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20 March 2025
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Casey Thomas Judd, 37, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two months in prison, to be followed by six months of home detention and five years of supervised release, for failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about June 14, 2024, Judd relocated from Charleston to Springfield, Ohio. Judd failed to register or update his registration as required by SORNA after his relocation.
Judd is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his prior conviction for third-degree sexual assault in Kanawha County Circuit Court on August 21, 2015.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-164.
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Career Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine and Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A career offender residing in Las Vegas was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 10 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for selling large amounts of methamphetamine from his residence and possessing several firearms.
According to court documents, between November 2021 and October 5, 2022, Eric Langpop conspired to sell methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, from his home. As part of the investigation, the DEA recovered over a pound of methamphetamine from the defendant. During the execution of a search warrant at Langpop’s residence, law enforcement found methamphetamine and several firearms, including pistols, shotguns, a rifle, an assault rifle, and two silencers.
Photographs of two firearms and a silencer recovered from defendant’s home
Photograph of methamphetamine near a hand and scissors for scale
Langpop has prior felony convictions for trafficking in controlled substances, including a felony sale of a controlled substance conviction in 2009; separate sale and transport of a controlled substance convictions in 2013; and a transport of a controlled substance conviction in 2016, all in Clark County, Nevada. He also has four separate domestic violence battery convictions. He is prohibited by law from possessing firearms due to his felony and domestic violence convictions.
Langpop pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the DEA Las Vegas District Office made the announcement.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Career Criminal Sentenced to 12+ Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Tyrone Eugene Sitton a/k/a “Dirty,” 46, of Asheville, was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today for fentanyl trafficking and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Sheriff Quentin Miller of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, between November and December 2022, Sitton distributed 30.1 grams of fentanyl in the Asheville area. During the investigation, Sitton sold fentanyl at least three times to a confidential informant working with the ATF. In addition to selling fentanyl, on December 28, 2022, Sitton sold the informant three firearms: a shotgun, a rifle, and a pistol.
On July 29, 2024, Sitton pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Court records indicate Sitton has multiple state convictions in North Carolina for drug distribution. Because of these prior criminal convictions, Sitton qualified for an increased sentence as a career offender.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the ATF, the DEA, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
California Woman Sentenced to more than 14 Years’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Matt R. Molsen announced that Elicia Grigsby, 54, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced March 20, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, after having pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Grigsby to 170 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Grigsby’s release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On October 26, 2023, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration personnel received information from the Omaha United States Postal Inspection Service regarding an inbound mail parcel destined for an Omaha residence. Investigators served a court-authorized search warrant on the parcel, opened it, and discovered it contained approximately 119 grams of fentanyl pills and approximately 464 grams of methamphetamine. Investigators then repackaged some of methamphetamine into the parcel for the purposes of a controlled delivery operation at the intended delivery residence.
On the same date, investigators delivered the subject parcel to the residence where it was accepted by codefendant Shawn Robbins. Thereafter, investigators served a court-authorized search warrant on the residence, found the package, and arrested Robbins and Grigsby who were both found inside the residence.
In a post-Miranda interview Grigsby admitted to her involvement in the delivery of the parcel and knew it contained approximately (2) pounds of methamphetamine. Grigsby also admitted to previously accepting multiple packages containing narcotics. Robbins is scheduled to plead guilty at a later date.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Omaha Police Department.
CEO of Georgia HVAC Company Charged with Illegally Importing Harmful Greenhouse Gases into the United StatesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – The chief executive officer of a Georgia-based HVAC company has been charged with illegally importing 500 cylinders of potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Peru, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced today. This case is the second prosecution in the United States under the AIM Act, and the first prosecution of a corporate executive.
William Randolph Hires a/k/a “Randy Hires,” 57, of Woodstock, Georgia and Lima, Peru, is charged by complaint with violating the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) by unlawfully importing 500 cylinders of HFCs. Hires appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.
HFCs include refrigerants used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems commonly known as “Freon.” The global warming impact of an HFC can be hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. Because of this, in 2020 Congress enacted the AIM Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent over time.
“The defendant’s actions in this case not only violated the AIM Act and created a threat to the environment they also unfairly disadvantaged other law-abiding U.S. businesses,” said Dan Meyers, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. "Today’s charges send a clear message: Enforcement of the law protects our air, land, and water, ensuring a brighter future for our citizens and a level playing field for American businesses and workers.”
“Hires disregarded our nation’s environmental laws and put our country at risk with shipments containing potent greenhouse gases,” said ICE HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “HSI Newark successfully conducts investigations into violations of U.S. import and export laws to ensure national security and protect the public’s health and safety. We will hold individuals and corporations accountable for violating global trade regulations.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:In April 2022, on behalf of his company, Hires purchased 500 cylinders of HFCs in Peru. Over the next several months, EPA officials explained to Hires’s employees that, under the AIM Act and its implementing regulations, Hires’s company could not lawfully import the HFCs to the United States because it did not have the required EPA-issued allowances. In a July 22, 2022 email to one of Hires’s employees, an EPA official stated, in substance, “it is not possible to import bulk HFCs without consumption allowances.”
Hires’s employees conveyed this information from the EPA to Hires on several occasions. On one occasion, an employee forwarded to Hires an email that the employee had received from an EPA official which stated, “[t]he HFC you listed (R-410A) is a regulated substance. So if you do not have allowances, you cannot import those bulk HFC refrigerants.” In another email exchange between Hires and an employee, the employee informed Hires that, based on a video conference the employee had with EPA officials, shipping without the necessary allowances would violate import laws so “[i]t is out of our hands.”
Hires nevertheless instructed his employees to illegally import the HFCs into the United States. In a July 28, 2022 email, Hires stated to his employees: “[y]eah you have to be careful what agencies you’re reaching out to because the EPA . . . can create a hassle and they can hold our stuff up in customs there[.]” In a subsequent email, Hires instructed his employees to “get [the HFCs] on the ship and get it out to sea . . . don’t care what it takes[.]” Hires later instructed his employees via email: “Do not call the EPA please do not.”
The violation of the AIM Act with which Hires is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Divisions, under the direction of Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dan Meyers; special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; and officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Francis J. Russo, Director of Field Operations, New York Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Bernard J. Cooney of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit, in Newark, and Trial Attorney Ronald A. Sarachan of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
hires.complaint.pdf
Burlington County Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Gunpoint Robberies in Passaic CountyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Burlington County man was sentenced in connection with his role in two armed robberies committed in August 2022 in Passaic County, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced today.
Kareem Powell, 32, of Willingboro, New Jersey, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court on March 20, 2025, to 120 months in prison. Powell previously pleaded guilty before Judge Cecchi to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In the evening of August 22, 2022, Powell, along with accomplices Carlos Diaz and Edward Porter, robbed a Passaic bodega of several thousand dollars while pointing guns at a victim and threatening to kill him. Later that night, Powell, Diaz, and Porter also robbed a Paterson business of several thousand dollars. During both robberies, Powell, Diaz, and Porter wore face masks and ordered customers at gunpoint to lie down on the ground.
Diaz and Porter have both admitted their guilt and pled guilty in connection with the two armed robberies described above, as well as in connection with two additional armed robberies committed the following day in Passaic County. Their sentencings are scheduled to take place later in 2025.
In addition to the prison term imposed on Powell, Judge Cecchi sentenced him to three years of supervised release and ordered him to make restitution to the victims of his crimes.
U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Thomas Adamo, with the investigation leading to the convictions and sentencing. U.S. Attorney Giordano also thanked officers of the Paterson Police Department and the Passaic Police Department for their work on this case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett Schuman of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, Verona, New Jersey
Broome County Sex Offender Sentenced to 27 Months for Failing to Disclose his Email Address and for Violating the Conditions of his Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Timmy Rifenburg, age 49, of Binghamton, New York, was sentenced yesterday to a total of 27 months in federal prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for failing to register and update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), and for violating the terms of his supervised release imposed as part of his 2020 conviction for failure to register as a sex offender. Rifenburg was required to register as a sex offender as the result of a 2007 federal conviction for possession of child pornography.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and United States Marshal David L. McNulty made the announcement.
The imprisonment term consists of 16 months in federal prison on the new criminal offense of failing to register the email account as required under SORNA, and a consecutive imprisonment term of 11 months for the supervised release violations of failing to report to the probation office, moving to a residence that was not approved by the probation office, possessing three unreported internet capable cellphones, viewing adult pornography on the unreported cellphones, and for being unsuccessfully discharged from sex offender treatment.
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case and Assistant United States Attorney Tamara Thomson prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Bronx Man Admits Fleeing Port of Entry, Ammunition PossessionRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Miguel Rodriguez, age 36, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty yesterday to high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Ogdensburg Port of Entry Director Thomas Trimboli made the announcement.
Rodriguez admitted that on January 20, 2025, he arrived from Canada to the U.S. Customs Port of Entry in Ogdensburg, New York, driving a red Infinity sedan, but sped away without stopping and reporting for inspection. A short time later, a St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Deputy found Rodriguez driving the Infinity in Ogdensburg and attempted to stop him. Rodriguez refused to pull over and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, which ended when Rodriguez struck a pickup truck occupied by three people and then crashed into a residence in Ogdensburg; no one was injured. A search of the Infinity revealed a 12-round handgun magazine containing four 9mm bullets. Rodriguez was prohibited from possessing the ammunition because of a prior felony conviction for assault.
At sentencing, scheduled for July 17, 2025, Rodriguez faces a maximum term of 15 years in prison for the ammunition possession and a maximum of 5 years in prison for fleeing from the Port of Entry, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
HSI and CBP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case.
Broken Arrow Resident Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dale Lynn Taylor, age 59, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.
The Indictment alleged that Taylor was convicted of Rape—Second Degree in the State of Oklahoma on May 28, 2014, and was required to register as a sex offender. From April 2, 2019, until July 8, 2024, Taylor failed to register and update his registration despite entering, leaving, or residing in Indian country, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, 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. Taylor will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Boyd County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland, Ky. man, Jere Rason Black, 31, was sentenced on Wednesday, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 70 months for three counts of distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement received information that Black was distributing methamphetamine in the Greenup County area. Using a confidential informant, agents conducted three controlled purchases from Black, who distributed a total of 145.23 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, Black must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Black’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Director Scott Hardcorn, Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, and the Northeast Kentucky Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Birmingham Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for CarjackingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Birmingham man has been sentenced for carjackings, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna Manasco sentenced Christon John Wayman, 21, to 68 months in prison. In November 2024, Wayman pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking.
According to the plea agreement, Wayman committed carjackings at two different locations in Birmingham. The carjackings occurred in September and October 2023. Wayman selected his victims from a dating application and used a firearm during at least one of the carjackings.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler prosecuted the case.
Belgium National and Utah Business Owner Charged After Allegedly Running a $5M Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A Belgium national and the owner of K & K Strategies is facing federal charges after he allegedly operated a $5 million Ponzi scheme. The Utah investment owner, who was not licensed to sell securities, allegedly defrauded approximately 75 investors, and used at least $3 million on real estate purchases, investor payouts, a personal chef, a 2002 Chevrolet Corvette, and other personal expenses.
Kenny Dirk Van Der Spek, aka Kenny Vanderspek, 35, of South Jordan, Utah, was charged by complaint on March 12, 2025. He was charged by way of felony information on March 19, 2025.
According to court documents, Van Der Spek, who was the owner and manager of K & K Strategies, LLC, defrauded at least 75 investors in his company between December 2017 and December 2023. K & K Strategies was a Utah limited liability company with a principal address in Salt Lake County and had investors in Utah and across the country. The stated purpose of the business was to help people who were not wealthy invest and teach about stock trading. However, Van Der Spek was not licensed to sell securities.
As part of the scheme to defraud, Van Der Spek lied and manipulated clients to convince them to invest with K & K Strategies. He told them that K & K Strategies was legally operating a hedge fund and that he was licensed to do so. He represented to investors that their investments with K & K Strategies LLC were succeeding, showing them fabricated financial records, when in reality, investors were suffering losses. He also displayed an alleged “live stream” of trades on knkstrategies.com so that investors could “watch [their] money grow.”
Van Der Spek is charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. His initial appearance on the felony information is scheduled for March 20, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. in courtroom 7.1 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office, and the Utah Division of Securities.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko J. Jepson and Assistant United States Attorney Mark Y. Hirata, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
A felony information is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi Announces Severe Charges Against Violent Tesla ArsonistsRead the Press Release
Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced charges against three individuals responsible for the violent destruction of Tesla properties. All three defendants will face the full force of the law for using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations.
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
- One defendant, also armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle, was arrested after throwing approximately eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership located in Salem, Oregon.
- Another was arrested in Loveland, Colorado after attempting to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails. The defendant was later found in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons.
- In Charleston, South Carolina, a third defendant wrote profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting the charging stations on fire with Molotov cocktails.
- Each defendant faces serious charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison.
The Department of Justice is committed to ending all acts of violence and arson directed at Tesla properties and otherwise.
Albany Felon Arrested for Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Wright, age 37, of Albany, was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with possession of firearms as a previously convicted felon.
United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division, made the announcement.
According to the criminal complaint, Wright possessed seven firearms (four pistols, a revolver, a rifle, and a shotgun) in his residence, along with ammunition and suspected narcotics. Wright has a prior felony conviction in New York that prevented him from lawfully possessing those firearms. One firearm had been reported stolen in July 2024. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge filed against Wright carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Wright made an initial appearance today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for March 25, 2025.
ATF and DEA are investigating the case, with assistance from the Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
11 Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Cleveland Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has announced sentencings in connection with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that transported suitcases stuffed with illegal drugs from California to Ohio. Eleven defendants were charged with numerous federal crime violations, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, in a superseding indictment on Feb. 22, 2024, with the initial indictment issued on Sept. 20, 2023.
According to court documents, from about May 2021 to about Nov. 29, 2022, the defendants played different roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Jerry Baker, aka Jerry Bogarty, 34, of Cleveland, established a criminal organization primarily active on the city's east side. He led the day-to-day operations of the organization, directing members and associates to generate income by engaging in illegal activities including drug trafficking, extortion, and robbery. Baker determined who was allowed to traffic narcotics on behalf of the enterprise and who was permitted to collect and launder the proceeds. Some enterprise members conspired and attempted to threaten others with acts of violence, including extortion, robbery, and assault, in attempts to collect outstanding debts.
Overall, the DTO received more than 600 pounds of marijuana from a major supplier based in California. Walter Sornoza, 50, of Los Angeles, led a nationwide distribution network that he named “Empire Genetics.” To get the drugs to Cleveland, enterprise associates would fly from California to Ohio and check-in their baggage, which were suitcases filled with packaged marijuana. The drugs would then be delivered to Cleveland-based members of the organization. Baker directed associates to launder the cash profits from the marijuana sales by converting the proceeds into money orders. Another associate was responsible for flying from Cleveland to Los Angeles to hand the money orders and cash over to the Sornoza enterprise as payment for the marijuana supply received.
Baker also purchased a small business in Cleveland, “In & Out Tires,” which served as a hub for members and associates to store and distribute drugs. During the investigation, agents also seized several firearms scattered throughout the business, which were intended to be used for protection of the drug enterprise. Other items recovered included money order receipts, packing materials, suitcases, and other supplies used to transport, store and distribute marijuana.
The defendants were each sentenced to imprisonment and/or probation by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after pleading guilty to their roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
- Baker was sentenced to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder money, RICO conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, maintaining a drug premise, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Deshaun Martin, 36, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, RICO conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine base (crack), and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Sornoza was sentenced to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of marijuana. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Noblys Garcia, aka Flaco, 43, of Studio City, California, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, distribution of marijuana, and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of marijuana. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Sidne Spencer, 28, of North Hollywood, California, was sentenced to two years of probation for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and marijuana.
- Keveon Lewis, 44, of Corona, California, was sentenced to six months in prison and six months location monitoring for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of marijuana. He was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Moniqka Hazzard, 32, of Riverside, California, was sentenced to 30 days in prison and seven months location monitoring for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Jerry Baker Sr., 55, of Cleveland, was sentenced to three years of probation for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and for maintaining a drug premise.
- Antonio Lanier, 35, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and RICO conspiracy. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
- Herman Wilson, 43, of Katy, Texas, was sentenced to two years of probation for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
- Ajeremiah Baker, aka AJ, 20, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for RICO conspiracy. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), along with task force officers from numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Division of Police. Prosecutions are led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, IRS Criminal Investigation, ATF Cleveland Division, U.S. Marshals Service Cleveland, the Cleveland Division of Police, and the Los Angeles Police Department Narcotics Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Brian Lynch of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
19 March 2025
Warren Man Sentenced to Prison for Hate Crime of Defacing Predominantly Black ChurchRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Warren, Michigan man was sentenced today to 12 months in prison for spray-painting swastikas, the word “die,” and other graffiti on a predominantly Black church in Roseville, Michigan, Acting United States Attorney Julie Beck announced.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Acting Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Chevoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, David Bluer, 34, pleaded guilty on December 3, 2024, to one count of damaging religious property. As part of his guilty plea, Bluer admitted that in October 2021, he spray-painted several swastikas, the word “die,” and other graffiti on the Roseville church, because of the race and color of individuals associated with the church. Specifically, the defendant admitted that he intentionally defaced the church because the church serves a predominantly Black congregation and has a Black pastor. In addition, Bluer spray-painted swastikas, a racist slur and symbols, and other graffiti on the public bathroom of Trombly Park, in Warren, Michigan. The racist graffiti included the statement “DaviD KiLLS Ni**ERS.”
“The defendant’s attack, motivated by race and color, instilled fear in not only the mostly Black congregants of the church, but damaged the entire community’s sense of safety. Our office will always vigorously prosecute those who commit unlawful bias-motivated acts and seek justice for the victims,” Acting U.S. Attorney Beck said.
“The sentence of David Bluer sends a stern warning to anyone who seeks to invoke fear and hatred towards a specific group of individuals. The FBI is committed to upholding the U.S. Constitution, investigating civil rights violations and the protection of the American People,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. The hate-driven criminal acts committed by Mr. Bluer were halted through the relentless investigative efforts of members from the FBI Detroit’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Roseville P.D., Warren P.D., as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, whose collaboration was crucial in securing this successful prosecution."
The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Carlson for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Vancouver, Washington, high volume tax preparer indicted for aiding and assisting false tax returnsRead the Press Release
Tacoma – A high-volume tax preparer in Vancouver, Washington was indicted last week for sixteen counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent returns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Keith Altamirano, 52, operated Integrity Investments, LLC, doing business as Servicios Latinos. Between 2017 and 2021, Altamirano prepared at least 12,000 tax returns. The grand jury alleges that his false entries on customer tax returns cost the U.S. Treasury more than $5 million in tax loss.
Altamirano was arrested late yesterday and will make his initial appearance on the indictment today at 1:00 in Tacoma.
According to the indictment, Altamirano falsified clients’ income tax submissions by listing fake medical expenses, and charitable donations for deductions, listing fake cars for depreciation and expense deductions, and by listing fabricated and inflated business expenses. Altamirano concealed his fraud by using “White Out” and omitting his name on his clients’ filed returns.
In an unrelated matter, Altamirano was charged last month in Clark County Superior Court, with attempted murder for intentionally crashing into the motorcycle that his son was riding. Altamirano allegedly claimed his car had been stolen and used to hit his son on February 18, 2025. Dash cam video from the vehicle told a different story and Altamirano was arrested and charged.
Aiding and assisting with filing a false or fraudulent tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison per count and a $100,000 fine.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The tax fraud case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The tax fraud case is being prosecuted by the Economic Crimes Unit.
Utah County Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison After Running a $1.6M Affinity Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Jacob Welch Dalton, 28, of Saratoga Springs, Utah, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and ordered by the court to pay $1,553,806 in restitution. Dalton defrauded approximately 45 investors in a securities fraud scheme by obtaining investments from people that he knew personally or through social media.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish, comes after Dalton pleaded guilty to securities fraud on September 30, 2024.
According to court documents and statement made at Dalton’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from October 2022 to December 2023, Dalton lied to investors to unlawfully obtain money and property by selling securities, that is investments in his company, Rogue Liquidity, LLC. As part of the scheme, Dalton provided falsified documents and fictitious information to investors electronically and by telephone. Dalton lied to investors about Rogue Liquidity, LLC, and its success by claiming it operated as an investment liquidity fund that pooled investor funds for guaranteed risk free return on principal and investment of up to 60%. Rather, the company had no liquidity pool and investors’ funds were used almost entirely for his own use. He also lied and created fictitious investor track records to obtain investor funds.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark E. Woolf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney announces immigration case updates for the Eastern District of VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today significant case updates on six immigration cases in the district.
On Jan. 20 the President signed executive orders addressing the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Protecting the American People Against Invasion recognized that enforcing our Nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States, and that it is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens, particularly those aliens who threaten the safety or security of the American people. The order tasked the Department of Justice with prioritizing the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the unauthorized entry or continued unauthorized presence of aliens in the United States. Securing Our Borders prioritizes the pursuit of criminal charges against illegal aliens who violate immigration laws and against those who facilitate their unlawful presence in the United States.
Carlos Alberto Sosa Horellana, a Honduran national, was removed from the United States in 2004. On Nov. 13, 2009, Sosa Horellana was removed again after reentering the United States and being convicted for an aggravated criminal felony in 2007 on two counts of rape with a child under age 13 as the victim. On Feb. 4, Sosa Horellana was arrested in Stafford, and a federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 4 charging him with illegally reentering the United States after removal for an aggravated felony conviction and failing to register as a sex offender. (Case No. 1:25-cr-48)
On Oct. 2, 2023, Mario Ernesto Ortiz Escobar, a Salvadoran national, was convicted in the Southern District of Texas for illegally reentering the United States after a felony conviction and on Oct. 27, 2023, he was removed. Ortiz Escobar returned, however, and on Feb, 24 pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5. (Case No. 3:25-cr-31)
Mayron De Jesus Salazar-De La Rosa, a Guatemalan national, was removed on April 3, 2014. Salazar-De La Rosa subsequently returned and was found in Alexandria. On Feb. 27, he pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States. Salazar-De La Rosa is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29. (Case No. 1:25-cr-11)
Jose Charles Medrano, a Mexican national, first entered the United States illegally in 2008. After voluntarily departing the country, Medrano illegally reentered the United States and on July 2, 2014, was convicted of driving under the influence (DUI). He was removed to Mexico on July 31, 2014. After illegally reentering the United States in January 2015, Medrano was convicted on March 21, 2016, of making terroristic threats in Houston, Texas. Medrano was removed to Mexico on March 29, 2016. When Medrano reentered the United States again, immigration officials located him and immediately removed him to Mexico on May 31, 2016. On April 22, 2023, Medrano was arrested in Henrico County for DUI and felony child abuse/neglect. On June 28, 2023, Medrano pled guilty to DUI and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and on Oct. 10, 2023, was removed again to Mexico. On August 17, 2024, Medrano again was arrested in Henrico County, this time charged with assault and battery of a family member and abduction. On Jan. 24, 2025, he was convicted of assault and battery of a family member. On March 5, Medrano pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20. (Case No. 3:24-cr-175)
On July 8, 2019, Brayan Josue Flores-Torres, a Salvadoran national and MS-13 member, was arrested in Prince William County and charged with aggravated malicious wounding. On April 23, 2020, Flores-Torres pled guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor, possession of illegal alcohol, and assault and battery by mob. On Aug. 14, 2020, Flores-Torres was removed to El Salvador. On Dec. 13, 2022, Chesapeake Police responded to a report of a stabbing in which the victim, who was dating Flores-Torres’ ex-girlfriend, identified Flores-Torres as the person who stabbed him. Flores-Torres was arrested following a high-speed chase. On March 21, 2024, Flores-Torres pled guilty to eluding police and failing to identify himself. On Nov. 7, 2024, Flores-Torres pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States. He was sentenced on March 11 and is subject to removal. (Case No. 2:23-CR-59)
Melvin Mauricio Valencia Gil, a Salvadoran national, first illegally entered the United States before 2017. On Aug. 20, 2018, Valencia Gil was convicted in Nassau County, New York, of attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment. On Nov. 26, 2021, Valencia Gil, a member of the Latin Kings gang, was removed to El Salvador. Less than a week after his removal, Valencia Gil left El Salvador and illegally reentered the United States. After being involved in a car accident in Virginia, Valencia Gil was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 2, 2023, for illegal reentry. He pled guilty on Sept. 23, 2024, and was sentenced on March 18 to three years in prison. (Case No. 3:23-CR-54)
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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 the case number provided above.
Two Hazleton Men Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cesar Altagracia Mateo Lara, a/k/a Miguel Carrasquillo Apolinaris, age 46, and Luis Mercado-Alicea, a/k/a Yensi Mateo, age 44, both of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, were indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that between November 2024 and February 2025, the defendants conspired to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl. The indictment also alleges that during that time the defendants distributed fentanyl and possessed fentanyl with intent to distribute it.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Hazleton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Trafficker sent to prison after cocaine found in batteryRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 28-year-old Illinois resident has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute more than four kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Rodrigo Mendez pleaded guilty Sept. 1, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Mendez to serve 78 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
On June 23, 2022, Mendez approached the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita driving a Porsche Cayenne. Following a K-9 alert, law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle and found 4.34 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside a battery under the driver’s seat.
The investigation linked Mendez to 10 previous trips from South Texas to the Chicago, Illinois, area to transport narcotics. Authorities also linked seven other narcotic seizures to the same organization where the drugs were found inside the vehicle’s battery. Six of those seizures also involved cocaine.
Mendez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Pruitt and John Marck prosecuted the case.
Topsham Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Charges Stemming from Burglary at Brunswick ResidenceRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Topsham man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a stolen firearm.
According to court records, in May 2024, officers from the Brunswick Police Department responded to a citizen’s report of suspicious activity at a nearby residence. The responding officers found that the door of the residence’s garage was open and cabinets inside appeared to have been pried open, with ammunition scattered on the floor. The owner informed the officers that multiple firearms were stored in the locked cabinets. Officers located a vehicle matching the description the reporting witness had provided. Christopher Tucker, 34, the owner and only occupant of the vehicle, fled on foot before being secured and placed into custody. Officers recovered a total of 20 firearms from inside the vehicle. Tucker was prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple past felony convictions.
Tucker faces up to 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Brunswick Police Department and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
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Three Venezuelans Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Fake Green CardsRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Venezuelan man who entered the United States illegally and who admitted to possessing a fraudulent Green Card during the murder investigation of a 22-year-old nursing student was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison—above the federal sentencing guideline range—and to be deported along with his brother and a former roommate.
Diego Jose Ibarra, aka “Gocho,” 29, was sentenced to serve a total of 48 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a fraudulent document on July 15, 2024. Argenis Ibarra, aka “Meny,” 25, of Venezuela, was sentenced to time served after he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a fraudulent document on Dec. 10, 2024. Rosbeli Flores-Bello, aka “La Gorda,” 29, of Venezuela, was sentenced to time served after she pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a fraudulent document on Dec. 11, 2024.
All three defendants are to be delivered to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation. Diego Ibarra will be placed in ICE custody at the conclusion of his federal prison sentence; Argenis Ibarra and Flores-Bello will be placed in ICE custody immediately. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. Self, III handed down the sentences on March 19 in Athens. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was made aware of Deigo Ibarra’s undocumented presence in the United States on Feb. 23, 2024, during the murder investigation of Laken Hope Riley, who was kidnapped and brutally murdered on Feb. 22, 2024, during a morning run at the University of Georgia, where she previously attended as an undergraduate prior to transferring to the Augusta University College of Nursing. At the time, an Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) officer approached Diego Ibarra because he matched the description of the primary suspect in the murder investigation, which was his brother, Jose Antonio Ibarra. Diego Ibarra gave the ACCPD officer a counterfeit U.S. Permanent Resident Card (also called a Green Card) as identification and was taken into custody. Jose Ibarra was convicted of Laken Riley’s murder on Nov. 20, 2024, in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court and is serving a life sentence.
On April 30, 2023, Diego Ibarra illegally entered the United States, along with four other Venezuelan men, by crossing the border near the Ysleta station in El Paso, Texas. The men fled when approached by the United States Border Patrol (USBP) agents. Diego Ibarra resisted an agent’s efforts to detain him and grabbed the agent’s service radio, threw it into a nearby yard, and then attempted to bite the agent. Agents scuffled with him and another Venezuelan man for several minutes before the National Guard arrived and assisted in subduing both men. Diego Ibarra was taken to a local hospital after complaining of chest pains and pain in his back and leg, which he indicated to FBI agents he sustained from scaling and falling from the border fence during his illegal crossing. He admitted to illegally crossing the border, resisting arrest and attempting to avoid apprehension at any cost. He said his injuries were not from the fight with agents.
According to information uncovered during the investigation and provided in multiple court documents, Diego Ibarra is likely affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), based on evidence including his multiple TdA tattoos and photos of him on social media making the TdA gang signs and wearing TdA clothing. Further investigation concluded that Diego Ibarra was previously removed from the United States to Mexico on April 3, 2023, after agents apprehended him illegally entering the United States near Eagle Pass, Texas. After the above incident on April 30, 2023, Diego Ibarra claimed asylum and fear of return to Venezuela. On May 11, 2023, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) placed him in the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program, and he was released from immigration custody the following day. The ATD program required Diego Ibarra to wear a global positioning system (GPS) ankle monitoring device, and he was directed to report to New York, New York, pending asylum proceedings. He failed to report in New York as directed.
On May 25, 2023, Diego Ibarra’s ankle monitor last “pinged” near Littleton, Colorado, and he cut it off at some point prior to his final arrest in Athens, Georgia. Diego Ibarra settled in Athens and was subsequently arrested three times by law enforcement: on Sept. 24, 2023, he was arrested by ACCPD for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without a license; on Oct. 27, 2023, he was arrested by ACCPD for theft by shoplifting; and on Dec. 8, 2023, he was arrested by ACCPD for shoplifting and for an outstanding arrest warrant that was issued when he failed to appear in court for his DUI charge. In addition, ACCPD responded to a domestic incident involving Diego Ibarra and his girlfriend on Sept. 26, 2023. And, while in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and housed in the Butts County Detention Center, Ibarra caused “severe water damage” inside the jail when he damaged the fire sprinkler system in a jail cell block. On June 25, 2024, jail officers found Ibarra in possession of two improvised weapons: a sharpened sprinkler head with a make-shift grip and a pen wrapped in saran wrap.
Co-defendants Argenis Ibarra (Diego and Jose Ibarra’s younger brother) and Flores-Bello (Deigo and Jose Ibarra’s roommate) admitted to possessing a fraudulent U.S. Permanent Resident Card in the names of Argenis Jose Ibarra Ibarra and Rodrianny Brito Brito respectively on Feb. 23, 2024. In addition, agents found counterfeit Social Security cards for Argenis Ibarra and Flores-Bello in the apartment they shared with Diego and Jose Ibarra.
Investigators determined that Argenis Ibarra entered the United States illegally on April 3, 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas, and the USBP returned him to Mexico. On April 30, 2023, the USBP encountered and arrested him near El Paso, Texas, and transported him to an ICE processing center in El Paso. Because the processing center lacked space, Ibarra was released on his own recognizance on May 4, 2023. Argenis submitted Form I-765 for Employment Authorization on Oct. 20, 2023, and Nov. 2, 2023, both of which were rejected.
Flores-Bello illegally entered the United States on May 3, 2023, and was arrested by the USBP. She was transported to an ICE processing center in El Paso. On May 5, 2023, Flores-Bello was released on her own recognizance because the processing center lacked space. She provided a residential address in New York and was scheduled for immigration court there on Oct. 18, 2023. In Dec. 2023, she and Jose Ibarra, whom she met in New York, took a humanitarian flight from New York to Atlanta, Georgia. She settled in Athens and lived with the Ibarra brothers until Laken Riley was murdered.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with critical assistance from FBI, GBI, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, University of Georgia Police Department and Clarke County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison prosecuted the case for the Government
Three KC Men Indicted for Multi-State Business Burglary ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Kansas City, Mo., men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to burglarize beauty product and liquor stores across seven states.
Gary Bailey, 24, Jermaine Threat, 25, and Dalvin Poindexter, 26, were charged in a nine-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 4, 2024. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following the arrest and initial court appearances of Bailey and Poindexter.
The federal indictment alleges that Bailey, Threat, and Poindexter stole hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise during a series of business burglaries from March 2023 to January 2024.
According to the indictment, the conspirators targeted beauty product and liquor stores in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana, and Texas. The conspirators smashed the storefront door or window glass to enter the stores afterhours and then stole fragrances, cosmetics, liquor, spirits, and other merchandise. The conspirators allegedly used posts on Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Stories, as well as group chat text messages, to sell the stolen goods and received payment in cash or through peer-to-peer payment services like CashApp. The indictment says they also kept some of the stolen items for themselves or gave it away to their friends and family.
In addition to the conspiracy, Bailey, Threat, and Poindexter are charged together in seven counts of transporting stolen property across state lines.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Constance. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Olathe, Kansas, Police Department, with assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments of Derby, KS, Belton, MO, Blue Springs, MO, Columbia, MO, Creve Coeur, MO, Edwardsville, KS, Fairview Heights, IL, Kansas City, MO, Kansas City, KS, Lawrence, KS, Leawood, KS, Lee’s Summit, MO, Lenexa, KS, Liberty, MO, Olathe, KS, Omaha, NE, Overland, Park, KS, Papillion, NE, Parkville, MO, Plainfield, IN, Plano, TX, Platte City, MO, Shawnee, KS, Springfield, MO, St. Joseph, MO, Terre Haute, IN, Topeka, KS, and West Des Moines, IA.
Three Dominican Men Arrested for Trafficking Cocaine and Crack Cocaine in NashuaRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Three Dominican men were arrested this morning in connection with their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine in Nashua, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Elizardo Escaria Delison, 32, Belisario Luis Delison, 49, and Rayddy Delison De Aza, 28, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, specifically cocaine and crack cocaine. They will appear in federal court today.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, during the course of the conspiracy, the defendants sold controlled substances, namely cocaine and crack cocaine, to law enforcement on more than 10 occasions.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Nashua Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar Vega is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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St. Louis County Man Caught Sharing Child Pornography with PoliceRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County, Missouri on Wednesday admitted being caught sharing child sexual abuse material with an undercover police officer
James C. Astorian, 40, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography. He admitted sharing multiple images and videos containing child sexual abuse material with a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer in January of 2020 via a peer-to-peer network. St. Louis County police conducted a court-approved search of Astorian’s home and recovered electronic devices containing 6,110 images and 728 videos containing child pornography. Astorian told investigators that he has been searching for and downloading child pornography for about two years.
Astorian is scheduled to be sentenced on August 13. The crime carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI 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.
Sampson County Illegal Alien Caught with 30 Kilograms and 9 Firearms Sentenced to 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A man from Sampson County was sentenced today to 17 years in prison after he was caught with 30 kilograms of drugs and 9 firearms. On November 7, 2024, Antonio Tamoya Mondragon pled guilty to his charges.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, Mondragon, age 45, was born in Mexico and illegally entered the United States. Mondragon started distributing drugs as early as 2008. Law enforcement began investigating Mondragon in 2019 and conducted controlled purchases of pure methamphetamine from him on three occasions.
The investigation culminated in a traffic stop with follow-on search warrants on April 18, 2023. On that day, law enforcement was conducting early morning surveillance at Mondragon’s house. Mondragon and others appeared to be transferring packages into a car. In a traffic stop, law enforcement found just under 9 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the car’s headliner. As the traffic stop was executed, law enforcement observed a flurry of activity back at Mondragon’s house followed by a second car departing. This car was later searched. Inside was 7 kilograms of fentanyl, 9 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms of heroin, 144 grams of methamphetamine, and a drug ledger. The car also had 8 guns inside with ammunition. Law enforcement then searched Mondragon’s house and seized $28,881 in cash and another gun. Subsequent interviews and investigation made clear that the drugs, guns, and cash all belonged to Mondragon.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The DEA, Sampson County Sherriff’s Office, and SBI investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-040.
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Salinas Man Sentenced to over 22 Years for Conspiracy to Commit Child Sex Trafficking, Child Enticement, and Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Daniel Philip Aguirre was sentenced yesterday to 270 months (22.5 years) in federal prison and ordered to pay $19,100 in restitution for child sex trafficking, child enticement, and child pornography offenses. U.S. District Judge Beth L. Freeman handed down the sentence.
Aguirre, 33, of Salinas, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30, 2024, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1594(c), sex trafficking of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(1), (b)(2), and (c), coercion and enticement of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2), and possession of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B).
According to the plea agreement, between 2014 and 2017, Aguirre used Grindr, SnapChat, Craigslist, and other websites to recruit and entice multiple adolescent boys for sexual exploitation and abuse. In May 2014, he enticed a 14-year-old victim into illegal sexual acts with Aguirre and another man in San Jose, during which amyl nitrates, commonly known as “poppers,” were used to keep the child intoxicated. Between April and September 2017, Aguirre sex trafficked a second 14-year-old victim while also maintaining an illegal sexual relationship with the child. He also used the victim to create and distribute child sexual abuse materials. Aguirre also acknowledged allegations by two other boys that Aguirre subjected them to online and in-person sexual abuse at various times from 2013 to 2015, while they were minors. Numerous child sexual abuse materials were found on devices seized from Aguirre’s residence during a search in 2022.
“This defendant preyed on and exploited children, and subjected them to nightmare scenarios. We are grateful for the courage shown by these victims in coming forward. Thanks to the work of our federal and state law enforcement partners, Aguirre will spend over 20 years in federal prison for his heinous conduct,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins.
“This individual is the absolute personification of a predator and has cruelly impacted the lives of countless innocent children,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “This sentencing is the direct result of dedicated HSI agents, in partnership with state and local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who prioritize a victim-based approach combined with aggressive investigative work and prosecution to remove threats to the children of our community.”
At the sentencing hearing, the government and the Court commended the bravery of the victim who first reported his abuse to the Carmel-by-the Sea Police Department in 2020. Three other victims came forward to report abuse by Aguirre after the initial criminal charges were reported.
In addition to the prison term and restitution, Judge Freeman also sentenced the defendant to a 15-year period of supervised release, ordered the forfeiture of devices containing child sexual abuse materials that were seized from Aguirre’s residence, and imposed a $500 special assessment fee. Aguirre was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving his sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Harris prosecuted the case with the assistance of Sahib Kaur. The prosecution is the result of a three-year investigation by HSI and the Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department.
Robbery at Busboys and Poets Nets a Maryland Man a 84-Month Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Isaiah Chase, 27, of Silver Spring, MD, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 84 months in federal prison for participating in a gunpoint robbery at Busboys and Poets, a café and bookstore, in the 400 block of K Street, NW.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Chase pleaded guilty on August 5, 2024, to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence before U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton, who in addition to the 84-month sentence, ordered Chase to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Chase was one of multiple conspirators who worked with an employee at Busboys and Poets to rob the business on February 6, 2022. The employee instructed Chase to come to the establishment at around 9:30 p.m. and to enter when a specific person was visible at the front of the establishment.
Chase and two of the other conspirators, wearing dark clothing, masks, and hoodies, entered the establishment as the staff was cleaning up for the night. Inside, each of the three individuals brandished firearms and pointed them at employees. The conspirators demanded money but received none. Instead they took keys to the business and fled in a vehicle.
On November 4, 2022, law enforcement arrested Chase at his apartment in Silver Spring, MD. During a search of his residence, agents recovered a loaded Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun with a magazine and 24 rounds of ammunition; a loaded .556 caliber machine gun capable of being fired fully automatically with a magazine containing 49 rounds of ammunition; a loaded .556 caliber AM-15 rifle with a magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition; a .40 caliber magazine containing 9 rounds of ammunition; and 2 bags of marijuana intended for distribution.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and MPD's Carjacking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel and Matthew Kinskey.
22cr349Roanoke Man Sentenced to over 17 Years on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke man, who agents found in possession of more than 3,800 images of child pornography, was sentenced this week to 210 months in federal prison.
Joshua Jennings, 43, pled guilty in September 2024, to one count of knowingly receiving child pornography. In addition to prison time, Jennings was also sentenced to 20 years of supervised release following his release from prison.
According to court documents, in February 2024 agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) determined that Jennings’s IP address was sharing child pornography on the Internet. Agents subsequently learned that Jennings was a registered sex offender with two prior state convictions for possessing child pornography.
On February 26, 2024, agents with HSI executed a search warrant at the home address associated with Jennings’ IP address and seized a HP laptop computer belonging to Jennings. A forensic review of the laptop revealed more than 3,800 images and video files of identified child victims of abuse from more than 300 known child pornography series.
Search history on the laptop showed Jennings conducted multiple searches related to his sexual interest in children, including “CP,” “PTHC,” and “CP dog.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and ICE Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Valuable investigative assistance was provided by the Albemarle County Police Department, the Virginia State Police, Virginia Probation & Parole, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Parkersburg (West Virginia) Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Rioter Federally Sentenced for Damaging U.S. Government Property at Union Station Following RallyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Isabella Giordano, 21, of Towson, Maryland, was sentenced today in federal court to six months of probation for spray painting graffiti on several pieces of federal property at Columbus Circle in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C., following a protest on July 24, 2024.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Courtland Rae of the Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police (USPP).
Giordano pleaded guilty to destruction of government property before U.S. District Court Chief Judge James E. Boasberg, who in addition to probation, ordered Giordano to pay $500 in restitution to the National Park Service.
According to court documents, on July 24, 2024, an organization was granted a permit to demonstrate near Columbus Circle, located at Massachusetts Ave. NE, and E St. NE, directly in front of Union Station. From about 3 p.m. until 5 p.m., demonstrators who had gathered in Columbus Circle pulled down flags affixed to the flagpoles; burned flags and objects; sprayed graffiti on multiple statutes and structures; and interfered with law enforcement’s ability to place individuals under arrest.
Footage obtained from a review of open-source videos posted to X (formerly Twitter) showed Giordano using red spray paint to write “Gaza” on the Columbus Fountain. She also spray-painted the base of two of the flagpoles in Columbus Circle. On July 30, 2024, the U.S. Park Police posted a bulletin with multiple photos and coordinated with the FBI in seeking information on five individuals who engaged in criminal activity on July 24, 2024. On August 1, 2024, USPP received two tips identifying Giordano.
The flags pulled down from the flag poles, and the statutes and structures in Columbus Circle, are all property of the federal government. The National Park Service estimated that the cost to clean and repair the site at about $11,282.23.
This case was investigated by the USPP’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Horan.
24cr441Raleigh Armed Narcotics Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Darius Donte Privette, a/k/a “Heavy,” a 31-year-old resident of Zebulon, N.C. was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine hydrochloride, and methamphetamine while armed in the Raleigh, Louisburg, and Zebulon areas. Privette pled guilty on November 12, 2024.
According to the court documents and other information presented in court, the investigation began on January 19, 2023, when officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD), stopped Privette on an outstanding warrant for his arrest. While conducting a search incident to his arrest, law enforcement located and seized a large sum of money and a key to his car.
A search of Privette’s car resulted in the seizure of the following items: 13 round blue tablets labeled as Percocet but containing fentanyl and ANPP, a fentanyl precursor, with a total weight of 1.43 grams of fentanyl; 22 MDMA pills with a total weight of 8.55 grams; 5.88 grams of crack cocaine; 9.94 grams of cocaine; 48.2 grams of marijuana; a 9mm firearm; various ammunition; various drug paraphernalia including digital scales and rolling papers; and a total of $1,886.00 in U.S. currency.
In an unrelated investigation, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Louisburg, North Carolina conducted three controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Privette in October and November 2023. During each buy, Privette sold a confidential informant approximately one gram of crack in exchange for $100.
Law enforcement then executed a search warrant on Privette’s home on November 9, 2023. In the upstairs bedroom, officers seized a large amount of marijuana, U.S. currency, and a firearm. On the back porch, law enforcement found a drum-style large-capacity magazine inside a children’s backpack. In total, law enforcement recovered 3 firearms, 1 large-capacity magazine; approximately 348.8 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, 898.11 grams of marijuana, a drug ledger, and a total of $5,020.00.
The investigation further revealed that Privette had been previously convicted of Possessing Marijuana, Carrying a Concealed Firearm, Fleeing Law Enforcement with a Motor Vehicle, and Possession with Intent to Sell Cocaine.
Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Raleigh Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and Nash County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:24-CR-00199-D-001.
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Putnam County Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Shawn R. Blankenship, 54, of Winfield, pleaded guilty today to four counts of health care fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Blankenship is a licensed nurse practitioner and owner of Holistic Inc., a medical clinic in St. Albans. Blankenship admitted that he knowingly and willfully caused the submission of materially false claims to Medicaid and its Managed Care Organizations for medical services that were not provided and not medically necessary.
Holistic provided multiple services to patients during the time period in question, primarily office-based opioid treatment and weight loss counseling as well as smoking and tobacco use cessation counseling. The investigation revealed that claims submitted to Medicaid for smoking cessation counseling, office visits, and weight loss counseling required a licensed provider to be present.
Blankenship admitted that four materially false claims were filed during the time period. Three were for smoking cessation services and one was for a 15-minute office outpatient visit, all purportedly conducted on October 29, 2020. Blankenship admitted that he knew such services were not provided because he and Holistic’s other licensed nurse practitioners were in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and not at Holistic from on or about October 28, 2020, through on or about October 30, 2020.
Investigators concluded the losses from Blankenship’s criminal conduct is approximately $600,000.
Blankenship is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Blankenship also owes restitution in an amount to be determined by the Court.
Today’s guilty pleas result from a multi-year investigation of fraudulent medical billing practices in the Southern District of West Virginia. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Trial Attorney Jody King of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division-Fraud Section and Assistant United States Attorney Owen Reynolds are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-37.
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Pittsburgh Resident Indicted on Fentanyl Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal narcotics law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Marc Anthony Smith, 36, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about November 9, 2024, Smith knowingly possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Reserve Township Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2025, to a charge of bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Mark Laughner, 38, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 16, 2024, Laughner entered a Reserve Township bank wearing a baseball cap and neck gaiter that covered his mouth and nose and instructed the teller to give him all of her large bills. After the teller handed over the $100 and $50 bills from her cash drawer, the defendant demanded the teller provide more cash quickly or he would shoot her in her face. Laughner left the bank with $1,370 in U.S. currency and was ultimately identified through the utilization of surveillance recordings as well as witness interviews.
Allegheny County Police Department (ACPD) detectives obtained a warrant for Laughner’s arrest, and, on May 20, 2024, attempted to apprehend the defendant when detectives observed Laughner in the passenger seat of a vehicle outside of a Pittsburgh fire station. As detectives converged on the vehicle with their emergency lights activated, the driver exited the vehicle and Laughner jumped from the passenger side of the vehicle into the driver’s seat, where he began fleeing detectives by driving in reverse at a high rate of speed. Ignoring multiple verbal commands to stop, Laughner came within inches of striking two ACPD detectives before stopping and exiting the vehicle in the middle of the street and fleeing on foot. Using a police K-9 unit, law enforcement apprehended Laughner after finding him hiding in thick brush.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Allegheny County Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Laughner.
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.
Pennsylvania man pleads guilty to receipt of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dylan C. Irvin, 26, of Bradford, PA, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that sometime in June or July 2023, Irvin engaged in sexual activity with a 13-year-old female (victim). Irvin used his cellular telephone to record the sexual activity and then received the video on a Snapchat account he controlled. On March 5, 2024, Irvin was arrested on state charges related to the sexual contact, at which time his cell phone was seized. A search of the phone recovered the video of Irvin and the victim.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
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Pascagoula Man Sentenced to 260 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Pascagoula man was sentenced today to 260 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, Terry Lynn McNeal, Jr., 35, sold fentanyl on three occasions between February and April 2024. After those sales, a search warrant was executed at McNeal’s residence where agents discovered over a 100 grams of fentanyl, and over 500 grams of methamphetamine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hunter McCreight prosecuted the case.
Ohio man going to prison for his role in Jamestown drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Justin Whitfield, 25, of Cincinnati, OH, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 77 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that since April 2019, the DEA has investigated the drug trafficking activities, including heroin/fentanyl and methamphetamine, of Rocco Beardsley in the Jamestown, NY area. During the investigation, Whitfield was identified as an associate and co-conspirator of Beardsley, who is also his cousin. Beardsley utilized a source of supply for methamphetamine in the Cincinnati area, and Whitfield was responsible for introducing Beardsley to the source. Whitfield utilized social media to conduct drug related conversations and facilitate his drug trafficking activities.
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 sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department and the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force, under the direction of Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson; the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division; and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
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Nigerian National Charged with Theft of Pandemic Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A Nigerian national residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Funke Iyanda, 43, with no U.S. status, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from May 27, 2020, to May 24, 2021, Iyanda prepared and submitted a false application and claim for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits in the name of another person to the PA Department of Labor, for which Iyanda received approximately $40,980 in unemployment benefits to which Iyanda was not legally entitled.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General and Department of Homeland Security conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses, Including Traveling to Connecticut to Engage in Sexual Activity with a MinorRead 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, announced that JAMES PAGLIARO, 26, of Middletown, New York, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with multiple child exploitation offenses, including traveling to Connecticut to engage in sexual activity with a minor.
Pagliaro appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in approximately October 2024, Pagliaro began messaging a 15-year-girl (“minor victim”) on TikTok. In December 2024, the minor victim told Pagliaro that she was 15 years old, and they began text messaging. In January 2025, Pagliaro traveled to Connecticut multiple times to engage in sexual conduct with the minor victim.
It is further alleged that in February 2025, a forensic examination of the minor victim’s iPhone revealed hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos of the minor victim, and more than 11,000 text messages and more than 300 iOS and FaceTime calls between Pagliaro and the minor victim. In the messages, Pagliaro instructed the minor victim to perform specific sex acts, including sadistic and masochistic conduct. Pagliaro also frequently referenced the minor victim’s age, acknowledging that what he was doing was “illegal”; referred to the minor victim as his “slave” and had her send him a “slavery contract”; berated and punished the minor victim when she failed to accurately and precisely follow his instructions; and asked the minor victim to recruit other minors to engage in sexual conduct with him.
The complaint charges Pagliaro with production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years of imprisonment; receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; traveling to engage in sexual activity with a minor, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; and transfer of obscene material to a minor, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by HSI New England, HSI New York, the Orange County (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Office, and the Danbury, Ridgefield, and Watertown Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New Braunfels Man who Planned Mass Murder Attacks Sentenced to over 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man was sentenced in federal court today to 78 months in prison for a charge related to his planned mass murder attacks that were thwarted by federal and local law enforcement.
According to court documents, Cameron Darrick Peterson, 20, began planning mass shootings since November 2022. On Jan. 4, 2024, Peterson attempted to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun from a New Braunfels pawn shop. He completed the required background check and was denied due to his age and the type of firearm he was attempting to purchase. On May 31, he attempted to purchase an assault weapon-style 12-gauge shotgun from the pawn shop and was denied a second time.
FBI agents obtained an arrest warrant on June 5, and Peterson was immediately taken into custody by the New Braunfels Police Department. During a search of his home, FBI agents found and seized an altered .22 caliber long rifle with a sawed-off buttstock and six magazines loaded with 60 rounds.
On June 6, as part of a federal search warrant, agents reviewed Peterson’s Instagram account, revealing statements Peterson had made about plans to attack a gas station. Also on June 6, Peterson was recorded from jail instructing a witness to hide or destroy a videotape he had made in which he surveilled a grocery store to plan a future attack.
On June 10, another search of Peterson’s home revealed a box that contained 11 aerosol containers and other ingredients to manufacture destructive devices. One of the containers was determined that it could be readily made operational and was categorized as an Improvised Explosive Device. The IED was not registered in the National Firearms Registry, nor could it be due to Peterson’s age.
Peterson was indicted in June 2024 for three counts related to firearm and explosive offenses. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 30, 2024, to one count of attempt to receive firearm to use to commit a felony.
“This case is demonstrative of how our law enforcement and the systems in place to prevent certain firearm purchases by those under the legal age work in tandem to successfully prevent mass murder events like this defendant had planned,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Due to the fine investigative efforts and teamwork of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the New Braunfels Police, and other local and federal partners, Peterson’s plans to detonate explosives and slaughter innocents in multiple locations in our district were deterred.”
“Americans should be able to live free from fear of becoming a victim of a mass shooter. Thankfully, Peterson’s plans were thwarted when vigilant citizens saw something and said something,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “We are grateful to our partners on the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force - especially the San Antonio Fire Department, the New Braunfels Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Attorney's Office for their continued assistance in keeping our communities safe. Cases like this are a priority for the FBI and we encourage anyone who observes something suspicious, potential indicators of violence, or threats against our community to report them at tips.fbi.gov. Together we can prevent acts of mass violence.”
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, San Antonio Fire Department, New Braunfels Police Department, and ATF investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Eric Yuen prosecuted the case.
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Mobile Man Sentenced to 51 Months for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
According to court documents, in September 2024, members of the Mobile Police Department encountered Jones following a traffic stop. Jones’ infant was in the vehicle with him at the time of the stop. During the course of the traffic stop, officers discovered that Jones possessed two firearms and that one of those firearms was equipped with a machinegun conversion device. A machinegun conversion device is commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” and is capable of converting a pistol into a fully automatic weapon. Jones made a statement to law enforcement following the stop indicating that he was aware how the Glock switch worked and had previously fired the weapon with the device attached.
At sentencing, Judge Granade imposed a 51-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon Jones’ discharge from prison. The firearm and machinegun conversion device were forfeited to the United States as part of the sentence.
The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.
Mississippi Man Indicted for Federal Civil Rights and Arson Charges for Setting Fire to Mormon ChurchRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Gulfport, MS, returned a six-count superseding indictment today charging Stefan Day, also known as Stefan Pete Day Rowold, with federal civil rights and arson violations for vandalizing and setting fire to a house of worship.
According to the superseding indictment, on July 5, 2024, and July 7, 2024, Day set fire to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wiggins, Mississippi. Counts one and four of the superseding indictment charge Day with arson for setting fire to the church. Counts two and five of the superseding indictment charge Day with intentionally damaging, defacing, and destroying religious real property because of the religious character of the property. Counts three and six of the superseding indictment charge Day with using fire to commit a federal felony offense.
If convicted, Day faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the arson charges, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the civil rights charges, and a minimum penalty of ten years in prison for the use of fire to commit a federal felony offense.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi State Fire Marshal, and the Wiggins Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial
Attorney Chloe Neely of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mississippi Man Indicted for Federal Civil Rights and Arson Charges for Setting Fire to Mormon ChurchRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Gulfport, Mississippi, returned a six-count superseding indictment today charging Stefan Day, also known as Stefan Pete Day Rowold, with federal civil rights and arson violations for vandalizing and setting fire to a house of worship.
According to the superseding indictment, on July 5, 2024, and July 7, 2024, Day set fire to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Wiggins, Mississippi. Counts one and four of the superseding indictment charge Day with arson for setting fire to the church. Counts two and five of the superseding indictment charge Day with intentionally damaging, defacing, and destroying religious real property because of the religious character of the property. Counts three and six of the superseding indictment charge Day with using fire to commit a federal felony offense.
If convicted, Day faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the arson charges, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the civil rights charges, and a minimum penalty of ten years in prison for the use of fire to commit a federal felony offense.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Jackson Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi State Fire Marshal, and the Wiggins Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Chloe Neely of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Minnesota State Senator Charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota state Senator Justin David Eichorn has been charged via federal criminal complaint with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to the criminal complaint, on March 12, 2025, Bloomington Police detectives began an undercover operation to target commercial sex involving juveniles. Law enforcement placed online advertisements offering commercial sex. Unbeknownst to the prospective sex buyers, it was in fact undercover law enforcement officers who received and responded to the messages.
On March 11, 2025, undercover officers began receiving messages from Eichorn, age 40, inquiring, “I saw your post and [sic] chance you are still available tonight?” and then later, “What’s a guy gota do to get with the hottest girl online tonight.” Over the course of messaging over several days, the undercover officer repeatedly said that she was not 18 but was, in fact, 17 years old. Even so, Eichorn proceeded to ask the undercover officer about pricing for various sex acts she might perform, and then Eichorn arranged an in-person meet-up to pay for commercial sex. Eichorn also requested that the undercover officer—whom he believed to be a 17-year-old minor—send him “a naught[y] pic” including one “with lot less clothes.” Eichorn arrived at the agreed-upon location to find law enforcement waiting to apprehend him. In his car, among other things, law enforcement found cash and a condom.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office has no tolerance for public officials who violate federal law—particularly those laws meant to protect children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “I am grateful to the Bloomington Police Department, to the FBI, and to all law enforcement officers who use undercover operations to identify and arrest child sex predators to prevent them from abusing real children.”
“The actions alleged in this case are an appalling attempt to exploit an innocent and vulnerable minor," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI and our partners are committed to protecting children from predators who seek to harm them. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe environment, free from the threat of exploitation.”
“If you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someone’s child, expect to leave in handcuffs,” said Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges. “We will not tolerate predators in our community. I have long advocated for stronger penalties for these crimes, and this case is yet another example of why tougher laws are necessary. Our state legislature must take this issue seriously—protecting children should never be up for debate.”
Eichorn was charged by complaint today in U.S. District Court with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Michigan man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to a conspiracy to import and sell illegal pharmaceuticals, including opioids, and to fund the operation of the scheme by fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 pandemic relief loan.
Donald Nchamukong, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, to commit loan fraud and to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2025.
Starting in 2019 and continuing to 2022, Nchamukong and a co-conspirator, Doyal Kalita, conspired to distribute drugs to persons in the United States over the internet and using call centers in India. Nchamukong used shell companies, including a purported dietary supplements company and an auto parts supplier, and associated bank and merchant accounts to process sales of illegal foreign drugs, including the Schedule IV opioid, tramadol. Nchamukong and Kalita also received shipments of tramadol from India and reshipped the drug to customers across the United States, including in Massachusetts. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Nchamukong and Kalita fraudulently obtained a $200,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan to fund their illegal drug scheme.
Kalita was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating the online drug distribution scheme and a technical support fraud scheme and related money laundering.
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the monetary gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Fernando P. McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New York, Small Business Administration and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial, and Cyber Fraud Unit, is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Miami Bank Employee Guilty of Embezzling Deceased Customer’s MoneyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Miami man who used his position as an employee at an international financial institution to embezzle over $190,000 from a deceased customer’s accounts pled guilty to a federal information yesterday in the Southern District of Florida.
Billy Gedeon, 34, admitted the following: After learning that one of the bank’s regular customers had died, Gedeon went into the deceased customer’s accounts several times without authorization. In 2023, Gedeon stole over $19ok from one of the accounts by forging the deceased customer’s signature on a bank form (which closed the account), withdrawing all the money, and depositing it into Gedeon’s personal account at another bank.
Senior U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno set Gedeon’s sentencing for June, 10 at 10:00AM Eastern Time. Gedeon faces a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison. Judge Moreno will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors when arriving at a sentence.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker, Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG) made the announcement.
U.S. Secret Service and FRB-OIG investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Latoya C. Brown of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea R. Rooney of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section prosecuted the case.
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 25-cr-20067.
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Mexican national indicted for assaulting federal agentRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Mexican national with physically attacking a federal law enforcement agent.
According to court documents, Diego Barron-Esquivel, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of forcible assault of a federal officer.
In February 2025, Barron-Esquivel is accused of forcibly assaulting and causing bodily harm to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer while the officer was performing his official duties.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Charles Wayne Franke, 21, of Wellington, Kansas, was indicted on two counts of sexual exploitation of a child-production of child pornography, four counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting the case.
Juan Francisco Ulloa-Gonzalez, 46, was indicted on one count of reentry of a removed alien. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Mexican National Previously Deported Sentenced to Six Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican National illegally residing in Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Mario Alberto Hernandez-Lugo, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to six years in federal prison without parole.
On August 1, 2024, Hernandez-Lugo pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Hernandez-Lugo admitted he was in possession of a Beretta, 9mm pistol and .45 caliber and 9mm ammunition following his arrest during a traffic stop by Independence, Missouri Police Officers on May 28, 2023.
Under federal law it is illegal for any alien knowingly illegally or unlawfully in the United States to possess a firearm or ammunition. Hernandez-Lugo admitted he was in the United States illegally, having been previously deported and removed from the United States. At sentencing District Judge Greg Kays noted that Hernandez-Lugo had previously been deported or removed from the United States on seven separate occasions.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess Michaelsen. It was investigated by the Kansas City and Independence, Missouri Police Departments, and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to over Twenty Years Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A woman who worked with others to distribute a significant amount of methamphetamine was sentenced March 17, 2025, to more than 24 years in federal prison.
Candace Sue Thein, age 42, from Dike, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 3, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Evidence disclosed at sentencing showed that, from December 2023 through May 22, 2024, Thein worked with others to receive numerous packages of ice methamphetamine and marijuana from a source of supply in California. In total, the group received over 50 pounds of methamphetamine from the source of supply in California, which the group then redistributed to individuals in Waterloo, Dike, Reinbeck, and Hudson, Iowa. Law enforcement searched several of the residences of individuals receiving these packages, including Thein’s residence in Dike, on May 22, 2024. In the early morning hours of June 15, 2024, Thein and two other individuals went to the residence of one of Thein’s drug customers, demanding money. The two other individuals threatened to kill Thein’s drug customer, while Thein broke into the drug customer’s residence and stole his cellphone.
Thein was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Thein was sentenced to 292 months’ imprisonment, and she must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Thein is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Postal Service; the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force, consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Mid‑Iowa Drug Trask Force; the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa State Patrol; and the Santa Ana, California Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00052-CJW.
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