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Friday 31 January 2025
Two Cousins Sentenced: One for the Murder of his Best Friend and both for Conspiracy to Influence a WitnessRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eugene Burns, 32, of Washington, D.C. was sentenced today to a total of 37 years in prison, including 31 years for the murder of Onyekachi Emmanuel Osuchukwu III in November 2015. Burns was sentenced to an additional six years for conspiring to influence a witness in the murder case. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo sentenced co-defendant Tyre Allen, 24, also of Washington, D.C., to three years in prison.
On October 24, 2024, Burns was convicted by a Superior Court jury of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. At the time he committed the murder, he was on release in a case pending before the D.C. Superior Court. On October 28, 2024, the jury convicted Burns and Allen of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice (corrupt persuasion of a witness), and obstruction of justice (due administration of justice).
According to the government’s evidence, on November 14, 2015, defendant Burns lured his best friend, Onyekachi Emmanuel Osuchukwu III, to Burns’s mother’s apartment in the 2900 block of 2nd Street Southeast, Washington, D.C. Burns shot the victim four times, killing him.
Burns was previously convicted by a jury, in 2017, of murdering the victim, but the conviction was overturned on appeal in 2020. Following the reversal, Burns and co‑defendant Tyre Allen, Burns’s cousin, conspired to and did obstruct justice by corruptly influencing a witness in the murder case to sign a false affidavit in October 2020 recanting the witness’s prior grand jury and trial testimony incriminating Burns in the murder.
In announcing the sentence U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated this case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Washington Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also acknowledged the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Willoughby and Kevin Flynn for their work on the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles R. Jones and Sharon Donovan, who prosecuted and tried this case.
Three Mexican Nationals Sentenced for $4.7 Million Meth, Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Mexican nationals were sentenced in federal court this week for their roles in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms of heroin.
Jesus Morales-Garcia, also known as “Don Jesus,” 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips on Wednesday, Jan. 29, to 18 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Santiago Raul Mendieta-Sanchez, 43, also was sentenced to seven years in federal prison without parole.
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, co-defendant Baltazar Flores-Norzagaray, 53, was sentenced to 16 years and three months in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 28, 2024, Morales-Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and one count of illegally reentering the United States after having been deported. Mendieta-Sanchez and Flores-Norzagaray also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy that continued from Feb. 28, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022. Flores-Norzagaray also pleaded guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Morales-Garcia admitted that he was a chief local operative of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs sourced from Mexico into the Kansas City region.
Morales-Garcia also admitted that he was found in the United States after having been deported twice in 2016.
Flores-Norzagaray also admitted that he was in possession of a Hammerli .22-LRcaliber rifle, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver when he was arrested on Oct. 7, 2021. Flores-Norzagaray sold hundreds of grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on at least four separate occasions.
The conspiracy involved the distribution of more than 335.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an average street price of $300 per ounce, and more than 22.1 kilograms of heroin, with an average street price of $1,500 per ounce.
On June 8, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led an operation that involved 140 officers and agents from 14 state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. On the day of the takedown, officers executed 16 search warrants and seized 84.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, 4.5 kilograms of heroin, 10.4 kilograms of fentanyl, 7.6 kilograms of cocaine, 10.5 kilograms of marijuana, 687 Xanax pills, 3.1 kilograms of unknown pills, a quantity of bulk cash, five firearms, a 3D printer with manufactured ghost gun parts, and a liquid methamphetamine conversion lab.
With these sentencings, 24 defendants have now been sentenced in this case in which 44 defendants were indicted.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Olmsted County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
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.
KC Metro Strike Force
This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
Thomaston Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing a Machinegun and Possessing Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Thomaston man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to unlawful possessing a machinegun and possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute.
According to court records, in April 2024, the Thomaston Police Department received a tip that Chandler Breen, 34, was selling drugs behind a local business. A search of Breen’s vehicle revealed a firearm modified with a machinegun conversion device, 9mm ammunition, a large amount of cash, approximately 62 grams of cocaine, approximately 5 grams of methamphetamine, and at least 6 grams of fentanyl.
Breen faces up to 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release on the firearms charge; and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $1 million and a minimum of three years of supervised release on the drug charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Thomaston Police Department.
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Texas Man Admits to Making Violent Threats Against Sikh Nonprofit OrganizationRead the Press Release
A man from Dallas, Texas, admitted to a hate crime and making interstate threats against the employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization.
Bushan Athale, 49, pleaded guilty today to one count of interfering with federally protected activities through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and one count of transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person.
“Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey. “Every individual in this country must be free to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution. We will continue to ensure the safety of our communities by prosecuting those who threaten our basic American freedoms.”
“Every citizen has the right to feel safe, secure, and free from fear of violence or hate,” said Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office. “We are deeply grateful to our law enforcement and community partners who stand with us daily. Together, we remain steadfast in pursuing those who threaten the safety and well-being of the people we are sworn to protect.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about Sept. 17, 2022, Athale called the main number of an organization that advocates for the civil rights of Sikh individuals within the United States. Over the course of the next hour, Athale left seven voicemails expressing hatred toward Sikh individuals working at this same organization and threatening to injure or kill these individuals with a razor.
Athale’s voicemails, which were filled with violent imagery and obscenity, contained references to places, people, and tenets that are particularly significant within the Sikh religion. Among other things, Athale stated his intention to “catch” the Sikhs at Organization 1, forcibly shave their “top and bottom hair,” use a “razor” to “cut” their hair and “make” them bald, “make” them smoke and eat tobacco, and “show [them] the heaven.”
On March 21, 2024, Athale again called the same Sikh organization and left two more voicemails. In these voicemails, Athale again used violent, sexual imagery to express his hatred toward Sikhs as well as Muslims and spouted antisemitic rhetoric.
During his guilty plea, Athale also admitted to additional conduct reflecting his long history of making violent threats rooted in religious animus. For example, Athale admitted that on Nov. 6, 2021 and Nov. 7, 2021, he had sent electronic messages to a former co-worker, in which he stated that he “hate[d] Pakistan” and “hate[d] Muslims.” Athale wrote, “I hate you, I just don’t know how to kill your whole family including you? Tell me??? I will figure it out […] Probably I will hire a Jew, they will be most happy.”
Athale also admitted that, from May 28, 2024 to May 31, 2024, he had sent threatening electronic messages to a recruiter who he believed to be a Muslim. Athale wrote statements such as “you will be dead, get out [expletive] Muslim” and “If you dont [sic] back off you are killed.”
Athale is charged with interfering with federally protected activities which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and with transmitting an interstate threat which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum penalty of up to a $250,000 fine. The defendant also may be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any sentence served. Athale is scheduled to be sentenced June 3. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced the case.
The FBI Philadelphia Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Jason M. Richardson for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Tampa Man Charged with Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging Oscar Adalid Ortez Lopez (56, Tampa) with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted, Ortez Lopez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
According to statements made by prosecutors during Ortez Lopez’s detention hearing, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Ortez Lopez using an undercover detective. In total, law enforcement purchased over half a kilogram of methamphetamine from Ortez Lopez. Ortez Lopez was arrested in coordination with the execution of a search warrant on a residence that he used, in part, to store his methamphetamine. During that search, law enforcement located over half a kilogram of methamphetamine.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.
Talladega Organization Charged with Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
TALLADEGA, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted seven men for distribution of methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine across the Northern District of Alabama, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge John M. Clayton.
Separate but related indictments filed in U.S. District Court charge the seven members of the drug trafficking organization. Four Talladega men were charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine: Flemmings Chatman, 41; LaDaraious Q. Brown, 32; Tramarcus Fomby, 29; and Robert Houston, Jr., 55. Three other men were charged with distribution of methamphetamine: Kenneth Honneycutt, 30, of Birmingham; Elijah Brown, 35, of Tuscaloosa, and Brian J. Whatley, 45, of Talladega.
These indictments and investigation are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF is an independent component of the U.S. Department of Justice. Established in 1982, OCDETF is the centerpiece of the Attorney General’s strategy to combat transnational organized crime and to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics in the nation by using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to enforcement. OCDETF leverages the resources and expertise of its partners in concentrated, coordinated, long-term enterprise investigations of transnational organized crime, money laundering, and major drug trafficking networks.
The DEA and the Talladega County Drug Task Force led the investigation along with the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit, Talladega Sheriff’s Office, Talladega Police Department, West Alabama Narcotics Task Force, Pell City Police Department, Jasper Police Department, Oxford Police Department, Alabama State Probation Office, and the Alabama National Guard Counter Drug Task Force.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Assistant United States Attorney Alan S. Kirk is prosecuting the case
Sumter County Man Arrested for Obscene Visual Representations of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Corey Wilkerson (30, Lake Panasoffkee) on an indictment charging him with possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. If convicted, Wilkerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, between October 20, 2023, and July 10, 2024, Wilkerson possessed an obscene visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Specifically, Wilkerson possessed animated images depicting the sexual abuse of infants and young girls.
An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
St. Johns Man Sentenced to over Eleven Years in Federal Prison for Traveling to Meet A Minor for SexRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Chad Michael Sadlowski (34, St. Johns) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Sadlowski was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty in October 2024.
According to court records, from April 25 through April 28, 2024, an undercover detective with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office posed online on a messaging application as the uncle of an eight-year-old female “child.” Sadlowski engaged the undercover in a variety of sexually explicit messages and expressed a desire to have sex with the “child.” Sadlowski agreed to meet up at a local gas station to engage in sex prior to him going to work as a respiratory therapist at a local hospital. Sadlowski was arrested as he was traveling to the gas station and was in his hospital scrubs when he was taken into custody. After his arrest, Sadlowski admitted to traveling to meet the eight-year-old “child” for sex. In addition, he also admitted to talking to minors on the application by asking them for sexually explicit photos and videos. After obtaining a search warrant, investigators searched Sadlowski’s phone and found additional child exploitation materials in his possession.
“This investigation highlights the ever-present threat for children online, and this predator’s reprehensible actions demonstrate a coldhearted disregard for the life and well-being of a child,” said Tim Hemker, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “HSI, alongside our partners with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the rest of Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force are committed to protecting our children from harm.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. This case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Drug Trafficking Associated with Street GangRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Derrick Bailey, 44, was sentenced on January 30, 2025, by Senior U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough to 180 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for his role in a wide-spread drug conspiracy involving a Springfield street gang, Boss Playas, lasting from approximately May 2020 through November 2020.
At the sentencing hearing, Bailey was held accountable for trafficking over 10 kilograms of cocaine as a member of the conspiracy. Also during the hearing, Judge Myerscough noted that the group of conspirators were responsible for distributing large amounts of controlled substances in the Springfield area, which had a negative effect on the community.
Co-defendants in the case have received the following sentences of imprisonment: Denziel Witherspoon, 240 months; James Cooper, 180 months; Christopher Wallace 120 months; Isadore Montgomery, 120 months; Rashaud Brown, 84 months; Paul Davis, 40 months; and Taylor Cockrell, 36 months. Additional defendants Dorothy Jackson, Shelton Witherspoon, Lavar Maney, Haley Riley, and Haylee Vaughn have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Bailey was indicted on December 15, 2020, and pleaded guilty on September 18, 2024. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest on December 1, 2020.
The statutory penalties for the most serious charge of conviction include up to life in prison, up to a $20,000,000 fine, and up to a life term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Illinois State Police; and Springfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Bailey was part of an investigation of the Springfield-based Boss Playas street gang and was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Sin City Deciples Member Sentenced to 36 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Yesterday, Brandon Romand Parks “Baywatch,” age 46, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after being found guilty of racketeering conspiracy following an 18-day jury trial, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Parks was sentenced to 36 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.
According to the Second Superseding Indictment, the Sin City Deciples, originally formed in 1967 in Gary, Indiana, is an outlaw motorcycle organization in which its members and associates engaged in acts of violence, extortion, and narcotics distribution in the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere.
Parks served as a National President of the entire club and was involved in the conspiracy to commit acts of racketeering activity between 2016-2018. As National President, Parks was 2nd in command behind the founder of the club.
The agencies involved in this prosecution were: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Griffith Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents, the Merrillville Police Department, the Munster Police Department, and the Schererville Police Department. Also providing assistance were the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Indiana, the Western District of Kentucky, and the Western District of Pennsylvania.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick and Michael J. Toth.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
San Joaquin County Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Alejandra Susana Castillo, 34, of Tracy, pleaded guilty today to illegal firearms trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 22, 2023, and Aug. 27, 2024, Castillo and a co‑conspirator trafficked firearms by purchasing them in Nevada and selling them on the black market in California.
On July 27, 2024, Castillo’s co-conspirator led a law enforcement officer on a high-speed evasion in excess of 100 miles per hour. The officer ultimately ended the pursuit for public safety concerns. Two days later, another officer observed the car parked at a gas station. The officer detained Castillo, who was then using the car. During a search of the vehicle, the officer discovered a semi-automatic rifle in the trunk, along with three extended magazines.
In total, ATF agents traced more than 30 firearms to this conspiracy. At least three of these firearms have been recovered in connection with suspected firearm-related crimes. One such firearm, for example, was recovered in the possession of a felon in Vallejo on July 25, 2024, only three days after Castillo purchased the firearm in Nevada on July 22, 2024.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the Pleasonton Police Department, the Reno Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Castillo is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins. Castillo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 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.
The Sacramento Region/San Francisco Bay Area Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force is one of five cross-jurisdictional strike forces launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in July 2021 to disrupt illegal firearms trafficking in key regions across the country. Each strike force is led by designated United States Attorneys, who collaborate with ATF and with state and local law enforcement partners within their own jurisdiction as well as law enforcement partners in areas where illegally trafficked guns originate. The strike forces use the latest data, evidence, and intelligence from crime scenes to identify patterns, leads, and potential suspects in violent gun crimes, and are an important part of the Department’s Comprehensive Violent Crime Reduction Strategy.
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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Charged with Civil Rights Violation and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A two-count indictment was unsealed in federal court today charging San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremiah Manuyag Flores with violating the civil rights of a man in pretrial custody at the San Diego Central Courthouse by using excessive force that caused serious injuries and then writing a false report to cover up his illegal actions.
Flores is charged with depriving the individual – identified in the indictment as 57-year-old J.P. – of his right to due process of law under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and of falsifying a record in a federal investigation.
The indictment alleges that Flores was assigned to the Court Services Bureau at the San Diego Central Courthouse on August 29, 2024, and was escorting J.P. to a holding cell following a court hearing. At the time, J.P.’s legs were chained and his hands were cross-chained to his waist. At one point, Flores grabbed the back of J.P.’s shirt with both hands and pushed him faster down the hallway leading to the holding cell.
When Flores and J.P. arrived at the open door to the holding cell, Flores forcefully shoved J.P. into the cell from behind with both hands, causing J.P. to smash into the bench and walls and collapse to the ground, the indictment said. Flores stated, “What? Nothing happened,” and failed to immediately report the incident to his supervisor and prepare an official report, both of which are violations of the San Diego Sheriff’s Office’s Use of Force Policy.
According to the indictment, another deputy found J.P. over two hours later lying in the same position in his holding cell with a head wound and a pool of blood on the floor. As a result of Flores’ actions, J.P. suffered a spinal injury for which he underwent surgery and remained hospitalized for months.
The indictment said that more than an hour after J.P. was discovered in his holding cell, Flores falsely claimed in an incident report that “no force was used” in placing J.P. into the cell, though he knew that he had, indeed, used force against the detainee.
“The vast majority of law enforcement personnel are dedicated public servants committed to following the rule of law and protecting our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “But when a choice is made to cross the line and violate someone’s civil rights, this office will stand on behalf of the victim, and all those who wear the badge with honor, to uphold the public’s trust.”
“Law enforcement officers work tirelessly every day to protect the public, always striving to be professional, honest, and ethical,” said San Diego FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The alleged action of the defendant not only violates the oath he swore as a law enforcement officer to protect and serve, but also erodes citizen confidence and trust in our profession.”
Flores made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David D. Leshner. He entered pleas of not guilty to both charges and was released on a $25,000 personal appearance bond with special conditions that he surrender his passport and his personally owned firearms. The next scheduled court appearance is a motion hearing and trial setting before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez on March 10, 2025, at 2 p.m.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Askins.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr0254-LL
Jeremiah Manuyag Flores Age: 44 La Jolla, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
Falsification of Records in a Federal Investigation – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1519
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office (Homicide Unit)
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Sabine Parish Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Huey P. Scott, Jr., 63, of Many, Louisiana, has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Scott was found guilty of the charge by a federal jury on September 18, 2024, following a three-day trial.
United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Scott to 151 months (12 years, 7 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on the drug trafficking charge. Evidence at the jury trial established that agents with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office’s Tactical Narcotics Team conducted controlled buys of methamphetamine from Scott at his residence in Many, Louisiana, on three separate occasions in 2022. Agents learned that Scott was a frequent user and distributor of methamphetamine, and it was proven that he sold the drugs.
After law enforcement conducted multiple controlled buys, agents executed a search warrant and arrested Scott at his residence. During the search of Scott’s property, agents found and seized a duffel bag containing a clear plastic bag which had approximately 139.31 grams of methamphetamine. In another bag, agents found what appeared to be smaller baggies containing smaller quantities of methamphetamine. The seized drugs were tested by the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory and found to be methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office’s Tactical Narcotics Team and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Shannon and Earl M. Campbell.
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Riverside County Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Producing Sexually Explicit Images of Children He Met OnlineRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A Riverside County man was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison for catfishing a preteen girl he met on an online gaming platform and persuading her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself and, later, of her five-year-old relative.
John Matthew Piecuch, 64, of Hemet, was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb, who scheduled a May 1, 2025, restitution hearing in this matter.
Piecuch pleaded guilty in July 2024 to one count of production of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since August 2021.
“Online games and platforms can allow child predators to hide behind fake identities and lure children into sharing private information,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally. “It is critical that we hold these predators accountable and convey a message of zero tolerance for those who prey on our youth. I also urge parents everywhere to monitor their children’s online activity to ensure their health and safety.”
Piecuch met on Roblox, an online gaming platform, an individual identified in court documents as “Minor Victim 1,” a 12-year-old-girl. Piecuch told the victim he was a 13-year-old boy.
In January 2021, Piecuch and Minor Victim 1 texted each other, during which time he persuaded her to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Piecuch also persuaded Minor Victim 1 to take and send him sexually explicit photographs of Minor Victim 2, a five-year-old girl, her relative.
Minor Victim 1’s mother saw some of the text messages between her daughter and Piecuch on the girl’s mobile device, which prompted her to contact law enforcement, according to court documents.
Once he completes his prison sentence, Piecuch will remain on supervised release for the rest of his life.
The FBI investigated this matter in conjunction with the Carroll County (Maryland) Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case
Poplar Bluff Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Recording His Rape of MinorRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man who recorded his rape of a minor with an intellectual disability to 30 years in prison.
In March of 2024, the 17-year-old victim’s mother contacted the Poplar Bluff Police Department about Jason R. Hicks-Simpson. The victim told investigators that Hicks-Simpson had been sexually abusing her since she was five, his plea agreement says. She also said Hicks-Simpson threatened to kill her and her kittens if she did not keep the secret. Hicks-Simpson told police that it had only happened once several months earlier. Investigators found videos dating back to May of 2023 on his phone, the plea agreement says.
Hicks-Simpson, of Poplar, Bluff, 46, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau in October to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Hicks-Simpson will now be transferred to state court to face charges there.
The Poplar Bluff Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of Multiple WomenRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on January 30, 2025, to 25 years in prison for his conviction of sex trafficking, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Eric Jefferson, 41.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around June 2019 to in and around April 2022, Jefferson coerced and forced at least four women to perform commercial sex work for his monetary gain. Jefferson provided the women with drugs for meeting clients and would withhold the drugs if the women—who were addicted to narcotics and could become ill with withdrawal symptoms—refused to meet with clients. Jefferson also used violence and threats of violence to coerce and force the women to engage in commercial sex work.
“Eric Jefferson forced these women to earn money on his behalf, controlling the victims both through physical force and exploiting their dependence upon narcotics,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively prosecute human traffickers such as Jefferson in order to protect and rescue the most vulnerable victims in our district.”
“Protecting the most vulnerable members of our community will always be among the highest priorities for the FBI,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “The message this sentencing sends is clear: the FBI and our partners will aggressively pursue criminals who think they can prey on others.”
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Ranjan heard from the victims of the charged crimes and stressed the heinousness of Jefferson’s conduct and its devastating impacts upon the victims.
Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr Moulton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jefferson.
This prosecution is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education and improved cooperation across agencies and service providers, thereby enhancing the office’s ability to empower victims of human trafficking to become thriving survivors.
Oklahoma City Man who Possessed Firearms while on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced to Serve Six Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ROBERT KESHIAN NORWOOD, 72, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On April 2, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Norwood with being a felon in possession of firearms. According to public record, on February 1, 2024, officers of the United States Probation Office made contact with Norwood at his apartment to conduct a search pursuant to conditions of his supervised release. Norwood was on supervised release following his previous federal conviction for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In Norwood’s apartment, officers found ten firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition.
On July 1, 2024, Norwood pleaded guilty, and admitted he possessed the firearms despite his previous felony conviction.
At the sentencing hearing on January 29, 2025, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Norwood to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Heaton noted Norwood’s lengthy criminal history.
Public record reflects that Norwood’s criminal history includes federal felony convictions in the Western District of Oklahoma for possession of methamphetamine after two or more prior convictions and knowingly carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime in case number CR-94-010063-001, and possession with intent to distribute a schedule II controlled substance in case number CR-13-43-HE-1. Norwood’s criminal history also includes felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court for:
- second degree burglary in case number CF-1980-3241;
- possession of a controlled dangerous substance in case number CRF-1982-5111;
- first degree robbery in case number CRF-1984-2497;
- possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a firearm after former conviction, and concealing stolen property after former conviction in case number CRF-1987-3021;
- unauthorized use of a motor vehicle after former conviction in case number CF-1988-5321;
- two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, maintaining a vehicle where a controlled dangerous substance is kept, and possession of drug paraphernalia in case number CF-2001-1140;
- unlawfully possessing a signed and unsigned credit card and larceny of merchandise in case number CF-2005-5469; and
- possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute and possession of proceeds derived from a violation of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substance Act in case number CF-12-2446.
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Probation Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Serve More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOHN ANTHONY OWEN, 24, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 46 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of machineguns, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On June 3, 2024, Owen was charged by Information with unlawful possession of machineguns. According to public record, on April 4, 2024, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department executed a search warrant at Owen’s residence. During the search, officers recovered two firearms which had been modified with machinegun conversion devices (MCDs). When installed, MCDs convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic machineguns. Possession of these devices violates federal law.
On July 3, 2024, Owen pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly possessed two MCDs.
At the sentencing hearing on January 30, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Owen to serve 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the nature and circumstances of the offense.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hoch prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case is also part of “Project Switch Off,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s local implementation of PSN. “Project Switch Off” targets illegal machinegun conversion devices to address the significant danger these illegal devices present and to remove them from our streets. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Northern District of Indiana USAO Collects over $5,219,650 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
Hammond, Indiana - Acting U.S. Attorney Tina L. Nommay announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana collected $5,219,650 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $2,667,519 was collected in criminal actions and $2,552,131 was collected in civil actions.
The Northern District of Indiana also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,925,938 from cases pursued jointly. Of this amount, $2,200 was collected in criminal actions and $1,923,738 was collected in civil actions. For example, one of the civil cases handled in conjunction with the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Department of Justice, resulted in the recovery of $1,018,433 as part of a settlement agreement reached in the matter of United States v. Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor, LLC.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victims, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the Northern District of Indiana, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $855,895 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –LaMICHAEL JACKSON (“JACKSON”), age 26, pled guilty on January 30, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
According to court documents, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers on patrol in Hollygrove saw JACKSON holding a Palmetto State Armory Model PA-15 pistol. JACKSON fled in a vehicle before being stopped by NOPD. Inside the vehicle officers recovered a second gun belonging to JACKSON, a Glock Model 43x, nine-millimeter handgun. Both firearms were loaded when recovered. JACKSON is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions for aggravated assault with a firearm and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
JACKSON faces up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.
Murder of Shoe Reseller Results in 32 Year SentenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darius Anderson, 23, of Washington, DC, was sentenced today to 32 years of in prison for first-degree murder while armed and related offenses in the June 2022 killing of 30-year old Israel Mattocks, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Anderson was found guilty by a jury on September 18, 2024, following a one-week trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The murder occurred in the 3900 block of Minnesota Ave, NE. Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo handed down the sentence.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 11:00 a.m. on June 15, 2022, the victim, Mr. Mattocks, a shoe reseller, asked the defendant for help purchasing shoes from Shoe City located at the East River Park Shopping Mall. After the defendant failed to purchase the shoes for Mr. Mattocks, the two had a brief conversation and parted ways. A short time later, the two met again in another nearby local shoe store, DownTown Locker Room. Mr. Mattocks and the defendant had a brief argument. Afterwards, Mr. Mattocks left the store with another individual to return to Shoe City to buy the shoes the defendant failed to purchase. In the meantime, defendant Anderson walked home, dropped off his purchase from the DownTown Locker Room, and returned to the Shoe City. When the victim and the other individual walked out of the Shoe City, Anderson, was waiting, standing to the right entrance of the store, and fired numerous shots at Mr. Mattocks. Mr. Mattocks was shot at least six times – sustaining injuries to his left and right arms, his right chest, and his neck. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
In announcing this verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Dean and Stephanie Dinan.
Multiple Defendants Indicted or Sentenced on Federal Immigration ChargesRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Recently, the federal grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama has indicted several people for illegal reentry after deportation and/or being an alien in possession of a firearm. Others have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal immigration-connected charges.
“Keeping our communities safe is our top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. “My office is focused on prosecuting individuals who are in our country illegally, especially those who engage in federal crimes. We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who commit these crimes are held accountable.”
“The charges and sentences announced today highlight the importance of pursuing criminals who violate our nation’s immigration laws and threaten public safety,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta that covers Alabama and Georgia. “HSI and our partners remain steadfast in identifying, arresting, and prosecuting illegal aliens who engage in criminal activity, unlawfully possess firearms or commit violence across our communities.”
Those indicted in November, December, and January include:
- Elbio Byron Cuz-Chub, 22, of Guatemala, who was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm;
- Edgar Bayardo Madriz-Morales, 64, of Nicaragua, who was charged with illegal reentry after deportation;
- Jorge Campos-Xochihua, 31, of Mexico, who was charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm; and
- Abraham Lopez-Ramirez, 48, of Mexico, who was charged with illegal reentry after deportation.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Several other defendants recently have been adjudicated on federal immigration-related charges. Those include:
- Juan Manuel Salas-Sanchez, 43, of Mexico, who was sentenced to 135 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being an alien in possession of a firearm;
- Marvin Ernesto Clemente, 38, of El Salvador, who was sentenced to 36 months in prison after pleading guilty to illegal re-entry after deportation;
- Raul Edgardo Jimenez-Cruz, 38, of Honduras, who was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and illegal reentry after deportation;
- Jesus Daniel Bibiano-Ruiz, 28, of Mexico, who was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to being an alien in possession of a firearm;
- Alvaro Amezcua-Gonzalez, 48, of Mexico, who was sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to being an alien in possession of a firearm; and
- Clemente Aguilera-Castaneda, 55, of Mexico, who pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after deportation. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 18, 2025.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Northern District of Alabama will provide regular training to attorneys, federal agents, and state and local law enforcement partners to assist them in investigating and prosecuting immigration offenses in federal court.
Middle District of Florida Prosecutors Charge 56 Defendants with Illegal Reentry During First Quarter of 2025Read the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today that federal prosecutors charged 56 defendants with illegal reentry into the United States during the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, ending on December 31, 2024. During this same period, more than 50 additional defendants were sentenced for charges relating to or including illegal reentry.
“This effort continues my office’s long-standing commitment to enforcing the laws setting forth requirements for entry into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “Over the past three fiscal years, we have increased our number of immigration prosecutions by 69%. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and federally prosecute anyone who illegally enters our borders.”
Q1 FY 2025 Case Highlights
United States v. Rodriguez-Acevedo
In October 2024, Juan Rodriguez-Acevedo was sentenced to three years and ten months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after removal following a conviction for committing an aggravated felony. According to court documents, Rodriguez-Acevedo is a native and citizen of Mexico. In 2007, he was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Due to his conviction for an aggravated felony, Rodriguez-Acevedo received a permanent ban from the United States and was deported to Mexico in 2018 after his release from federal prison. In 2019, Rodriguez-Acevedo was encountered by law enforcement in Texas. He had crossed the border illegally and was prosecuted for illegal reentry following his removal after a conviction for commission of an aggravated felony. He was again deported to Mexico in 2021 after his release from federal prison. In March 2024, law enforcement officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Rodriguez-Acevedo during enforcement activities in Lake City. Rodriguez-Acevedo admitted to law enforcement that he had again unlawfully reentered the United States in June 2023.
United States v. German Altamirano-Hernandez
In October 2024, German Altamirano-Hernandez was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to court documents, Altamirano-Hernandez is a native and citizen of Mexico who had been granted voluntary removal from the United States 10 times between 1999 and 2002 after it was determined he was illegally in the United States. In 2005, he was encountered by law enforcement in New Mexico and was prosecuted for illegal entry into the United States, then was deported to Mexico later that year. In 2013, he was encountered by law enforcement in Florida and was convicted of illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. He was deported to Mexico in 2015 after his release from federal prison. In 2019, Altamirano-Hernandez was encountered by law enforcement in Arizona, after having crossed the border illegally, and was prosecuted a third time for illegal reentry into the United States. He was again deported to Mexico in 2020 after his release from federal prison. In March 2024, Altamirano-Hernandez was encountered by deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office when they conducted a traffic stop on the car he was driving. During the stop, Altamirano-Hernandez provided deputies with a false name and a fraudulent identification card. During a search of his car, deputies found multiple forms of fraudulent identification. After confirming Altamirano-Hernandez’s identity, he was arrested. Altamirano-Hernandez admitted to law enforcement that he had again unlawfully reentered the United States.
United States v. Ochoa
In October 2024, Ramon Ochoa was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after deportation, consecutive to another sentence he is serving in the Florida Department of Corrections. According to court documents, Ochoa is a Mexican citizen who entered the United States illegally in 2008 and again in 2014. He was removed from the United States on both occasions, most recently in May 2014. In 2017, Ochoa again entered the United States without permission from appropriate government officials, and he remained until he was arrested in Polk County in May 2019. United States Customs and Border Protection officials were alerted to the fact that Ochoa was in custody in the Polk County Jail under the name Samuel Santana-Ortuno and was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine. Ochoa admitted to a Border Patrol agent that his true name is Ramon Ochoa and he did not have any documents allowing him to enter the United States. Ochoa was later sentenced in state court to seven years’ imprisonment for his state drug-trafficking offense.
United States v. Hernandez-Casiano
In November 2024, Daniel Hernandez-Casiano was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien. According to court documents, Hernandez-Casiano was found in the United States on January 9, 2024, after being arrested and convicted on state charges for possession of fentanyl and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. Hernandez-Casiano was previously removed from the United States to Mexico on three separate occasions.
United States v. Ramirez-Ramirez
In December 2024, Gustavo De Jesus Ramirez-Ramirez was sentenced to two years and three months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to court documents, Ramirez-Ramirez was arrested on November 11, 2022, in Jacksonville after he rappelled from a hole in the ceiling of a business and then drilled through three adjacent business walls and into a jewelry store. He later pleaded guilty in state court to burglary of a dwelling with damage and burglary of a structure. After his arrest, it was also discovered that Ramirez-Ramirez was present in the United States illegally. Ramirez-Ramirez has two previous deportations, one of which followed a prior conviction for illegal reentry into the United States in October 2014.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Oscar Manuel Inda-Duenas (36, Mexico) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Inda-Duenas faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Inda-Duenas was previously removed from the United States in September 2016. Following that, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On December 4, 2024, Inda-Duenas was arrested in the Middle District of Florida on state charges of aggravated battery and obstruction of justice by hindering witness communication with law enforcement. At the time of his arrest, Inda-Duenas was found to be voluntarily back in the United States.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Mexican National Indicted for Unlawful Entry to the U.S. After 3 DeportationsRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Greenville has returned a single-count indictment against Sergio Ixtepan-Toto, 36, of Mexico, for unlawfully entering the United States. Ixtepan has been deported from the U.S. three times.
According to court documents, on Dec. 6, 2024, officers with the Pickens Police Department arrested Ixtepan on charges of driving under the influence. A check of Ixtepan’s immigration file showed that he was deported from the U.S. in May 2020, November 2022, and February 2024. In order to re-enter the U.S., Itepan would require permission from the Attorney General. There is no record that Ixtepan ever obtained such permission. Ixtepan has been charged with driving under the influence and domestic violence on multiple occasions.
Ixtepan was arraigned yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin McDonald.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security and the Pickens Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Max B. Cauthen is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican National Charged with Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Ever Lopez-Ortiz (40, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Lopez-Ortiz faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Lopez-Ortiz was previously deported from the United States on May 24, 2010. Following his previous removal, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On May 12, 2023, Lopez-Ortiz was found to be voluntarily in the United States in the Polk County Jail.
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 U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.
Mexican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jose Angeles-Juarez (39, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Angeles-Juarez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Angeles-Juarez was previously deported from the United States on November 5, 2017. Following his previous removal, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On January 27, 2025, Angeles-Juarez was found to be voluntarily in the United States in Clay County.
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 is being investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
Manassas man sentenced to 18 years in prison for sex trafficking a child and possession of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Manassas man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for providing drugs and alcohol to a child in exchange for sex acts and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the same victim as well as other children.
According to court documents, Olajide Benjamin Ayilaran, 24, met a 14-year-old girl during the summer of 2023 and began communicating with the victim via iMessage. In the messages, Ayilaran offered to provide the victim drugs, alcohol, and nicotine products in exchange for sex acts. Between at least Nov. 21, 2023, and Feb. 29, 2024, Ayilaran met the victim nine times, usually in the morning before the victim went to school, to exchange the products for sexual acts. Ayilaran would wait for the victim in his car in a nearby park. When the victim arrived, he gave her the drugs and alcohol and then had the victim perform sex acts on him in the car.
Ayilaran recorded the sex acts on his cellphone. A forensic examination of Ayilaran's phone revealed 73 sexually explicit images and videos of the victim and approximately 1,000 images and videos depicting other minors, including prepubescent children, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Ayilaran kept the majority of his CSAM in a folder that he titled with a smiley face emoji.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Vanessa Strobbe prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-164.
Milhorn Pleads Guilty in DUI Death on Natchez Trace ParkwayRead the Press Release
Oxford, Mississippi – Connor Milhorn, 20, entered guilty pleas to two counts relating to an alcohol related crash on the Natchez Trace Parkway in May of 2024. Milhorn, who appeared before Judge Sharion Aycock, pled guilty to Aggravated DUI for causing death to another and to Aggravated DUI for causing serious bodily injury to a minor child. His sentencing will be scheduled for a later date.
On May 11, 2024, shortly after 4:45 in the morning, law enforcement Rangers were dispatched to a collision involving a Hummer H3 and a Toyota Tundra. Upon arriving on the scene, they found the driver of the Tundra deceased and his minor child severely injured in the backseat. The child was transported by helicopter to Memphis, Tennessee for life saving medical care.
The investigation by the Rangers resulted in them learning that Milhorn was operating his Hummer at a high rate of speed and under the influence of alcohol while driving on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Milhorn’s vehicle collided head on with the Tundra resulting in the death and serious injury at issue in the case.
This case was investigated by the Natchez Trace Parkway Law Enforcement Rangers. The case was prosecuted by AUSA John Herzog Jr.
Mexican National Residing in Georgia Charged with Attempted Production of Child Pornography and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a two-count indictment charging Victorino De La Cruz, age 42, of Mableton, Georgia, with attempted production of child pornography and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. De La Cruz appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to the indictment, between August 8, 2024 and November 22, 2024, De La Cruz knowingly attempted to employ, use, persuade, entice, and coerce an individual he believed was a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Additionally, according to the indictment, on August 11, 2024, De La Cruz, using a means of interstate commerce, knowingly attempted to transfer obscene material to an individual he believed had not attained the age of 16 years old.
Attempted production of child pornography is punishable by a maximum penalty of 15 – 30 years in prison, depending on sentencing enhancements. Attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. De La Cruz also faces potential sex offender registration, supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Anderson.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Local man pleads guilty to filing false tax returnsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A clothing business owner has admitted he made fraudulent and false statements on his federal tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Philip Ogbeide made his initial appearance and immediately pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan.
Ogbeide signed false U.S. individual income tax 1040 forms from 2018 through 2022 to receive inflated refunds to which he was not entitled.
Ogbeide’s tax returns included false entries claiming fraudulent itemized deductions and credits for which he was not entitled. He also omitted income from his clothing business and from the proceeds of a fraud scheme.
Ogbeide admitted that because of the false deductions and unreported income, he owes the U.S. Treasury $166,929 for tax years 2018 through 2022.
Sentencing has been set for April 15 before U.S. District Judge George Hanks. At that time, Ogbeide faces up to three years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI - Bryan Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Thomas Carter are prosecuting the case.
Local man arrested for failing to pay employment taxesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a local company owner for failing to file employment tax returns and failing to pay over taxes his company withheld from employee paychecks, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Matters Karen Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
Joseth Limon is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m.
According to the indictment, Limon allegedly owned Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. The indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Platinum paid its employees over $3.5 million and withheld over $450,000 from their paychecks. During that period, however, Limon allegedly failed to pay to the IRS the employment taxes that Platinum withheld from its employees’ paychecks and failed to file any employment tax returns on behalf of Platinum.
If convicted, Limon faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 possible fine.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh and Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
LiveCare Inc. Agrees to Pay up to $4.9 Million to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that LiveCare Inc., located in Venice, Florida, has agreed to a settlement of up to $4.9 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act by unlawfully paying a marketing service for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries.
LiveCare provides remote patient monitoring (“RPM”) services to patients with Type 2 diabetes.
“Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute undermine the integrity of our healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida will hold providers participating in the federal health care system accountable for these violations in order to preserve program funds and ensure the provision of appropriate services to patients.”
“Kickback schemes waste valuable Medicare funds and undermine the integrity of medical decision-making,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricardo M. Carcas of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency will continue to thoroughly investigate health care fraud, including the emerging area of allegations related to remote patient monitoring.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by private individuals, on behalf of the United States, under the qui tam (commonly known as “whistleblower”) provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery if the government takes over the case and obtains judgment against or reaches a monetary agreement with the defendant.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. It was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Keefe.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Lincoln Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that William Arthur Parrott, age 54, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was convicted on January 30, 2025, by a federal jury in Lincoln of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture after a three-day trial in Lincoln presided over by the United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis.
Evidence presented to the jury included testimony from three persons involved in drug distribution with Parrott between March of 2020 and November of 2022. In addition, the Government presented text messages sent between Parrott and one of the witnesses concerning drug transactions, drugs found during the search of a witness’s hotel room, information from searches involving co-conspirators, a tracker placed on a co-conspirator’s vehicle, and surveillance done by narcotics investigators.
Parrot is scheduled to be sentenced April 24, 2025. Parrott faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.00.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Jury Convicts Baltimore Man of First-Degree Felony Murder While Armed and Related Charges for Killing Unarmed Man in Southeast, D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ethan Cunningham, 22, of Baltimore, MD was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of two counts of felony murder while armed, and related charges stemming from a May 2022 shooting of James Lee Curtis, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The jury also found Cunningham guilty of one count of first-degree burglary while armed, one count of attempted robbery while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, and one count of possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman scheduled sentencing for March 28, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on May 10, 2022, the victim, James Lee Curtis, was coming home from getting dinner and picking up his roommate. As he was entering his building, the defendant, Ethan Cunningham, and an associate followed Curtis into his apartment building. The defendant brandished a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine and repeatedly assaulted Curtis, demanding he open his apartment door where a child and woman were inside. When Curtis refused to open the door, the defendant continued assaulting him throughout basement area of the apartment building until Curtis’s roommate tried to intervene. The defendant then began shooting, striking Curtis once, and striking his roommate’s backpack. The defendant then stood over the roommate who had fallen to the ground and threatened to shoot him before fleeing the building. Curtis died from his injuries shortly thereafter.
The defendant was arrested on May 30, 2022 and has remained detained since that date.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Natalie Hynum.
Jennings Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Brandon James Willridge, 41, of Jennings, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 84 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to information presented in court, in January 2023, law enforcement officers were familiar with Willridge and aware of his drug trafficking activities in the area and had an active arrest warrant for him. On January 30, 2023, officers with the Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and Gueydan Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Willridge as the result of the active arrest warrant for him.
During the traffic stop, officers found Willridge to be in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun underneath the driver’s seat of the vehicle. In addition, Willridge had a bottle containing several orange pills in the driver door console of the vehicle, which were confirmed to be Alprazolam, a controlled substance. Other evidence indicated Willridge had been trafficking in narcotics during this time in the Gueydan and Lake Arthur areas. Willridge pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information on October 18, 2024, charging him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Willridge has prior felony convictions for false representation of a controlled substance in 2003 and possession with intent to distribute marijuana in 2010.
The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and Gueydan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Myers P. Namie.
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Jacksonville Man Indicted for Attempting to Entice and Meet an 11-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Noel Daniel Simonca (47, Jacksonville) with attempting to entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Simonca faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Simonca was arrested on January 19, 2025.
According to court documents, on December 10, 2024, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adult individuals who were seeking to make contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the UC posted a short message in a public chatroom of a particular online social messaging app. A short time later, an individual using the app name “mdesase” contacted the UC using a private text messaging feature of the app. User “mdesase” confirmed that he would “love to see [the 11-year-old child],” and indicated that he had a preference for children aged “8-13.” On December 11, 2024, the UC and user “mdesase,” who was subsequently identified as Simonca, discussed meeting to have a “play date” and “trade [daughters].”
Between December 12, 2024, and January 19, 2025, there were more online text conversations between the UC and Simonca during which they discussed meeting in person. On December 26, 2024, Simonca texted the UC and described the sexual activity that he intended to engage in with UC’s “child.” Simonca and the UC ultimately agreed to meet at a specific location in Jacksonville Beach so that Simonca could meet the “child” and take photos of “her.” On the afternoon of January 19, 2025, Simonca drove to the agreed meeting location where he was arrested by FBI agents.
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. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. Desoto and pleading not guilty on Jan. 30 was:
Oscar Gonzalez-Perez, 36, of Hesperia, California, on charges of distribution of methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gonzalez-Perez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Gonzalez-Perez was released pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-12.
Nolan A. Anselmi, 28, of Bozeman, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Anselmi faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Anselmi was released pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-23.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Jan. 30 was:
David Alan Moorse, 39, of Helena, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Moorse faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Moorse was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Montana Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 25-3.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Houston Man Indicted for Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Houston returned an indictment today charging a Texas man with not paying to the IRS taxes that his company withheld from employees’ paychecks.
According to the indictment, Joseth Limon, of Harris County, allegedly owned Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. The indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Platinum paid its employees over $3.5 million in wages and withheld over $450,000 in taxes from their paychecks. During that period, however, Limon allegedly did not pay the IRS those withheld taxes and did not file any employment tax returns, as required by law.
If convicted, Limon faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Honduran National Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Elmer Edin Chavarria-Morales (32, Honduras) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Chavarria-Morales entered a guilty plea on August 28, 2024.
According to court records, Chavarria-Morales, a citizen of Honduras, was convicted of rape in Indiana state court on June 26, 2018, and was deported from the United States on September 21, 2018. Chavarria-Morales reentered the United States and was convicted of illegal reentry after deportation in the Southern District of Texas on February 22, 2021, and was deported from the United States a second time on November 11, 2022.
Following his two deportations, Chavarria-Morales was arrested on April 2, 2024, by the Daytona Beach Police Department and was subsequently convicted of assault (domestic violence) on April 16, 2024. After his arrest, law enforcement learned that Chavarria-Morales was illegally present in the United States.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Re-entryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that VICTOR MANUEL OSORTO-LOPEZ (“OSORTO”), age 40, was sentenced on January 30, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, OSORTO was removed from the United States on December 4, 2009 and, again on September 3, 2012. He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on March 14, 2024, and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter. He was sentenced by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to (6) six months of imprisonment, to be followed by (1) one year of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hazard Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Hazard, Ky., man, Herbert Allen, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 126 months, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, on May 30, 2023, Allen knowingly possessed with the intent to distribute a kilogram of methamphetamine. Specifically, based on an investigation, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Allen’s residence. Upon their arrival, Allen was in his vehicle. When approached, Allen admitted to police that a backpack containing a large amount of methamphetamine was in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 1,084 grams of methamphetamine, plastic baggies, and a large quantity of cash.
Under federal law, Allen must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Allen’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Hazard Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Hazard, Ky., man, Clifton Plowman, 41, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 181 months, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, following a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Plowman, law enforcement recovered multiple bags from the vehicle, containing 22 grams of methamphetamine and two sets of digital scales. On his person, they found $2,065 in cash and 50 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, Plowman must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Guilty Verdict in Cook County Armed Drug Trafficking Conspiracy TrialRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – The head of an armed drug trafficking organization (DTO) based out of Cook County, Georgia, and two co-conspirators were found guilty this week of numerous federal charges following a two-and-a-half-week trial in Valdosta.
Calvin James Smith, Sr., aka “Rollo,” 56, of Adel, Georgia, was found guilty of all 23 counts he was charged with in the 44-count indictment: one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; 14 counts of distribution of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; two counts of distribution of cocaine base; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Smith is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Bobby Leon Kaiser, 54, of Adel, was found guilty of nine of 12 counts he was charged with: one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; two counts of distribution of methamphetamine; five counts of distribution of cocaine base; and one count of distribution of cocaine. Kaiser is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Vernardo Henley, 44, of Valdosta, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Henley is facing a maximum of life in prison.
The trial began on Monday, Jan. 13, and concluded on Wednesday evening, Jan. 29. Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands presided over the cases. Sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Federal, state and local law enforcement marshaled significant resources to stop the distribution of a large amount of deadly illegal drugs from a small town in South Georgia. Our dedicated trial team worked tirelessly to hold the leader and his co-conspirators accountable for their crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Armed drug trafficking organizations have no place in our communities, and we will continue working together to make Middle Georgia safer for everyone.”
“The success of this large-scale investigation and the arrests of these drug dealers demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to fighting the drug trafficking organizations responsible for driving addiction and destroying communities,” said FBI Atlanta Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Rich Bilson.
"Today’s verdict sends a clear message that criminal organizations operating in Georgia, especially those trafficking in dangerous drugs and using firearms to further their operations, will be held accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This conviction is a testament to the tireless work of our law enforcement partners, who have dedicated countless hours to ensuring that those who threaten our communities with violence and illegal substances will face justice.”
"Investigations and prosecutions like this one are great examples of the ongoing effort between local agencies and our federal partners to disrupt the flow of illegal narcotics into our communities,” said Hahira Police Chief Stryde Jones. “We are thankful to see this effort come to a close successfully.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the FBI undertook a significant investigation beginning as early as December 2020 of an armed drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by Smith and centered in Adel, a small town in South Georgia. During the course of the investigation, agents determined that Smith and Kaiser were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and crack cocaine, as well as marijuana, working with several associates. Kaiser and others were operating an open drug market at Kaiser’s gazebo and storage shed in Adel, where Smith was a major seller. Henley was released from federal prison on Jan. 20, 2022, and was heard over wiretap trying to locate Smith and purchase up to four kilograms of methamphetamine and sell the drugs. Beginning in Oct. 2021 and continuing through Nov. 10, 2022, agents developed confidential sources (CS) who provided information regarding drug activity at the gazebo and storage shed and conducted more than 25 controlled evidence purchases of methamphetamine and crack cocaine. As part of a wiretap, agents discovered 13 locations used by the DTO. Search warrants were executed at these locations on Nov. 10, 2022, and methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana and 15 handguns and rifles were seized. Agents recovered more than five kilograms of pure methamphetamine, more than ten pounds of marijuana and several hundred grams of crack cocaine and cocaine.
Smith was recorded hundreds of times discussing purchases and sales of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, and directing others to distribute the drugs. Smith has a lengthy criminal history including aggravated assault, illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and controlled substance distribution. Henley has many prior convictions including a 2015 conviction in the Middle District of Georgia for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Kaiser has prior felony convictions, including false imprisonment and drug possession.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), the Hahira Police Department, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the Adel Police Department and the Moultrie Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Daniels and Robert McCullers are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Conspiracy and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A twice-deported Guatemalan national, described in court documents as being “the most consistent member” of an organized group of individuals that repeatedly stole high-end construction equipment, building supplies, and clothing from national retailer’s stores has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, after which he will be deported, having been convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and illegal re-entry into the United States, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
As described in court proceedings, Marvin Estuardo Morales De Paz, 30, of Cranston, was one of as many as a dozen members of a Rhode Island-based conspiracy of individuals who traveled to home improvement and clothing stores in at least five states to commit thefts, then transported the stolen merchandise to Rhode Island to sell. Morales was present for nearly every theft and set prices for, and directed sales of, the stolen items.
According to information presented to the court, the ring was involved in at least 35 documented thefts in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. It is estimated that members of the conspiracy stole more than $280,000 worth of merchandise. Tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen goods was recovered from Morales’s residence when he was arrested on April 11, 2024.
Morales was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith to 30 months of incarceration to be followed by one year of supervised release. Morales will be turned over to ICE and faces deportation upon completion of his term of incarceration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations agents in Providence, with the assistance of HSI agents in Boston, and Allentown, Pennsylvania, and the Providence, Coventry, Warwick, Smithfield, and Johnston, RI Police Departments; Boston, Norwood, Bellingham, Marlboro, Seekonk, Avon, Auburn, MA Police Departments; Montville and Fairfield, CT Police Departments; and the Parkesburg, Downingtown, Lebanon, Wyomissing, and Reading, PA, Police Departments; Nashua, NH Police Department; and Marlboro, NJ Police Department.
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Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Pedro Alberto Martin-Xon (24, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Martin-Xon faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. Martin-Xon will be arraigned on February 6, 2025.
According to the indictment, Martin-Xon was previously deported from the United States on January 3, 2019. Following his previous removal, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On January 26, 2025, Martin-Xon was found to be voluntarily in the United States in St. Johns County.
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 is being investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
Grove Man Sentenced After Stealing Identity of Deceased FriendRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Terry Ross Killion, 43, for committing Aggravated Identity Theft. Judge Heil ordered Killion to serve 24 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release. Additionally, Judge Heil ordered Killion to pay $116,763 in restitution.
In 2019, Killion obtained the identifiers of his deceased friend, Kelly Davis, and began impersonating him. Killion set up several accounts in Davis’s name and contacted the Social Security Administration, claiming to be Kelly Davis. Killion then fraudulently diverted the payments to himself.
Killion will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General – Dallas Kansas City Field Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
Fort Wayne Man Convicted at Trial of Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Late Yesterday, Detric L. Cummings, 42 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was found guilty of firearm and drug trafficking offenses following a four-day jury trial, presided over by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Cummings was charged in an indictment with a total of eight counts, and prior to the start of the trial, he entered a plea of guilty to five counts of distributing controlled substances, including methamphetamine and fentanyl. Cummings went to trial on the remaining counts, and a jury found him guilty of those remaining counts, which included possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. The jury also found Cummings to have previously committed three violent felonies on occasions different from one another, making him an armed career criminal under federal law.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled on a later date on all counts. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Indiana State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Auburn Police Department The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley J. Miller Lowery and Justin C. Sheridan.
This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former University Employee Charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mohammad Ebrahim Torki Harchegani, 38, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor for sexual activity.
During a contested bond hearing, an FBI special agent testified that on Dec. 3-4, 2024, multiple agencies participated in an online chat operation targeting child sex offenders where an officer posed as a 14-year-old female. Torki, a legal permanent resident of the United States and Iranian citizen, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the alleged 14-year-old girl. Torki ultimately traveled to the residence where he believed the girl was home alone to engage in sexual activities with her. He was arrested thereafter.
Testimony was also presented that Torki was a researcher at the University of South Carolina at the time of the chat. Upon his arrest, his employment was suspended and his contract with the university was not renewed.
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.
Torki was ordered detained at the hearing. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department participated in the online chat operation and investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Pleads Guilty in Relation to Fentanyl Poisoning Death of Another MarineRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to a felony drug offense for his actions surrounding a 2020 fentanyl transaction that resulted in the death of a U.S. Marine.
Anthony Ruben Whisenant, 24, pleaded guilty in United States District Court to the use of a communication facility – a cellphone – in committing a felony drug offense.
United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee is scheduled to sentence Whisenant on May 7, at which time he will face a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison.
“Fentanyl continues to claim the lives of too many in our community,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Our office remains committed to holding accountable those responsible for circulating fentanyl and other dangerous substances in our district and threatening the health and safety of our residents.”
According to court documents, in May 2020, Whisenant was an active-duty lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps stationed aboard Camp Pendleton in Oceanside when he ordered pills marketed as oxycodone – but which actually contained fentanyl – for a fellow U.S. Marine, identified in court papers as “L.M.”
Whisenant contacted the drug dealer, Gustavo Jaciel Solis, 28, based on an advertisement Solis shared via his Snapchat account, according to court documents. L.M. drove Whisenant and another U.S. Marine, Ryan Douglas White, 27, from Camp Pendleton to collect the drugs from Solis later that same day. The three Marines then drove to a party in Compton where L.M. ingested some of the pills purchased from Solis and died shortly after. At the direction of Whisenant, White flushed the remaining pills down a toilet before first responders arrived.
Solis was charged in 2020, along with Whisenant and two other civilian co-conspirators, with being part of a drug ring that distributed narcotics to civilians and members of the Marine Corps, and White was charged as an accessory after the fact.
Solis was arrested in July 2020, at which time investigators seized narcotics and several firearms – including a 9mm “ghost gun” – from his residence. Solis pleaded guilty in April 2022 to two federal drug trafficking offenses: participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and distributing fentanyl resulting in death. His sentencing is pending, and he faces a maximum sentence of life.
White pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of misprision of a felony for his knowledge of the fatal drug transaction and his attempts to hinder law enforcement’s investigation. His sentencing is scheduled for June 6, at which time he will face a maximum sentence of 3 years.
A superseding indictment filed in September 2020 named two other defendants: Jordan Nicholas McCormick, 29, of Palmdale, and Jessica Sarah Perez, 25, of Pacoima.
McCormick allegedly supplied provided LSD, ecstasy, cocaine and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to co-conspirators. McCormick has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial on April 22.
Perez distributed narcotics including fentanyl and cocaine to the conspiracy’s civilian customers. She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and was sentenced in September 2022 to pay a $100 fine and placed on probation for two years.
This matter was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.