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Saturday 8 February 2025
United States Postal Employee Indicted for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 6, 2025, KANISHA FLORENCE (“FLORENCE”), age 28, a resident of New Orleans, was indicted for theft of mail by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.
According to the indictment, on February 6, 2023, FLORENCE removed a gift card from an article of mail that had come into her possession as an employee of the United States Postal Service.
If convicted, FLORENCE faces up to 5 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Three Members of Museum Heist Crew Found Guilty of Conspiracy, Theft of Major Artwork, and Concealment/Disposal of Major ArtworkRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Dombek, age 54, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Damien Boland, age 48, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, and Joseph Atsus, age 48, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania, were convicted on February 7, 2025, for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as multiple related substantive offense, following a four-week jury trial before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Dombek, Boland, and Joseph Atsus were part of a larger nine-person conspiracy which lasted over 20 years and whose goal was to break into multiple museums and other institutions and steal priceless works of art, sports memorabilia, and other objects. Those objects include the following:
- A Christy Matthewson jersey and two contracts signed by Matthewson stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania;
- “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania;
- Ten (10) World Series rings, seven (7) other championship rings, and two (2) MVP plaques all belonging to Yogi Berra, worth over $1,000,000 stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls, New Jersey;
- Six (6) championship belts, including four belonging to Carmen Basilio and two belonging to Tony Zale, stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York;
- The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy belonging to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo, North Dakota;
- The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library;
- Fourteen (14) trophies and other awards worth over $300,000, stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York;
- Five (5) trophies worth over $400,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York;
- Eleven (11) trophies, including four (4) belonging to Art Wall, Jr., stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club located in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania;
- Three antique firearms worth a combined $1,000,000, stolen in 2006 from Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;
- An 1903/1904 Tiffany Lamp stolen in 2010 from the Lackawanna Historical Society in Scranton, Pennsylvania,
- “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, worth approximately $500,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey;
- Two antique firearms worth over $300,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey;
- $400,000 worth of gold nuggets, stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey;
- Various gems, minerals, and other items stolen in 2017, from the Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin, New Jersey;
- An antique shotgun worth over $30,000, stolen in 2018 from Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;
- Various jewelry, rings, and other items from various antique and jewelry stores in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.
Five additional co-conspirators pled guilty pursuant to felony informations and are awaiting sentencing. Former co-defendant Alfred Atsus was acquitted of the three counts against him at trial.
After stealing the above-described items, the conspirators would transport the stolen goods back to northeastern Pennsylvania, often the residence of Dombek, and melt the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars. The conspirators would then sell the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for hundreds or a few thousands of dollars, significantly less than the sports memorabilia would be worth at fair market value.
Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, valued at approximately $500,000, to avoid the painting being recovered by investigators and used as evidence against the members of the conspiracy. The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown, however, several antique firearms stolen from the Space Farms Zoo and Museum and the Ringwood Manor Museum, both in New Jersey, were recovered by investigators.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the New Jersey State Park Police, the Newport Police Department (Rhode Island), the Fargo Police Department (North Dakota), the Chester Police Department (New York), the Exeter Borough Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Scranton Police Department, the Franklin Police Department (New Jersey), the Village of Goshen Police Department (New York), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.), the West Milord Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey), the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York), the Canastota Police Department (New York), the South Abington Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Bernards Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Salisbury Township Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Montclair State University Police Department (New Jersey), the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania), the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (New York), and multiple other local law enforcement agencies from across the country. Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Buchanan, Jenny Roberts, and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.
Sentencing is not yet scheduled. The defendants face a maximum penalty of imprisonment for a term of five years for the conspiracy conviction and maximum penalties of ten years’ imprisonment for each additional count of conviction, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Possessing Stolen Car and Drug and Weapons ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MERVYN LUCAS (“LUCAS”), age 33, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 75 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release, along with a $300 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a car stolen from the Norfolk Southern Railyard, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 659.
According to court documents, law enforcement tracked a brand new, $80,000 Ford F-150 Raptor stolen from the Norfolk Southern Railyard to LUCAS’s residence. The vehicle had a fraudulent temporary license plate and inside the residence, in an envelope addressed to LUCAS,there was a second fraudulent plate. Law enforcement also found over 10 pounds of vacuum-sealed marijuana in LUCAS’s residence that he intended to distribute. Additionally, they found a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco AK-47-style firearm, loaded with over 40 rounds of ammunition, that LUCAS possessed in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime.
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 case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROBERT BALL (“BALL”), age 45 of New Orleans, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 to a total of 248 months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, after previously pleading guilty to one (1) count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), one (1) count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), as well as one (1) count of Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(a). BALL was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment on Counts 1 and 2, followed by an additional 60 months on Count 3 to run consecutive. Judge Morgan also ordered that BALL serve five (5) years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay a $300 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, law enforcement in Ontario, California intercepted a package suspected of containing methamphetamine that was enroute to New Orleans. Further investigation revealed that Felipe Garcia had mailed two similar packages from the same United Parcel Service store in California to New Orleans. After determining the intercepted package in California contained methamphetamine, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) intercepted the second package before its delivery to a New Orleans address. It was later determined that BALL was the intended recipient of this drug package. BALL had previously been arrested by the Louisiana State Police after a traffic stop led to the discovery of methamphetamine and firearms in his possession.
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.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, and the Ontario California Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Mississippi Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud Conspiracy and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that JOHN SPOSATO (“SPOSATO”), age 73, a resident of Kiln, Mississippi, was sentenced February 6, 2025 by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 1344. Separately, United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced SPOSATO to 6 months in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed by Judge Fallon, for violating the terms of his supervised release from a prior conviction in United States v. Sposato, 15-134 (E.D. La.).
According to court documents, SPOSATO began serving a three-year period of supervised release after his release from prison because of his previous conviction on about August 9, 2022, in United States v. John Sposato, 15-134 (E.D. La.). While on supervised release, SPOSATO claimed to be President of several companies, including Pegasus Consulting and Development, LLC (“Pegasus Consulting”). These companies neither performed work nor generated income. SPOSATO opened a financial account at Keesler Federal Credit Union in the name of Pegasus Consulting and on March 27, 2023, attempted to deposit a $10,000.00 check he received from a co-conspirator, knowing it to be counterfeit. The check was purportedly drawn on the financial account of an all-volunteer, non-profit, tax-exempt organization that supported a Florida public library. SPOSATO’s attempted deposit placed Keesler at risk of both civil liability and financial loss. When asked about the check, SPOSATO falsely told a United States Probation Officer that the check was compensation for consulting work he performed, both directly and through an associate named “Jack Morgan,” for the non-profit entity. In fact, SPOSATO knew he was not entitled to the check and had never performed work for the non-profit.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Probation Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that FELICIANO SOLANO-OLEA (“SOLANO-OLEA”), age 42, a native of Mexico, was indicted on February 6, 2025 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, on December 10, 2024, SOLANO-OLEA reentered the United States after being previously deported on July 20, 2011. For this offense, SOLANO-OLEA faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Convicted Felon Who Fired Weapon at New Orleans Police Officers Sentenced to 188 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –DANTE FRAZIER (“FRAZIER”), age 45, was sentenced on February 6, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 188 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release, along with a $200 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a quantity of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers responded to an emergency call and found FRAZIER passed out in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. After becoming aware of NOPD’s presence, FRAZIER drove onto the Saint Claude Avenue neutral ground, struck a median, and then drove into a gas station parking lot before fleeing on foot. While fleeing, FRAZIER fired five shots from a Mossberg International Model 715P, .22 caliber handgun, at NOPD, before hiding beneath a nearby house. Soon after the pursuit, NOPD officers located FRAZIER, and his vehicle containing over 50 grams of methamphetamine and 14 grams of cocaine, that FRAZIER intended to distribute. Before this shooting incident, FRAZIER had been convicted of three counts of armed robbery and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
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 case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
Friday 7 February 2025
Walnut Ridge Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Being A Felon in Possession of 26 FirearmsRead the Press Release
JONESBORO—Terry Duane Qualls, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 262 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On September 20, 2024, Qualls, 37, of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of firearms. Qualls was indicted on April 5, 2024, in a superseding indictment, on one count of conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), two counts of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of being a felon in possession of 26 firearms, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
In addition to the sentence, which equals 21 years and 10 months, Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Qualls to five years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In the spring of 2021, law enforcement received information that Qualls was a multi-pound distributor of methamphetamine, and also a distributor of marijuana, heroin, fentanyl, LSD, and ecstasy in the northeast Arkansas area. Law enforcement arrested Qualls twice in the following months, finding him in possession of drugs and drug proceeds. Law enforcement also conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Qualls. The investigation led to the execution of a search warrant on sprawling property off Greene 707 Road, which was occupied by Qualls. Law enforcement located several stolen vehicles and a marijuana grow on the property.
Inside of a camper where Qualls resided, law enforcement located 26 firearms, body armor, 25 additional magazines, and five full cans of ammunition. Law enforcement also located approximately 340 grams of methamphetamine in multiple baggies, over 3,000 grams of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, suboxone, LSD, mushrooms, alprazolam, clonazepam, THC wax, 60 sudephedrine tablets, and steroids, along with a plastic bin full of syringes, five digital scales, 13 pipes, and a marijuana grinder.
Qualls was sentenced as a career offender on the drug conviction due to his criminal history that includes three serious drug convictions. Qualls was sentenced as an armed career criminal on the gun conviction due to his criminal history as well.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Second Judicial Drug Task Force, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Craighead County Sheriff’s Office, and Jonesboro Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
Vicksburg Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A Vicksburg man was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Marquette Cornell McCroy, 43, was found in possession of a firearm in Vicksburg following a traffic stop. McCroy, who was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, had previously been convicted of a felony and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms. McCroy threw the firearm on the ground as he attempted to flee the vehicle on foot.
McCroy was indicted by a federal grand jury and he pled guilty on October 3, 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Vicksburg Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Postal Employee and Co-Conspirator Receive Prison Time for Stolen Check SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A U.S. Postal Service employee and a co-conspirator were sentenced to prison yesterday for a scheme involving stolen checks worth over $24 million, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. A third co-conspirator was previously sentenced for his role in the scheme.
Nakedra Shannon, 30, and Desiray Carter, 30, both of Charlotte, were sentenced to 60 months and 54 months in prison, respectively, followed by two years of supervised release. On July 18, 2024, Donell Gardner, 28, also of Charlotte, was sentenced to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The defendants previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and theft of government property. The defendants were also ordered to pay $113,333.87 in restitution, jointly and severally.
According to court records, from March 2021 to July 2023, Shannon was employed by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) as a mail processing clerk at a distribution center in Charlotte. As Shannon previously admitted in court, from April to July 2023, she conspired with Gardner and Carter to steal incoming and outgoing checks from the U.S. mail, which Gardner and Carter then sold to other individuals, including using the Telegram channel OG Glass House. The co-conspirators stole checks totaling more than $24 million, which includes over $12 million in stolen checks that were posted for sale on the Telegram channel OG Glass House, and more than $8 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks. The defendants obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds of the mail theft scheme.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked U.S. Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Returns $328,573 to Victim of Computer Support ScamRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has returned approximately $328,573 to the victim of a computer support scam.
A computer support scam is a type of fraud scheme where an alert appears on the victim’s computer imitating a customer support alert, tricking the victim into contacting the bad actors. When the victim contacts the scammers, the scammers then take remote control of the computer and either directly transfer money from the victim to the scammers or trick the victim into sending money to the scammers.
According to the complaint (3:24cv840), in February 2024, an elderly woman who was tricked by a computer support scheme that mimicked Microsoft customer support transferred approximately $550,000 to the scammers in two wire transfers. Within two days of the transfers, the victim and a family member reported the incident to the Simsbury Police Department, who then partnered with HSI to investigate the crime. Fortunately, one of the wire transfers, in the amount of $221,000, was reversed by the bank and returned to the victim. HSI traced the remaining money, totaling approximately $328,573, and seized it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then filed a civil asset forfeiture action to forfeit the money to the government, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI then worked with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) to return the money to the victim. MLARS initiated the return of the money on February 4, 2025.
Generally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office first forfeits the money, then returns it to the crime victims, so that the crime victims have clear title to the property without risk of further litigation.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to helping victims of crime, and civil asset forfeiture is a powerful tool that allows the government to return money to victims of fraud schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman. “As we continue to pursue criminal prosecution of the individuals responsible for this and other computer crimes, it is equally important to ensure that the government uses all of its tools to minimize, and in this case, undo, the financial impact these crimes have on victims. This case represents the best case scenario, where nearly every dollar taken from the victim was returned to her. While it can be difficult to come forward and admit that you have been victimized by online scammers, know that federal law enforcement and our state and local partners stand ready to help you to the fullest extent possible.”
“Cyber scams run by foreign malign actors are becoming more common and more sophisticated every day,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Krol. “The victim in this case contacted authorities quickly resulting in the recovery of most of her money by the bank and by HSI – a best case scenario and rare result. It is essential for victims of these kinds of cybercrimes to come forward as soon as possible. We want the public to know that help is available and to reach out immediately if they’ve been victimized by international scammers.”
If you think you have been a victim of a computer support scam, immediately contact your bank or financial institution to request a recall or reversal as well as a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity, and contact local law enforcement. Additionally, file a detailed complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. The Internet Crime Complaint Center is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime. Visit www.ic3.gov for updated information regarding cyber fraud schemes.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects More Than $17 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
Spokane, Washington - U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref announced today the Eastern District of Washington collected $17,718,306.41 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $16,087,963.29 was collected in criminal actions and $1,630,343.12 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Washington worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $937,600 in civil cases pursued jointly by these offices.
“Thanks to the excellent work by our office’s Financial Litigation Unit and Affirmative Civil Enforcement team more than $17 million was recovered in 2024,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “Recovering criminal restitution owed to crime victims and civil debts owed to the United States is a vital part of our mission. The $16 million in criminal restitution collections will assist victims in their recovery process and hold criminals accountable for their crimes.”
The types of cases for which the United States often is able to collect include criminal and civil actions such as:
- More than $11.7 million in criminal restitution collected in United States v. Easterday, which is known as the “Ghost Cattle” case involving the fraudulent invoicing of non-existent cattle in the amount of $244 million (https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/tri-cities-rancher-sentenced-eleven-years-federal-prison-and-ordered-pay-244-million);
- More than $2.1 million in criminal restitution collected in United States v. Mize et al, which represents the proceeds from cash, real properties, cars, boats, and other assets seized from several defendants in a far-reaching insurance fraud scheme (https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/fraud-ringleader-and-former-fugitive-william-mize-sentenced-12-years-federal-prison);
- $478,935 in criminal restitution collected in United States v. Anwar, in which Sami Anwar received a 28 year prison sentence for falsifying human clinical research trials in connection with a fraud scheme (https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/richland-business-owner-sentenced-more-28-years-federal-prison-falsifying-human);
- $341,480 in criminal restitution collected in United States v. Jason Jordan, which involved the fraudulent sale of counterfeit airbags on eBay (https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/moxee-man-sentenced-31-months-federal-prison-selling-counterfiet-airbags-e-bay);
- $887,600 in civil collections in United States v. Multistar Inc., which involved penalties for illegally storing hazardous chemicals and violating federal environmental laws (https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/court-orders-washington-company-comply-regulations-pay-850k-illegally-storing);
- $700,000 in civil collections from physician Edward William Salko, D.O., and Jackson & Coker LocumTenens, LLC, which involved allegations that they participated in a kick-back scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment and diagnostic laboratory testing (https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/richland-physician-health-care-staffing-company-agree-pay-700000-resolve-false-claims);
- $329,196 in civil collections in United States v. All Star Property Management LLC, which involved claims they falsely and fraudulently claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent assistance intended to benefit struggling renters during the COVID-19 pandemic (https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/spokane-property-management-company-agrees-pay-more-300000-fraudulently-claiming);
- $224,620 in civil collections from Justin Leland, which involved allegations he participated in a kick-back scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/owner-spokane-valley-medical-supply-company-agrees-pay-224620-resolve-allegations).
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $1,742,014.13 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
HONOLULU – Acting U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced today that the District of Hawaii collected $1,742,014.13 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $1,220,860.27 was collected in criminal actions and $521,153.86 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the District of Hawaii worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $51,191.45 in civil actions pursued jointly by these offices. “
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting the public and recovering funds for the victims of federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Our hard-working Assistant U.S. Attorneys and financial litigation and support staffs make sure that criminals are prosecuted, convicted and that the proceeds of their crimes, along with any and all fines, are collected and repurposed to positive use. We are proud to have partnered with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to compensate victims and hold criminals financially accountable.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the District of Hawaii, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $4,123,459 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges over 500 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During two weeks of enforcement operations from January 21, 2025, through February 3, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has brought immigration-related criminal charges against over 500 defendants. Specifically, the Office charged 565 defendants with immigration-related crimes. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Apart from interdiction efforts at the border, Federal law enforcement has been prioritizing immigration enforcement operations and prosecutions of aliens unlawfully in the interior of the country who have connections to criminal activity in the United States, including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, who have active warrants for their arrest, or who have outstanding final orders of removal from the United States issued by an immigration judge. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearms, and alien smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect us all.
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Edwin Santiago Marquez Flores: On January 27, 2025, Edwin Santiago Marquez Flores was under surveillance by HSI special agents on suspicion of engaging in human smuggling activity via social media. During a traffic stop, Marquez was found to be illegally in possession of two Century Arms AK47-style rifles, along with over $1,400 in U.S. currency. He was charged by criminal complaint with being an Alien in Possession of a Firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5). Marquez admitted to being in the United States without legal status and admitted that he picked up the rifles with the intention that they be smuggled into Mexico. Marquez further admitted that he had sold approximately 50 firearms, including 40 to one specific individual who smuggles them to Mexico. He also admitted to transporting and selling cocaine in the United States and to coordinating approximately 300 drivers to smuggle approximately 800-1,000 illegal aliens within the United States. In total, Marquez said he was paid over $1.2 million for his smuggling activities. Case No. 25-3007 MJ.
United States v. Jason Kyle Dunn: On January 31, 2025, Jason Kyle Dunn, a U.S. Citizen, was charged with smuggling aliens in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324. Dunn was encountered at a U.S. Border Patrol immigration checkpoint on Interstate 19, driving a Ford F-550. After a human-detecting canine alerted to the vehicle, aliens were found concealed inside toolboxes in the bed of the truck. Specifically, Border Patrol found one subject locked in the driver’s side toolbox, two locked in the passenger side toolbox, and three locked in the main toolbox. The smuggled aliens reported they had no way of opening the toolboxes from the inside and that they had been locked inside the toolboxes for up to two hours before being rescued by Border Patrol. Case No. 25-8428 MJ.
United States v. Alfonso Garcia Vega: On February 2, 2025, ICE ERO Phoenix arrested Alfonso Garcia Vega, a Mexican citizen and criminal alien, who had previously been removed after a federal felony conviction and had unlawfully returned to the United States. Vega was charged by criminal complaint for illegal reentry after deportation in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), as enhanced by 8 U.S.C. § 1326(b) because of his prior felony convictions in the United States. Court papers in that prior case reflect that Garcia Vega’s criminal history includes DUIs, assault, illegal reentry, a drug trafficking offense, and misconduct involving weapons. See United States v. Alfonso Garcia-Vega, No. CR-19-00198-PHX-DLR. ICE ERO began its investigation in this matter based on a referral from ATF that Garcia Vega had previously attempted to illegally buy a firearm in the United States, and which purchase had been denied. Garcia Vega had been deported from the United States in 2020 pursuant to a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge after his 2019 federal felony conviction, for which he was sentenced to two years in custody. ICE officers attempted to consensually encounter and arrest Garcia Vega while he was on the sidewalk in front of his residence, but he fled into his residence in an attempt to avoid arrest. ICE ERO then obtained an arrest warrant to enter the residence. Case No. 25-3078 MJ.
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CASE NUMBER: 25-3007 MJ
25-8428 MJ
25-3078 MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-014_Immmigration EnforcementTwo Mexican Nationals Arrested for Alleged Train Cargo Theft and Repeated Reentry into United States Following DeportationRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Two men from Mexico who are in the United States illegally have been charged in a federal criminal complaint with stealing cargo from a freight train traveling through the Mojave Desert and taking approximately 71 cases of construction tools, the Justice Department announced today.
Jesus Omar Lopez Quintero, 34, and Juan Alonso Hernandez Enrique, 24, both Mexican nationals, were charged Thursday with possession or receipt of goods stolen from interstate shipment, removing goods from customs custody and breaking seals, and illegal reentry into the United States following deportation.
During initial appearances Thursday afternoon in U.S District Court in downtown Los Angeles, a federal magistrate judge ordered them detained and scheduled their arraignment for February 25.
“This case demonstrates the threat that transnational criminal theft organizations pose to our nation’s commerce, as well as the danger posed to trains and their operators,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Our office will aggressively prosecute those who repeatedly violate our laws and ensure they face consequences in the criminal justice system.”
According to the criminal complaint, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBSD) received a call for a suspicious vehicle parked near train tracks in Barstow on the night of January 28.
When law enforcement arrived, they observed a white cargo van driving away from a stopped freight train and a shipping container with its doors open. After following the vehicle, law enforcement turned on their sirens and lights and the white cargo van drove into oncoming traffic and kept driving before eventually pulling off to the side of the road. Quintero and Enrique then exited the vehicle and ran into the desert.
SBSD officers took Quintero into custody after he fell while running, and Enrique soon after was discovered hiding in bushes.
Inside the cargo van, authorities discovered approximately 71 cases of Milwaukee Tools with an estimated wholesale value of approximately $16,307. Law enforcement also recovered approximately 13 cases of Milwaukee Tools on the side of the train tracks, next to the open container, with an estimated wholesale value of approximately $7,792.
Quintero – who has been deported from the United States to Mexico a total of five times from 2013 to 2024 – was previously convicted of illegal entry into the United States in 2013, 2022 and 2023. Enrique was deported from the United States to Mexico in November 2022 and again the next month.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, Quintero and Enrique each face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for the possession or receipt of goods stolen from interstate shipment, up to 10 years in federal prison for the removal of goods from customs custody and breaking seals, and up to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States following deportation or removal.
Homeland Security Investigations and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Sophia Carrillo of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Thibodaux Woman Guilty of Misprision of a FelonyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that TAMMY THOMPSON (“THOMPSON”), age 56, a resident of Thibodaux, Louisiana, pled guilty on February 4, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Brandon Long to misprision of a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4. Judge Long scheduled sentencing for May 13, 2025. At sentencing, THOMPSON faces up to three (3) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to one (1) year of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court records, law enforcement in Thibodaux, saw THOMPSON’s son, Earl Henry Jr. (“Henry Jr.”) purchase narcotics from Roy Robinson (“Robinson”) in a parking lot. After the purchase, Robinson placed two bags inside of Henry Jr.’s vehicle. Henry Jr. then drove directly back to the residence he shared with his mother, THOMPSON. After a brief visit inside the residence, Henry Jr. left the residence but was quickly detained by law enforcement. After concluding that Henry Jr. had moved the bags into his mother’s house, officers got a search warrant for THOMPSON’s residence, while also surveilling the house, to prevent THOMPSON from concealing or destroying evidence. THOMPSON was then seen on camera leaving her home and placing the two bags inside a nearby parked vehicle. Law enforcement arrived later to execute the search warrant, and seized the that contained approximately 7,227.3 total gross grams of methamphetamine. By moving the methamphetamine from her residence and into a nearby vehicle, knowing her adult son had already been detained, THOMPSON was concealing evidence of her son’s drug trafficking activities. In so doing, she committed misprision of a felony.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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.
United States Attorney Evans praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Texas Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nnamdi Felix Udeagha, age 39, of Humble, Texas, entered a guilty plea to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
The Indictment alleged that between April and December of 2021, Udeagha knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to devise a scheme to obtain money and property from the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health through materially false and fraudulent pretenses by means of wire communications in interstate commerce. According to court records, the Chickasaw Nation Department of Health received emails purportedly from a legitimate vendor. The emails contained instructions to wire funds to certain bank accounts. It was later determined that the emails were created and sent by a member of the conspiracy, and that the bank accounts were opened by conspirators to receive and distribute the fraudulently obtained funds.
As part of the plea hearing, Udeagha admitted that he facilitated the fraud by communicating the bank account information to the co-conspirator who sent the bogus emails, and that he acted together with the other conspirator for a mutual benefit.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Udeagha will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara Traster and Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Texas Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Kidnapping 13-Year-Old Girl at Gunpoint and Repeatedly Assaulting HerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Texas man was sentenced today to 420 months in federal prison for kidnapping a 13-year-old girl at gunpoint last year in San Antonio, admitting that he drove her to California, threatened her with a firearm, and sexually assaulted her multiple times before his arrest in Long Beach.
Steven Robert Sablan, 63, of Cleburne, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, who also ordered him to pay $1,158 in restitution.
Sablan pleaded guilty in January 2024 to one count of kidnapping. He has been in federal custody since July 2023.
“The 35-year sentence imposed ensures this defendant will not have the opportunity to victimize children,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “There is nothing as important as protecting our young people. I commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their efforts to secure justice here.”
“Mr. Sablan took this young girl from the safety of her Texas home and repeatedly sexually assaulted her at gunpoint throughout a lengthy drive of terror to California,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI will not tolerate sexual deviants who exploit our children at will and – as in this case – will hold these violent offenders accountable.”
“This sentencing announcement represents a collaborative commitment to holding individuals accountable for victimizing and inflicting trauma upon our children,” said Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish. “I am deeply grateful to our officers and federal law enforcement partners from the FBI and DOJ for their tireless efforts on this case.”
On July 6, 2023, in San Antonio, Sablan abducted the victim, held her, and transported her in his gray Nissan Sentra to Long Beach, California. The victim told Sablan she was 13 years old. During this ordeal, Sablan used a firearm to threaten and control the victim.
Sablan confined the victim until she was rescued on July 9, 2023, in Long Beach after a Good Samaritan called 911 after seeing her holding a “Help Me” sign in the window of Sablan’s car.
During the Texas-to-California journey, he sexually assaulted the victim. At the time of the crime, Sablan had no legal custody or familial relationship to the victim.
“[Sablan] violently abducted a child and repeatedly sexually assaulted her while driving her thousands of miles from her home,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “And while [Sablan] spent days abusing her for his own pleasure, her parents agonized over their missing child, fearing the worst. The worst was not far from reality.”
The FBI and the Long Beach Police Department investigated this matter. The Cleburne (Texas) Police Department and the Fort Worth (Texas) Police Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Tampa Man Indicted for Possessing Firearms as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Denzel Ingram (27, Tampa) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Ingram faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ingram that the United States intends to forfeit a Shadow Systems firearm and a Smith & Wesson firearm, which were used in the commission of the offense.
According to the indictment, on or about June 23, 2024, Ingram knowingly possessed a Shadow Systems firearm and a Smith & Wesson firearm. Prior to his possession, Ingram knew that he had been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, throwing a deadly missile, and fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Spokane Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On February 5, 2025, United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Zachary Peter Timm, age 32, of Spokane, Washington, to 15 years in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material. Judge Rice also imposed 10 years of supervised release and $48,000 of restitution to Defendant’s victims.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on February 21, 2023, law enforcement acted on several tips that Timm had been uploading child exploitation material online. Agents executed a search warrant at Timm’s home in Spokane Valley and seized a computer and several smart phones. Investigators located more than 13,000 files of child sexual abuse material, including more than 1,000 videos on electronic devices. The images and videos included depictions of minors younger than the age of 12.
Agents also found chats between Timm and others online where they discussed and exchanged child sexual abuse material. Timm told some of these individuals he had sexually abused children in the past and expressed his desire to abuse more children in the future.
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who engage in the distribution of child sexual abuse material will be held fully accountable for their actions,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Protecting children is our top priority, and we are unwavering in our commitment to bringing those who exploit and harm them to justice. This case reinforces that there is no place in our society for those who contribute to the abuse and exploitation of children, and we will continue to pursue justice with relentless determination.”
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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security, Washington State Patrol, and the Spokane Police Department, which make up the Eastern Washington Missing and Exploited Children Task Force (MECTF), a Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) affiliate. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick.
2:23-cr-00136-TOR
Salvadoran national pleads guilty to illegal possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national pled guilty today to unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on July 13, 2024, law enforcement responded to a report of a man brandishing a handgun at the Harmony Trailer Park. There, officers located Adalberto Rivas Machado, 20, who matched the description of the subject.
When a uniformed officer exited his marked vehicle, Rivas Machado fled on foot but was detained after a short chase. During a subsequent pat-down, officers located the handgun in Rivas Machado’s sweatpants above his left ankle. The firearm was loaded with 9mm hollow point ammunition.
Rivas Machado was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. Rivas Machado had illegally entered the United States and did not have any legal status in the country. An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed that he entered the United States without authorization as a juvenile in 2018 and an immigration judge ordered in 2019 that he be removed to El Salvador. Additionally, Rivas Machado could not possess a firearm because he was addicted to and an unlawful user of drugs. Rivas Machado admitted that he was addicted to fentanyl at the time he possessed the firearm. FCPD officers recovered fentanyl from him when he was arrested.
Rivas Machado is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22 and faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-221.
St. Francisville Man Sentenced to 240 Months in Federal Prison for Assault of a Federal Employee in Performance of Official DutyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Lionel Haile, age 31, of St. Francisville, Louisiana, to 240 months in federal prison following his conviction for assaulting a U.S. Postal employee with a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury. Haile must serve three years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, on December 31, 2021, Haile attacked a U.S. Postal employee with a sharp object as she was delivering mail to an apartment complex in Zachary, Louisiana, inflicting a stab wound on her right leg. The victim fought against Haile’s repeated attempts to stab her on her upper body and legs. She escaped Haile, ran towards a vehicle as it was exiting the apartment complex, jumped inside the vehicle, and rode off with her rescuer. Haile fled the scene. Authorities arrested Haile on January 6, 2022, following the publication of his photograph on CrimeStoppers.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Zachary Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Robert W. Piedrahita.
Rumford Man Sentenced for Evading Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Rumford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for willfully evading the payment of employment taxes.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Jeffrey Richard, 50, to 12 months and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $910,980.37 in restitution to the IRS. Richard pleaded guilty on July 17, 2023.
According to court records, between 2013 and 2017, Richard willfully attempted to evade payment of employment withholding taxes owed by his company, Black Bear Industrial, Inc. Despite being aware of the company’s unpaid employment tax liability, Richard took a variety of steps to evade payment. He regularly used funds from Black Bear’s business bank account to make business and personal purchases, all while making no payments toward Black Bear’s tax liability. He also created two nominee companies and took steps to disguise his ownership of the companies. He falsely represented to an IRS revenue officer that he had anything to do with one of the companies. The other company did business and had over $174,000 of business income in 2017, but none of the money was used to pay the IRS. Richard never informed the IRS about the company, and the company never filed any corporate or employment tax returns.
“Today’s sentencing of Jeffrey Richard sends a strong message to all individuals and businesses that think they are above the law and can evade their obligation to pay their fair share of taxes,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Richard knowingly chose to steal and cheat from every America taxpayer when he selfishly chose to use business funds for personal purchases and took other steps to evade paying his tax liability. Tax evasion is not a victimless crime, it impacts every American by stealing resources vital to fund schools, maintain public infrastructure and enhance social welfare.”
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
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Roanoke, Alabama Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison Following Federal Drug ConvictionRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – On February 6. 2025, a federal judge ordered 41-year-old Clifford Lane Brown, from Roanoke, Alabama, to serve 228 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the illegal drug, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. The judge also ordered that Brown remain on supervised release for five years following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to Brown’s plea agreement and other court records, on June 3, 2021, deputies with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office went to a home in Roanoke to make contact with an individual residing there concerning an investigation unrelated to Brown. When deputies arrived, they observed a vehicle parked near the home’s front porch. There were two occupants inside the vehicle — one was a female, the other was Brown. As officers approached the vehicle, deputies saw that Brown was holding a handgun. Deputies ordered Brown to put the firearm down, and Brown complied. Investigators searched the vehicle and found a backpack containing six plastic bags of methamphetamine, a small glass jar of marijuana, a hypodermic needle, and multiple rounds of ammunition. Brown has previous felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) analyzed and weighed the methamphetamine. The DEA lab determined that there was a total of 76 grams of methamphetamine seized with a purity level of 98 percent. On October 28, 2024, Brown pleaded guilty to possessing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the illegal drug.
The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case, with assistance from DEA. Assistant United States Attorney Justin L. Jones prosecuted the case.
Repeat Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possessing images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Jonathan Lattif, 46, of Jersey City, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to an Information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 18, 2022, Lattif possessed videos depicting sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent children, on his mobile device. He possessed over 500 videos files and 1 photograph of child sexual abuse material.
Lattif also has a prior state conviction for possession of child pornography.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Lattif to 10 years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark; and Customs and Border Protection Officers from the Port of New York/Newark, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations New York Field Office, under the direction of Acting Port Director Jeffrey Greene, with the investigation leading to the charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Rapid City Man Convicted of Sexual Abuse and Child Abuse Committed on the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Victor Dominquez, age 57, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor, five counts of Abusive Sexual Contact, and two counts of Felony Child Abuse following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on February 5, 2025.
The defendant faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years up to life in custody. Each conviction carries the possible maximum of a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of up to life, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Dominquez was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 for the listed charges.
Evidence at trial established Dominquez sexually abused his biological daughter and stepdaughter for years while the family lived on the Pine Ridge Reservation between 2006 and 2012. Dominquez used a variety of tactics against the children to prevent them from disclosing the sexual abuse. He created an environment of fear by beating the children in the home, resulting in a charge of child abuse. He also groomed the girls by showing them pornography beginning when they were very young. The sexual abuse and domestic violence persisted throughout the girls’ childhoods, and they ultimately disclosed the abuse when they were adults.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and sentencing has been scheduled for April 14, 2025. Dominquez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Postal Service Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $300,000 in Checks and Gold and Collectable Currency from MailRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A United States Postal Service (USPS) supervisor pleaded guilty today to stealing approximately $284,000 in checks and up to $40,000 in other items – including gold and collector-type currency such as a Confederate $10 bill – from the U.S. mail.
Joivian Tjuana Hayes, 36, of Compton, who was a supervisor at the Costa Mesa Post Office, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail matter by Postal Service employee and one count of unlawful transfer, possession, and use of means of identification.
According to her plea agreement, from early last year until December 2024, while on duty with USPS, Hayes stole mail from the Costa Mesa Post Office, including checks that had been mailed, which she then deposited into her own bank accounts by forging the payees listed on the checks.
Hayes stole at least 20 checks totaling approximately $284,000, which she then deposited into her bank accounts at various banks. She also stole and deposited $3,000 in postal money orders that had been mailed. She deposited the stolen checks by using her banks’ mobile apps and at ATMs. During some of the ATM deposits, Hayes wore a blue t-shirt bearing a USPS logo.
During a search of Hayes’ residence last month, law enforcement found multiple gold coins and bills of U.S. currency that had been sent by registered mail. Hayes had stolen these items from the Costa Mesa Post Office. Among those items included a $1 bill dating from 1917 with a sticky note listing a value of $675, a $100 bill dating from 1914 valued at $1,500, and a $10 Confederate States of America bill.
During that same search, federal agents also found various gold pieces, including a $5 gold piece with sticky note listing a value of $1,600. Federal agents also found inside Hayes’ bedroom a pink wallet with a U.S. Treasury check payable to a victim in the amount of $2,599, addressed to a location in Costa Mesa, which defendant had also stolen from the mail at the Costa Mesa Post Office.
The intended loss from Hayes’ theft of mail is approximately $304,000 to $324,288, which is comprised of approximately $284,000 in stolen checks that Hayes deposited into her various bank accounts and approximately $20,000 to $40,000 in other items she had stolen from the mail, including gold coins and currency.
United States District Judge John W. Holcomb scheduled a May 23 sentencing hearing, at which time Hayes will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the theft count and up to 15 years in federal prison for the unlawful transfer count.
The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Charles E. Pell of the Orange County Office is prosecuting the case.
Parrish Man Indicted for Possessing Multiple Firearms as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Jason Peterson (29, Parrish) with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, Peterson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Peterson that the United States intends to forfeit a Smith & Wesson firearm, a Bauer firearm, and a Rossi firearm, used in the commission of the offense.
According to the indictment, between on or about July 1, 2024, and on or about November 16, 2024, Peterson knowingly possessed a Smith & Wesson firearm and a Bauer firearm. Additionally, on or about October 24, 2024, Peterson knowingly possessed a Rossi firearm. Prior to his possession of each firearm, Peterson knew he had been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including resisting an officer with violence, delivery of a controlled substance, felony littering, and two separate convictions of battery on a law enforcement officer. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Orlando Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Elijah Noah Petit-Frere (24, Orlando) to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Petit-Frere pled guilty on November 12, 2024.
According to court documents, an officer with the Ocala Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Petit-Frere. When Petit-Frere was placed under arrest for a driving offense, officers discovered Petit-Frere had a loaded firearm holstered on his waistband. Petit-Frere had previously been convicted of state felony offenses, including carrying a concealed firearm, fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer, and possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Orange County felon sentenced for federal gun violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Vidor convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Dennis Lee Kelley, 32, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 7, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on July 27, 2023, Kelley was arrested near Hwy 105 in Beaumont pursuant to an active warrant for a parole violation. At the time of his arrest, a pistol was discovered in the vehicle he was driving. As a convicted felon, Kelley was prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
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Omaha Woman Sentenced for Selling Firearm to FelonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Denise Penke, 52, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 7, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for transfer or sale of a firearm to a prohibited person. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Penke to time served (five days). Penke will immediately begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On January 4, 2023, an individual cooperating with law enforcement purchased a Glock 43 9mm pistol from Penke at a residence in Omaha. The transaction was audio and video recorded. As the cooperator entered the residence, the cooperator mentioned that the cooperator was a felon. This statement was captured by the recording, which also showed Penke holding the handgun wrapped in a yellow rag. During a plea hearing, Penke admitted that she knew the cooperator was a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Today, MARLON DEWAYNE MARTIN, 44, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On September 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a four-count Indictment against Martin, charging him with sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of a child, and distribution and possession of child pornography. According to the Indictment, between September 15, 2023, and February 26, 2024, Martin knowingly recruited and caused a child to be engaged in a commercial sex act, while also producing, distributing, and possessing child sexual abuse material.
Today, Martin pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment, and admitted he arranged commercial sex dates between the minor child and others and provided hotel rooms for that purpose. At sentencing, Martin faces a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bow Bottomly is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Ocala Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida– United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Scott Alan Colson (60, Ocala) has entered a guilty plea to the offense of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Colson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A federal grand jury indicted Colson on August 6, 2024.
According to court records, on July 24, 2024, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office undercover detective posed as a 15-year-old girl on an online messaging application. Colson contacted the undercover detective’s account and inquired as to whether the “girl” ever had ever been with older men and asked to meet her. Colson added, “You keep secrets if we meet up.” Colson then engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the undercover detective, telling the detective to “make it easy to get down ur pantys.” Colson eventually agreed to meet the girl at a predetermined location in Marion County, where he was arrested by law enforcement.
When interviewed by law enforcement, Colson admitted to engaging in the sexually explicit conversation and then traveling to meet the fictional minor to engage in sexual activity. An examination of Colson’s cellular telephone revealed other child sexual exploitation materials.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by AUSA Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Oak Park Gang Members and Drug Suppliers Charged with Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 15-count indictment Thursday against Sacramento residents Kevin Antonio Parker, 38; John Kevin Parker, 45; Veronica Brooks, 42; Xavier Surita, 36; Raymundo Escobar, 27; Marcelino Escobar, 23; and Devon Nelson, 33, charging them with various drug trafficking and firearms offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
A second related indictment Thursday charged Sacramento resident Maurice Collins, 34, with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, in November 2023, law enforcement began investigating two high-ranking Oak Park Bloods gang members. Over the course of the investigation, Kevin Parker and his associates sold fentanyl powder, fentanyl pills, more than 15 pounds of methamphetamine, and 12 firearms, including privately manufactured firearms and a firearm equipped with a machine gun conversion device. Kevin Parker was charged with multiple drug offenses involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful dealing in firearms, and the possession and transfer of a machine gun. John Parker, Brooks, Raymundo Escobar, Marcelino Escobar, and Nelson were charged with various drug conspiracy and distribution offenses, and Raymundo Escobar was additionally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers made multiple purchases of methamphetamine and guns at Sacramento stash houses. On Jan. 28, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at one such stash house and found Collins residing there and in possession of a firearm. Collins is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony convictions.
These cases are the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Special Services Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily G. Sauvageau and Nicole Vanek are prosecuting the cases.
If convicted, the defendants in the first indictment each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. Collins faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Newton Man Arrested for Abusive Sexual Contact of Minor Aboard Flight to BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Newton man has been arrested and charged for allegedly making repeated sexual contact with a 17-year-old female passenger (minor victim) seated directly in front of him onboard a flight from Puerto Rico to Boston in August 2024.
Jonathan Alan Lefman, 46, is charged with one count of abusive sexual contact while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Lefman was arrested today and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 2:30 p.m. today.
According to the charging documents, on Aug. 30, 2024, Lefman was a passenger onboard a JetBlue flight flying from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Boston with his wife and four children. On multiple occasions during the flight and while on the ground waiting to deplane in Boston, Lefman allegedly engaged in abusive sexual contact with the minor victim. Specifically, it is alleged that Lefman intentionally worked his hand in between and through the area between the back and bottom of the seat directly in front of him, where the minor victim was seated, and touched the minor victim’s buttocks without her permission. On at least one occasion when he did so, the minor victim saw his reflection leaning between the seats in the seatback monitor in front of her. On the last occasion when he allegedly touched or attempted to touch her buttocks, the minor victim was able to use her cell phone camera to take a video of Lefman’s fingers protruding between the back and bottom of the minor victim’s seat. According to court documents, after she exited the aircraft, while still on the jet bridge, the minor victim took a video of Lefman as he got off the aircraft.
It is alleged that, after deplaning, the minor victim’s adult female family member who had been traveling in a different row reported Lefman’s alleged conduct to a JetBlue supervisor and confronted Lefman, showing the video of his fingers to support her statement.
The charge of abusive sexual contact while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division 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.
New York Man Sentenced to 34 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Marquis Windsor, age 33, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced on February 5, 2025, to 34 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for wire fraud conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen goods.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, between November 14, 2017 and October 12, 2022, Windsor and multiple co-conspirators defrauded nearly 60 businesses across 23 states and the District of Columbia via a fraudulent scheme in which they used fictious names, sham email addresses, and fake credit cards to rent sound production (or audio) equipment from businesses. Instead of returning the rented audio equipment, Windsor and his co-conspirators sold the merchandise using online marketplaces, such as eBay, Facebook, OfferUp, and Reverb. Windsor’s conduct caused a loss of $1,077,651.84.
Judge Wilson further ordered Windsor to pay restitution in the amount of $984,919.66.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lancaster Police, Lower Paxton Police, Cincinnati Police, Rockville (MD) Police, Detroit Police, Atlanta Police, Madison (Wisconsin) Police, and Falls Township (PA) Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney David C. Williams prosecuted the case.
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New York Man Sentenced for Possession of Stolen Mail and Postal KeysRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that William Stewart, age 29, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced on February 6, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for possession of stolen mail and possession of Post Office master keys. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Stewart to 40 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Stewart’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On April 13, 2024, around midnight, a York County Deputy Sheriff pulled over Stewart who was driving a rental car eastbound on Interstate 80. The deputy smelled marijuana and searched the car, locating some marijuana paraphernalia. In the trunk, deputies found a suitcase containing a United States Postal Service envelope containing personal checks with different amounts issued by various persons and businesses. Stewart was not the payee on any of the checks. The suitcase also contained a laptop computer, a printer, and numerous blank checks. Deputies found a FedEx uniform and two United States Postal Service master or arrow keys, that are used to open Post Office collection and delivery mailboxes, in Stewart’s coat pocket. Stewart admitted the items in the car belonged to him.
In total, deputies seized 392 personal checks, 1,310 blank checks, and 42 blank check backs. Of the 392 checks located in Stewart's vehicle, there were 294 different people or businesses who had written checks. The victims’ checks were dated between December 2023 and April 2024, ranged in value from $1 up to $31,000, and totaled $222,439.95. Of the 392 checks, there were victims located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New York, and Florida. Several victims incurred loss from stop or late payment fees, replacing checks, reestablishing bank accounts, and from resending checks that never made it to their destination. Stewart was ordered to pay $325.40 in restitution to cover these losses.
Deputies called two different victims from North Carolina whose checks were found. Both reported that they had issued the checks to pay bills and had placed them in mailboxes where they lived in North Carolina. Neither victim knew Stewart, nor had they given him permission to have the checks.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the York County Sheriff’s Office.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Narcotics and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on February 5, 2025, CARLOS JONES (“JONES”), age 32, a resident of Orleans Parish, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance to narcotics and weapons offenses.
According to court documents, JONES and co-defendant, Donte Edwards, were charged in an 11-count indictment with violating the Federal Controlled Substances Act and the Federal Gun Control Act relating to narcotics trafficking and weapons offenses in New Orleans from January through June 2022. Specifically, between January and June of 2022, JONES agreed and conspired with co-defendant, Dante Edwards (“EDWARDS”), to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) within the 7th Ward neighborhood of New Orleans. JONES pled guilty to Counts 1, 8, 9, and 11 of an indictment charging him with violating 21 U.S.C. § 846, conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances (crack); 21 U.S.C. §§ 846(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance; 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(i), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and, 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
As to each narcotics charge, JONES faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, and at least 3 years of supervised release. As to the charge for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, JONES faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and up to 5 years of supervised release. Finally, as to the felon in possession charge, he faces up to 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. JONES will also pay a $400 mandatory special assessment fee. He is scheduled for sentencing on April 7, 2025. Co-defendant, EDWARDS, previously pled guilty and was sentenced.
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 case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Kennedy of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Kensington Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges in Connection with Transnational Criminal OperationRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 6, 2025, to charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
James Pinkston, 35, pleaded guilty to Counts One, Three, and Four of the Second Superseding Indictment before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around August 2021 to in and around June 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pinkston conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Pinkston was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others. Similarly, in and around March 2023, Pinkston possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine. Further, from in and around April 2022 to in and around March 2023, Pinkston conspired to commit money laundering by using a payments app to receive and initiate payments for drug transactions.
Pinkston was one of 35 individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown in December 2023 on narcotics, conspiracy, and money laundering charges for their participation in a violent transnational drug and money laundering operation. The Second Superseding Indictment alleges that the operation imported from Mexico millions of fentanyl pills, kilograms of fentanyl powder, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine that then were distributed and sold throughout the United States (read the news release regarding the Second Superseding Indictment here). Pinkston served as the western Pennsylvania connection to the Phoenix, Arizona, drug trafficking organization responsible for importing the drugs from Mexico.
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Pinkston. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Missouri Sex Offender Admits Possessing, Sending Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A registered sex offender from Farmington, Missouri on Friday admitted possessing child sexual abuse material and sending it to his girlfriend’s father.
Stephen Curtis Mincey Watters, 39, of Farmington, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography as a prior offender. He admitted sending four images containing child sexual abuse material via Facebook on Aug. 3, 2023, to the father of his girlfriend. That triggered a cyber tipline report to law enforcement from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children.
On Sept. 28, 2023, Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators conducted a court-approved search of Watters’ home. Watters admitted searching for and viewing child pornography. Investigators also recovered communications between Watters and his girlfriend’s father, Brandel Lee Akers.
Akers told investigators that Watters had been sending him child sexual abuse material for about one year via text messages and Facebook.
Watters is scheduled to be sentenced May 7. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will recommend a sentence of 12 years in prison.
Akers, now 55, of St. Francois County, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting 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 Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Miccosukee Tribal Member Who Shot Another Sentenced to 198 Months Behind BarsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – This week, a South Florida federal judge sentenced a member of Miccosukee tribe to almost 17 years in federal prison for shooting and seriously injuring an unarmed man on the reservation.
During a heated argument with the victim (also a Miccosukee tribal member), Sutanga Rex Cypress, 43, pulled out a Sig Sauer firearm and threatened to shoot the victim. Cypress pulled the trigger, hitting the victim in the abdomen. A helicopter team airlifted the victim to a hospital, where he received medical treatment. The victim survived but suffered permanent injury. In September, Cypress pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
In addition to a term of incarceration and $50,000 fine, United States District Judge Jacqueline Becerra sentenced Cypress to five years of supervised release once he is out of prison. Judge Becerra will hold a hearing on May 6, to determine the amount of restitution Cypress must pay his victim.
U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin E. Fleck of FBI Miami, and Chief Roland Pandolfi of the Miccosukee Police Department made the announcement.
FBI Miami’s Safe Trails Task Force and Miccosukee Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Latoya Brown and Vanessa Bonhomme are prosecuting it.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20195.
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Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Ignacio Juan-Velazquez (34, Mexico) to one year in federal prison for illegal re-entry into the United States. Juan-Velazquez previously pled guilty on November 13, 2024.
According to court documents, Juan-Velazquez is a citizen of Mexico. He previously has been deported from the United States on four occasions between 2012-2017 and never has obtained permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States. On September 24, 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered Juan-Velazquez at a rest area on Interstate 75 in Sumter County, Florida. Juan Velasquez presented the agents with his Mexican voter card as identification. He then admitted that he was illegally in the country.
This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Mexican National Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger today sentenced Maria Del Carmen Sobarso-Gonzalez (61) to 14 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States. Sobarso-Gonzalez pled guilty on November 1, 2024.
According to court documents, earlier in 2024, law enforcement received a tip reporting that Sobarso-Gonzalez resided in Jacksonville, Florida, after having been removed from the United States three times. Sobarso-Gonzalez also was previously convicted of a felony illegal reentry into the United States by a deported alien in the Middle District of Florida. Law enforcement then surveilled several known locations where Sobarso-Gonzalez visited and resided, which resulted in her arrest.
This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Milliron.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry after an Aggravated FelonyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Mexican national has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry to the United States after an aggravated felony conviction for a crime of violence, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, Jonathan Chavez-Galarza, 28,was removed from the United States on July 15, 2020, following his 2018 conviction in Hennepin County for second degree assault with a dangerous weapon. In that matter, Chavez-Galarza was convicted of stabbing a victim multiple times with a knife. The defendant was sentenced to – and served – a term of 36 months imprisonment for that offense, prior to his removal. On December 20, 2022, the defendant was removed a second time, following his conviction in the Southern District of Texas for illegal reentry. Following this last removal to Mexico, Chavez-Galarza knowingly, voluntarily, and unlawfully returned to the United States. Beginning on or around May 24, 2024, and several times afterwards, the defendant was observed near his residence in Minneapolis and around the Twin Cities Metro Area.
Chavez-Galarza pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court before Judge Donovan W. Frank on one count of illegal reentry to the United States after commission of an aggravated felony.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Charged with Illegally Transporting Undocumented AliensRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Maria Lopez-Vega (51, Mexico) with being paid to transport undocumented aliens to further their illegal presence in the United States. If convicted, Lopez-Vega faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
According to the complaint, on February 3, 2025, a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper stopped an SUV on Interstate-75 for a traffic violation. Lopez-Vega was driving the SUV, which contained five passengers. Lopez-Vega provided the Trooper with a photograph of her Mexican passport. Because the Trooper suspected that Lopez-Vega was unlawfully present in the United States and was transporting aliens who were unlawfully present in the United States, he contacted U.S. Border Patrol agents for assistance. At the scene, the agents questioned Lopez-Vega and at least one of the passengers about their citizenship and immigration status. Lopez-Vega stated that she was a citizen of Mexico and did not have legal authorization to be in the United States. It was also determined that the five passengers were illegally present in the United States and were citizens of Mexico, Honduras, and/or Guatemala. During later questioning, Lopez-Vega told agents that she received payment to transport the aliens from Texas to Florida. Two of the passengers stated they entered the United States illegally and had paid for assistance in crossing the Mexican border and being transported to Florida.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
Mexican National Arrested for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Luis Marcos Hernandez-Granillo (42, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Hernandez-Granillo faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Hernandez-Granillo is a citizen and national of Mexico. He was previously removed from the United States on July 26, 2018, and August 28, 2024. Afterward, Hernandez-Granillo was found voluntarily back in the United States on January 29, 2025, when he was arrested in Marion County on a local warrant. Hernandez-Granillo has not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Mexican National Admits to Trafficking Cocaine After Illegally Re-Entering the United States After Multiple Previous DeportationsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Mexican national admitted on Tuesday to trafficking cocaine and illegally re-entering the United States after previously sustaining an aggravated felony conviction, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Anastacio Santiago Chaparro, aka Arnoldo Urquidez, 41 of Mexico pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and illegal reentry by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On November 6, 2023, Santiago Chaparro was caught by law enforcement transporting a backpack that contained over 10 kilograms of cocaine. Santiago Chaparro admitted that the cocaine was intended for distribution. Additionally, Santiago Chaparro had been deported from the United States to Mexico three times and previously sustained a conviction for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, an aggravated felony.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The charge of illegal reentry by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, and from the Drug Enforcement Administration New York, under the direction of Frank A. Tarentino, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chana Y. Zuckier of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit in Newark. Sentencing is scheduled for June 9, 2025, at 11:00 a.m.
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Defense counsel: Victor A. Afanador
chaparro.indictment.pdfMember of Drug Trafficking Organization That Distributed Controlled Substances Resembling Heart Shaped Candy Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In November 2023, millions of doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder with street value estimated to be over $7 million, were seized from a stash location and clandestine laboratory used by organization.
Emilio Garcia, a/k/a “6,” 26, of Lynn, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2025. Garcia was arrested and charged along with Deiby Felix and Sebastien Bejin in November 2023.
In July 2023, an investigation into an overdose death in Salem led investigators to a DTO led by Garcia, with assistance from at least four other individuals, including Bejin and Felix. On Nov. 1, 2023, searches at four locations in Lynn frequented by Garcia and Bejin resulted in what is believed to be, one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region.
The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy. Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized. During the course of the investigation over 75 kilograms (198 pounds) of fentanyl and methamphetamine were seized, along with multiple additional kilograms of cocaine and dozens of kilograms of cutting agents, including xylazine, that is used to adulterate controlled substances.
In total, an estimated eight million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder was seized. The street value is believed to be upwards of $8 million.
A search of Felix’s residence resulted in the seizure of more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl and a firearm. A subsequent search of the residence also revealed a clandestine drug laboratory used by the drug trafficking organization that had been built into a small room in the basement of the building where Felix resided. Multiple industrial pill presses, mixing equipment and other manufacturing paraphernalia and equipment were also recovered that had been used by the organization to manufacture hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills.
Bejin pleaded guilty on Jan. 15, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1, 2025. Felix pleaded guilty on Feb. 3, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2025.
The charge of possession with intent to manufacture and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and other controlled substances provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to life of supervised release, up to a $10,000,000 fine and forfeiture. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, to be served consecutively to the underlying drug trafficking crime, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Lynn, Lynnfield and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Member of Darrin Southall Drug Organization Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL –A Mobile man involved in Darrin Southall’s drug trafficking organization was sentenced in federal court on January 29, 2025. Nathaniel Hines, 41, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in August of 2021.
According to court documents, Hines was one of Southall’s distributors who was listed in Southall’s drug ledgers. During the investigation, telephone calls between Hines and Southall were intercepted by federal investigators. Hines and Southall used coded language to attempt to disguise the criminal nature of their calls and conceal their drug trafficking activities from detection. Hines received multiple kilograms of cocaine for further distribution in Mobile, which was documented by the phone calls and the information uncovered during an analysis of the cell phones seized following the arrests in the case. Federal and state investigators arrested Southall and numerous members of his organization during 2021 and 2022. Approximately 30 members of Southall’s organization have been prosecuted in federal court to date.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of 75 months’ imprisonment in Hines’ case. The judge further ordered that Hines would also serve five years on supervised release following his release from imprisonment. As conditions of his supervision, Hines will also undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. The judge also ordered that Hines pay $100 in special assessments. Any interest Hines had in a long list of seized property was ordered forfeited to the United States.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Member of Darrin Southall Drug Organization Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL –A Mobile man involved in Darrin Southall’s drug trafficking organization was sentenced in federal court this afternoon. Marvin McCaine, 55, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in April of 2023.
According to court documents, McCaine was one of Southall’s distributors who was listed in Southall’s drug ledgers. During the investigation, telephone calls between McCaine and Southall were intercepted by federal investigators. McCaine and Southall used coded language to attempt to disguise the criminal nature of their calls and conceal their drug trafficking activities from detection. McCaine received multiple kilograms of cocaine for further distribution in Mobile, which was documented by the phone calls and the information uncovered during an analysis of the cell phones seized following the arrests in the case. Federal and state investigators arrested Southall and numerous members of his organization during 2021 and 2022. Approximately 30 members of Southall’s organization have been prosecuted in federal court to date.United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment in McCaine’s case. Because McCaine was under federal supervised release from a previous federal drug conviction, Judge Moorer revoked his supervised release term and ordered that McCaine serve an additional 37 months’ imprisonment, which will run consecutively to the sentenced imposed for the conspiracy count. The judge further ordered that McCaine would also serve an additional 10 years on supervised release following his release from imprisonment. As conditions of his supervised release, McCaine will also undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of her person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. The judge also ordered that McCaine pay $100 in special assessments. Any interest McCaine had in a long list of seized property was ordered forfeited to the United States.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.