging in commercial sex acts until the defendants deemed their debts repaid. Defendants Rivero-De Caldera and Mota-Rivero previously were arrested and detained on state charges relating to their conduct.
If convicted of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison. A conspiracy to commit interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a conspiracy to commit interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering enterprises carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
If convicted of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, Mota-Rivero also faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, the DEA, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and additional federal, state, and local Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) partners who coordinated related law enforcement operations across multiple jurisdictions. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke K. Schiferle for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Jessica Arco of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888 which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
# # # # #
Dominican National Charged with Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal grand jury indicted a Dominican national for attempting to sell five pounds of methamphetamine.
Edwin Tomas Arias Ubri, 27, living in Amesbury, Mass. was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Arias Ubri is expected to be arraigned in federal court in Boston on Feb. 27, 2025.
On Jan. 14, 2025, over a text exchange, Arias Ubri allegedly agreed to supply five pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential source. According to court records, Arias Ubri was observed departing the area of the confidential sources’ residence, and was subsequently stopped by law enforcement. During a search of his vehicle a white shopping bag was allegedly located that contained approximately five pounds of a crystalline substance. According to court documents, Arias Ubri entered the country illegally in 2022.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to life of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10,000,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen D. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Amesbury, Salem, and Melrose, Massachusetts Police Departments and the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John O. Wray of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Corning sex offender pleads guilty to new child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ryan M. Newman, 33, of Corning, NY, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca. As a convicted sex offender at the time of his crimes, Newman faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 25 years in prison, of maximum penalty of 50 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that Newman was convicted of child pornography crimes by New York State in 2012, sentenced to serve a local jail term and 10 years’ probation, and required to register as a Level 3 Sex Offender, which is someone considered to be at high risk of re-offending and a threat to public safety.
In January 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report from Snapchat that a user had uploaded a video of child pornography. NCMEC sent the tip to the New York State Police, who executed a search warrant on Newman’s person and residence in 2022. The search determined that Newman uploaded the child pornography video to Snapchat and possessed other child pornography on his electronic devices. Newman remained out of custody following the 2022 search warrant by the State Police. In April 2024, the FBI Corning received a tip that pornography involving a child in the Corning area, was distributed to an undercover agent in Illinois. Subsequent investigation determined that Newman sexually abused the child and produced the child pornography. Newman was taken into custody by the FBI and Corning Police.
Newman is also charged in Steuben County Court.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Corning Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Corning Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kenzie Spaulding.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Vacca.
# # # #
Convicted felon sentenced to prison for pandemic relief fraudRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Kipterrez James, 44, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 13 months in prison for COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud.
According to court documents, in 2021, James applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan claiming that he had been running a taxi/rideshare business called “Kip James.”
In reality, he was at a halfway house in Cincinnati and had just been released following a 92-month federal prison sentence for illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. James listed the halfway house address as his address on the application.
The defendant claimed on his loan application that his business had approximately $99,000 in gross income in 2019, when he was actually still incarcerated. In support of his loan, James submitted a forged bank statement.
James received nearly $21,000 and spent the money at restaurants, shopping at clothing, shoe and liquor stores, and on a trip to Las Vegas.
As part of his sentence, he is ordered to pay back the $20,725 in restitution.
James pleaded guilty in September 2024 to making false statements to the federal government.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed yesterday by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael R. Barrett. Special Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Landry is representing the United States in this case.
# # #
Construction and Property Management Companies and Company Owners Plead Guilty to Asbestos ViolationsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.--A construction company operating in Hood River, Oregon, and a property management company operating in The Dalles, Oregon, together with the owners, pleaded guilty Friday to violating asbestos work standards and negligent endangerment by discharging a hazardous pollutant in violation of the Clean Air Act.
The property management company Horseshoe Grove, LLC pleaded guilty to violating asbestos work practice standards, and its owner and operator, Ryan Richter, 44, of The Dalles, pleaded guilty to negligent endangerment by discharging a hazardous pollutant.
The construction and demolition company Chamness Dirt Works Inc. pleaded guilty to violating asbestos work practice standards, and its owner and president, Ronald Chamness, 58, of Hood River, pleaded guilty to negligent endangerment by discharging a hazardous pollutant.
According to court documents, in November 2022, Horseshoe Grove purchased a property operating as a mobile home rental site with approximately thirty tenant spaces. The property also contained two dilapidated structures located near the actively rented tenant spaces. At the time of sale, Richter received an asbestos survey completed in 2021 which reported over 5,000 square feet of asbestos within the dilapidated structures. Richter also received a demolition estimate from Chamness Dirt Works to sample, test and remove asbestos containing materials but excluded the costs for asbestos abatement.
In February 2023, Richter and Horseshoe Grove hired Chamness Dirt Works to demolish the two asbestos-laden structures. On February 20, 2023, Chamness received a quote from an asbestos abatement contractor for the proper removal and disposal of asbestos containing materials. Despite knowing the structures contained asbestos, Chamness and Richter, through and with their companies, knowingly violated the Clean Air Act by demolishing the structures without hiring a certified asbestos abatement contractor or implementing the precautionary measures mandated by federal regulations for handling such materials.
On November 19, 2024, Richter, Chamness, Horseshoe Grove, and Chamness Dirt Works were charged by criminal information with negligent endangerment and violating the Clean Air Act's asbestos work practice standards.
Richter and Chamness each face a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. Horseshoe Grove and Chamness Dirt Works each face a maximum sentence of five years' probation and $500,000 fine. As part of the plea agreement, Richter and Chamness have agreed to conduct asbestos remediation on the property. They will be sentenced on April 3, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Marco A. Hernández.
This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency and is being prosecuted by Bryan Chinwuba, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Colonie Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Benz Coleman, age 34, of Colonie, New York, was sentenced today to 90 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Coleman admitted that on January 31, 2024, he possessed over 3,000 fentanyl pills and over 13 grams of cocaine, all with the intent to distribute the drugs. Coleman further admitted that between November 1, 2023 and January 31, 2024, he sold over 2,400 fentanyl pills.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Coleman is released from prison.
DEA and the Colonie Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss prosecuted the case.
Child Predator Sentenced to 84 Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Randall Walker Holland, 51, of West Jordan, Utah, was sentenced today to seven years’ imprisonment and a life term of supervised release after he admitted to distributing images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents and statements made at Holland’s change of plea and sentencing hearing, from May 2, 2024 thru May 9, 2024, Holland used his cellphone to communicate via social media and text messaging with an individual he believed had access to, and was abusing, a 12-year-old victim. The individual Holland was communicating with was an undercover officer. During Holland’s communication he sent over 1,000 videos files of child sexual abuse materials to the undercover officer. Holland also discussed his interest in engaging in sexual acts with the 12- year-old victim. When Holland arrived at the meeting location, he was arrested by law enforcement.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and the West Valley City Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah 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.
Charlotte Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Robert Upchurch, 52, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 54 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Upchurch was also ordered to pay a $17,000 special assessment for the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in July 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) referred a tip to law enforcement that a Dropbox account user had uploaded numerous images containing suspected CSAM. Law enforcement identified Upchurch as the Dropbox account user. On December 8, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Upchurch’s residence, seizing the defendant’s cell phone, computers, and other electronic devices. A forensic analysis of the seized items revealed that they contained more than 5,800 images and 2,500 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers, and files depicting sadistic or masochistic behavior or violence involving young children. During an interview with law enforcement, Upchurch first denied possessing CSAM, but later admitted to viewing child pornography.
On September 4, 2024, Upchurch pleaded guilty to possession and accessing with intent to view child pornography containing a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years.
The FBI and CMPD investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Justin Saunders, 27, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 3, 2024, Saunders sold approximately 896 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential source. Saunders admitted to the transaction and that it occurred at his residence on the 1400 block of Quarrier Street in Charleston.
On February 4, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Saunders’ residence and seized quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and metonitazene, a synthetic opioid.
Saunders is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-70.
###
Career Offender Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Northeast Georgia resident with a lengthy criminal history who was serving federal supervised release when officers found him illegally possessing a firearm and trafficking cocaine was sentenced to serve 22 years in prison today.
Mandrell Antwoin Hull, 44, of Winterville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 264 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III on Feb. 12. Hull previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on July 22, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.
“We must hold repeat offenders accountable when they illegally arm themselves and violate the laws put in place to maintain order and safety for everyone,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our dedicated federal prosecutorial team continues to work alongside our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to help ensure their efforts result in justice.”
"Criminals like Hull continue to plague our communities with blatant disregard for the safety of others and reckless indifference to the law. It is only through our local and federal partnerships that we are able to put a stop to these violent repeat offenders,” said Robert Gibbs, Senior Supervisory Special Agent of FBI Atlanta's Athens office. “This case is another example of how the FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated to keeping the streets of Georgia safe for everyone in our community.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Hull was serving supervised release for a 2018 federal conviction for marijuana distribution in Case No. 3:17-CR-24-CAR. On April 11, 2023, officers with the United States Probation Office (USPO) reached out to the FBI in Athens to request their assistance in conducting a search of Hull’s residence in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, because USPO believed that Hull was storing illegal drugs inside his residence. That same day, agents and officers searched his Winterville property and located cocaine, $32,826 in drug proceeds and a loaded 9mm pistol. Records show that Hull has five prior felony convictions in the Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County and one prior felony conviction in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County, in addition to his prior federal felony conviction for which he was serving supervised release at the time of this crime. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is a 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 of Justice 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 case was investigated by the FBI Athens Resident Agency Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison prosecuted the case for the Government.
Brazilian Man Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Rafael De Jesus-Ribeiro, 39, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. De Jesus-Ribeiro was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 13, 2025. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the indictment, De Jesus-Ribeiro was deported from the United States on July 17, 2019. It is alleged that sometime after his July 2019 removal, De Jesus-Ribeiro illegally reentered the United States without permission.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Brainerd Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl in the Brainerd Lakes AreaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Brainerd man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute tens of thousands of fentanyl pills, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on August 1, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a storage unit in Brainerd that belonged to Dazaughn Ellis West, 28. Inside the unit, officers found between 13,000 and 15,000 pressed fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 2.8 pounds. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at West’s home in Brainerd, where they found an additional 150 grams of fentanyl pills, a loaded semi-automatic pistol, a .22 caliber rifle, and distributable quantities of cocaine.
On February 6, 2025, West was sentenced in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim to 120 months’ imprisonment.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office, Brainerd Police Department, and the Lakes Area Drug Investigative Division (LADID).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren O. Roso prosecuted the case.
Bienville Parish Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Committing Wire Fraud Involving the Cares Act and Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Shaquaila Lewis a/k/a Shaquaila Lewis-Chatman, 36, of Gibsland, Louisiana, has been sentenced on one count of wire fraud. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Lewis to 27 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
In March 2020 Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security ("CARES") Act which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration ("SBA") provided Economic Injury Disaster Loans ("EIDL"), which were low-interest financing to small businesses, renters and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. The CARES Act also provided authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).
Lewis devised a scheme to defraud the SBA and various financial institutions by falsifying PPP and EIDL Program loan applications, forms, and other documents, and submitting fraudulent loan applications. At the sentencing hearing, the court found that Lewis was responsible for over $1.1 million in loss as a result of multiple fraudulent loans involving herself and others.
As an example, in February 2021, Lewis electronically submitted a false and fraudulent PPP application to Square Capital in the name of Perfect Memories Travel seeking approximately $20,833 in PPP funds. Lewis signed the application and falsely certified that the application and all information provided was true and accurate. Lewis falsely certified that the funds would be used “to retain workers and maintain payroll.” She also falsely certified that she had used the full loan amount from a prior PPP application submitted on behalf of Perfect Memories Travel only for eligible expenses. A few days later, Square Capital disbursed approximately $20,583 in loan benefits to a bank account held by Lewis, and she used those funds for personal expenses.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg and Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard of the Department of Justice Criminal Division – Fraud Section.
# # #
Atlanta Man Sentenced to 150 Months in Prison for Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Thomas Addaquay has been sentenced following his conviction of 30 felonies related to two nationwide fraud schemes involving tax refund, business email compromise, and romance fraud scams.
“Addaquay’s fraud schemes impacted numerous victims across the country and resulted in millions in losses to the IRS and private citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “The combined efforts of our federal and local law enforcement partners secured Addaquay’s successful prosecution and made it possible to obtain justice for the numerous innocent taxpayers whose lives were disrupted by this defendant’s criminal conduct and greed.”
“Addaquay’s criminal activities emotionally and financially harmed the lives of many innocent victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to bringing to justice those who victimize others through fraudulent financial schemes.”
“Scammers like Addaquay enrich themselves by preying on innocent people with no care for the lasting damage they cause,” said Frederick D. Houston, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service Atlanta Field Office. “As part of our dual protective and investigative mission, we are tasked with safeguarding the United States’ financial and payment systems from criminal exploitation. The U.S. Secret Service is committed to investigating cases of fraud and we work hand-in-hand with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for victims of financial crime across the country.”
Stolen Identity Tax Refund Scheme
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges and other information presented in court: a trial jury found Addaquay guilty of 29 counts of fraud-related offenses including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering. His conduct related to a stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme. From at least 2011 to at least 2016, Addaquay obtained stolen names, social security numbers, and dates of birth of taxpayers to prepare and file fraudulent federal income tax returns. The filing of these fraudulent tax returns resulted in the issuance of thousands of tax refund checks. The district court determined that his scheme led to a loss to the IRS of more than $4 million.
Business Email Compromise and Romance Scams
In addition, Addaquay participated in schemes to defraud multiple victims through business email compromise and romance scams. His schemes involved, among other conduct, the use of false identities and hacked or spoofed email accounts to gain the confidence of victims to divert funds into bank accounts. Addaquay pleaded guilty to structuring the proceeds. Victims across the country lost over $3 million as a result of his scams.
Thomas Addaquay, 50, of Atlanta, Ga., was sentenced to a combined term of imprisonment of 12 years and six months, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay more than $7 million in restitution.
These cases were investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the United States Secret Service, with valuable assistance from the Cobb County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sekret T. Sneed and Angela Adams prosecuted the cases.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Albany Woman Pleads Guilty to Unemployment Insurance Fraud and Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Niesha Goodwin, age 37, of Albany, pled guilty today to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for fraudulently obtaining pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits in the names of other people. Goodwin also pled guilty to firearm and drug distribution charges for a firearm and cocaine base recovered during a search of her residence.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, Northeast Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG); Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Goodwin admitted that from about July 2020 through March 2021, she fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits worth more than $150,000 by submitting applications for benefits in the names of five other people, including by using stolen personal identifying information. Goodwin agreed to pay $151,783 in restitution to the New York State Department of Labor.
Goodwin also admitted to possessing a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol and cocaine base (a/k/a crack cocaine) with the intent to distribute in November 2022. As a result of her prior conviction for robbery, Goodwin could not lawfully possess the pistol. Goodwin has agreed to forfeit the firearm and to abandon seven rounds of ammunition that were found in the firearm.
Goodwin faces at least 2 years in prison, a fine of up to $1.75 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years when she is sentenced on June 12, 2025 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.
The case was investigated by USDOL-OIG, USPIS, and HSI, with assistance from the Albany Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Paulbeck, Joseph S. Hartunian, and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting the case.
Aiken Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Cody Lee Anderson, 37, of Aiken, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with the signing of a will of an 88-year-old woman who passed away in 2022.
Evidence presented in court showed that sometime during the pandemic, a will was executed by a woman in Aiken that purported to leave the entirety of her estate, which was worth approximately $20 million to co-conspirator Thomas Allen Bateman, Jr. Anderson was designated as the personal representative and stood to be paid a fee of 5%. Evidence developed during the investigation indicated the 88-year-old woman did not have the mental capacity to make an informed decision regarding the disposition of her assets.
Anderson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $1 million and a total of five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Anderson at a future date after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Anderson’s co-conspirator, Bateman, previously plead guilty on Aug. 13, 2024, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Matthews and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.
###
Aggravated Felon Federally Charged with Illegal Re-Entry in AustinRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Mexican national previously removed as an aggravated felon was transferred to federal custody in Austin on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal re-entry.
According to court documents, Ruben Tinoco-Jaimes was located in the Travis County jail on Oct. 24, 2024, and taken into federal custody Feb. 7, 2025. He had previously been removed from the United States to Mexico after he was convicted in December 2017 for possession of cocaine and sentenced to 37 months in federal prison.
Tinoco-Jaimes is charged with illegal re-entry. If convicted, he faces 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.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Harding is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
2020 Census Contractor Agrees to Pay $8,000,000 to Settle Fraud AllegationsRead the Press Release
Maximus, Inc., a government services contractor based in Virginia, has agreed to pay the United States $8 million to resolve allegations that it misled the United States Census Bureau about the quality of its call handling as a contractor for the 2020 Census. The settlement resolves allegations brought by whistleblowers under the federal False Claims Act.
Maximus operated several multi-lingual call centers throughout the United States that took incoming calls from individuals with questions about Census operations and made outgoing calls to assist individuals in responding to the Census. Its contract with the United States Census Bureau also required Maximus to perform services to assess the quality and data accuracy of its call center operations. Maximus employed quality monitors to score calls for the accuracy of the call taker’s data input and adherence to standards of professionalism and decorum, based on a set of scoring standards agreed on between Maximus and the Census Bureau. In addition to compensation for its costs incurred, the contract provided that Maximus would receive an “award fee.” An “award fee” is a contract incentive paid to encourage contractors to meet certain contract goals. The Census Bureau used the call quality scores Maximus reported to help determine an appropriate “award fee” to pay Maximus.
The United States alleges that Maximus provided the Census Bureau inaccurate or misleading score information to improve the Census Bureau’s impression of the quality of Maximus’s work. While the contract required Maximus
to score a random sample of calls, the United States alleges that Maximus encouraged its quality monitors to choose which calls to score in a way designed to
improve the quality scores reported to the Census Bureau. The United States contends that Maximus did not tell the Census Bureau about these practices, which artificially increased the quality scores and permitted Maximus to receive greater award fees than it would have received with accurate reporting.Maximus cooperated with the investigation. The claims asserted against Maximus are allegations only; there was no determination or admission of liability. The lawsuit does not allege that Maximus manipulated any census enumeration data it helped collect.
The lawsuit arose under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act permits private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and share in the recovery. The whistleblowers will receive a $1.2 million share of the settlement.
“Government contractors must be honest and accurate in their reporting to their government partners. This is particularly true when the information they report affects the amount the government pays them. Our office is committed to holding accountable contractors that enrich themselves by misleading American taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax.
“The U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General is dedicated to investigating schemes to defraud U.S. Census Bureau contracts and programs,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Eric Arcand with the United States Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General (Commerce-OIG). “Census data informs policy and decision-making at all levels of government, and fraud affecting any aspect of the Census Bureau’s programs must not be tolerated. We are committed to protecting the Census Bureau’s funding and programs from fraud, waste, and abuse. We also appreciate the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa’s efforts toward resolving this matter.”
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys
Brandon J. Gray and Brian J. Keogh and investigated by the Department of Commerce-OIG, particularly Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Judd Leinum.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Tuesday 11 February 2025
Waterbury Man Who Possessed Guns and Drugs While on Supervised Release Sentenced to 5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that D’METRIUS JOHNSON, formerly known as D’METRIUS WOODWARD, and also known as “Meech,” 30, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing firearms as a felon, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release that followed a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 12, 2014, Johnson was sentenced in federal court to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his participation in a narcotics trafficking conspiracy. He was released from federal prison in January 2018. On November 21, 2022, while Johnson was on supervised release, Brookfield Police arrested him on state charges related to the theft of catalytic converters. On that date, a search of Johnson’s Waterbury residence revealed a Ruger 57 semiautomatic pistol, a Glock 31 semiautomatic pistol, a Ruger LCP handgun, ammunition, approximately 89 grams of cocaine, and pills containing MDMA (“ecstasy”).
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Johnson has been detained since his arrest. On November 14, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Waterbury Police Department, with the assistance of the Brookfield Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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 www.justice.gov/psn.
Violent Armed Robber Who Stalked, Kidnapped, and Robbed Victims in Virginia and Maryland Is Sentenced to 228 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyree Eugene McCombs, 29, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 228 months in federal prison for his role in the September 2022 stalking, armed robbery, and kidnapping of a pair of victims in Alexandria, Virginia, and for the November 2022 stalking, kidnapping, robbery, and shooting of a woman in Maryland and Washington, D.C.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
McCombs pleaded guilty on August 14, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, to one count of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (a “Hobbs Act” robbery) for the September 2022 offense, and to one count of kidnapping for the November 2022 offense. In addition to the 228-month prison-term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered McCombs to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in September and November 2022, McCombs and his co-conspirators twice executed plans to surveil, stalk, forcibly detain, bind, assault, and rob women at gunpoint. McCombs was a leader in both schemes, personally stalking the victims, holding them at gunpoint, physically assaulting them, and demanding that they pay their own ransoms. In each case, the kidnapping was abruptly cut short either by the sound of an alarm (September) or the victim’s daring escape (November).
During the first incident, on the evening on September 3, 2022, the two victims entered their car – a black Mercedes S63 AMG Sedan – and drove from Alexandria, Virginia to a family gathering in Maryland. Unbeknownst to the victims, they were being electronically surveilled. A GPS tracking device purchased by McCombs had been placed inside the Mercedes. That night, McCombs and three co-conspirators laid in wait for nearly four hours for the victims to return home to their apartment building in Alexandria. As the couple returned to their building, McCombs and his co-conspirators, wearing masks and blue surgical gloves and carrying zip ties, ambushed them with handguns and robbed them of their most valuable belongings.
McCombs and his crew stole two Audemars Piguet watches worth about $120,000 from the couple and another $63,500 worth of jewelry, including a Cuban link chain and a custom pendant with the letters “GQ” overlaid on a speedometer. McCombs and his co-conspirators took the keys to the victim’s Mercedes then forced the victims at gunpoint from the parking garage to the victims’ apartment.
Once inside of the apartment, McCombs and his co-conspirators pistol-whipped the victims and ordered them to tell them where their money was hidden. The co-conspirators ransacked the residence but were unable to find any cash. During the crime, a security alarm activated, and the co-conspirators tore the alarm from the wall and fled the apartment. McCombs and his co-conspirators then fled the apartment complex in a stolen white Kia as well as the victim’s Mercedes, which still had the GPS tracking device inside. The co-conspirators drove the Mercedes into Washington, D.C. then abandoned the vehicle in Maryland, where it was found by law enforcement. About a month later, on October 10, 2022, McCombs sold the custom pendant, worth tens of thousands of dollars, to a pawn shop in Maryland for $200.
On the night of November 7, 2022, McCombs led another kidnapping and robbery, this time targeting and abducting a 25-year-old woman in Maryland. At the time of this crime, McCombs was on supervised release for a 2019 attempted armed robbery conviction and, two weeks earlier, had been ordered to wear a GPS monitor. McCombs’s GPS data showed that he stalked the woman for hours through the evening of November 7, following her from work to a family member’s home to a bank. Eventually, the victim traveled by car to an apartment building in Elkridge, Maryland. McCombs and a co-conspirator, traveling in a carjacked Toyota Camry, followed her to the Elkridge apartment.
As the victim exited her vehicle and began to enter the building, McCombs and his co-conspirator grabbed her and forced her into the back seat of the Camry at gunpoint. The kidnappers pistol-whipped the victim, robbed her, and bound her hands behind her back using a black plastic zip tie. McCombs and his co-conspirator then held the woman captive in the vehicle for nearly three hours, driving to various locations in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Surveillance video footage from a gas station in Forestville, Maryland, captured McCombs and his co-conspirator exiting the Camry with the victim still held inside. As McCombs walked into the gas station to purchase gas, the co-conspirator entered the back seat of the vehicle and sexually assaulted the victim. After leaving the gas station, the kidnappers, who had already taken a significant amount of cash and property from the victim, repeatedly demanded to know “who she could call to save her life, that could get more money,” while threatening to kill her.
The victim, believing she was going to be killed, used her foot to open a rear door of the vehicle, pushed open the door, and, after struggling with McCombs, jumped out of the moving vehicle. As she sprinted down the street, McCombs and the co-conspirator fired at least five gunshots at her, striking her twice in the foot. Within minutes of the shooting, law enforcement identified McCombs based on his GPS data. They located and arrested McCombs, who was still wearing the GPS monitor, several hours later.
This case was investigated by FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. The Fairfax County Police Department, Howard County Police Department, and Metropolitan Police Department assisted with the investigation. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Mayer-Dempsey and Charles R. Jones.
McCombs (center) and his co-conspirators carry the Alexandria victims’ shoes and handbag in the hallway of the apartment building.
Crime scene photograph taken inside the Alexandria apartment where McCombs’s first victims resided.
Still images of McCombs and his co-conspirator abducting a woman at gunpoint in Maryland on November 7, 2022.
McCombs (right) and a co-conspirator talk at the gas station in Forestville, MD, as the victim remains captive in the back seat of a carjacked Toyota Camry.
22cr377
U.S. Attorney's Office and ATF Announce Charges in Firearms and Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Roswell man is charged with federal firearms and drug trafficking offenses following a traffic stop.
According to the complaint, on February 4, 2025, Roswell Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding. The driver, identified as Isaac Ivan Boccelli, 36, was accompanied by two juveniles aged 12 and 14. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed:
- Two firearms, one concealed on a juvenile and another in the vehicle
- 396.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine
- 147.0 grams of suspected fentanyl
Boccelli, previously convicted for 2nd Degree Murder and Battery Upon a Peace Officer, was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Boccelli will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted, Boccelli faces up to 40 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Roswell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez is prosecuting the case.
# # #