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12 March 2025
Michael Lee Moody Sentenced to Federal Prison for His Role in the Murder of Rosenda StrongRead the Press Release
Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced today that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Michael Lee Moody, 44, to 87 months in federal prison on one count of Accessory After the Fact for his role in the October 2018 murder of Rosenda Strong.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the sentencing hearing, Jedidah Iesha Moreno shot and killed Rosenda Strong on or about October 5, 2018, following an argument at a residence, known as the House of Souls in Wapato, Washington. Following the murder, Moreno asked for help disposing of Strong’s body. A tarp was placed over Strong’ body and Andrew Norris Zack and Jamaal Pimms rolled her body into a freezer. The freezer, and other appliances, were loaded onto the back of a truck. The body, still inside the freezer, was then dumped near M&R Towing, which is off Highway 97 in Toppenish, Washington.
The following day, Moreno and Zack traveled to a residence known as the Estrada Ranch located in Wapato, Washington. An argument ensued between Moreno and Zack. Zack entered a garage to urinate. Moreno took out a gun and fired multiple shots into the garage. One of the rounds struck Zack’s hand causing minor damage. As all of this occurred, Uriel Balentin Badillo was at Legends Casino. Badillo received a call that Zack was in trouble. Badillo drove out to the residence and found Moreno standing in a field. Badillo asked Moreno about Zack but Moreno was unresponsive. Badillo then drove Moreno to the House of Souls to look for Zack. Presumably, by this time, Zack had called someone at the House of Souls and told them that Moreno had just shot him. A female exited the House of Souls and said “gag the bitch up.” A sock was placed into Moreno’s mouth. Badillo and the female transported Moreno back to the Estrada Ranch. After her arrival, Moreno was physically restrained, bound with a cargo strap and duct tape, and forced into a Chevrolet Impala. Badillo shot into the truck several times with a .45 caliber pistol, striking Moreno. Later that day, a male juvenile and a female juvenile moved the body to another location on the Yakama Nation. One of the juveniles also fired additional rounds into Moreno’s body.
The following day, Joshawa Max Estrada and the male juvenile located and again moved Moreno’s body – taking it to a more secluded location near White Swan, Washington, in an attempt to conceal the crime. Estrada and Michael Moody attempted to hide the Chevrolet Impala by submerging it in a pond; however, law enforcement later recovered the Impala. Moreno’s body also was later found, when a concerned citizen located Moreno’s remains on November 28, 2018.
On July 4, 2019, approximately nine months after Strong’s tragic death, a citizen discovered human remains, which later were identified through dental records as belonging to Strong.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and Yakama Nation Tribal Police worked for years to bring to justice those responsible for Rosenda Strong’s tragic death and the subsequent coverup,” stated Acting United States Attorney Barker. “While we could not publicly comment on the investigation while it was ongoing, the Assistant United States Attorneys, FBI agents, and Tribal Police officers were working tirelessly to seek justice for those responsible and obtain some measure of closure for the surviving members of the Strong family. For more than five years, Cissy Strong and the Strong family have been resolute in their pursuit of justice for Rosenda. I am grateful for the dedication of Assistant United States Attorneys Tom Hanlon and Michael Murphy, who devoted countless hours to seeking justice on behalf of Rosenda and her family.”
“Together with our partners, FBI Seattle is committed to investigating crimes on tribal lands no matter how long it takes,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Seattle. “We know each victim's loss leaves a painful gap in their community and that community wants answers. We hope this case serves as a reminder that even if the investigation takes years, we will never give up on seeking justice for victims and their loved ones.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Yakama Nation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas J. Hanlon and Michael D. Murphy.
Defendants Andrew Norris Zack, Jamaal Antwan Pimms, Kevin Todd Brehm, Joshawa Max Estrada and Uriel Balentin Badillo have all pleaded guilty to charges in this case.
1:23-cr-02037-SAB
Mexican National Indicted for Series of Armed Robberies with Privately Made FirearmRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national residing in Las Vegas made his initial court appearance today for allegedly robbing four taco vendors while brandishing an unserialized privately made firearm.
“The defendant is accused of committing a spree of violent armed robberies over a one-week period,” said Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada. “Violent crime has no place in our community. We are grateful for our federal and local law enforcement partners and their commitment to keeping our neighborhoods safer.”
“Today’s indictment should send a clear message that the FBI and our partners will not tolerate this type of violent activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “The suspect, who was in the country illegally, committed brazen acts and instilled fear in our community and put our citizens at risk. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to keep firearms out of the hands of those prohibited from being able to possess them.”
According to allegations contained in the indictment and statements made during court proceedings, Jose Manuel Arce-Martinez, 38, is a national of Mexico unlawfully residing in the United States.
As alleged, from January 21, 2025 to January 26, 2025, Arce-Martinez committed four armed robberies of restaurants and food trucks in Las Vegas. In each robbery, he brandished a privately made subcompact .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, made in part with a Polymer80 PF940SC grip, and threatened employees. Arce-Martinez stole money from the businesses and items belonging to the employees including two cell phones, a gold necklace, a jacket, and a wallet containing debit cards, a driver’s license, and a social security card.
Arce-Martinez is charged with four counts of interference with commerce by robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and two counts of prohibited person in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
United States Magistrate Judge Brenda N. Weksler scheduled a jury trial before Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to begin on May 19, 2025.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty is life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig is prosecuting the case.
Submit a tip about a federal crime or report a threat to the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Metro East fentanyl trafficker sentenced to 19 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a California man to 228 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to trafficking fentanyl to the Metro East.
Nefer Ojeda-Elenes, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance: fentanyl and one count of distribution of a controlled substance: fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a ruthless killer—devastating families, shattering communities and leaving a trail of grief in its wake,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This defendant conspired to bring seven kilograms of fentanyl into the Metro East region, when as few as two milligrams is lethal to most adults. With this 19-year sentence, the system has delivered certain justice to a drug dealer who prioritized money over the value of human lives.”
According to court documents, Ojeda-Elenes worked within a conspiracy to deliver two kilograms of fentanyl to the Metro East in April 2020. In May 2020, he agreed to deliver five more kilograms of fentanyl, but law enforcement intercepted the drugs prior to their arrival in Illinois.
“Nefer Ojeda-Elenes attempted to introduce more than half-a-million lethal doses of fentanyl into our Southern Illinois communities in just a short, three-month span,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “That number is astonishing when you think of how many families would be impacted and missing a loved one at the dinner table each night. The lethality of fentanyl can’t be understated. A mere two milligrams is enough to take a life. The DEA and our law enforcement partners remain vigilant in our efforts to stop this poison from taking the lives of those we love.”
Co-conspirator Mariano A. Perez, 39, of California, is also facing one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance: fentanyl and one count of distribution of a controlled substance: fentanyl. He is scheduled to appear in court on March 20.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
DEA St. Louis is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Carraway is prosecuting the case.
Memphis Man Sentenced to over Eight Years for Possession of a Machine GunRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Actavious Ellis, 31, of Memphis, to 87 months in federal prison for possession of a machine gun. Reagan Taylor Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to the information presented in court, on August 17, 2023, detectives with the Memphis Police Department executed search warrants at two locations and discovered that Ellis was in possession of multiple stolen firearms, including a 9mm Glock pistol with a conversion device (“switch”) attached, making the firearm fully automatic. He was also in possession of multiple large-capacity magazines and pill presses used to manufacture pills containing illegal substances. Following Ellis’s arrest, he attempted to bribe a person to commit perjury by claiming ownership of the illegal substances found in the homes.
In November 2024, Ellis pled guilty to unlawful possession of a machine gun. On March 11, 2025, United States District Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Ellis to 87 months of federal imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, 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.
This case was investigated by detectives with the Memphis Police Department Drug Response Team and the Project Safe Neighborhoods Gun Task Force.
Acting United States Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Musselwhite, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Massachusetts Attorney Admits to Participating in a Conspiracy to Smuggle Contraband Inside a Federal Detention CenterRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Massachusetts attorney admitted to a federal judge in Rhode Island today that she participated in a conspiracy to smuggle contraband to a detainee housed at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center in Rhode Island, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Theresa Marie DiJoseph, 51, pleaded guilty today to one count each of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance analogue, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and providing a prohibited object to an inmate. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DiJoseph admitted that in late 2023, she conspired with three other individuals to smuggle ten papers soaked with K2, a synthetic marijuana, into the Wyatt Detention Center.
According to information presented to the court, DiJospeh used her status as an attorney to meet multiple times with detainee Shawn D. Hart, 47, with whom she had a personal relationship, in a visiting room used for attorney visits to conduct legal work.
On December 1, 2023, during an attempt to visit with Hart, Wyatt correctional officers seized from DiJoseph 10 sheets of paper that appeared discolored, thicker than normal, and to have been wet and dried. The papers were seized and later sent to an FBI testing lab that confirmed the presence of Schedule I controlled substances.
In her appearance in court today, DiJoseph also admitted that she later made false statements to the FBI during their investigation into the source of the contraband that she attempted to bring into the detention center.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and Peter I. Roklan.
The matter was investigated by FBI and the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center Professional Standards Unit.
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Maryland Woman Convicted in $20M Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury has convicted a Maryland woman for conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and related charges for wire fraud, money laundering, and filing false tax returns.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Maureen Wilson, 77, of Owings Mills, conspired with her husband James Wilson to defraud insurance companies by obtaining more than 40 life insurance policies for applicants by mispresenting their health, wealth, and existing life insurance coverage. The total death benefits from these policies exceeded $20 million. Wilson also conspired to defraud individual investors to obtain funds that she used to pay premiums on fraudulently obtained life insurance policies.
After obtaining the policies, Maureen and James Wilson used forged signatures to make themselves, and other nominees they controlled, the owners and beneficiaries of the life insurance policies. Maureen Wilson also impersonated other people when speaking with the life insurance companies.
Maureen Wilson and her husband concealed the fraud by transferring the money they made from the fraud through multiple bank accounts, including accounts in the name of trusts. She also filed false individual income tax returns for 2018 and 2019, which did not report as income the approximately $5.7 million and $2 million, respectively she made from her fraud.
She was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of money laundering and two counts of filing a false return. Maureen Wilson was acquitted of one count of mail fraud.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 20. Maureen Wilson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering; and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, made the announcement with Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Washington, D.C. Field Office.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Maryland Insurance Administration and the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys (District of Maryland) Matthew Phelps and Philip Motsay, and Trial Attorneys Shawn Noud and Richard Kelley, Justice Department Tax Division, are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Woman Convicted in $20M Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a Maryland woman yesterday for conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and related charges for wire fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Maureen Wilson, of Owings Mills, conspired with her husband James Wilson to defraud insurance companies by obtaining over 40 life insurance policies for applicants by mispresenting their health, wealth and existing life insurance coverage. The total death benefits from these policies exceeded $20 million. Wilson also conspired to defraud individual investors to obtain funds that she used to pay premiums on fraudulently obtained life insurance policies.
To conceal the fraud, Wilson and her husband transferred the money they made from the fraud through multiple bank accounts, including accounts in the name of trusts. Wilson filed false individual income tax returns for 2018 and 2019, which did not report as income the approximately $5.7 million and $2 million, respectively she made from her fraud.
Wilson was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of money laundering and two counts of filing a false return. She was acquitted of one count of mail fraud.
Maureen Wilson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering; and a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return. 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, U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Maryland Insurance Administration and the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.
Trial Attorneys Shawn Noud and Richard Kelley of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Phelps and Philip Motsay for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Admits to Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – John Ryan Zajac, age 30, of Parkville, Maryland, has admitted to cocaine and firearms charges.
Zajac pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. According to court documents, Zajac had a firearm and cocaine in Berkeley County.
Zajac is facing up to 20 years in federal prison for the drug charge and faces up to 15 years for the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Man Twice Convicted of Federal Firearms Offense Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A two-time federally convicted felon who unlawfully possessed a firearm and resisted law enforcement officers when being arrested was sentenced on March 11, 2025, to nearly four years in federal prison.
Codie Lee Allen Fisher, age 35, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 25, 2024, guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Information from the plea and sentencing hearings showed that, on June 8, 2024, officers from the Cedar Rapids Police Department arrested Fisher after multiple reports of disturbances involving firearms at an apartment complex. While being arrested, Fisher fought and resisted officers. Officers found marijuana, a knife, and a loaded handgun in Fisher’s possession.
Fisher has 18 prior criminal convictions, including seven convictions involving violence. In 2017, Fisher was convicted in federal court of making a false statement when purchasing a firearm. He received a sentence of 21 months in prison as a result of that conviction.
Fisher was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Fisher was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Fisher is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00068.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Madison County Man Sentenced to More Than 15 years in Prison for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Huntsville man was sentenced yesterday on two felony charges for his involvement in crimes against children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Haikala sentenced David Edward Sanford, 55, of Huntsville, to 190 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release. In December 2024, Sanford pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. These convictions will require Sanford to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents, between September and November 2023, Sanford was actively involved in the online distribution of child pornography in groups dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children. During a federal search warrant for Sanford’s residence executed in November 2023, Sanford admitted to federal agents that he used various file sharing applications to trade videos and images of child pornography with others and expressed his particular preference for videos and images involving children under the age of 11. Sanford’s devices were seized during the execution of the warrant, and forensic analysis of the devices revealed more than 9,600 videos and 500 images of child pornography.
FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case along with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Huntsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
If you suspect or become aware of the possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Long Island Tax Preparer Indicted for Tax and Covid Loan Fraud Schemes Resulting in Losses of $12 MillionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, a 42-count indictment was unsealed charging Damaris Beltre, formerly a tax preparer in Freeport, New York, with wire fraud, aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, money laundering and aggravated identity theft, for her role in allegedly preparing hundreds of false individual tax returns that caused a total of approximately $12 million in losses to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), which was designed to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beltre was arrested today and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Anne Y. Shields.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, the defendant’s fraudulent work as a tax preparer and in furtherance of a COVID-19 loan scheme cost the government millions of dollars, all while she generated a stream of illicit revenue for herself that she used to purchase, among other things, a home in the Dominican Republic, a car and jewelry,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “My Office will vigorously prosecute individuals like the defendant who think the United States government is an easy target for financial crimes.”
Mr. Durham also expressed his appreciation to the United States Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office and the Freeport Police Department for their assistance on the case.
“Beltre is charged with defrauding the government of millions of dollars to fatten her pockets, using stolen identities, fraudulent tax submissions and bogus COVID-19 benefits claims. While she may have been viewed as a respected tax preparer, Beltre did not respect federal law, nor did she care about the victims of her fraud—the American people. This IRS-CI investigation has brought her scheming to an end, and she will now be prosecuted for her actions,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Chavis.
As set forth in the indictment, Beltre owned and operated three corporate entities, Botanica El Poder De San Miguel (Botanica), L&D Tax & Multi Service Corp. (L&D) and D&L Tax Service (D&L). Beltre was also associated with a fourth company, Apollo Global Improvements LLC (Apollo).
Between approximately January 2021 and April 2024, Beltre engaged in a scheme in which she prepared and caused to be prepared false and fraudulent Forms 1040 and associated schedules and forms for client-taxpayers for submission to the IRS. From approximately January 2021 through December 2023, Beltre was the tax preparer for tax returns prepared by L&D; from January 2024 through April 2024, Beltre was the tax preparer for tax returns prepared by D&L.
In those roles, Beltre engaged in massive tax fraud scheme utilizing false dependents as well as tens of millions of dollars of COVID-19 sick leave credits and fuel tax credits that there was no basis to claim. Clients paid over $1 million for Beltre’s fees for her work preparing the false returns which included a percentage of any refund issued. For example, in one instance, an undercover agent went to Beltre to have his tax return prepared. If prepared accurately, the agent would have owed the IRS approximately $205. Instead, Beltre prepared a return which claimed a refund of over $14,243. Beltre charged the undercover agent $2,200 in fees to prepare the fraudulent tax return. In other instances, Beltre filed tax returns claiming refunds on behalf of former clients without their knowledge. As a result of her fraudulent tax scheme, Beltre submitted false and fraudulent Forms 1040 and associated schedules and forms to the IRS, that resulted in approximately $11 million in reduced tax liabilities.
In a separate PPP fraud scheme, Beltre filed false payroll reports and tax returns with the IRS on behalf of companies to fraudulently obtain PPP loan proceeds totaling approximately $1 million which she used to pay personal expenses. For example, in June 2020, Beltre used approximately $22,500 in fraudulently obtained PPP loan proceeds to make a payment on a house in the Dominican Republic. In May 2021, Beltre used approximately $16,000 in fraudulently obtained PPP funds to pay for the purchase of a Honda CRV. Between November 2021 and February 2022, Beltre and members of her family spent tens of thousands of dollars of fraudulently obtained PPP loan proceeds at jewelry stores, and Beltre withdrew approximately $226,160 of the fraudulently obtained PPP loan proceeds as cash from accounts for Botanica, L&D, Apollo, and various other accounts she controlled.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Section. Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly is in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samantha Schroeder.
The Defendant:
DAMARIS BELTRE
Age: 57
Freeport, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-81 (SJB)
Lewiston Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining $20,833 PPP Loan During PandemicRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for filing a fraudulent application for a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Shahied Golden, 30, to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $24,090.82 in restitution. Golden pleaded guilty on September 27, 2024. The sentence will be served consecutively to Golden’s 27-month state prison sentence for illegal possession of a firearm and a state probation violation.
According to court records, in April 2021, Golden filed a fraudulent PPP loan application and received approximately $20,833 in PPP funds. The application listed a false gross income for 2020 and falsely stated the loan proceeds were needed to make payroll payments for his alleged business. He also submitted a fraudulent document in support of his application, which falsely stated his gross income, among other things. Further, Golden caused the funds to be deposited into his own personal bank account, quickly withdrew the funds, and did not use the PPP proceeds for approved expenses.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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Las Vegas Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns for ClientsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The operator of a Las Vegas tax return preparation business pleaded guilty today to preparing false income tax returns on behalf of her clients causing at least $550,000 in tax loss.
According to court documents and statements made in court, since at least 2007, Keisy Altagracia Sosa has operated National Tax Service, a tax return preparation business in Las Vegas, Nevada. From 2016 to 2021, Sosa prepared and filed with the IRS false tax returns on behalf of clients. These tax returns included falsely claiming dependents; claiming fictitious Schedule A expenses, such as sales taxes paid and unreimbursed employee expenses; and claiming fictitious Schedule C expenses purportedly associated with a business operated by the taxpayer. Sosa continued to prepare false returns even after the IRS sent multiple letters notifying her that returns she filed appeared inaccurate, informing her that she may not be meeting her due diligence requirements, reminding her of those obligations, and directing her to resources with more information about those obligations. Sosa caused at least $550,000 in tax loss to the IRS.
Sosa pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return. Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon scheduled sentencing for June 11, 2025. The maximum statutory penalty is three years in prison as well as a period of supervised release and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick for the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Tony Lopez and Benjamin Shiver are prosecuting the case.
Taxpayers should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. Tax preparers that promise larger refunds than their competition may place taxpayers at risk of being part of a criminal scheme. The IRS urges all taxpayers to verify the information on their tax return is correct before filing.
For more tips on how to safeguard yourself against unscrupulous tax preparers, and for information on how to find a preparer, visit the IRS website. The IRS also offers tips on choosing a tax professional as a small business taxpayer. Additionally, the IRS has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers to help taxpayers find professional, credentialed prepares recognized by the agency or who hold an Annual Filing Season Program Record of Completion.
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Lakeland Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Solomon Smith (22, Lakeland) to 30 months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Smith entered a guilty plea on November 7, 2024.
According to court documents, on July 2, 2024, officers with the Lakeland Police Department were surveilling a residence to serve an outstanding arrest warrant for Smith. The officers observed Smith with a handgun, equipped with an extended magazine, tucked in his waistband. After Smith was arrested on the warrant, officers obtained a warrant and searched the residence. Officers located the handgun hidden in an air vent. The firearm was not marked with a serial number and was loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition. Photographs of Smith in possession of the same handgun were posted on social media.
At the time, Smith had been convicted of prior felony offenses, including carrying a concealed firearm and possession of cannabis resin. As a convicted felon, Smith is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Jury Convicts Tolleson Man of Conspiracy to Transport and Transportation of Illegal Aliens for ProfitRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Nathan Isaiah Solano, 23, of Tolleson, was convicted by a federal jury last week of one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and two counts of Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. The guilty verdicts came after a three-day jury trial before United States District Judge James A. Soto. Solano’s sentencing is set for May 21, 2025.
On September 19, 2023, Solano was driving north on Arizona State Route 85, near the United States-Mexico border. Solano picked up two individuals who were waiting for him in the desert brush off the side of the highway. The individuals later admitted they were illegal aliens. A foot guide traveling with the illegal aliens helped load them into the back of the Solano’s Jeep before returning to Mexico. Border Patrol agents began to follow Solano, eventually conducting an immigration stop. They found the two illegal aliens lying curled up in the rear cargo area of the Jeep. Solano told authorities he had simply picked up a couple of hitchhikers. A jury rejected that claim and found Solano guilty of all three felony counts.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Micah Schmit and Jennifer Berman, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01585-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-032_SolanoIllinois Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Supplying Marathon County Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Edwin Lewis, 43, Park Forest, Illinois was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and for possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Lewis pleaded guilty to these charges on December 12, 2024.
In February 2022, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking organization operating in Marathon County, Wisconsin. The multi-year investigation involved the seizure of drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and seizures of firearms and large quantities of drugs from residence searches. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Edwin Lewis was identified as a large quantity source of supply of methamphetamine and cocaine for the Marathon County based drug trafficking organization. Lewis originally supplied the organization by having bulk shipments of methamphetamine mailed to locations in Wisconsin in 2021 and 2022, including two 11-pound packages containing methamphetamine. On April 29, 2022, Lewis was found in possession of 7 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop in Chicago, Illinois. After that arrest, members of the Marathon County organization began renting cars to drive to Illinois to pick up large quantities of drugs from Lewis.
At sentencing, Judge Conley said Lewis was a key member of this large drug trafficking operation. Judge Conley observed that Lewis had already served a federal prison sentence for cocaine trafficking, and essentially doubled down by continuing to traffic much larger quantities of drugs in the present case.
Eight others were also charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Teala L. Kumbera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced to 54 months in federal prison. Shandel L. Mohr was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison. Quo Vadis Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of both methamphetamine and cocaine and possessing firearms as a felon and was sentenced to 12 ½ years in federal prison. Shelby Gutch pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine on January 7, 2025, and entered into a 24-month diversion agreement. Troy C. Olsen was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced to 45months in federal prison. Craig C. Gates was convicted of possessing cocaine intended for distribution and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 106 months in federal prison. Tommie Haney was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of both methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. Samuel A. Teague has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in the coming months.
The charges against Lewis were the result of investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and Chicago Police Department. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Saqib Mohammad Hussain (Northern District of Illinois) prosecuted this case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Hampton man sentenced to over nine years in prison for defrauding Virginia Medicaid and Virginia UnemploymentRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced yesterday to nine years and three months in prison for healthcare and unemployment fraud schemes that resulted in nearly $1 million in loss. Jamahl Rennelle Burch, aka Jarod or Jerrod Burch, 43, pled guilty on Aug. 29 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, from May 2015 through November 2023, Burch targeted and defrauded two different government benefits programs: Virginia Medicaid’s consumer directed care program and Virginia’s unemployment program.
The Virginia Medicaid Program provides medical assistance to indigent individuals who meet certain eligibility requirements. Under its consumer directed care program, Medicaid authorizes the provision of personal and respite care services to eligible Medicaid recipients by a personal care attendant (PCA). Personal care services include a range of support services to enable Medicaid recipients to remain at or return home rather than enter a nursing facility and include assistance with activities of daily living, access to the community, self-administration of medication, or other medical needs, supervision, and the monitoring of health status and physical condition.
Burch targeted Medicaid recipients to sign up for Medicaid reimbursed personal care or respite care services. Burch and his co-conspirators executed agreements that designated numerous different individuals as PCAs for those recipients. Burch used the personal identifying information (PII) of the Medicaid recipients and purported PCAs to create accounts for the submission of timesheets for purported personal care and respite care services.
For over eight years, Burch submitted fraudulent timesheets to Medicaid showing thousands of hours of personal care and respite care services. Burch approved these timesheets, attesting that services were provided, when he and his co-conspirators knew that none of the PCAs provided any personal or respite care services to the Medicaid recipients.
In total, Burch and his co-conspirators knowingly caused Medicaid to pay at least $936,950.70 in fraudulent reimbursements for personal care and respite care services that never occurred.
Burch also submitted fraudulent unemployment applications to the Virginia Employment Commission, causing $15,720 in unemployment benefits to be paid to him from Virginia’s unemployment insurance (UI) program and the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program. UI is a joint state-federal program intended to provide temporary financial assistance to unemployed workers under certain circumstances.
In 2020 and 2021, Burch submitted four fraudulent unemployment applications using the PII of two of the purported PCAs from his Medicaid fraud scheme, falsely claiming that they had been terminated from their fake positions as PCAs. Two of these fraudulent applications were approved, one in the name of each of the two purported PCAs. Burch then submitted weekly certification requests for additional unemployment benefits for these applications, falsely representing that the purported applicants were still unemployed and in need of supplementary funds.
After his initial arrest in November 2023, Burch repeatedly violated Court orders prohibiting him from having contact with potential witnesses in the pending criminal case, including by contacting several individuals who have since been charged as co-conspirators.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, the Court order Burch to pay $936,950.70 in restitution to Medicaid and $15,720 in restitution to the Virginia Unemployment Commission, and to forfeit $806,008.38.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit also provided significant assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla Jordan-Detamore and Brian R. Hood prosecuted the case.
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. 3:24-cr-8.
HHS, DOJ Move to End Sexual Abuse and Harassment of Unaccompanied Alien Children in Shelters Operated by Southwest Key ProgramsRead the Press Release
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today that it has stopped placement of unaccompanied alien children in shelters operated by Southwest Key Programs Inc. (Southwest Key) and has moved all children there to other shelters.
“This administration is working fearlessly to end the tragedy of human trafficking and other abuses of unaccompanied alien children who enter the country illegally,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “For too long, pernicious actors have exploited such children both before and after they enter the United States. Today’s action is a significant step toward ending this appalling abuse of innocents.”
Southwest Key has operated 27 residential shelters that provide temporary living arrangements for unaccompanied alien children in Texas, Arizona, and California, and has been the largest provider for such shelters for unaccompanied alien children in the United States. Southwest Key operates such shelters through grants from the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement. Unaccompanied alien children are minors who enter the United States without parents or other legal guardians and without lawful immigration status in the United States.
In July 2024, the Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against Southwest Key, alleging that it had, through its employees, subjected unaccompanied alien children in its care to unlawful sexual harassment and abuse. Out of continuing concerns relating to these placements, HHS has decided to stop placement of unaccompanied alien children in Southwest Key facilities, and to review its grants with the organization. In view of HHS’s action, the Department of Justice has dismissed its lawsuit against Southwest Key.
“Securing our border and protecting children from abuse are among the most critical missions of the Department of Justice and the Trump administration,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under the border policies of the previous administration, bad actors were incentivized to exploit children and break our laws: this ends now.”
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments yesterday. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation, and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Boscobel Woman Charged with Bank Fraud
Samantha Watters, 33, Boscobel, Wisconsin, is charged with three counts of bank fraud. The indictment alleges that between March 2023 and October 2023, Watters worked as a teller at BMO Harris Bank in Lancaster, Wisconsin, and made unauthorized withdrawals from multiple customer accounts totaling approximately $134,498.
If convicted, Watters faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each count.
The charges against Watters are the result of an investigation conducted by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - Office of Inspector General and the Lancaster, Wisconsin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the case.
Three Men Charged in Separate Cases with Illegally Possessing Firearms and Ammunition
Kory Washington, 21, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm as a felon. The indictment alleges that on November 19, 2024, Washington possessed of a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm handgun and Hornady 9mm ammunition.
If convicted, Washington faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charge against Washington is the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state/local agencies representing the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
James K. Wilder Jr., 19, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that on November 26, 2024, Wilder Jr. possessed a Taurus G2C handgun and .45 caliber ammunition.
If convicted, Wilder Jr. faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by Fitchburg Police Department and ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus is handling the case.
Demetrius Howard, 34, Menomonie, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that on December 20, 2024, Howard possessed a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun and ammunition.
If convicted, Howard faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
The charge against Howard is the result of an investigation conducted by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office and ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case.
All cases involving firearms are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Man Charged with Assaulting FCI Oxford Employee
Demetrius Brown, 46, Pekin, Illinois, is charged with assaulting a federal officer and inflicting bodily injury. The indictment alleges that on or about August 24, 2024, Brown physically assaulted and inflicted bodily injury on an employee of the Federal Correctional Institution, Oxford, Wisconsin, while that employee was engaged in the performance of his official duties.
If convicted, Brown faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charge against Brown is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala is handling the case.
Georgia Woman Sentenced for Role in Aggravated Identity Theft Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle has sentenced Coretta Rena Bates (32, College Park, Georgia) to 24 months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft. The court also entered an order directing Bates to pay restitution to the victim credit union in the amount of $167,117.50, the proceeds of the aggravated identity theft fraud scheme. Bates pleaded guilty on December 11, 2024.
According to court documents, Bates obtained the personal identification information of several individuals and counterfeit North Carolina driver licenses imprinted with Bates’s photograph and the identifying information of those victims. From April through July 2023, Bates used the identity documents to open lines of credit with a credit union and to withdraw cash advances in the names of those victims. Bates fraudulently obtained more than $167,000 from the credit union.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office, with the assistance of the City of Brookhaven (Georgia) Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Fourth Guilty Plea in December 2023 Burglary of Dozens of Firearms from a Maryland Pawn ShopRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyjuan McNeal, 27, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with the December 2023 burglary of 34 firearms from a Maryland pawn shop. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
McNeal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 17, 2025.
According to the court documents, on December 13, 2023, McNeal and at least four co-conspirators drove from Washington, D.C. to the A&D Pawn Shop, a Federal Firearms Licensee in Glen Burnie, Maryland. McNeal was wearing an ankle monitor that he had wrapped in aluminum foil.
At the pawn shop, one of the co-conspirators used a portable saw to cut the locks on a pull-down security gate. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door. Once inside, the quintet grabbed an array of rifles, shotguns, and pistols from the shelves and display racks and fled with at least 34 of the firearms. The co-conspirators later used social media to advertise the sale of the stolen firearms.
McNeal was arrested on March 22, 2024, with a Glock 29, 10 mm pistol and has been detained since. Co-defendants Vincent Lee Alston, 23, and Niquan Odum, 23, pleaded guilty March 6, 2025, Alston, aka “Vedo,” pleaded to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Odumn, aka “Stickz,” pleaded to conspiracy to commit theft from a firearms licensee and to possession of stolen firearms. Juwon Markel Anderson, 22, aka “Peezy,” pleaded guilty March 4 to conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes.
23cr452
Four Individuals Sanctioned for Forging Bankruptcy Petitions for a Dead Person in Scheme to Obtain Real PropertyRead the Press Release
The U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) recently obtained sanctions against four individuals connected to the filing of fraudulent bankruptcy petitions bearing forged signatures of a dead person in a scheme to stall a foreclosure and gain possession of real property.
On Feb. 20, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Georgia granted the U.S. Trustee’s motion for sanctions against Emanuel Clark, Charles Freeman Jr., Patrick Iverson and Jacquelyn Duffy. Based on evidence presented by the U.S. Trustee’s Atlanta office, the court found that the four individuals presented or were responsible for presenting four forged bankruptcy petitions in the name of a person who had died more than a year earlier. Each of the four successive petitions halted a scheduled foreclosure sale on the dead person’s property, which had been fraudulently deeded postmortem to a company controlled by Clark. The court further found that the four individuals knowingly engaged in a fraud on the court and entered an order prohibiting them from presenting further bankruptcy petitions to the court unless they are the named debtor or the named debtor’s attorney.
In its order, the bankruptcy court also credited the U.S. Trustee with identifying “a system of fraud and abuse” in the four cases as well as several other petitions presented for filing by Clark, Freeman, Iverson, and Duffy. The four individuals “intentionally engaged in a pattern and practice of filing forged or suspicious property deeds and presenting skeletal pro se petitions to the court for improper purposes, often in the name of deceased persons.” Additionally, the order noted that Clark and Freeman were serial abusive filers of bankruptcy petitions in their own names.
“These four swindlers abused the bankruptcy system in an attempt to fraudulently obtain property in the wake of the owner’s death and to obstruct a creditor from exercising its rights,” said Mary Ida Townson, U.S. Trustee for Region 21, which includes the Northern District of Georgia. “We will aggressively pursue bad-faith actors such as these to preserve the system for Americans who legitimately need relief.”
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
Former employee of an online car sales company sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for $2 million embezzlement and absconding before sentencingRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 42-year-old Tacoma man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 142 months in prison for wire fraud, for his scheme to steal more than $2 million from his employer, and for then going on the run before sentencing, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. John Whisenant was arrested in July 2023 and pleaded guilty in March 2024. Just before his July 2024 sentencing date, Whisenant sent an email to his pretrial services officer saying, “I’m not ready to go to jail yet.” Despite his efforts to evade police, the FBI located and arrested him on August 14, 2024.
At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King said, Whisenant’s life had been, “a revolving door of crime and prison time.” Judge King noted that the fraud had “a devastating impact… the financial damage (for the victim company) was extreme.” As for his failure to appear for sentencing, Judge King said, “Your actions have destroyed your credibility before this court.”
“This was a sophisticated fraud scheme motivated by greed,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Mr. Whisenant bought Porsches and Mercedes and $23,000 airline tickets. He dealt a devastating blow to the company that employed him. Over 20 years he committed 19 fraud offenses related to stealing, swindling, and cheating, but this was the largest. The time is past due for him to be held accountable.”
According to records filed in the case, beginning in October 2018 Whisenant worked in a variety of roles at the online used car sales company. About a year after he began with the company, Whisenant was promoted into a role where he had access to the company bank accounts and accounting software.
Beginning in about June 2019 and continuing until November 2021, Whisenant used his access to make 57 wire transfers totaling over $2 million into accounts he controlled. Whisenant disguised the transfers as legitimate business expenses in the company’s accounting software with a variety of false entries. Whisenant defrauded the company of $2,084,799.
According to records in the case, Whisenant used some of the money for a lavish lifestyle. He bought luxury automobiles such as Porches and Mercedes. He spent $123,096 for a 2022 Audi E-Tron and bought a $98,100 Tesla. He rented luxury homes in Southern California and purchased two airline tickets to Paris at a cost of nearly $23,000 each. More than $1 million went to pay his credit card debts.
The fraud on the company accounts was discovered when a bookkeeper began a more comprehensive review of the company’s financials in January 2022. Whisenant resigned abruptly in February 2022.
When confronted by the FBI, Whisenant tried to blame the embezzlement on the company CEO. As prosecutors noted in their sentencing memo the impact on the company has been severe. “Whisenant’s fraud seriously harmed his victims. His betrayal “traumatized” his co-workers. His fraud destabilized (victim company’s) finances and inflicted significant financial hardship on its largest shareholder, his family, and other investors. His actions may have ultimately cost (victim company’s) largest shareholder (and CEO) the company.”
Prior to his absconding prosecutors were recommending a seven-year prison sentence. Today, they recommended ten and a half years in prison to account for Whisenant’s disregard for the law and the court. While on the run Whisenant repeatedly swapped-out the SIM card in his phone to hide his location, and trafficked methamphetamine, GHB, Viagra and other pills to support himself.
This is Whisenant’s second federal fraud conviction. He was sentenced for wire fraud in 2017 and over the past two decades was convicted in state court of various credit card and check fraud crimes.
Whisenant has agreed to make full restitution of $2,084,779.
The case was investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite.
Former Rolla Church Volunteer Admits Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former church youth ministry volunteer from Rolla, Missouri on Wednesday admitted possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
Bradley Thomas Colvin, 52, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. Colvin admitted searching for, viewing and downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for years. Colvin had at least 833 videos and 5,566 images containing CSAM on four computers, a tablet, an external hard drive and five USB thumb drives, he admitted as part of his plea.
The investigation began when Colvin distributed child pornography via a peer-to peer file sharing program to an officer with the Missouri State Highway Patrol who was conducting investigations. After investigators conducted a court-approved search of Colvin’s home, he admitted during a polygraph examination having touched a minor for sexual gratification years earlier at a pool party to celebrate the end of Vacation Bible School.
Colvin is scheduled to be sentenced June 18. The crime carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will ask for 10 years.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Nye County Captain Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Violation and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A former captain with the Nye County Sheriff’s Office pleaded guilty today for violating the civil rights of the former CEO of Valley Electric Association (VEA), a Pahrump-based utility cooperative, and for committing wire fraud.
“It is the duty of all law enforcement to protect and serve the community,” said Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada. “Instead, the defendant violated his oath and abused his power. We will continue to work with the FBI to protect the constitutional rights of all individuals and ensure that those who violate positions of public trust are held accountable for their actions.”
“Law enforcement officers are granted specific powers by the government to protect the rights of the public and prevent misconduct,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “When individuals in official roles betray the trust of their communities by misusing that power, they compromise the diligent efforts of all law enforcement personnel. No individual is above the law, and the FBI remains committed to investigating abuses of power under color of law as one of our paramount responsibilities.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about February 26, 2019, David E. Boruchowitz, 44, was a Deputy Sheriff with the Nye County Sheriff’s Office in Nye County, Nevada. Boruchowitz admitted that while acting under color of law in that position, he arrested Angela Evans without probable cause on charges of embezzlement under Nevada law. In making the arrest, he willfully deprived Evans of her right under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States to free of unreasonable seizure without probable cause.
Further, Boruchowitz admitted that, on or about February 26, 2019, he devised a scheme to defraud the VEA Board of Directors of a seat on the Board of Directors. As a part of the scheme, he arrested Evans without probable cause. He knew the fraud scheme would influence a member of the VEA Board of Directors to part with his or her position. As a part of the scheme, he posted a press release announcing the arrest of Evans to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page.
Boruchowitz pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of wire fraud. Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2025. The total maximum statutory penalty for all offenses is 21 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Myhre and Justin Washburne are prosecuting the case.
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Florida Businessman Patrick Walsh and Affiliated Companies Agree to $20M Consent Judgment to Settle False Claims Act Liability Relating to Fraudulent Pandemic Relief LoansRead the Press Release
Patrick Walsh and 10 companies he owned or operated have agreed to enter into a consent judgment totaling $20,074,458.70 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly providing false information in support of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loan applications. The 10 companies for which Walsh obtained fraudulent loans include American Blimp Company LLC; Walsh Family Land Corp.; Airsign Inc.; Airsign Airship Group LLC; Airsign Group LLC; Airsign Airships Latin America LLC; Airsign Airships Asia Pacific LLC; Airsign Airships Repair Station LLC; Aero Capital LLC; and Eagle Ridge Management Group LLC doing business as Shiloh Oil Company.
Congress created the PPP loan program and expanded access to the EIDL program in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP, administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), was designed to provide low-interest, forgivable loans to applicants to help fund certain permissible expenses for qualifying businesses amidst the COVID‑19 pandemic, which included payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The EIDL program, also administered by the SBA, provides low-interest loans to small businesses in regions affected by declared disasters. PPP loans were guaranteed by the SBA, and EIDL loans were direct loans made by the SBA. To qualify under either program, a corporate representative submitted a loan application that, among other things, stated the number of the entity’s employees and certified that the borrower was an operating business that would use loan proceeds for eligible business expenses.
In this case, Walsh entered into a civil settlement in which he admitted to submitting PPP and EIDL loan applications on behalf of the companies listed above that provided false information about the companies’ employee rosters and payrolls. Some of the entities for which Walsh submitted loan applications were dormant or inactive. Walsh submitted additional EIDL applications in his wife’s name on behalf of certain corporations. In total, Walsh received approximately $7.8 million in fraudulent loans on behalf of various corporate entities. Walsh used those loan proceeds for impermissible personal purposes, including the purchase of a private island, investment in Texas oil interests, and paying off personal debts. When Walsh defaulted on the PPP loans, the SBA paid the lenders in full pursuant to its guarantee obligations. The SBA also paid for certain interest and processing fee expenses incurred by the lenders related to the loans. Under the terms of the consent judgment, Walsh and the companies he owned or operated have agreed to the entry of judgments against them totaling $20,074,458.70.
In January 2023, Walsh pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection with the fraudulent loans and was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison, which he is currently serving. The court also ordered him to pay $7.8 million in restitution and entered a forfeiture order in the same amount.
“PPP and EIDL loans were intended to help small businesses during the pandemic,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who undermined the purpose of these programs by knowingly obtaining and retaining loan proceeds for which they were not eligible.”
“Today’s civil resolution and the previously imposed 66-month period of incarceration should serve as a significant deterrent to others like the defendant who would attempt to steal millions of dollars from the American people and exploit Federal relief programs,” said Acting United States Attorney Michelle Spaven for the Northern District of Florida. “The Northern District of Florida is committed to protecting government programs from fraud, and we will hold those accountable who steal from the American taxpayers.”
“This settlement is a victory over bad actors seeking to exploit taxpayer-funded programs,” said Wendell Davis, General Counsel for the U.S. Small Business Administration. “SBA is committed to vigorously protecting the hard-earned money of the American people and ensuring that those who fraudulently obtain those funds are held accountable.”
The civil settlement stems from a whistleblower complaint filed in 2020 by Andrew Hersh, who performed information technology services for Walsh. The qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act permit private persons to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the government and to share in the proceeds of the suit. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Andrew Hersh v. Patrick Walsh et al., No. 1:20‑cv‑231 (N.D. Fla.). The amount that Mr. Hersh will receive as a share of the recovery has not yet been determined.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and the SBA’s Office of Inspector General.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, except for the matters admitted in Walsh’s guilty plea.
Federal, State, and Local Agencies Recognized with Midwest HIDTA AwardRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS – Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota, has announced multiple local recipients of a Regional Award from the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). The award presentation took place in Sioux Falls on March 12, 2025, and recognized the extraordinary, multi-agency work that resulted in the successful disruption of a large-scale drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing approximately 140 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico and Arizona into South Dakota and Louisiana.
The Midwest HIDTA Outstanding Prosecution Award was given to agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with detectives from the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and officers with the South Dakota Highway Patrol and Moody County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges was also recognized for his work in securing federal convictions of 19 individuals from South Dakota, Arizona, and Louisiana for their participation in the large-scale conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to commit money laundering.
The investigation, which spanned nearly two years, revealed that Christopher Daniels was operating as the South Dakota cell leader of a multi-state drug trafficking organization. Agents further discovered that Daniels obtained methamphetamine from Sean Gross in Arizona, who in turn sourced the methamphetamine from Rusty Driscoll. Driscoll had a direct connection to a source in Mexico. Gross and Driscoll also sent multiple pounds of methamphetamine to Jessica Louviere in Louisiana. Agents determined that Daniels was personally responsible for distributing at least 120 pounds of methamphetamine in South Dakota. Driscoll was responsible for directing the quantities, prices, payments, and shipments of multiple multi-pound deliveries of methamphetamine to South Dakota and elsewhere. As a result of successful federal prosecutions, the leaders of this drug conspiracy received significant federal sentences—Driscoll was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison; Daniels was sentenced to 30 years; Gross was sentenced to more than 26 years; and Louviere was sentenced to 14 years.
“We are extremely fortunate to have local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies who readily and regularly collaborate to intercept drugs being trafficked into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell. “This case is just one example of the consequential work being done by law enforcement agencies, alongside federal prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and hold accountable those who dare to do their deadly business in South Dakota.”
The HIDTA program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The DEA plays a very active role and has more than 1,500 authorized special agent positions dedicated to the program. At the local level, the HIDTAs are directed and guided by Executive Boards composed of an equal number of regional Federal and non-Federal (state, local, and tribal) law enforcement leaders.
South Dakota counties involved in the Midwest HIDTA include Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Clay, Codington, Custer, Lawrence, Lincoln, Meade, Minnehaha, Pennington, Union, and Yankton.
Federal Detainee Admits to Possessing and Distributing Contraband Inside the Wyatt Detention CenterRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Wyatt Detention Center detainee admitted to a federal judge today that he participated in a conspiracy with several individuals, including a now former correctional officer, to possess and distribute contraband inside the facility, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Matthew Pizarro, 36, admitted that he conspired with another detainee and others outside the facility to arrange for the delivery and distribution of contraband that was delivered by now former Correctional Officer Kaii Almeida-Falcones, 31, of Smithfield.
Wyatt Detention Center video surveillance records show that on February 14, 2021, Correctional Officer Almeida-Falcone visited Pizarro’s cell for less than a minute. Pizzaro then visited the cell of another detainee, Edward Nolasco, 38, where he remained for less than a minute.
On February 15, 2021, a strip search of Nolasco revealed a package containing suboxone strips. A search by Wyatt staff of Pizarro’s cell on the same date revealed a plastic bottle containing 4.5 grams of marijuana that was located inside Pizarro’s pillowcase.
The suboxone strips were sent to a lab and confirmed to be 201 strips, 5 of which were partial strips, containing buprenorphine, which is an ingredient in Suboxone, a Schedule III controlled substance.
Pizarro pleaded guilty today to one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of Suboxone, and possession of contraband by an inmate. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kaii Almeida-Falcones was sentenced on November 14, 2024, to six months in federal prison to be followed by twenty-four months of supervised release - the first six months to be served on home confinement. He pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024, to the charge of providing contraband to an inmate.
Edward Nolasco was sentenced on November 3, 2024, to forty-eight months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on June 20, 2023, to charges of possession with intent to distribute Suboxone, possession of contraband by an inmate, and possession with intent to distribute Suboxone.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr. and Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, and the Professional Standards Unit at the Wyatt Detention Center.
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Elmore County, Alabama Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison Following Federal Drug and Gun ConvictionsRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On March 12, 2025, a federal judge sentenced 31-year-old Desmond Chrishawn Howard, a resident of Elmore, Alabama, to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal gun and drug charges, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. In addition, the judge ordered that Howard serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to his plea agreement and other court records, on June 13, 2024, deputies with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic disturbance call reporting a physical altercation at a residence in the Town of Elmore involving a female and a male, identified as Desmond Howard. While deputies were enroute, the female told law enforcement that she had left the residence, and that Howard was following her in another vehicle. Deputies spotted Howard’s vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. Howard refused to stop. During the pursuit, deputies observed Howard throw two objects from his car window then he returned to his residence in Elmore. Deputies took Howard into custody without further incident.
When investigators returned to the area where Howard discarded the two objects, they found a handgun and a glove containing suspected dimethylpentylone or "molly." Laboratory analysis later confirmed the drug to be dimethylpentylone. Howard has a previous felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On November 20, 2024, Howard pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Elmore County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted.
Eastern District of Louisiana U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $879,562,972.18 in FY 2024 Civil and Criminal ActionsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that the Eastern District of Louisiana collected $879,562,972.18 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $10,272,777.37 was collected in criminal actions and $869,292,194.81 was collected in civil actions.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
In addition to those amounts, the MPRU or U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO), working with partner agencies and divisions, also separately forfeited $2,070,396.92 in assets, and 133 firearms connected to criminal activity, 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.
Representative examples of the MPRU’s collection and forfeiture efforts include:
- In April 2024, the MPRU recovered $868,965,517.00 from BP Exploration & Production Inc., imposed as a result of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
- Following a trial and guilty verdict, the MPRU collected approximately $3.7 million in restitution from hospice owner, Shiva Akula, by utilizing the All Writs Act to restrain and preserve his assets for restitution prejudgment . The MPRU subsequently filed a post-judgment motion to turn over the restrained assets, including hospice licenses, for restitution to Medicare.
- In July 2024, the MPRU collected approximately $1.2 million, by utilizing enforcement provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and issuing Writs of Garnishment for several investment accounts belonging to defendant Robert Calloway. Calloway previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Additionally, he admitted signing false statements and making material omissions on dozens of loan documents, in his capacity as Senior Vice President of First NBC bank, over the course of several years.
- In October 2024, the MPRU collected approximately $1.5 million in criminal penalties for the Crime Victims Fund. This collection stemmed from an environmental crimes case in which defendants, Prive Overseas Marine and Prive Shipping, pled guilty to obstruction of justice. Specifically, the defendants admitted to illegally discharging, and causing the discharge of oil contaminated waste, into U.S. waters.
- The USAO forfeited $121,785 in cash, two firearms, and a 2020 Infiniti Q50 that was seized during the execution of a June 2024 search warrant from defendant, Wayne Handy, who had previously pled guilty to federal drug and gun violations.
- The MPRU forfeited approximately $34,570 in proceeds from defendant, Michelle Andre, who had previously pled guilty to distributing misbranded versions of injectable contraceptives to patients, in August 2024.
“These statistics demonstrate our continued commitment and dedication to crime victims and to the citizens of the Eastern District of Louisiana through the aggressive collection of civil judgments and criminal fines and restitution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson. “As such, our office’s Monetary Penalties and Recovery Unit (MPRU) will continue their duty to protect the public by holding accountable those who have profited from the crimes they committed in our District.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson thanks Asset Forfeiture Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra Giavotella, Financial Litigation Assistant United States Attorney Churita Hansell, as well as the Office’s outstanding support professionals, Jerrilyn A. Dufauchard, Laquana Bates, Christina Garcia, Danielle Smith-Graham, Megan Snow, David Vigier, and Monica Washington for their hard work and dedication to the pursuit of justice.
Dominican National Extradited for Murder, Narcotics, and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Leslie R. Backschies, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that MARCO TULIO FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ, was extradited from the Dominican Republic and arrived in the United States this afternoon. FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ was extradited on murder, narcotics, and firearms charges in connection with an attempted gunpoint robbery of a Mount Vernon, New York, warehouse that sold various unlicensed marijuana and nicotine products. Two people—one employee of the warehouse and one member of the roughly 15-man robbery crew—were shot and killed during the failed robbery attempt. FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ will be presented tomorrow in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Marco Tulio Fernandez-Rodriguez and his co-conspirators attempted a violent armed robbery that left two dead in Mount Vernon. The persistence and dedication of our law enforcement partners led to locating the defendant in the Dominican Republic, where he was arrested. This Office and our partners will not rest until every individual responsible for these senseless deaths is brought to justice.”
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backschies said: “Last year, Marco Tulio Fernandez-Rodriguez allegedly fled the country after participating in a robbery and massive gunfight which culminated in the murder of two individuals. Not only did his alleged involvement contribute to a highly violent episode which threatened the community’s safety, but Fernandez-Rodriguez also attempted to avoid responsibility by running. Today’s extradition and indictment reflects the FBI’s tireless commitment to ensuring all criminals face accountability for their behavior, regardless of where they may hide.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today in White Plains federal court:[1]
On or about March 18, 2024, at approximately 10:00 p.m., two customers arrived at a wholesale warehouse in Mount Vernon that sold unlicensed marijuana products. The two customers placed an order for a large quantity of merchandise from the warehouse, and it took warehouse employees about two hours to prepare their order. A little after midnight, after the customers’ order was prepared, two employees from the warehouse helped the customers carry the boxes containing the customers’ merchandise from the warehouse to the customers’ vehicle. At that point, at least 11 members of the robbery crew—including FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ—got out of a large cargo van that had been parked near the warehouse, many brandishing firearms. Some of the robbers, including FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ, ran over to the two employees and the customers, some pointed firearms at them, and others forced them back inside the warehouse. Other robbers who also got out of the van ran inside the warehouse to steal the merchandise, including marijuana. A still image from video surveillance outside the warehouse is depicted below:
Shortly after the robbers got inside the warehouse, a gunfight broke out between the robbers and a warehouse employee. As a result, the warehouse employee and one of the robbers were killed. The robbers fled the scene, failing to steal anything.
On or about December 4, 2024, FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ was arrested in the Dominican Republic. To date, 12 individuals have been arrested in connection with this crime.
* * *
FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ, 24, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, is charged with one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a maximum possible sentence of death or life in prison; one count of firearms use, carrying, and possession, which carries a maximum possible sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and the Mount Vernon Police Department. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the Westchester County Police Department, the New York City Police Department, the Westchester Real Time Crime Center, the FBI Legal Attaché in Santo Domingo, and the Dominican authorities for their invaluable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic to secure the arrest and extradition of FERNANDEZ-RODRIGUEZ.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared D. Hoffman and Justin L. Brooke are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._fernandez-rodriguez_complaint.pdf[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the descriptions of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced today to 54 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering charges.
According to public court documents, Bryan David Sampica, 49, executed a scheme to defraud financial institutions responsible for issuing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans between May 2020 and March 2021. Sampica fraudulently obtained two PPP loans for a company that had no employees, no operations, and no payroll. Sampica falsely claimed that the company had approximately 100 employees and annual payroll in excess of $1 million. Sampica also provided false claims by submitting fraudulent tax documents asserting that the company had millions of dollars in annual receipts and expenses. The PPP loans obtained by Sampica totaled nearly $2 million. Once Sampica received the fraudulently obtained PPP loan funding, he used the fraudulently obtained funds to, among other things, pay off a car loan, transfer money to a family member and trust accounts, and to purchase a yacht.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Sampica will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Sampica was also ordered to pay $1,978,345.82 in restitution.
“It’s unfortunate that a relief program such as the Paycheck Protection Program was targeted by fraudsters looking to enrich themselves,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “Mr. Sampica used millions of dollars in stolen taxpayer funds to pay for cars and yachts while legitimate businesses struggled to survive the pandemic. We’re committed to working alongside our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect taxpayer resources by holding thieves like Mr. Sampica accountable.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
Daytona Beach Man Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Government Money and Making False Statements to A Federal AgencyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Richard Sauls (64, Daytona Beach) to nine months in federal prison for theft of government property and making false statements to a federal agency. As part of his sentence, Sauls must also pay restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sauls entered a guilty plea on November 21, 2024.
According to court documents, Sauls was receiving Social Security benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits under his original Social Security number. He then used a second Social Security number that had been issued to him to apply for a second set of Social Security and SNAP benefits, to which he was not entitled. In his applications, Sauls made several false statements about his income and resources, including denying that he was already receiving Social Security and SNAP benefits. As a result of his fraudulent applications, Sauls received a second set of SNAP benefits to which he was not entitled. He did not receive a second set of Social Security benefits because the Social Security Administration discovered the fraud before any payments were issued to him.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
David Metcalf Appointed United States Attorney for the Eastern District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – David Metcalf has been appointed and sworn in as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with the White House also announcing yesterday that President Trump has nominated Mr. Metcalf to be the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for the term of four years
Mr. Metcalf most recently served as Amazon’s corporate counsel for government and regulatory litigation.
Mr. Metcalf previously served as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney for this office and the District of Maryland, where he also served as Deputy Chief of Appeals and won an award for Excellence in Prosecution of Organized Crime. He also served as a senior DOJ official as Senior Counsel to the United States Deputy Attorney General and Counselor to the United States Attorney General.
Before his DOJ career, Mr. Metcalf was an associate at Covington & Burling LLP and clerked for the Honorable Albert Diaz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Mr. Metcalf is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Princeton University.
“I’m pleased to once again serve the people of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” U.S. Attorney Metcalf said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues here to uphold the rule of law and prosecute criminals who threaten our communities.”
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, visit our website and follow us on social media.
Director at Customs and Border Protection Charged with Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain Disaster Aid and Lying to Federal AgentsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today charging the Director of United States Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Center for Excellence and Expertise over Automotive and Aerospace Engineering with engaging in a scheme to defraud the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and lying to federal agents, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Daniel Altman, Executive Director of CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
Serina Baker-Hill, 55, of Detroit, is a career employee of CBP. Following a series of floods in the Detroit area in August of 2023, Michigan’s request for a federal disaster declaration was approved, which allowed residents to apply for FEMA assistance. Baker-Hill applied for FEMA assistance for flood damage and a FEMA inspector determined there was damage to the basement in Baker-Hill’s home. During the inspection, Baker-Hill informed the inspector she was not able to live safely in the home while the repairs were being made. Consequently, FEMA approved benefits for Baker Hill to assist with home repairs and for two months of rental assistance. The approval letter from FEMA indicated that the rental assistance money was to be used solely to help Baker-Hill pay rent and essential utility costs while she was in temporary housing.
According to Baker-Hill’s bank records, none of the FEMA money was used for rental, hotel, or utility expenses. Video surveillance at the home showed that Baker-Hill and her husband continued to live in the home after receiving the rental assistance funds from FEMA. Additionally, records for the home do not show a significant drop in utilities consistent with the property being unoccupied during this time.
Baker-Hill was later interviewed by FBI and CBP-OPR agents and informed them that she has never committed illegal activity of any kind and had never defrauded the U.S. government.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the FBI’s Detroit Border Corruption Task Force and CBP-OPR. Investigative assistance was also provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.
Cryptocurrency Founder and CEO Convicted of Wire Fraud and Money Laundering in Connection with Marketing and Sale of AML BitcoinRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today convicted Rowland Marcus Andrade of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with the fraudulent marketing and sale of a cryptocurrency called AML Bitcoin, a scheme that raised millions of dollars through false and misleading statements to investors about the cryptocurrency and the purported technology behind it. The jury reached its verdict following a five-week trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Andrade, 47, of Texas, made false statements to the public and potential purchasers of AML Bitcoin misrepresenting the development of the technology, its viability, potential business deals, and release date. Andrade falsely claimed, among other misrepresentations, that the Panama Canal Authority was close to permitting AML Bitcoin to be used for ships passing through the Panama Canal when no such agreement existed.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Andrade diverted more than $2 million in proceeds from the sale of AML Bitcoin and spent it on personal expenses, including the purchase of two properties in Texas and two luxury automobiles. The jury also found that Andrade laundered investor funds through various bank accounts and then used the funds for his personal expenses and the purchase of the properties and automobiles.
“Fraudsters often tout new and innovative technology in order to raise money from investors. But raising money through lies and misrepresentations is neither new nor innovative. It’s unlawful, plain and simple,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “If you deceive investors to enrich yourself and spend their money on personal expenses, homes, and property, you will be held to account.”
“Marcus Andrade misled investors, manipulated trust, and exploited the promise of innovation for personal gain,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Today’s verdict reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to protecting the integrity of our financial markets and ensuring that those who engage in financial fraud are held accountable.”
“Mr. Andrade’s outrageous lies lured and scammed individuals into investing their hard-earned money into a new cryptocurrency with fabricated features,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “But there is nothing advanced about this scheme. Rowland Marcus Andrade stole money from innocent people and used it to further his personal wealth. His attempts to launder and layer ill-gotten gains is what experts at IRS-CI investigate to follow the money and build cases that lead to justice.”
Andrade is scheduled to appear on July 22, 2025, for sentencing. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud count and 10 years in prison for the money laundering count, and forfeiture of all property that is traceable to his wire fraud and money laundering violations including property that Andrade bought in Texas.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christiaan Highsmith, David Ward, and Matthew Chou are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.
Next Hearing
Sentencing
July 29, 2025 09:30 AM
Chief Judge Richard Seeborg
450 Golden Gate Ave., Courtroom 03, 17th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102FBI Loss Questionnaire | Due June 5th https://www.fbi.gov/amlbitcoinvictims.gov
Andrade Indictment
Council Bluffs Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Two Council Bluffs man were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, in March and April 2024, Jessie Lee Holtz, 35, and co-defendant, Andrew Joseph Kaipus, 38, conspired to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs area. During the conspiracy, Kaipus obtained a quarter pound of methamphetamine from Holtz and Kaipus then sold that methamphetamine to a confidential informant in April 2024.
On November 14, 2024, Kaipus, received a 10-year prison sentence, followed by a five-month term of supervised release.
On March 12, 2025, Holtz was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison. After completing his term of imprisonment, Holtz will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Iowa Department of Public Safety—Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Council Bluffs Police Department.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – Dane Bowler, 43, of Veyo, Utah, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment today, and a lifetime of supervised release after he admitted to attempting to engage in sexual acts with a 13-year-old and was convicted of coercion and enticement.
According to court documents and statements made at Bowler’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, between November 1, 2023 and November 6, 2023, Bowler communicated via cellphone and the internet with an individual he thought was a 13-year-old. Bowler was actually communicating with an undercover officer. During these communications, Bowler attempted to engage in sexual activity with the minor. Bowler had been previously convicted of this very same offense in federal court in 2007 and was sentence to 60 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release in that case.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the State Bureau of Investigation and The FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Brady Wilson and Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Convicted Felon Who Attempted to Sell Assault Rifle Found Guilty of Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury today found Timothy Jeffrey, aka “Boo,” 44, of Antioch, Calif., guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, following a trial before Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 25, 2023, a Pittsburg Police Department officer attempted to stop the vehicle that Jeffrey was driving. Jeffrey drove into a shopping plaza parking lot, parked, exited the car, and fled on foot away from the officer. Jeffrey threw a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition over a fence behind the shopping plaza before he was arrested.
Jeffrey became a fugitive soon after his arrest, and his whereabouts were unknown until an investigation by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service led law enforcement to suspect Jeffrey’s presence at a relative’s home in Antioch. On March 27, 2024, the United States Marshals Service surveilled the address and spotted Jeffrey entering the home. U.S. Marshals arrested Jeffrey, after which the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence.
Sheriff’s deputies located and seized an Aero Precision AR-style rifle with a magazine and 25 rounds of ammunition from under a couch in the living room. They also seized a cell phone that had been used by Jeffrey. The phone contained multiple text messages in which Jeffrey attempted to sell the AR rifle and sent a photo of it.
At the time of his April 2023 and March 2024 arrests, Jeffrey was on federal supervised release following past felony convictions for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, escape from custody, and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
“The defendant, a convicted felon, not only possessed a semi-automatic pistol and assault rifle, but also attempted to sell the rifle on the black market. His actions endangered the community, and law enforcement’s work on this case helped prevent this deadly weapon from falling into the wrong hands,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to combat the presence of illegal firearms in our communities.”
“ATF works closely with our partners to track the illegal movement of firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The defendant is a convicted felon who attempted to illegally sell firearms. ATF will continue to work side by side with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to ensure that our communities are safe. We will continue to focus on reducing gun violence by disrupting illegal firearms trafficking and ensuring that firearms stay out of the hands of prohibited persons.”
Jeffrey was convicted of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). His sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025. Defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
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 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aseem Padukone and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jillian Harvey are prosecuting this case, with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Nina Burney, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, the United States Marshals Service, the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Narcotics Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Covington has sentenced Lewis James Scott (36, Tampa) to 15 years and 1 month in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Scott pleaded guilty to possession of narcotics with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, but he pleaded not guilty to possessing the firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. In December 2024, a federal jury found Scott guilty of that charge as well.
According to court documents, on September 4, 2023, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a vehicle being driven by Scott for multiple driving infractions. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, officers found 37.5 grams of methamphetamine, 10.9 grams of cocaine, and 6.5 grams of fentanyl. These narcotics were found in a portable lock box with a handle, which the passenger in the vehicle told law enforcement Scott had placed at her feet prior to law enforcement approaching the vehicle.
The deputies located a scale with a white powdery substance on it inside the center console, along with a firearm, which included a round of ammunition in the chamber and in the magazine. In the trunk of the vehicle, deputies located a bag of a horse joint supplement. A chemist with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement later determined that methylsulfonylmethane was indicated in this bag. Methylsulfonylmethane is a commonly known cutting agent used in narcotics distribution.
Scott has a prior felony conviction for tampering with physical evidence (2018) and, therefore, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. In this case, Scott placed a phone call to a witness prior to trial encouraging her to change her statement. This call was played during Scott’s trial and subjected him to a higher sentencing range.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Colorado Springs Woman Pleads Guilty to Charge Related to Hate Crime HoaxRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Deanna West, 38, pleaded guilty today to one count of maliciously conveying false information about a threat by means of fire: a burning cross in front of a campaign sign defaced with a racial slur.
According to the plea agreement, West and two other defendants, Derrick Bernard Jr., and Ashley Blackcloud, participated in a conspiracy to spread disinformation about the threat. The 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral run-off election involved Candidate 1, who was Black, and Candidate 2, who was white. After the initial election but before the run-off, one defendant sent a message in which he explained he was “mobilizing my squad in defense. Black ops style big brother.” He also sent messages referencing a desire to prevent “the klan” from gaining political control of the city. Bernard then worked with Blackcloud and West to stage, at an intersection in the City of Colorado Springs in the early hours of April 23, 2023, a cross burning in front of a campaign sign for Candidate 1 defaced with a racial slur. The three then allegedly spread false information about the event through an email from an anonymous source to various news and civic organizations.
United States District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the hearing.
West will be sentenced on June 13, 2025. The other two defendants are awaiting trial.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with substantial assistance from the Colorado Springs Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Fields and Rebecca Weber.
Case Number: 1:24-cr-00320-RMR
Colombian National Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced a man from Colombia to nine years in prison for possessing child pornography.
Fabio Murillo Sanchez, 51, pleaded guilty in October to one felony count of possession of child pornography. He admitted that in 2023, a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department detective downloaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from an IP address in St. Louis via the BitTorrent peer-to-peer network. Investigators traced the IP address to Sanchez’ home. When they interviewed Sanchez, he admitted possessing CSAM and turned over three computer devices. He also said he’d been looking at CSAM since 2009.
The FBI found 686 videos and 1,392 images containing CSAM and over 19,000 images of "child erotica and nude child modeling," his plea agreement says.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Clewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing A Firearm and Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Jose Ignacio Carrizalez III (27, Clewiston) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Carrizalez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on April 12, 2024, agents executed a federal search warrant at a residence in Clewiston and found Carrizalez in possession of a Canik pistol and assorted ammunition. At the time, Carrizalez had multiple prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Chester Woman Charged with Pandemic Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Muneerah Abdullah, age 45, of Chester, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 27, 2025, by a federal grand jury on six counts of wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits related to COVID-19 emergency relief funds.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that from in or about April 2020 to in or about October 2020, Abdullah filed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims for herself and other ineligible recipients, to include inmates. The alleged scheme included making false representations in connection with these claims including, being unemployed as a result of Covid-19, providing false employment or wage history, falsely stating the applicant was willing, and able to work each day, and was seeking full-time employment. It is also alleged that Abdullah received kickbacks when she filed fraudulent claims for PUA with another’s information.
The PUA program was created by the March 2020 CARES Act, as part of the United States government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public’s health and economic well-being. The PUA program was designed to provide unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The maximum penalty under federal law for wire fraud is 20 years’ imprisonment. Each charge may also carry a fine and a term of supervised release following imprisonment.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Casselberry Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Enticing A Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity and Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza today sentenced Jordan Franklin Trexler (30, Casselberry) to life in federal prison for enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and two counts of production of child sexual abuse material. Trexler was found guilty by a federal jury on December 11, 2024.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Trexler groomed a minor victim to engage in sexual activity when she was 14 years old. Trexler reached out to the victim via social media and offered her marijuana. After they met up, Trexler got her heavily intoxicated and then sexually abused her. Over the course of approximately two weeks, Trexler and the victim exchanged messages on a social media app discussing plans to meet and the type of sexual activity in which Trexler wanted the 14-year-old to engage. They met frequently during that period and during those meetings Trexler repeatedly sexually abused the victim. On one occasion, Trexler video recorded his sexual abuse of the victim. On another occasion, he produced a sexually explicit image of the victim.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oviedo Police Department, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin-Aronson and Stephanie McNeff.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Career Criminal Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Liquor Store Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— George Sisk., 47, of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and illegal possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on March 26, 2020, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) responded to the Community Spirits Liquor Store located on MLK Street, after a robbery had been reported. The robber, who was later identified as George Sisk, walked into the store, grabbed alcohol, and attempted to leave without paying. When one of the store employees noticed Sisk was stealing, he locked the store’s doors to prohibit Sisk from exiting.
Once Sisk realized that he was locked in the store, he went behind the counter and demanded the employee open the door. He then pulled a gun from his pants and fired one shot, striking the employee in the leg at close range. The employee opened the door and Sisk escaped, taking a bottle of Patron tequila with him. Sisk also fired a second shot before leaving.
That evening, Sisk was arrested, and a warrant was obtained to search the home where he lived with his mother. During the search, IMPD officers located a gun under Sisk’s mattress and the clothing that he was wearing during the robbery.
Sisk had been previously convicted of multiple felonies including two separate convictions for Dealing in Narcotic Drugs. These felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm again.
“We repeat this notion time after time; everyone deserves to feel safe at their place of work,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Sisk felt it was necessary to shoot an innocent victim standing in the way of just one bottle of alcohol. This kind of reckless behavior with no regard for the safety of human life is a threat to our entire community and deserves the serious federal prison sentence imposed today.”
"The defendant’s actions created fear and endangerment in a place where people should feel safe. His actions demonstrated a complete disregard for the law and the community,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring public safety and holding career criminals accountable for their violent actions.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigations and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter A. Blackett and Corbin Houston, who prosecuted this case.
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California Man Arrested for Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California man has been arrested and charged for allegedly sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor victim who had previously been reported missing.
Ibrahim Abdul-Alim Bin Hajj Yahya Abdul-Malik, 37, of San Jose, Calif., was charged with sex trafficking a minor. Malik was arrested on March 10, 2025 in California and made his initial appearance in the Northern District of California. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, on Dec. 11, 2024, law enforcement received information that a 17-year-old minor victim was being advertised for commercial sex acts online in the Boston area. The minor victim had previously been reported missing from her home in Ohio in August 2024. Investigators identified advertisements containing photographs of the minor victim and a phone number used to use to arrange commercial sex encounters with the minor victim. Law enforcement responded to the advertisement in an undercover capacity and the responding telephone number arranged for a commercial sex date at a hotel in Cambridge. There, law enforcement recovered the minor victim and seized her iPhone as evidence.
A subsequent investigation allegedly revealed that, in or around Nov. 13, 2024, Malik began trafficking the minor victim in other states, posting commercial sex advertisements for the minor victim on various websites. In order to avoid law enforcement detection, it is alleged that Malik raised the minor victim’s listed age on those websites to falsely indicate that she was 20 years old.During a search of the minor victim’s phone, law enforcement allegedly located messages from Malik about the minor victim engaging in commercial sex acts with sex buyers. On multiple occasions, it is alleged that Malik directed the minor victim to have sex buyer payments sent to a Zelle account he controlled. After the sex buyer sent the payment, it is alleged that Malik would confirm receipt of the money and keep all of the profits.
It is further alleged that Malik fled the Boston area immediately following the Dec. 11, 2024 undercover operation – purchasing an airline ticket to fly from Boston to San Jose, Calif. on a flight that departed at 6 a.m. on Dec. 12, 2024.
The charge of sex trafficking of children carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in San Jose, Calif. and the Arlington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Calaveras Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Communication of Violent ThreatsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cedar Sky Montgomery, of Calaveras County, pleaded guilty today to three counts of interstate communication of threats of violence, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Montgomery used a cellphone and the internet to make threats to multiple different victims. In one instance, he threatened to kill a victim and have the victim “watch members of your family hanging from trees while your famil[y’]s Houses Burn to ground … .” On another occasion, Montgomery sent text and multimedia messages that threatened to kill a second victim and that victim’s brother, specifically threatening to “kill as many members of your family as I can find!” Montgomery also told the second victim that he would cut the victim’s fingers and hands “off your physical body.” With a third victim, Montgomery sent threatening voicemail messages saying, “the bomb maker is going to kill everybody in your [expletive] family, I’m going to burn your property down, I’m going to slit your [expletive] throat and I’m going to kill everybody in your family.”
Additionally, from late November 2023 through early January 2024, Montgomery used his mobile phone to repeatedly call and send hundreds of unwanted text and multimedia messages to a fourth victim’s mobile phone. Montgomery sent obscene cartoons and photos and told the victim he was trying to find the victim and threatening to kill the victim’s romantic partner. Montgomery similarly sent hundreds of unwanted messages to a victim, along with angry voicemails and images of a man’s throat being sliced by a sharp blade, combined with claims that Montgomery would find the victim and cut the victim into pieces.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Ripon Resident Agency of the Sacramento Field Office, the Los Angeles Field Office, and the Washington Field Office, with assistance from the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian T. Kinsella and Christina McCall are prosecuting the case.
Montgomery is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on June 9, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 per count of conviction, and the parties agree to recommend a total sentence of 30 months in prison. 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.
Broward Woman Charged in Scheme to Submit Fraudulent Asylum ApplicationsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Andrea C. Correa, 37, a resident of Sunrise, Florida, was arraigned this week on a federal indictment charging her with submission of a fraudulent asylum application, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1546(a), which penalizes the presentation of immigration documents that contain false statements.
According to the allegations proffered during an earlier hearing, Correa prepared and mailed an asylum application to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that contained multiple statements of personal political persecution, despite the applicant having informed Correa that she did not in fact experience personal political persecution in her home country. Correa has prepared more than 1,000 asylum applications since 2013.
If convicted of the charged offense, Correa faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of HSI Miami, and Miami Asylum Office Director Varsenik Papazian for USCIS made the announcement.
HSI West Palm Beach and USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS) Miami Asylum Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Sadlo is prosecuting this matter.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-60010.
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Broward Tax Preparer Arrested and Charged with Tax FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, Jimmy Desir made his initial appearance in a federal court in Miami, Fla., for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by filing false income tax returns.
Jimmy Desir, 46, of Miramar, Florida, was arrested on an indictment charging him with 22 counts of assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns that Desir, himself, presented to the IRS using his tax preparation business, A1 Plus Financial Services, Inc., located in North Miami Beach, Fla.
According to the indictment, for several years Desir intentionally included false entries on his customers’ tax returns, such as false fuel tax credits and false education credits, as well as false Schedules C with made up business losses, all in the name of increasing his customers’ tax refunds so that he could collect higher tax preparation fees from them. The loss of revenue to the IRS is estimated at more than $2 million.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
The IRS CI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aimee Jimenez is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-20070.
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