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13 March 2025
Violent Felon Sentenced to more than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Dealing Meth and MDMA while on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE— Mikeal Luckett, 51, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 211 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute MDMA, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on June 13, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a search of Luckett’s Evansville home. Officers found a loaded stolen Taurus G2C 9mm pistol, approximately 26.2 grams of MDMA, approximately 6.4 grams of pure methamphetamine, digital scales, and $10,286 in cash. The pistol and MDMA were hidden together in an opening above the duct work in Luckett’s basement. Officers also found $1,530 in Luckett’s pockets.
In 2012, Luckett was convicted of felony Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine in federal court in Kentucky and was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Luckett was on federal supervised release at the time of this most recent incident.
Luckett had been previously convicted of several violent offenses, including assault and aggravated assault.
“Drug dealers like this defendant peddle deadly substances with utter disregard for human life, seeing only dollar signs and not the faces of the many loved ones that have been lost to overdoses and drug abuse,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This prosecution and sentence demonstrate that our office will continue to work alongside DEA, ATF and local Drug Task Forces to ensure the most dangerous reoffenders are held accountable.”
“There is no place in our community for those who spread pain and destruction through the distribution of illegal drugs. That disregard for human life is compounded when firearms are used to threaten violence to protect their illegal business,” stated Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge for ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to bring offenders like the defendant to justice and make our communities safer for everyone.”
“Individuals, especially repeat offenders like Mr. Luckett, who are on probation, and recklessly distribute poisonous drugs in our communities must be held accountable for their actions,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Gannon. “DEA commends the outstanding work being conducted by our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office, in combating dangerous criminals.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller who prosecuted this case.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Venezuelan National arrested with large load of drugsRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 22-year-old Venezuelan National made his initial appearance this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle, following his arrest in Federal Way, Washington with a large amount of suspected narcotics, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Sebastian Velasquez-Perez was taken into custody at St Francis Hospital after he was treated for a drug overdose. He remains in federal detention pending a hearing scheduled for March 17, 2025.
According to the criminal complaint, on March 8, 2025, Federal Way Police were called to a Federal Way motel when staff discovered Velasquez-Perez unresponsive in his room. The staff administered two doses of NARCAN and performed CPR. Velasquez-Perez was transported to the hospital, and law enforcement obtained a court order to search the room.
In the room law enforcement seized: five bags containing approximately 3.2 kilograms of methamphetamine; 12 bags of a powdery substance that will be tested as a possible controlled substance; five bags of fentanyl pills – approximately 5,000 pills in all; and two bags of black tar substance appearing to be heroin. Also in the room three cellphones, a digital scale with drug residue, and nearly $8,000 in cash.
There were no documents in the hotel room indicating that Velasquez-Perez was legally present in the United States.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), and the Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET).
Union County man sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for $1.4M fraud schemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Union County man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 46 months in prison for a $1.4 million fraud scheme involving state agency contracts.
Nicholas Price, 45, of Marysville, defrauded three electronic equipment supplier businesses. The related state customers included the Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
As part of his sentence, Price will pay more than $1.4 million in restitution.
According to court documents, Price owned Right PriceIT, LLC, an information-technology business registered in Ohio. He accepted money in return for supplying electronic equipment to companies that were awarded state contracts. The state would pay the contracting company, and the contracting company would pay Price, who would broker lower-cost suppliers; however, Price never paid the suppliers.
For example, in 2019, Price made an agreement with a company that won contracts to provide electronic equipment to the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. According to the agreement, the company would pay Price funds for the equipment and a profit for Price, who would then purchase the equipment from a supplier to provide to the state. Price never paid the supplier the cost of the equipment, nearly $689,000, despite the state agencies and companies all holding up their ends of the agreement.
Likewise, Price engaged in a similar scheme with a business that won a contract to provide electronic equipment to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Again, Price entered into an agreement with the contracting company and a supplier to purchase the equipment and provide it to the state. The state and contracting company provided Price with more than $685,000, and the supplier provided the equipment, but Price never paid the supplier for the equipment.
In total, Price engaged in a similar fraud three times, causing a loss of more than $1.4 million.
Price then laundered the proceeds of his fraud scheme and sent wires to people who own car dealerships with the expectation that the funds would be laundered through those businesses.
Throughout his pending federal fraud case, Price obstructed justice and violated the terms of his pretrial release.
On the day of his detention hearing, Price instructed an individual to delete Price’s iCloud account.
While out on bond, Price violated the terms of his release by using methamphetamine, cocaine and alcohol. Price was also caught by law enforcement on more than one occasion driving luxury vehicles faster than 100 miles per hour. In one instance, Price drove a Ferrari F8 Spider in a densely populated area near Emerald Parkway and Sawmill Road in Dublin and crashed into two vehicles at an intersection. The driver of one of the other cars suffered serious injuries and had to be removed from his car with the jaws of life. Price’s bond was revoked after the crash, and he has been detained since.
Price was arrested on federal fraud charges in March 2024. He pleaded guilty in October 2024 to wire fraud and monetary transaction money laundering.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
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- U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Prison Sentence in Fatal Navajo Nation DUI Case
Tulsa Resident Pleads Guilty to RobberyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wilmer Medardo Guerrero, age 24, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Robbery in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that on December 18, 2020, Guerrero took and attempted to take items of value from the person and presence of another by force, violence, and intimidation.
The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ada Police Department, and the District 22 Task Force.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Guerrero will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Trussville Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Trussville man has been sentenced for drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Antonio Sedell Ellis, 50, to 48 months in prison. In October 2024, Ellis pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to the plea agreement, on May 9, 2023, a Trussville police officer observed a black Ford F-450 traveling on Interstate 59 and cross the outside fog line several times. The officer initiated a traffic stop of the driver, later identified as Ellis. During the stop, the officer could smell alcohol coming from inside the vehicle and asked Ellis to exit the vehicle. Although Ellis initially complied with the officer’s requests, he then attempted to walk away from the scene and refused to follow the officer’s orders. Additional officers responded and successfully apprehended Ellis. He was placed into the back of the patrol car so that a full search of Ellis’s vehicle could be completed. The search uncovered a package containing one kilogram of cocaine, several bags of cocaine, and drug paraphernalia.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Trussville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.
Thunderguards Motorcycle Club Member Sentenced for Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Shannon T. Hanson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced today that Robert Dorsey, 47, of New Jersey, was sentenced on March 11, 2025, to 46 months incarceration for trafficking firearms. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, between September and October 2023, Dorsey sold a total of four firearms during three separate transactions to a law enforcement informant in New Jersey and Delaware. The firearms included a privately made firearm (PMF), known commonly as a “ghost gun”, as well as a firearm that had been stolen from Maryland just a month before Dorsey sold it to the informant on the black market. Additionally, Dorsey had reason to believe one of the firearms he sold would be used in a violent crime. Further, Dorsey sold the informant crack cocaine and heroin on over five occasions, sometimes selling both drugs and a gun as part of the same transaction.
Dorsey was the self-proclaimed vice president of a Thunderguards Motorcycle Club chapter, known as the “North Pole”, in Wilmington, DE. During the investigation Dorsey referred to his role as a “one-percenter” or active member of the Thunderguards, told individuals about his role and chapter affiliations with the Thunderguards, and in fact, other members of the Club were present with Dorsey during the last firearm sale to the informant in Delaware.
Acting U.S. Attorney Hanson, said, “Trafficking firearms, especially PMFs and stolen guns, is a serious threat to public safety. Illegally trafficking guns provides individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearm with ready access to deadly weapons. I commend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for disrupting the unlawful trafficking of firearms in the New Jersey and Delaware region. I want to thank ATF, Delaware State Police, and our local law enforcement partners for their thorough investigation.”
This investigation is an example of ATF’s dedication to working with our state, local and federal partners in identifying, pursuing, and investigating violent offenders who illegally possess or utilize firearms to commit violent crimes, and those who engage in the unlawful trafficking of firearms. ATF is proud and honored to have such a great working relationship with these outstanding law enforcement organizations and these results demonstrate how the partnerships between our agencies work to protect our communities and hold criminals accountable,” stated Special Agent in Charge LC Cheeks Jr., ATF Newark Field Division.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Delaware State Police, New Jersey State Police, and Pennsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel S. Frey prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 23-CR-91-RGA.
Three Men Indicted, Nearly 1,400 Pounds of Methamphetamine Seized, and Two Methamphetamine Labs DismantledRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 3-count superseding indictment today against three defendants, charging them with a drug trafficking conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Alfredo Alvarez Sanchez, 37, and Raul Munoz Navarro, 54, both of Mexico, were arrested on December 11, 2024, during a coordinated law enforcement operation. Inosencio Cruz, 35, of Visalia, was arrested on March 11, 2025.
According to court documents, coordinated searches conducted on May 17, 2023, led to the seizure of nearly 1,000 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and 14 firearms. The operation involved the search of five properties in Tulare, Earlimart, and Corcoran. During the searches, law enforcement discovered and dismantled two active methamphetamine conversion laboratories. These labs contained numerous 55-gallon drums filled with liquid methamphetamine in various stages of conversion to crystal methamphetamine.
In addition to the seizures described above, law enforcement conducted a series of enforcement actions resulting in the seizure of significant quantities of methamphetamine, firearms, and other contraband destined for distribution in California’s Central Valley and beyond, including:
Nov. 30, 2023: 150 pounds of methamphetamine seized.
- Feb. 24, 2024: 200 pounds of methamphetamine confiscated.
- March 20, 2024: 25 pounds of methamphetamine and 4 pounds of marijuana seized.
Additionally, law enforcement recovered 11 firearms from an individual who attempted to conceal them following the seizure of methamphetamine on March 20, 2024.
Nov. 30, 2023 seizure of 150 pounds of methamphetamine.
Feb. 24, 2024 seizure of 200 pounds of methamphetamine.
March 20, 2024, seizure of 25 pounds of methamphetamine and 4 pounds of marijuana.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento Area Intelligence/Narcotics Task Force (SAINT), Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team (Cal-MMET), Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Major Crimes Task Force, Fresno Police Department, Clovis Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Tulare County Tactical-High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (TNT-HIDTA), U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement-ERO. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Three Men Indicted for Conspiring to Distribute 150,000 Fentanyl Pills in Madera CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Jesus Valdez Castaneda, 28, of San Bernardino; Carlos German Fierro, 29, of Caruthers; and Alejandro Soto Mares, 43, of Mexico, charging them with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, the defendants conspired with other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl. The men arranged to sell 150,000 fentanyl pills in a strip mall parking lot in Madera on Feb. 21, 2025. Castaneda and Soto Mares arrived first and met with a co-conspirator who had agreed to buy the pills. After agreeing on price, Fierro and two other co-conspirators arrived with the pills in a second car.
Before completing the deal, the men went into a nearby Panda Express restaurant to order food. Nearby officers then converged on the men and arrested them. Officers seized 150,000 pills and two firearms.
Fentanyl pills and firearms seized on Feb. 21, 2025 in Madera
This case is the product of an investigation by the High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which is composed of personnel from the California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Arin C. Heinz and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.
All defendants were detained and are in custody awaiting trial. If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years and maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine for the drug charge. Fierro faces an additional minimum statutory penalty of five years for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Third Member of Multi-State Gas Pump Skimming Device and Fuel Theft Ring Pleads Guilty to Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Deyvis Hernandez (37, Miami) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud. Hernandez faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the wire fraud count, up to 5 years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy count, and payment of restitution to the victims he and his co-defendants defrauded. No sentencing date has been set.
According to court documents, Hernandez and his co-conspirators worked together to install skimmers on gas pumps, including gas stations in Alabama, Louisiana, and Northern Florida. The conspirators used the skimmers to illegally obtain credit and debit card account numbers involved with the purchase of fuel by customers at the gas pump. Using the account numbers stolen by the skimmers, they subsequently made counterfeit credit and debit cards and then, used them to purchase large amounts of diesel fuel.
During the conspiracy the conspirators drove vehicles that contained a fuel bladder system. This system allowed the conspirators to fake pumping gas into the vehicle’s gas tank when in fact the diesel fuel was being pumped into the fuel bladder system. Analysis by law enforcement of fuel purchases, vehicle tracker data, gas station video surveillance, and real time surveillance of the conspirators determined that the conspirators drove to multiple gas stations throughout Northern Florida. After obtaining the gas, the conspirators offloaded the stolen fuel into 9,500-gallon tanker trucks at a fuel yard. The tanker trucks were arranged in part by Hernandez who was part owner of a gas station in south Florida. Hernandez coordinated the sale of the stolen diesel fuel to locations designated by him to include in south Florida.
Deonelky Tabares Cid (36, Tampa) previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud, six counts of access device fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Luis Edel Trujillo Pena (29, Miami) previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. No sentencing date has been set for either defendant.
Co-defendants Luis Ernesto Vigil Ochoa (32, Miami) and Isvaldo Guerra Perdomo (38, Jacksonville) are scheduled for trial in May 2025.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. General Services Administration - Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Tewksbury Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Tewksbury man was sentenced yesterday for sex trafficking and the interstate transportation of seven separate victims for the purposes of prostitution.
Jermall Anderson, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Anderson pleaded guilty to seven counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, one count of coercion and enticement, and one count of interstate transportation for the purpose of prostitution. Anderson was indicted in August 2023, along with two co-conspirators.
“Jermall Anderson preyed on vulnerable women, targeting and sexually exploiting homeless and drug addicted women for his own benefit. He controlled his victims with fear, violence and drugs all so that he could profit off of them,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley “The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to fight for sex trafficking victims and hold accountable those who victimize them. I applaud the brave victims who stood up against Jermall Anderson. In doing so, they took back control of their lives and assured that a violent and depraved predator is no longer a threat to the community.”
“Anderson and his co-conspirators weaponized addiction to control women and force them into sex trafficking. Through violence, threats, and addiction, he trafficked women through several states for his financial benefit. After today’s sentence, he is facing the consequences of his cruelty and greed – serious federal prison time,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “With the final resolution of this case, those that Anderson victimized can now move forward with renewed dignity and independence.”
From 2012 through 2016, Anderson, along with his co-conspirators, used physical violence, threats and the giving and withholding of heroin and cocaine to force seven different victims to prostitute on their behalf. Anderson and his co-conspirators targeted vulnerable victims, specifically those struggling from drug addiction, homelessness and lack of economic resources. Anderson recruited women struggling with drug addiction directly from detox and drug rehabilitation facilities and forced and coerced them into providing commercial sex for his financial benefit. The defendant trafficked these victims throughout New England, New York and New Jersey.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact [email protected].
U.S. Attorney Foley and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the HSI Office in New Haven, Conn., the Lynn and Tewksbury Police Departments (Mass.) and the Hampden (Conn.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Terry Cole Nominated to Key Post at the Drug Enforcement AdministrationRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice congratulates Terrance C. “Terry” Cole on his nomination to be the next Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Terry Cole (DEA Administrator Nominee)
Mr. Cole has a distinguished record with over 28 years in law enforcement, most recently serving as Virginia’s Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security. Before this post, Mr. Cole served for over 20 years at the DEA, with tours in Oklahoma, New York, Texas, and Washington, D.C. While at the DEA, Mr. Cole also received several foreign assignments to Colombia, Afghanistan, Mexico, and the Middle East. Before joining the DEA, Mr. Cole served as a Naval Academy Blue and Gold Officer.
Mr. Cole graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and holds certificates in Leadership from the University of Viginia and the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business. Mr. Cole has also pursued continuing education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan Executive School for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
Tampa Man Arrested for Stealing More Than Half A Million Dollars in COVID Relief FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the indictment and arrest of Terrence Bradford (46, Tampa) for eight counts of wire fraud related to COVID relief funds. If convicted, Bradford faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. In addition, he faces a forfeiture order of $533,648.32, which represents the alleged proceeds he obtained through these offenses.
According to the indictment, between April 2020 and March 2021, Bradford devised a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting multiple false and fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. These programs were some of the sources of economic relief provided for by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
In May 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.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer.
Tennessee Couple Plead Guilty to Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that Haskell Knight, a/k/a “Trey Knight,” age 61, and Emily Knight, a/k/a “Emily Ricciardelli,” age 41, both of Franklin, Tennessee, pled guilty before U.S. District Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to federal felony fraud charges related to Trey Knight’s Udoxa business and their bankruptcy filings.
According to admissions made as a part of their guilty pleas, in 2016 Trey Knight began to look for investment capital for his new business, Udoxa, which claimed to market nutritional supplements. Yet, Udoxa never conducted any actual sales. He and others on his behalf solicited and received $50,000 loans from several victims under false pretenses and then did little to follow through with starting the business. Trey Knight misrepresented the existence of a rich investor, available formation capital for the business, and the strength of the startup, among other things, to get the victims’ money and then failed to use it in the agreed upon manner. Based on the promises made to them, the victims also expected to be paid back with interest and to have the option to gain an ownership stake in a legitimate company. This did not happen. Instead, the money loaned was used in part to pay Trey Knight’s old business debt and his personal expenses. In May of 2017, the Knights filed for bankruptcy in the Middle District of Florida and listed the victims as unsecured Udoxa creditors.
In filing for bankruptcy, Trey Knight failed to provide a truthful and complete statement of income, assets and liabilities, as required by law and made numerous false statements under oath at the creditors’ meeting regarding this information. Specifically, Trey Knight failed to disclose significant income from network marketing businesses as well as liabilities owed from prior business ventures and then gave false information under oath about his finances and more during the creditors’ meeting. The Knights both lied under oath at the creditors’ meeting claiming to be unemployed, despite both being employed at the time.
These actions prevented the bankruptcy trustee from properly executing the bankruptcy proceeding, leaving the creditors, like the Udoxa victims, with less money than they should have received and allowing the Knights to walk away from debts while keeping significant funds they were not entitled to keep.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill, who also serves as the Deputy Chief of Economic Crimes Unit.
Swanzey Man Convicted for Stealing Firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee in WinchesterRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Swanzey man pleaded guilty today in federal court for stealing 18 firearms from Trader John’s Gun Shop, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Khale Guillou, 19, of Swanzey, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee. Judge Samantha D. Elliott scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2025.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2024, the defendant forced entry into Trader John’s Gun Shop and stole 18 firearms from the store. Investigators recovered four of the stolen firearms from his vehicle on July 15, 2024, and recovered two of the stolen firearms from his home on July 20, 2024.
The charge of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross 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.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Keene Police Department, Swanzey Police Department, Winchester Police Department, and Tewksbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski is prosecuting the case.
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Stephenson County, Ill. Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Stephenson County, Ill. man was indicted on Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Rockford for sexual exploitation of children.
COLLIN T. ZIER, 39, of Lena, Ill., was charged with one count of producing child pornography, one count of transporting child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography.
The count of producing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years. The counts of transporting and receiving child pornography each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years. The count of possessing child pornography carries a maximum sentence of ten years.
The indictment was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to https://www.missingkids.org/ or calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
zier_indictment.pdfStamford Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RICARDO GEORGES, 35, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 57 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made court, while investigating a shooting incident in Stamford in March 2022, Stamford Police learned that Georges was in possession of a handgun. On May 7, 2022, investigators encountered Georges as he was leaving a gym in Stamford. He was arrested after a search of his backpack revealed a loaded Para USA .45 ACP caliber, semi-automatic pistol, as well as a quantity of fentanyl.
Georges’ criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut and New York for assault on public safety personnel, robbery in the first degree, criminal possession of a firearm, and multiple drug offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Georges has been detained since his arrest. On April 24, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Stamford-Norwalk. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Six Leaders of Transnational Maritime Drug Trafficking Organization Indicted for Distributing Multi-Ton Quantities of CocaineRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn charging Elkin Armando Alomia Quinones, Diego Luis Obregon Aguirre, Edwin Obregon Castro, Juan Matias Obregon Castro, also known as “Mauricio,” Rodrigo Obregon Saavedra, also known as “Don Ricky” and Narjel Paredes, also known as “Nacho,” with conspiring to violate and violating the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act and with an international cocaine distribution conspiracy that resulted in the seizure of over 5,000 kilograms of cocaine for distribution in the United States. The indictment was returned under seal by a grand jury in November 2024. The six defendants were arrested yesterday in Colombia. The United States is seeking the defendants’ extradition to face charges in the Eastern District of New York.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA New York) and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, the defendants are members of a Colombian transnational maritime drug trafficking organization that specializes in building semi-submersible vessels and using the vessels to transport multi-ton quantities of cocaine to Mexico and Central America, for ultimate distribution in the United States,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “With today’s arrests, the defendants’ conspiracy has been torpedoed. The United States will not tolerate the export and distribution of dangerous drugs into our homeland. My Office is determined to prosecute these defendants in a federal courtroom in Brooklyn where they will be held accountable for their crimes.”
Mr. Durham praised the outstanding investigative work of DEA New York’s Strike Force, DEA Bogota and HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force. Mr. Durham also expressed his appreciation to Colombia’s Cuerpo Técnico de Investigación, DEA Puerto Rico, DEA Madrid and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico for their substantial assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá provided significant assistance in this matter.
“The removal of over 5,000 kilograms of cocaine from international waters, destined for the United States, illustrates the DEA’s global pursuit to identify and target those international drug traffickers and Transnational Criminal Organizations that are using semi-submersible fleets to poison our city streets,” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “Today’s indictment against these six individuals is a reminder of the reach and unity of effort the DEA and our law enforcement partners demonstrate when pursing those criminals looking to profit from the illicit drug trade.”
“As alleged, investigators repeatedly intercepted the defendants' attempts to transport cocaine via semi-submersible vessels traveling through international waterways. While their ill-intended ingenuity knows no bounds, the unified strength and versatility of the U.S. federal law enforcement system has once again stopped a dangerous, allegedly cartel-aligned drug trafficking organization in its tracks. Securing the homeland from dangers posed by foreign organizations and threats is among HSI’s top priorities. We are relentlessly prepared to confront bad actors seeking financial gain by whatever means necessary,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.
As alleged in the charging document and other court filings, the defendants led a maritime transnational criminal organization that specialized in building self-propelled semi-submersible vessels in remote locations in Colombia and South America and used those semi-submersible vessels to transport multi-ton quantities of cocaine from Colombia to Central America and Sinaloa Cartel controlled areas of Mexico, for ultimate distribution in the United States.
Using intelligence from multiple sources, including lawfully intercepted calls and communications, the investigation revealed that the defendants led a sophisticated maritime drug distribution operation consisting of multiple inter-connected phases. First, members of the conspiracy sought investors to finance multi-ton cocaine loads, including financing the construction of the semi-submersible vessels and payments to crew members and co-conspirators. Then, members of the conspiracy built and hired engineers and workers to assist in building self-propelled semi-submersible vessels capable of carrying thousands of kilograms of cocaine. They also hired crew members to transport the narcotics in the vessels. Before launching the cocaine-laden vessels from the Pacific coast of Colombia towards areas controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, members of the conspiracy conducted countersurveillance on the high seas by strategically positioning fishing vessels on the same route that the semi-submersible would navigate in order to detect the presence of law enforcement in the area.As a result of the investigation, law enforcement seized multiple thousand kilograms of cocaine traced to this transnational criminal organization, including two seizures charged in the indictment:
- The June 27, 2023, seizure of approximately 2,312 kilograms of cocaine aboard a semi-submersible vessel built by the defendants’ criminal organization; and
- The October 7, 2023, seizure of approximately 3,300 kilograms of cocaine aboard a semi-submersible vessel built by the defendants’ criminal organization.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to 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 New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force is a Federal Task Force comprised of Federal, State and Local law enforcement officers who enforce the narcotic laws of the United States Government and bring those to justice who break these laws relating to large scale drug and money laundering operations that reach all corners of the globe. This Task Force includes members of the DEA, HSI, Internal Revenue Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, New York City Police Department, New York State Police and multiple other local police departments in the tri-state area.
HSI New York leads and directs all operational and administrative activities of the El Dorado Task Force (EDTF). The EDTF is comprised of more than 200 law enforcement personnel representing approximately thirty-five (35) federal, state, and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies. The mission of the EDTF is to disrupt, dismantle, or render ineffective, organizations involved in the laundering of proceeds of narcotics trafficking and other financial crimes.
The charges in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, all defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, and as part of the work of the Office’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Lorena Michelen and Katherine Onyshko are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
ELKIN ARMANDO ALOMIA QUINONES
Age: 39
ColombiaDIEGO LUIS OBREGON AGUIRRE
Age: 46
ColombiaEDWIN OBREGON CASTRO
Age: 40
ColombiaJUAN MATIAS OBREGON CASTRO (“Mauricio”)
Age: 48
ColombiaRODRIGO OBREGON SAAVEDRA (“Don Ricky”)
Age: 68
ColombiaNARJEL PAREDES (“Nacho”)
Age: 55
ColombiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-462 (EK)
Sinaloa Cartel Leader in Idaho Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – A 44-year-old Honduran national suspected to be unlawfully in the United States and using the name “Hector Ojeda Manuel Aponte” was sentenced yesterday to 262 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced.
According to court records, Aponte was distributing approximately 40 pounds of methamphetamine every one to two weeks, along with fentanyl pills and bath salts. Aponte had multiple vehicles to transport and distribute drugs, stash houses to hide the drugs, and business fronts to launder his illicit drug proceeds. According to multiple sources, Aponte was the “number one guy” for the Sinaloa Cartel in the State of Idaho. He had a well-established supply chain and a distribution network consisting of other accomplices.
Aponte is the sixth and final defendant sentenced from the investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also previously sentenced Ernesto Diaz Gaspar (30 months in prison), Wilkin Rolando Martinez Munguia (36 months in prison), Cevin Alfonzo Martinez (42 months in prison), and Jesus DeJesus Loera (70 months in prison). Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Lawrence Barnes (160 months in prison). Defendants Barnes and Loera are U.S. Citizens, while the remaining defendants are aliens unlawfully present in the United States.
“The United States Department of Justice is committed to eliminating the threat posed by Mexican drug cartels and their distribution of narcotics in Idaho." Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott said. “Along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold them accountable for bringing poisonous drugs into our state.”
“Illegal immigration and drug trafficking are interconnected threats because Foreign Terrorist Organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel routinely employ people like this defendant to further their drug enterprises,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “I am gratified that we, at the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with our partners at the Nampa Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, succeeded in holding this defendant accountable for his serious crimes targeting our community, resulting in this lengthy prison sentence. Justice was served yesterday.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit, which led to the convictions and sentences. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case.
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Savanna Police Officer Sentenced to 40 Years After First Guilty Verdict Obtained Under 2022 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act Enhanced PenaltiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A federal judge sentenced former Savanna Oklahoma Police Officer (SPD), Jeffrey Scott Smith, 35, to 40 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman during a traffic stop and obstructing justice by turning off his body-worn camera and dash camera in an effort to avoid recording the assault. This case represents the first sexual assault conviction and sentence under the 2022 Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that added enhanced penalties for civil rights offenses involving sexual misconduct.
Evidence presented at trial established that on Nov. 2, 2022, Smith, working his first solo shift for SPD, conducted a traffic stop of the victim, K.H., and her then-boyfriend, J.G. After running their licenses, Smith realized that J.G.’s license had recently expired. He had J.G. and K.H. get out of J.G.’s car to switch who was driving. Smith issued J.G. a speeding ticket, and then began asking personal questions, including how long they had been in their relationship. At this point, while still speaking to J.G. and K.H., Smith manually deactivated his SPD body worn camera (BWC).
Smith then asked K.H. what she did for work. K.H. reluctantly admitted that she danced at a gentlemen’s club. Upon hearing K.H.’s answer, Smith asked to search J.G.’s car. During the search, Smith looked in K.H.’s purse and found a pre-rolled promotional marijuana cigarette from K.H.’s work. Rather than arrest her, or issue her a ticket, Smith walked back to his patrol car and manually deactivated his dashboard camera. Once the defendant had K.H. in his vehicle he sexually assaulted her.
“Smith’s despicable acts traumatized the victim and soiled the reputation of the law enforcement community,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. “The sentence imposed is just punishment, and I am thankful to the FBI, the OSBI, and the prosecutors for their exceptional work in holding the defendant accountable for his crimes.”
“The entire law enforcement profession is disparaged when an officer betrays the oath to protect and serve. That is exactly what Mr. Smith did on his first solo shift as a police officer,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “I am proud of the joint effort by the FBI, OSBI, and US Attorney’s Office to hold Smith accountable for his despicable actions. The sentence handed down today represents our commitment to pursuing justice for victims, and to protecting the reputation of those who wear the badge with integrity.”
The Oklahoma City FBI Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Trial Attorney Laura Gilson of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Clay Compton for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case.
San Francisco Tow Company Operator Indicted in Scheme to Burn Competitors’ Tow Trucks Throughout the Bay AreaRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Jose Vicente Badillo on one count of conspiracy to commit arson in connection with an alleged scheme to burn tow trucks throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in 2023. Badillo made his initial appearance in federal district court this morning.
According to the indictment unsealed earlier today, Badillo, 29, of San Francisco, conspired with others to set fire to at least six tow trucks on four occasions between April 2023 and October 2023. Specifically, Badillo and his co-conspirators allegedly set fire to and damaged or destroyed (i) two tow trucks in San Francisco on April 4, 2023; (ii) one tow truck in San Francisco on April 29, 2023; (iii) one tow truck in East Palo Alto on July 25, 2023; and (iv) two tow trucks in San Francisco on Oct. 3, 2023.
The indictment describes that the purpose of the conspiracy was, among other things, to drive more business to two Bay Area-based towing companies with which Badillo was associated—Auto Towing and Specialty Towing—by impeding the business prospects of competitor towing companies, and to retaliate against those same competitors for perceived wrongs. Badillo allegedly orchestrated the conspiracy and then directed others to set fire to the targeted tow trucks.
Badillo is next scheduled to appear in district court on March 20, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim for arraignment and identification of counsel. Badillo is facing unrelated federal charges of money laundering and insurance fraud in two other pending cases.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge of the Oakland Field Office Linda Nguyen made the announcement.
An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Badillo faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Parker is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Andy Ding and Laurie Worthen. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI. This investigation is assigned to the FBI SF Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, an interagency task force targeting sophisticated organized crime syndicates that engage in, among other offenses, violent crimes, extortion, fraud, arson, and drug trafficking. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and IRS-CI thank the San Francisco Police Department for its substantial assistance and support in this investigation.
Jose Vicente Badillo Indictment
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Postal Robberies While Armed with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — William Carl Jackson, 36, pleaded guilty to robbing a postal carrier while armed with a dangerous weapon, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Jackson robbed postal carriers on July 11, 2024, and July 31, 2024. During in each robbery, he brandished a fake pistol at the victim and then ordered the victim to turn over his postal keys. After taking the victim’s keys, he then fled from the scene on a bicycle.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Elliot C. Wong is prosecuting the case.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Roanoke Woman Pleads Guilty in Paycheck Protection Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke woman, who conspired with dozens of other individuals to commit wire fraud as part of a scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program, pled guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Roanoke.
Jaimeka Michelle Austin, 31, pled guilty yesterday to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Austin was indicted in June 2024 along with 23 others as part of a 142-count indictment alleging wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, making false statements, and fraud in relation to an emergency benefits program.
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses.
Between June 2020 and December 2020, Austin communicated with several individuals, including a tax preparer, to inquire about obtaining a tax refund loan and a PPP loan.
In January 2021, after some back-and-forth discussion, Austin and the tax preparer began discussing obtaining PPP loans for other people by using false information on applications. They agreed to charge prospective loan applicants $5,000 to obtain a $20,000 PPP loan.
Austin recruited individuals to apply for PPP loans via social media and word of mouth, knowing that most who would be applying were not eligible to receive such loans because they did not own a business and were not self-employed at the time – two conditions required for PPP loans.
Austin and her co-conspirators submitted more than 100 fraudulent PPP loan applicants on behalf of the applicants, including for those that did not have a pre-existing business. These applications included multiple false statements, inflated business income, and fraudulent IRS Schedule C forms.
Austin also submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for her own business, Mechelle’s Boutique. As a part of these applications, Austin vastly inflated the amount of revenue that Mechelle’s Boutique received. Based on her fraudulent submissions, Austin ultimately received two PPP loans totaling over $52,000.
On October 4, 2021, Austin used some of the proceeds from her PPP fraud scheme to purchase a new construction single-family home in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, because Austin was already concerned that the “feds” were watching her and did not want to draw additional attention from the federal government, she sought to conceal the source of the funds she was using to make her $70,000 down payment on the home.
As a result, Austin gave $70,000 of her fraudulent proceeds to a third party; the third party then wired the funds to the closing attorney. Austin and the third party falsely represented that this money was a gift from the third party and that it did not originate from Austin. Austin closed on the Charlotte property two days later and used her fraud proceeds to pay some of the mortgage payments on the property. In May 2022, Austin filed a quitclaim deed granting herself and her mother joint ownership rights over the Charlotte property.
In April 2023, Austin and her mother listed the Charlotte property for sale, and it went under contract for $398,000. Austin and her mother were set to receive just under $95,000 in proceeds from this sale. In May 2023, the United States seized these sale proceeds, and, pursuant to an August 2024 default judgment, this money was forfeited to the United States.
Austin has agreed to pay full restitution for her offenses and has agreed to a forfeiture money judgment in the sum of $190,390.
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division and Kareem A. Carter, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.
At sentencing, Austin faces up to 20 years in federal prison on the conspiracy to commit wire fraud count and up to 10 years on the money laundering count. She is the third of the 24 defendants charged in the indictment to plead guilty.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason M. Scheff and Lee S. Brett are prosecuting the case are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Ringleader of $6.2M Unemployment Insurance Fraud Sentenced to Nearly 8 Years PrisonRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Kenny Lee Howard, 32, of Southfield was sentenced to 94 months in prison today for his role in a scheme to defraud state unemployment insurance agencies during the Covid-19 pandemic, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Megan Howell, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General.
Howard was sentenced by United States District Judge Linda V. Parker. Co-defendant David Davis, 27, of Detroit was previously sentenced and received 30 months in custody. Co-defendant Keila Howard has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. The case remains pending as to co-defendant Stevenvan Ware. All four defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud; Kenny Howard was also charged with aggravated identity theft.
According to court records, between April 2020 and August 2021, Howard and his co-conspirators filed more than 700 unemployment insurance claims across five states, primarily Michigan and California. Once the claims were processed, funds were loaded onto pre-paid debit cards and mailed to addresses controlled by the defendants. Upon receiving these debit cards, the defendants visited ATMs to withdraw cash. Roughly sixty percent of the scheme’s fraudulent claims were successful, resulting in a loss of $6,336,575 to state unemployment insurance agencies. If all the fraudulent claims had been approved, the resulting loss would have exceeded $11,000,000.
Acting United States Attorney Beck stated, “The pandemic may be over, but the prosecutions of those who took advantage of government programs during the pandemic are not. This office continues—and will continue—to hold those responsible for these fraudulent schemes accountable for their actions, and today’s sentence is evidence of that important work."
“Kenny Howard III and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud multiple state workforce agencies by filing for unemployment insurance in the names of identity theft victims who were not entitled to such benefits. Today’s sentencing affirms the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice those who exploit U.S. Department of Labor programs,” said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Particka and Timothy Wyse. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Remaining Defendants Plead Guilty in Twin Cities Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The remaining defendants in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl throughout the Twin Cities region have pleaded guilty, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, between August 2022 through December 2023, Phyu Win Jame, 28, Amaya Tiffany-Nicole Mims, 24, Da’Shawn Natori Domena, 25, Cornell Montez Chandler, Jr., 26, Robiel Lee Williams, 24, Quijuan Hosea Bankhead, 31, Stardasha Christina Davenport-Mounger, 25, Fo’Tre Devine White, 28, and Shardai Rayshell Allen, 25, conspired to distribute fentanyl in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. To accomplish their conspiracy scheme, several of the co-defendants frequently traveled to Phoenix to obtain fentanyl pills from suppliers, hid the pills inside stuffed animals, and then mailed them to addresses in and around the Twin Cities. Law enforcement in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties became aware of the trafficking and initiated a joint investigation, which resulted in the seizure of six packages containing over 30,000 grams of fentanyl pills.
Between August 6, 2024, and March 12, 2025, Davenport-Mounger, Domena, Williams, White, Allen, Bankhead, Mims, and Jame each pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Chandler was sentenced to over 13 years in federal prison by Judge Bryan on November 14, 2024. Sentencing hearings for the other defendants will be scheduled in the near future.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner is prosecuting the case.
See also:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/indiana-man-pleads-guilty-twin-cities-fentanyl-distribution-conspiracy
https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/three-additional-individuals-charged-twin-cities-fentanyl-distribution-conspiracy
https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/six-individuals-charged-twin-cities-fentanyl-distribution-conspiracy
Raleigh Company to Pay More Than $2 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Related to Improper Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – DynPro, Inc., an IT solutions company based in Raleigh, will pay $2,178,254 to resolve its liability for falsely obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Congress created PPP loans to provide emergency financial assistance to American businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA. Regulations provided various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including that to be eligible for a second-draw PPP loan, an applicant was required to have experienced at least a 25% reduction in quarterly gross receipts as a result of the pandemic.
DynPro’s second-draw PPP loan application falsely reported that DynPro had experienced a reduction in gross receipts of at least 25%, inaccurately stating the difference between the company’s gross receipts during the second quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2020. In fact, DynPro did not experience a 25% reduction in gross receipts, and therefore DynPro was ineligible for the loan. DynPro also falsely certified in its second-draw loan application that “the information provided in [the] application and the information provided in all supporting documents and forms [wa]s true and accurate in all material respects.” DynPro self-reported the conduct to the United States Attorney’s Office, and cooperated with the office’s investigation, including by identifying key witnesses and documents.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will use every tool available, including the False Claims Act, to investigate and recover fraudulently obtained PPP loans,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated. “We will continue to work closely with our partners at the SBA and elsewhere to root out waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer funds.”
“The settlement in this matter demonstrates the excellent results achieved through the combined efforts of SBA and the Department of Justice to forcefully respond to PPP fraud. Such fraud unconscionably undermines critical pandemic relief, and SBA continues its enhanced efforts to uncover such misconduct and recover those damages,” said Wendell Davis, SBA General Counsel.
Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced the resolution, which was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the SBA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kasper handled the case for the government, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
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Ponte Vedra Man Posing as A Tutor Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Kevin Patrick Wilson (39, Ponte Vedra) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement and coercion of a minor. Wilson faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Wilson was arrested on July 24, 2025, and ordered detained pending the resolution of his case.
According to court documents, on July 20, 2024, an individual posted a public message in a Facebook group seeking a tutor for her child. On the day of the post, an individual posing as a woman, but later identified as Wilson, reached out and directed the poster to contact her “husband,” Wilson, by text message. The poster contacted Wilson and had a short text conversation. The poster said she was seeking tutoring assistance for an 11-year-old child. Wilson sent a picture of himself and asked for a photo of the child. The text message conversation ended shortly thereafter. The poster later contacted the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office about the interaction.
On July 24, 2024, an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 12-year-old female “child” reached out to Wilson about tutoring services for the “child.” After the undercover detective initiated the conversation, Wilson began discussing sexual topics involving the “child” and meeting the “child” to perform sexual acts with the “child.” Wilson also spoke to undercover detectives portraying the “child” via phone and text message. Wilson and the undercover detective portraying the guardian of the “child” ultimately agreed to meet during the evening of July 24, 2024, for Wilson to engage in sexual acts with the “child.” Wilson was arrested when he arrived at the predetermined meeting location.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Nafiysh Knox-Schenck, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Joel H. Slomsky to 39 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, a charge arising from an incident last year in which the defendant resisted arrest by officers of the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD).
Knox-Schenck was charged by indictment in June and pleaded guilty in November.
As detailed in court filings, on May 13, 2024, two PPD officers attempted to place the defendant into custody based on an outstanding arrest warrant. While struggling with the officers, Knox-Schenck pulled a loaded firearm from his waistband and tossed it into the street. Another person then took the firearm and tossed it into a nearby wooded lot. After a struggle, the officers were able to get Knox-Schenck handcuffed and placed him in their vehicle.
While the officers went to retrieve the firearm and their body worn camera that had fallen off during the struggle, someone opened the door to the police vehicle and Knox-Schenck was able to flee on foot and escape police custody. Philadelphia police officers then obtained another arrest warrant for the defendant and, with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service, were able to arrest Knox-Schenck on May 15.
“Knox-Schenck knew he wasn’t allowed to have a gun, given his criminal record, but he didn’t let that stop him,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable felons who have decided that federal gun laws don’t apply to them. Every illegal firearm taken off the street makes the community safer.”
“ATF is committed to working with our partners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals like Nafiysh Knox-Schenck who endanger our neighborhoods,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Keeping guns out of the hands of criminals is a key means to preventing violent crime.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Tracie J. Gaydos, on assignment from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.
Personal Assistant Charged in Scheme to Defraud Her Elderly Employers of Nearly $10 MillionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Catalina Corona was arraigned on an indictment charging her with wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. While employed as a personal assistant to an elderly married couple (the Victims), Corona forged the Victims’ signatures on checks from various bank accounts and stole approximately $10 million from them. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“The defendant’s greed knew no bounds, as she brazenly stole millions from elderly victims, using deceit to systematically steal the victims’ money and violate the trust they placed in her,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “My Office is committed to protecting the elderly from fraudulent schemes and ending elder abuse.”
“For years, the defendant took advantage of an elderly couple who trusted her to protect them and their interests,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “As alleged in the indictment, she repeatedly defrauded these victims out of millions of dollars to enrich herself. Combatting the financial exploitation of elderly Americans remains a priority for the FBI, and we will continue to work hard to identify and disrupt anyone who attempts to target America’s seniors.”
As alleged in court filings, between approximately 2017 and 2024, while working for the Victims, Corona repeatedly deposited hundreds of checks written out to cash—made payable to herself—from the Victims’ bank accounts without their knowledge or consent. Many of these transactions took place in Queens and on Long Island within the Eastern District of New York.
Corona also posed as one of the Victims when calling the Victims’ bank to request information related to their accounts. In April 2024, one of the Victims received a call from the bank inquiring about checks written out to cash. The Victim explained that she never wrote checks out to cash and ultimately discovered that Corona had been forging checks and withdrawing money from the Victims’ bank account. The investigation further uncovered that Corona was not only stealing funds by fraudulently cashing checks, but was also transferring funds directly from the Victims’ accounts into her own personal accounts.
In total, Corona stole nearly $10 million, which she used to pay her credit card bills and to purchase luxury items from Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Gucci and other high-end brands. Specifically, Corona spent over $1 million on Louis Vuitton items alone, including luggage, purses valued at over $10,000, and apparel. Additionally, in just one day, Corona used over $25,000 in stolen funds for airline travel.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges in the indictment, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of two years’ imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft charge, and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca M. Urquiola is in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Michael Castiglione who is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
CATALINA CORONA
Age: 61
Corona, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-78 (NGG)
Par Funding “Enforcer” Sentenced to 11½ Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy, Obstruction of Justice, and RetaliationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that James LaForte, 48, of New York, New York, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 137 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release to include 12 months’ home confinement, for crimes committed as part of a criminal enterprise that ran a fraudulent investment vehicle[1] known as Complete Business Solutions Group, Inc., d/b/a Par Funding (“Par Funding”) for a number of years, before it was taken over by a court-appointed receivership pursuant to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. LaForte was also ordered to pay $2,488,645 in restitution, representing the portion of investor proceeds that he illegally diverted from Par Funding’s numerous investors for his own use through sham merchant contracts and other self-dealing conduct.
In February 2024, the defendant, his brother Joseph LaForte, Par Funding’s president and CEO, and Joseph Cole Barleta, Par Funding’s chief financial officer, were charged in an amended second superseding indictment with racketeering conspiracy and related crimes.
James LaForte pleaded guilty in September 2024 to racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and extortionate collection of debt, as well as obstruction of justice, for his violent assault on one of the Par Funding receivership’s Philadelphia attorneys, and retaliation, for threatening several government witnesses.
“James LaForte served as one of his brother’s enforcers,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He not only used threats of violence to collect on Par Funding’s debt, but stalked and assaulted an attorney, in retaliation for that man’s efforts to hold the LaForte family responsible for one of the largest financial frauds in Philadelphia’s history. As today’s sentence shows, this brand of brazen and violent lawbreaking simply won’t be tolerated in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.”
“Since its earliest days, the FBI has been dedicated to investigating complex financial crimes,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “James LaForte participated in a criminal enterprise driven by greed and sustained through threats and violence. The FBI is proud to stand with our partners in the pursuit of justice — disrupting these schemes and ensuring restitution for victims.”
“The defendant in this case was brought to justice for his participation in a criminal enterprise that caused significant financial harm to numerous investors,” said Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), New York Region. “The FDIC OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue those who commit such egregious crimes that threaten investors and the safety and soundness of our Nation's financial institutions.”
Joseph LaForte also pleaded guilty in September 2024 to racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and related crimes and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26, 2025. Barleta pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of racketeering conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2025.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Samuel Dalke, and Eric Gill.
The SEC in Florida investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges, which formed the basis of a portion of the Par Funding criminal prosecution.
[1] On January 21, 2025, the Court found the Par Funding fraud scheme caused an actual fraud loss of approximately $404,000,000, which it reduced to $288,395,088 after factoring in credit for collateral seized from Par Funding by federal authorities when the investigation became public in July 2020.
Okmulgee Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sterling Ross IV, age 31, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
The Indictment charged Ross with knowingly possessing 12 rounds of 9mm Lugar ammunition on April 29, 2024, after having been previously convicted a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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. Ross will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.
Oakland Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Yasmin Charisse Millett, 22, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, from June 2023 through September 2024, Millett and coconspirators committed at least 10 bank note robberies across a string of California cities, including Sacramento, Vallejo, Suisun City, Benicia, Concord, and Antioch. As part of the conspiracy, Millett would recruit and instruct others to enter banks or credit unions with sunglasses, a purse, and a threatening demand note. Generally, the demand notes would instruct the bank employees to provide money or “I will kill everyone in here.”
On July 17, 2023, Millett and two coconspirators used a stolen white Audi A7 with dark tinted windows to commit a bank robbery at a credit union located in Suisun City. Millett provided one of the coconspirators with instructions on how to commit the robbery. Millett waited in the vehicle while the coconspirator entered the bank and handed the threatening demand note to the credit union employee. The note demanded money and threatened to shoot the employee if the employee did not comply with the demand. After reading the note, the credit union employee gave the coconspirator money. After the coconspirator received money from the credit union employee, she returned to the waiting getaway vehicle. Millett and the coconspirators each took a portion of the stolen money.
The next day, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the stolen white Audi A7. Millett was the driver of the stolen car. During the traffic stop, law enforcement found bait money on Millett from the bank robbery that occurred the day prior in Suisun City, California. Law enforcement also found a crumpled post-it demand note on the driver’s seat that stated, “Don’t Make eye contact Don’t look suspicious Don’t Push emergency Button Put smile on your face or I will shoot.”
Charges remain pending against codefendants Dontae Jones Jr., 20, residing in Northern California with no fixed address, and JoMya Mauriyne Futch, 21, of Richmond. Those charges are only allegations, and Jones and Futch are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by FBI field offices in San Francisco and Sacramento, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department, Vacaville Police Department, Suisun City Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, Antioch Police Department, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Benicia Police Department, Concord Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Hayward Police Department, and Fremont Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.
Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley is scheduled to sentence Millett on June 26, 2025. Millett faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Niagara Falls man pleads guilty to drug chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jermaine McQueen, 46, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, which carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine up to $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that on August 28, 2024, investigators executed search warrants at several locations associated with McQueen. They seized approximately 405 grams of cocaine, approximately 300 grams of fentanyl, and approximately six grams of crack cocaine, drug packaging materials, $10,625 in cash, and several pieces of jewelry, which constitute proceeds of narcotics trafficking. During the investigation, law enforcement made controlled purchases of fentanyl and cocaine from McQueen.
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 plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Nick Ligammari, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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New York Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Traveling to Engage in Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jerome S. Goldstein, 78, of Long Beach, New York, was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in late 2022, members of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), conducted an undercover investigation targeting online sexual offenders. As part of this investigation, an officer created an undercover online persona of a 13-year-old girl on a social messaging app.
Between Nov. 28, 2022, and Feb. 15, 2023, Goldstein communicated online with the undercover officer. In their conversations, Goldstein requested that the purported 13-year-old child engage in sexual acts and send him child sexual abuse material. He also informed her that he planned to travel from New York to South Carolina to have sex with her.
On Feb. 15, 2023, Goldstein drove from Long Beach, New York to Goose Creek, South Carolina to meet the purported 13-year-old, and to engage in illicit sexual conduct with her. When Goldstein arrived, he encountered law enforcement officers instead and was placed under arrest. Goldstein admitted that he traveled from New York to South Carolina to engage in illicit sexual conduct with the girl. Goldstein had planned to take to a hotel room he had reserved.
United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Goldstein to 46 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice 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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), including the FBI Columbia field office, Homeland Security Investigations, Goose Creek Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.
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New York Man Indicted for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Terrence Roberts, age 43, of Brooklyn, New York, was charged on February 27, 2025, by a federal grand jury with felon not to possess a firearm, unlawful possession of a machinegun, transporting prohibited weapons without a license, and receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm in violation of the national firearms act.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on September 2, 2024, in Columbia County, Roberts possessed a Glock 19X and a Taurus G3C with loaded magazines as a felon prohibited from possessing a firearm. It is also alleged that Roberts possessed a machinegun made by a full auto switch on the rear of the slide of the Glock 19X and transported it from Ohio to Pennsylvania. Lastly, it is alleged that the machinegun was not registered to him under the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Scott Township Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the most significant offense is 15 years, supervised release and a fine. A sentence for each of these offenses also includes a period of supervised release following imprisonment.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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New Orleans Woman Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances Act Violations and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – BRANDIE ROWE (“ROWE”), age 37, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on March 12, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, a quantity of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. ROWE was sentenced to thirty-six months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, ROWE and other co-conspirators distributed multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana. Additionally, ROWE and the co-conspirators traveled between New Orleans, and other states, in order to transport U.S. Currency and narcotics on behalf of a Drug Trafficking Organization.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and was assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced on March 12, 2025, that AVERY JULIEN (“JULIEN”), age 29, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00, by U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long. JULIEN had previously pled guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), on October 29, 2024.
According to court records, on September 14, 2022, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) deputies and New Orleans Police Department officers executed a search warrant at JULIEN’s New Orleans residence after learning that JULIEN may have committed a carjacking in Jefferson Parish. During the search, two firearms, a Sig Sauer Model P229, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a Sig Sauer Model P250, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, were located in JULIEN’s bedroom. JULIEN’s DNA was located on both firearms.
Federal law prohibits convicted felons, such as JULIEN, from possessing firearms. In 2018, JULIEN was convicted of felonies in two separate cases in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. JULIEN knew he had been convicted of these felonies at the time he possessed the firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.
New Haven Man Admits Trafficking Pills Containing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that GREGORY GRANT, 34, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to a methamphetamine trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately January 2022 and March 2024, Grant’s alleged co-conspirator, Tyrone Brown, mailed parcels containing methamphetamine pills from Georgia to addresses in New Haven associated with Grant. Investigators identified approximately 79 suspicious parcels shipped from Brown to Grant during that time. In January 2023, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of an intercepted parcel and found 16 ziplock sandwich bags containing a total of more than four kilograms of multicolored pills containing methamphetamine. The investigation also revealed that Grant made multiple payments to Brown during the conspiracy.
Grant pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for June 11.
Grant has been detained since his arrest on March 27, 2024.
Brown, 33, of Lithonia, Georgia, has been charged by indictment and is currently being sought by law enforcement.
As to Brown, Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, which includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, and the Hartford, Plainville, and Meriden Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Gentile and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
Nebraska businessman indicted for fraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Nebraska contractor for allegedly defrauding customers across multiple states by failing to construct buildings after being paid.
According to court documents, Bobby Bates Sr., 42, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with two counts of wire fraud.
Bates, as the owner of Built Rite Construction, is accused of accepting deposits for construction projects and not starting or completing the work. Between February 2023 and October 2023, he allegedly defrauded customers in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas resulting in total losses of more than $700,000.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Enoch Kennon, 38, was indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Christopher Oakley is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dacario Larome Stancle, age 26, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The Indictment alleged that on October 26, 2024, Stancle knowingly and intentionally possessed 500 grams or more of a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, intending to distribute it.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Muskogee Police Department.
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. Stancle will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard J. Lorenz represented the United States.
Muskogee 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 Andrew Thomas Edwards, age 44, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Failure to Register as Sex Offender.
The Indictment alleged that Edwards received felony convictions from the State of Oklahoma for Lewd Molestation on September 20, 2011, for Indecent Exhibition of Child Pornography on November 15, 2001, and for Lewd Molestation on January 28, 2015, and was required to register as a sex offender. From June 4, 2024, until September 21, 2024, Edwards 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 and the Muskogee Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Edwards will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
Muldrow Resident Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that James Dean Bledsoe, age 32, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to three counts of Child Abuse in Indian Country.
The Indictment alleged that between January 1, 2024, and September 24, 2024, Bledsoe willfully and maliciously harmed, failed to protect, and tortured three children in his care by restraining them, covering their mouths, and punishing them with cold water and by withholding food. The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muldrow Police Department.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Bledsoe will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Mexican national previously deported multiple times arrested for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Juan Vera-Cervantes, 45, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with re-entry of removed aliens, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on February 25, 2025, Border Patrol agents observed a white cargo van with a Tennessee license plate traveling on the I 490. A check of the license plate revealed that Vera-Cervantes was the registered owner of the vehicle, and he had been previously deported multiple times from the United States and had his final order of removal reinstated on three different occasions. During a traffic stop of the vehicle, Vera-Cervantes stated that he is a citizen and national of Mexico without immigration documents to be in the United States legally. He was placed under arrest.
Vera-Cervantes made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was detained.
The complaint is a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Mexican National with Multiple Drug Felonies Indicted for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Illegal Reentry After Being Deported Four TimesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Enrique Gonzalez Jacobo, 59, of Mexico, charging him with attempting to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being an illegal alien present in the United States after having been previously convicted of a felony and removed from the United States.
According to information presented in court, Gonzalez Jacobo has been removed to Mexico at least four times and has three prior felony convictions related to drug trafficking. In July 2024, Gonzalez Jacobo was located in Hilo, Hawaii, after having been removed from the United States, and was arrested while attempting to take possession of a package containing over five pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside a stuffed animal.
If convicted of the charged offenses, Gonzalez Jacobo faces up to life in prison, a mandatory minimum term of ten years, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Nakamura.
Mexican National Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Kilograms of Fentanyl and Cocaine and Launder ProceedsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national previously deported twice from the United States was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to distribute kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine and launder the proceeds.
Jesus Lopez Medina, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of the sentence. In December 2024, Lopez Medina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court filings and proceedings, in August 2023, an investigation began into a drug-trafficking organization based in Mexico that sent kilograms of fentanyl and other narcotics via tractor trailer from the area of Ontario, Calif., to Massachusetts. Law enforcement allegedly began communicating with coconspirator Reginal Cazares, who was based in Arizona. In December 2023, Cazares allegedly directed law enforcement to deliver drug money to Lopez Medina in California. On Dec. 4, 2023, an undercover officer delivered $202,090 drug money, received from coconspirators in Massachusetts, to Lopez Medina in Ontario, Calif. In February 2024, Cazares allegedly directed law enforcement to pick up 13 kilograms of narcotics from Lopez Medina in California. On Feb. 16, 2024, Lopez Medina delivered 4 kilograms of fentanyl and 9 kilograms of cocaine to a cooperating witness in Ontario, Calif.
Cazares, along with two other co-defendants have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the DEA Riverside (CA) Office, the DEA Bakersfield (CA) Office, the DEA Tucson (AZ) Office, the San Bernadino County (CA) Sheriff’s Department, the Inland Regional Narcotics Enforcement Team (CA), the Methuen Police Department, and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (Boston). Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry after DeportationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Mexican man convicted of Illegal Reentry after Deportation. The sentencing took place on March 10, 2025.
Celso Diaz-Martinez, 52, was sentenced to time served and ordered to be removed from the United States.
Diaz-Martinez was indicted for Illegal Reentry after Deportation by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial on February 18, 2025.
The evidence at trial established Diaz-Martinez is not a U.S. citizen and had been deported from the United States on four prior occasions. Diaz-Martinez was found in Meade County, South Dakota, in November 2024.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Meade County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Lindrooth and Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Diaz-Martinez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry After Six Prior Removals, a Federal Firearms Conviction, and Three Illegal Reentry Felony ConvictionsRead the Press Release
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Navor Salas Cruz, 52, of Mexico, charging him with being an illegal alien present in the United States after having been previously convicted of a felony and removed from the United States.
According to a previously filed criminal complaint, Salas Cruz has been removed to Mexico at least six times and has three felony convictions for illegally reentering the United States. In 2018, he was convicted in the District of Hawaii for illegal reentry and illegally possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon. He was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. After serving his sentence, he was removed to Mexico in March 2020. He later reentered the United States illegally and was arrested on Kauai in February 2025.
If convicted of the charged offense, Salas Cruz would face up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren W.K. Ching.
Mexican National Indicted for Bringing Illegal Aliens through the Arizona Desert Resulting in a DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a four-count superseding indictment against Jorge Fontes-Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Sonora, Mexico, for Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death, Conspiracy to Bring Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, Bringing Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, and Reentry of Removed Alien.
The superseding indictment alleges that on August 23, 2023, Fontes-Garcia acted as the foot guide, leading a group of eight aliens across the Mexico-United States border into southern Arizona. United States Border Patrol apprehended all but one of the illegal aliens in the open desert approximately 19 miles south of Tacna, Arizona. The remaining alien was found by Border Patrol agents shortly thereafter, already deceased due to excessive heat exposure.
A conviction for Bringing Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death carries a maximum penalty of death or up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A conviction for Conspiracy to Bring Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully and Bringing Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully each carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of up to $250,000. A conviction for Reentry of Removed Alien carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01322-PHX-JAT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-034_Fontes-Garcia# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Omar Marin-Lopez (41, Mexico) with illegal reentry of removed alien. If convicted, Marin-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Marin-Lopez is a citizen and national of Mexico. He was previously removed from the United States on July 17, 2008; October 4, 2012; and January 11, 2013. On November 5, 2024, Marin-Lopez was again found in the United States in Hillsborough County. Marin-Lopez did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security for the United States to apply for readmission to United States.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
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.
Mexican National Facing Drug and Immigration ChargesRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A Mexican national, in the United States illegally, appeared in court today after he was charged with drug and immigration crimes.
Juan Alexis Castanon-Chavez, 27, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was initially charged by complaint on March 3, 2025. A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment March 12, 2025.
According to court documents, agents with the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force began an investigation into Castanon-Chavez and other co-conspirators of a drug trafficking organization suspected of distributing large quantities of narcotics into the United States. On March 2, 2025, agents arranged a controlled delivery of narcotics from Castanon-Chavez to an informant. Agents observed Castanon-Chavez drive to and away from the location of the controlled delivery in a Volkswagen Golf. Law enforcement conducted a stop of the vehicle for a traffic violation and a K9 officer alerted positive for narcotics. Castanon-Chavez was taken into custody. Inside the vehicle, agents seized approximately 7,930 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine.
Castanon-Chavez is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and illegal re-entry of a previously removed alien. His initial appearance on the indictment was March 13, 2025 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. A two-day jury trial is scheduled for May 16, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), consisting of the FBI and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force (DMNSF).
Assistant United States Attorney Vernon G. Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.