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28 February 2025
Mexican Drug Trafficker Extradited for Cocaine Importation and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Derek S. Maltz, the Acting Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced that ITIEL PALACIOS GARCIA, a/k/a “El Playa,” a/k/a “El Compa Playa,” was extradited yesterday from Mexico to the United States. PALACIOS GARCIA is charged with conspiracy to import cocaine into the U.S., possession of machineguns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices. PALACIOS GARCIA was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo and detained without bail.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, for years, Itiel Palacios Garcia led a violent drug trafficking organization in Mexico that directed vast quantities of cocaine into communities in the United States. Palacios Garcia and his organization allegedly used assault rifles, grenades, and other heavy weapons to protect his drug trafficking territory and to battle drug rivals. This Office and our law enforcement partners stand committed to cutting off the flow of dangerous drugs into our country and bringing international drug traffickers to justice.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, Indictment, and other court filings:[1]
PALACIOS GARCIA was the leader of a drug trafficking organization based in Guerrero, Mexico. Between at least 2012 and 2020, PALACIOS GARCIA trafficked ton quantities of cocaine, including from Guatemala, that he then transported through his territory and into the U.S. PALACIOS GARCIA and his co-conspirators used weapons like firearms, assault rifles, and grenades to protect their drug trafficking activities and to fight violent drug wars with rival groups, such as the Los Zetas drug cartel.
For example, in or about 2016, PALACIOS GARCIA and his associates purchased an aircraft, which they used to successfully transport approximately 800 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Venezuela, and then from Venezuela to Guatemala, where the cocaine was unloaded and transported by land to Mexico and finally the U.S. As another example, in or about 2020, PALACIOS GARCIA and his associates organized another plane load of cocaine, which crashed in the El Petén region of Guatemala in or about April 2020. Both pilots died upon impact, and Guatemalan law enforcement authorities recovered approximately 800 kilograms of cocaine from the wreckage.
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PALACIOS GARCIA, 42, of Mexico, is charged with: conspiring to import cocaine into the U.S. and to traffic it on board an aircraft registered in the U.S., which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison (Count One); possessing machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the importation conspiracy charged in Count One, which carries a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison (Count Two); and conspiring to use, carry, and possess machineguns and destructive devices in connection with the importation conspiracy charged in Count One, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison (Count Three).
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit and multiple DEA offices throughout Mexico, as well as the assistance of the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and the U.S. Marshals Service.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, Alexander Li, Daniel G. Nessim, David J. Robles, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint and Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._playa_indictment.pdf u.s._v._playa_complaint_0.pdf[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and Indictment, and the description of the other court filings set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Mexican Cartel Leader Jesus Mendez-Vargas in U.S. Custody on Drug Importation ChargeRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Frank A. Tarentino, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JESUS MENDEZ-VARGAS, a/k/a “Chango,” with conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S. MENDEZ-VARGAS was taken into U.S. custody from Mexico and was presented on the charge contained in the Indictment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Jesus Mendez-Vargas was a leader of the violent drug trafficking organization, La Familia Michoacana, based in Mexico, with primary responsibility for the organization’s drug trafficking activities from approximately 2006 to 2011. La Familia imported vast quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico and engaged in extensive violence in furtherance of its drug trafficking activities, including against those Mexican law enforcement officials who stood in its way. This Office and our law enforcement partners will not stop working to see that those who lead violent drug trafficking organizations are met with the consequences of their actions. Mendez-Vargas will now face justice in an American courtroom.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino said: “The indictment against Jesus Mendez-Vargas, leader of La Familia Michoacana cartel is another example of the DEA’s determination to identify, target and eliminate drug traffickers poisoning our communities with fentanyl and methamphetamine. This removal demonstrates the New York Division’s relentless pursuit and unwavering commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our communities and traffic violence and drugs across our borders.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:1
MENDEZ-VARGAS was a leader in La Familia Michoacana (“LFM”), a powerful, violent drug trafficking organization based in the state of Michoacan, in southwestern Mexico. LFM controlled drug manufacturing and distribution within and around the state of Michoacan, as well as the port of Lazaro Cardenas, a key drug transshipment point. LFM imported vast quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico. LFM leadership forbade the sale or use of methamphetamine in the areas under its control in Mexico, and instructed LFM members that its methamphetamine was solely for export to the U.S. From approximately 2006 to 2011, MENDEZ-VARGAS was a leader of LFM, with primary responsibility for LFM’s drug trafficking activities.
LFM engaged in violence, including assault, murder, and kidnapping to support its narcotics trafficking activities. LFM also used heavy weaponry, including military-grade weapons, assault weapons, and ammunition smuggled from the U.S. to Mexico by LFM’s associates for use by LFM. On or about July 14, 2009, approximately two days after the arrest of a high-level LFM leader, the bodies of 12 Mexican federal police officers believed to have been murdered were discovered in Michoacan. Days later, another member of LFM contacted a local television station in Michoacan and, among other things, claimed that LFM was in a battle against the Mexican federal police and prosecutors, and that LFM kidnaps people who owed LFM money and those whose family members worked in state and federal governments.
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MENDEZ-VARGAS, 51, of Mexico, is charged with conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S., which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s New York Field Division, as well as the assistance of the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and the U.S. Marshals Service.
This prosecution is part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The OCDETF New York Strike Force provides for the establishment of permanent, multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, Alexander N. Li, Daniel G. Nessim, David J. Robles, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
u.s._v._mendez-vargas_indictment.pdf
1 As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Member of Darrin Southall Drug Organization Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL –A Newnan, Georgia, man involved in Darrin Southall’s drug trafficking organization was sentenced in federal court on February 27, 2025. Edward Ray Antoine, Jr, 42, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine in April of 2024.
According to court documents, Antoine, also known as “Easy,” was one of Southall’s associates who had connections with drug suppliers in Texas. During the investigation, telephone calls between Antoine and Southall were intercepted by federal investigators. Antoine and Southall used coded language to attempt to disguise the criminal nature of their calls and conceal their drug trafficking activities from detection. Antoine and Southall shared a courier who transported multi-kilogram cocaine shipments and hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug cash between Southall and the suppliers in Texas. The courier used a pickup truck registered to Antoine’s wife that was equipped with an exterior fuel tank with a false bottom. The cocaine and the drug money were concealed in the compartment during the trips. Calls between Antoine and Southall initially related to the courier’s whereabouts and availability for trips until January of 2022. As a result of the federal investigation, the courier’s truck was stopped and $322,000 in cash was seized from the compartment. Numerous calls between Antoine and Southall were intercepted in which they discussed the courier’s stop and arrest status, potential ways to recover the seized cash, and what they would disclose to the drug suppliers in Texas who were awaiting the delivery of the drug money. Federal and state investigators arrested Southall and numerous members of his organization during 2021 and 2022. Approximately 30 members of Southall’s organization have been prosecuted in federal court to date.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment in Antoine’s case and ordered that the sentences run concurrently. The judge further ordered that Antoine would also serve 5years on supervised release following his release from imprisonment. As conditions of his supervised release, Antoine will also undergo testing and treatment for drug and/or alcohol abuse, and he will be subject to a search of his person and premises upon reasonable suspicion. The judge also ordered that Antoine pay $200 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Saraland Police Department, the St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organization 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.
Man alleged to have attempted to shatter plane window mid-flight faces chargesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 31-year-old Cuban national who was on a flight bound for Houston has been charged with destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Raul Ramos Tamayo is currently in custody on unrelated charges and is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho at 2 p.m. March 3.
On Feb. 4, Tamayo was aboard Frontier Airlines flight 4856 from Denver, Colorado, according to the charges. Approximately 30 minutes after departure, Tamayo allegedly began punching the seat in front of him.
The charges allege that when flight crew members approached him, Tamayo then began striking the window in his row with his fists, causing damage to the window.
The flight crew allegedly asked for assistance from any law enforcement officers or able-bodied passengers. Several responded, according to the criminal complaint originally filed in the case. They then allegedly placed him in flex cuffs the airline had on board.
“When the public flies, they need to feel confident that they are doing so under safe conditions,” said Ganjei. “Given the fact that greater Houston has two major international airports, with tens of millions of travelers a year, the Southern District of Texas is always ready to prosecute those that endanger the safety of passengers.”
If convicted, Tamayo faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Schammel is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Man Sentenced to Three Years in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Vietnamese native formerly of Des Moines was sentenced yesterday to three years in federal prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
According to public court documents, in 2020 and 2021, Long Ly, 45, used his connections in the Des Moines Vietnamese community to convince five victims to let him file unemployment benefits claims on their behalf, even though the victims were employed and ineligible for unemployment benefits. Several of the victims had little English-language proficiency. Ly also submitted unemployment benefits claims for himself, even though he was gainfully employed.
In submissions to Iowa Workforce Development, Ly misrepresented that he and his victims were unemployed. And in some of the submissions, without his victims’ knowledge or approval, Ly filed unemployment benefits claims with Iowa Workforce Development directing benefits payments be sent to bank accounts Ly controlled.
As a result of Ly’s misrepresentations, Iowa Workforce Development issued nearly $100,0000 in benefits payments to Ly and his victims to which they were not entitled. Some of the benefits payments included funds which had been authorized and paid in connection with COVID-19 pandemic emergency declarations.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Ly will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Ly was also ordered to pay $72,872.20 in restitution.
“Long Ly defrauded Iowa Workforce Development by filing for unemployment insurance benefits using the compromised identities of vulnerable and elderly victims who had limited English proficiency. This sentencing affirms the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to safeguard the unemployment insurance program for American workers who need it,” said Casey Howard, Special Agent-in-Charge, Central Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Executive Director of Iowa Workforce Development Beth Townsend echoed those sentiments: “Iowa Workforce Development takes unemployment fraud seriously and in recent years has significantly expanded its set of tools to help catch individuals who seek to defraud taxpayers. We are grateful for efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other partner prosecutors who are willing to work with us to keep fraudsters accountable and to maintain the integrity of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.”
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
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
Man Committing International Child Exploitation Pleads Guilty in Miami Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MIAMI – An Italian national living in Miami who used social media and money to entice minors, including four United Kingdom girls ages 14 to 16, to make and send him sexually explicit images of themselves has pled guilty to producing child sexual abuse material and committing international promotional money laundering in furtherance of his child exploitation crimes.
During a court hearing in the Southern District of Florida, Marco Pagano, 41, admitted the following: From about March 2023 to April 2024, Pagano engaged in illegal online exchanges with minors, including four girls living in the United Kingdom. As to those four minors, Pagano used his online payment system accounts more than 180 times to send thousands of dollars from the United States to the girls abroad. In exchange, Pagano demanded that the four minors produce illegal pornographic photographs and videos and send those to him through a social media application. These included images of the minor girls performing sexual acts on one another.
Sentencing is set for June 9, at 9:00 a.m., in Miami before United States District Court Judge Robert N. Scola. Pagano faces up to life in prison.
United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.
FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller is prosecuting it.
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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20360.
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Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Extortion, Stalking, Threatening Text Messages and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident pleaded guilty on Feb. 21. to extortion, money laundering, stalking, and sending threatening text messages to injure and kill two people and their families in California.
Idriss Qibaa, 28, was charged by a superseding criminal information. He pleaded guilty to one count of extortion, two counts of money laundering, one count of stalking, and two counts of interstate communications containing a threat to injure. United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2025.
According to court documents and admissions Qibaa made in court, On April 29, 2024, he threatened force and extorted $200,000 from a victim. In part of the extortion, on March 7 and 8, 2024, Qibaa obtained $63,500 worth of cryptocurrency. In June and July 2024, Qibaa engaged in online direct messages, texts, and postings, to cause substantial emotion distress to his victims. On July 19, 2024, Qibaa sent text messages containing threats to injure and kill a victim and members of the victim’s family. Later, on July 24, Qibaa sent text messages containing threats to injure and kill another victim.
At sentencing, Qibaa faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for the extortion charge; 10 years’ imprisonment for each of the money laundering charges; five years’ imprisonment for the stalking charge; and five years’ imprisonment for each of the interstate communications containing a threat to injure charges. 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 Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.
The FBI and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
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Lake County Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Bryce Fleetwood (26, Clermont) has pleaded guilty to two counts of receiving child sex abuse material (CSAM). Fleetwood faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count, including a 5-year minimum term of imprisonment. Fleetwood is currently in federal custody pending the resolution of this case. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Fleetwood’s cellphone was seized by law enforcement during an unrelated state investigation. A search of Fleetwood’s cellphone pursuant to a search warrant revealed a significant amount of CSAM, including CSAM that Fleetwood had received over the internet on two occasions in 2022.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
LA Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for $2.3 Million COVID Loan Scheme and Falsely Seeking Nearly $1.3 Million in Pandemic Tax CreditsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A woman from the Mid-City area of Los Angeles was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $2 million in COVID-19 government loans and to submitting false claims in an unsuccessful effort to secure from the IRS nearly $1.3 million in pandemic-related tax credits, the Justice Department announced today.
Casie Hynes, 39, was sentenced late Thursday afternoon by United States District Judge Hernán D. Vera, who also ordered her to pay $2,376,168 in restitution.
In April 2024, Hynes pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of false claims.
“The defendant exploited a crisis to line her own pockets, diverting vital relief funds from businesses that needed the money,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “The sentence imposed today sends a message to others that you will be held accountable if you steal government relief funds.”
From June 2020 to December 2021, Hynes submitted more than 80 fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from banks and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) in the names of approximately 20 companies. Congress designed these programs to provide government relief to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hynes submitted the bogus applications in the names of both existing and newly created companies, including Nasty Womxn Project and She Suite Collective and others purportedly owned by Hynes or her friends and family members. On those applications, Hynes often used the personal information and signatures of other people without their authorization and even though those people were not involved with the companies. Hynes also provided false information on the applications, including as to the number of purported employees at the companies, the companies’ average monthly payroll, and who purportedly owned and controlled these sham businesses. Hynes also submitted fabricated tax documents and bank statements in support of the fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications.
In reliance on Hynes’ fraudulent loan applications, banks and the SBA approved PPP and EIDL loans for the various companies she created and then disbursed the COVID-19 relief funds into bank accounts she controlled and used to pay for her own personal expenses.
Hynes admitted that she intended to cause approximately $3,174,323 in losses and she received approximately $2,255,244 in fraudulent proceeds from this scheme.
In a related scheme, Hynes used some of the same companies named in her PPP and EIDL fraud to submit bogus tax forms to the IRS, requesting refunds. Following COVID-19’s outbreak, Congress enacted laws authorizing the IRS to reduce the employment tax burdens of small businesses and reimburse those businesses for wages paid to employees who were on sick or family leave and could not work because of the pandemic. During the tax years 2020 and 2021, the IRS offered the Employee Retention Credit and paid sick and family leave credit to businesses that were significantly impacted by COVID-19.
From May 2021 to April 2022, Hynes caused to be submitted 12 tax forms that sought refunds based on false statements on behalf of Nasty Womxn Project LLC, She Suite Ventures, and Casie Hynes Consulting. Hynes knew these companies had little to no business operations, did not have the number of employees she claimed, and did not pay the quarterly wages she claimed in the tax forms.
Hynes fraudulently sought approximately $1,255,703 in COVID-19 tax credits and tax refunds through these false claims, none of which the IRS paid.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across the federal 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 actors committing civil and criminal fraud 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 www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Tips and complains from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint From at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Kissimmee Woman Pleads Guilty to Receipt, Distribution, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Jessica Corin Mangano (34, St. Cloud) has pleaded guilty to receipt, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Mangano faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for the distribution and receipt offenses and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the possession offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Mangano distributed and received multiple videos that contained child sexual abuse material. Additionally, Mangano possessed hundreds of videos of child sexual abuse material that involved young children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Kansas resident sentenced for distributing child sexual assault material while in LaredoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 44-year-old resident of Madison, Kansas, has been sentenced for distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Terry Lee Trower pleaded guilty Sept. 10, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now sentenced Trower to serve 146 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison terms, the court the content of what Trower shared merited a significant sentence. Trower will also serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Trower will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“In order to completely eliminate this terrible industry of exploitation, authorities need to target not just the supply side of the equation, but also the demand side,” said Ganjei. “As the defendant learned, if you committed a federal offense in the Southern District, we’re going to find you, wherever you are, even if it’s out of state.”
On Dec. 13, 2023, law enforcement had identified an online user, later identified as Trower, sharing multiple files containing child sexual assault material (CSAM) in a public Kik chat room. The videos and images depicted children under the age of 12 engaged in various sexual acts with adults and animals.
Trower was in Laredo at the time of the distribution. He was eventually arrested at his residence in Kansas, at which time he admitted he had shared child pornography he found on Kik.
Trower will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Jury Convicts South Carolina Man of Attempted Extortion, Stalking, and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
KALAMAZOO – Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge today announced that a federal jury convicted Glenn Daeward Boyd, 36, of Kershaw, South Carolina, of attempted extortion, stalking, and five counts of wire fraud. Boyd is scheduled to be sentenced on a date determined by the court. At sentencing, Boyd faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for attempted extortion, 5 years in prison for stalking, and 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud.
“Perpetrators like Mr. Boyd who attempt to extort people online using sexual exploitation will be held accountable, and cannot hide behind their cell phones and computers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Birge. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute these crimes that often result in tragedy.”
According to the evidence from a two-day jury trial in Kalamazoo, while in prison in South Carolina for unrelated criminal convictions, Boyd purported to be “Jad,” an 18-year-old girl from Grand Rapids, Michigan on the “Plenty of Fish” dating application, and communicated with B.G. beginning on August 2, 2023. Two days later, Boyd, continuing to pose as “Jad,” told B.G. he was a 15-year-old girl. Boyd then assumed the identity of “Jad’s grandparents,” threatening B.G. that “they” would contact police and B.G.’s family to report B.G. as a pedophile if B.G. did not send Boyd money. Boyd also used a Facebook profile to post on an account related to B.G.: “He is a pedophile I have all the evidence if anyone wants to see it.” In response, and on the same day of the threats, B.G. reported Boyd’s extortion and scheme to police, and then committed suicide. B.G. was 22 years old.
“Glenn Boyd's conviction sends a clear and powerful message: individuals who engage in online exploitation and financial crimes will be held fully accountable under the law,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “This case involved a financially driven sextortionist who specifically targeted and manipulated the victim for personal gain. The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving the Wyoming (Michigan) Police Department, South Carolina Department of Corrections-Office of Inspector General, South Carolina Department of Corrections, Newaygo County Sheriff's Office, Van Buren County Sheriff's Office, FBI Charlotte, FBI Columbia, and FBI Omaha. If you or someone you know is a victim of sextortion, we strongly urge you to contact local law enforcement or reach out to the FBI directly at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wyoming Police Department, South Carolina Department of Corrections, Newaygo County Sheriff’s Department, and Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Constance R. Turnbull and Jonathan Roth are prosecuting it.
The FBI provides the following tips on how people can protect themselves from online sextortion schemes:
- Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
- Be wary of anyone you encounter for the first time online. Block or ignore messages from strangers.
- Be aware that people can pretend to be anything or anyone online. Videos and photos are not proof that people are who they claim to be. Images can be altered or stolen. In some cases, predators have even taken over the social media accounts of their victims.
- Be suspicious if you meet someone on one game or app and that person asks you to start talking on a different platform.
- Be in the know. Any content you create online—whether it is a text message, photo, or video—can be made public. And nothing actually “disappears” online. Once you send something, you don’t have any control over where it goes next.
- Be willing to ask for help. If you are getting messages or requests online that don’t seem right, block the sender, report the behavior to the site administrator, or go to an adult. If you have been victimized online, tell someone. Being a victim of sextortion is not your fault. You can get through this challenge, even if it seems scary and overwhelming. There are people who want to help.
If you have information about or believe you are a victim of sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it online at http://tips.fbi.gov. More FBI sextortion resources are available here.
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- Be selective about what you share online. If your social media accounts are open to everyone, a predator may be able to figure out a lot of information about you.
Johnson County Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Debord, Ky., man, Dustin Newsome, 35, was sentenced on Friday to 35 years in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for production of child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, in August 2023, the parent of the minor victim called law enforcement and reported that she had located THC vape cartridges in her child’s room. The minor victim stated that he received the cartridges and a cellphone from a mail carrier, later identified as Newsome, in exchange for nude images and sexually explicit videos. Law enforcement discovered nine minor victims that reported having produced sexually explicit images and videos at Newsome’s request.
A search of Newsome’s residence revealed devices that contained numerous sexually explicit images, videos, and recordings of live chats between Newsome and at least four of the minor victims. In addition to the images and videos he produced, there were several hundred images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct that Newsome had obtained from the internet and stored on his electronic devices. These images and videos were obtained over many years beginning in 2013.
Under federal law, Newsome must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Newsome was also ordered to pay $105,000 in restitution.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Jamestown drug ring leader going to prison for 25 yearsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Joel Louis Violanti announced today that Rocco A. Beardsley, 39, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of narcotic conspiracy and distribution of fentanyl causing death, was sentenced to serve 300 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti, Evan K. Glaberson, and Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who handled the case, stated that between late 2018 and March 2020, Beardsley conspired with seven others sell methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other controlled substances in the Jamestown area. On April 9, 2019, Beardsley sold acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl, which resulted in the death of an individual identified as J.A. After learning of J.A.’s death, Beardsley took steps to conceal his involvement in the drug overdose, including by directing others to destroy evidence from the death scene.
Beardsley bought and sold fentanyl, and methamphetamine for profit and for his own use, utilizing social media to conduct his drug trafficking activities. Beardsley also utilized residences on Sampson Street and Cowden Place in Jamestown for his drug trafficking activities. During the investigation, law enforcement conducted five controlled purchases from Beardsley. In addition, Beardsley and his co-conspirators also participated in a series of money transfers in furtherance of the narcotics conspiracy.
During the investigation, search warrants were executed at residences associated with the drug conspiracy, during which law enforcement seized approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine, 66 grams of fentanyl, 28 grams of cocaine, 4 grams of crack cocaine, a 12-gauge shotgun, and drug paraphernalia.
Beardsley was previously convicted in Federal Court in 2007 of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and sentenced to serve 57 months in prison. In 2017, he was convicted in New York State Court of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Narcotic Drug Intent To Sell.
A total of seven defendants were charged and convicted in this case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino, III, New York Field Division, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie P. Feroleto, and the Town of Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss Jr.
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Jamaican National Indicted for Unlawfully Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Romario Whyte (28, Brooksville) with possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States. If convicted, Whyte faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Whyte accompanied an individual who was under investigation for straw purchasing of firearms to a gun store. After the individual purchased a firearm, Whyte and the individual drove to Whyte’s apartment. Whyte was observed by law enforcement making several trips from the car to his apartment carrying various bags. A search of the apartment revealed the same firearm that had been purchased at the gun store.
Whyte was determined to be a citizen of Jamaica and illegally or unlawfully in the United States at the time he was in possession of the firearm.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brooke M. Padgett.
Houstonian receives prison time for filing over $500,000 in fraudulent disaster relief loansRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 27-year-old woman has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Khalia Douglas pleaded guilty June 13, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Douglas to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. She must also pay $318,361.11 in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described her criminal history and how her fraudulent scheme lasted 15 months. The court also heard how Douglas submitted applications for approximately 100 different individuals, and that without her, they would not have been possible. In handing down the sentence, the court noted her fraudulent scheme took advantage of programs that were designed to help those in need during a troubling time for the entire country.
From March 2020 until June 2021, Douglas conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent applications to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration (SBA), the U.S. government and a bank for financial assistance.
At the time of her plea, Douglas admitting to using her Instagram account “GoGettaKaee” to post multiple stories advertising her involvement in filing fraudulent SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications. Such posts include “SBA is back open. $350 for method. Yes im doing applications $100 upfront & $2k when your money hit. You’ll need a real bank account.”
Douglas accepted payment for her services via CashApp where her clients would make payments to her and send a screenshot of the completed payment as proof.
She also submitted false EIDL applications for herself and false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications for another.
Further investigation revealed Douglas filed eight FEMA disaster assistance applications related to Hurricane Laura.
Additionally, Douglas committed several other fraudulent acts like filing false unemployment benefits in Kansas, using another person’s name to rent her apartment and using another person’s bank account to deposit counterfeit checks.
Authorities discovered her phone and computer contained a multitude of various documents and discussions of fraud in text messages, emails relating to fraudulent applications, false tax documents, images of counterfeit government identification documents and more.
Due to her actions, the EIDL, PPP and the bank lost a total of $318,361.11 with an attempted loss amount of $514,415.
Douglas received approximately $23,775 for her services.
She was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Elizabeth Wyman prosecuted the case.
Honduran National Arrested and Charged with Possession of Fraudulent Green Card and Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Mario Antonio Mejia-Calderon (34, Honduras) with possession of a fraudulent permanent resident card – or “green card” – and illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien. If convicted on both counts, Mejia-Calderon faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison. Mejia-Calderon was arrested and ordered detained while awaiting trial.
According to the indictment, on January 24, 2025, Mejia-Calderon was found unlawfully present in the United States after having been deported on June 11, 2013. On that same day, he also possessed a counterfeit green card.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.
High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Mexican national and high-ranking, violent member of the Los Zetas cartel pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana destined for the United States.
According to court documents, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, was an original member of Los Zetas, a drug trafficking organization comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing of the Gulf Cartel. Los Zetas later formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel, and they collectively operated under the name “The Company.” Gonzalez-Duran, a high-ranking member of Los Zetas, served as a plaza boss in the city of Miguel Aleman, Mexico, controlling the Company’s drug-trafficking activities in and through that area, and, later, as a regional commander in the cities of Nuevo Laredo, Miguel Aleman, and Reynosa, Mexico, supervising dozens of Los Zetas members in the region. In his roles, Gonzalez-Duran bribed law enforcement officers to ensure drug loads would not be disturbed; maintained weapons, explosives, and ammunitions caches; and committed acts of violence against rival drug trafficking groups during conflicts for control over drug plazas and trafficking routes. Gonzalez-Duran was personally responsible for the importation into the United States of more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana.
Gonzalez-Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States from Mexico. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Field Division made the announcement.
The DEA Houston Field Division investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and October 2022 extradition of Gonzalez Duran.
Trial Attorneys Tara Arndt and Jayce Born and Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strength of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies.
Guilty Verdict in Athens-Clarke Armed Fentanyl Trafficking TrialRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Georgia man with a lengthy criminal history in the Athens-Clarke County community was found guilty this week at trial of armed fentanyl trafficking.
Dwan Maurice Hewlett, aka “LA,” 41, of Hull, Georgia, was found guilty of all six counts charged in the indictment: one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hewlett is a federal career offender and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison.
The trial began on Feb. 24 and concluded on the evening of Feb. 26. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III presided over the trial. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Career offenders arming themselves and pushing fentanyl into our communities will find their criminal cases in federal court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I applaud local and federal law enforcement for their tireless efforts to track down repeat criminals and bring them to justice.”
"Cases like these exemplify the value of partnerships between local, state and federal agencies. This armed career criminal will no longer be selling the dangerous drug fentanyl in our community,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “I am incredibly proud of the ACCPD Officers and Detectives who worked with partnering agencies on this case. We will continue to prioritize keeping violent criminals out of our community. I would like to thank our partners for their continuous efforts in keeping our community safe."
“The FBI works tirelessly to get dangerous criminals like Dwan Hewlett and the drugs he sold off the streets of Georgia,” said FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden. “Hewlett will now have decades in prison to consider his past actions.”
“Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Atlanta Division. “The success of this investigation is proof that those destroying our communities with drugs and violence will be held accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) detectives had a confidential informant place a phone call to Hewlett to purchase fentanyl. Hewlett agreed to meet the informant at an Athens gas station on Danielsville Road. When Hewlett arrived at the gas station, ACCPD officers boxed his vehicle in and exited their undercover vehicles wearing "POLICE" marked body armor. Officers gave loud commands for Hewlett to get out of his car. Hewlett looked up, saw the police and immediately began making furtive movements reaching under the seat. He then exited his vehicle, ignored the verbal commands and started running toward Danielsville Road at the intersection of Freeman Drive. Hewlett was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit.
Officers searched his vehicle and found a .380 pistol under the driver’s seat where Hewlett was seen reaching and numerous tied corner baggies containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine for distribution. In all, officers found 133.51 grams of fentanyl, 58.31 grams of methamphetamine, 9.783 grams of cocaine and 16 grams of cocaine base. A search of Hewlett’s cell phones located in the car contained many drug-related messages and photos. Hewlett has a lengthy prior criminal history, which includes three prior convictions in the Clarke County Superior Court for serious drug offenses and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Northeast Georgia Regional Drug Task Force and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, with assistance from the FBI Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, DEA and ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Guatemalan citizen charged for failing to register as a sex offender and illegally returning after deportationRead the Press Release
TACOMA – A 25-year-old Guatemalan man will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Tacoma today for failing to register or update his sex offender registration and re-entering the U.S. following deportation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Juan Hernandez Zacharias was arrested in Mason County this morning by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigation agents.
Zackarias is charged by criminal complaint with two felonies. The first, failure to register or update his sex offender registration, relates to his sentencing in October 2022 for first degree child molestation. The sentencing documents advise Zackarias that should he leave the state, he must register as a sex offender within three days of returning. Zackarias allegedly did not register as required.
The second charge, reentry of a removed alien, relates to Zackarias’ return following deportation. On January 2, 2024, Zackarias had a removal hearing in Immigration Court. He was ordered removed and on February 4, 2024, he was removed from the United States and transported to Guatemala.
However, on May 16, 2024, Zackarias registered a white van with Washington State plates in his name – indicating that he had returned to Washington.
On December 6, 2024, Zackarias was arrested by Mason County Sheriff’s deputies for failing to register as a sex offender. The arrest was logged in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). The NCIC system alerted ICE Homeland Security Investigations that Zackarias has an order of removal in place. The federal criminal complaint was sworn and filed with Magistrate Judge David W. Christal on February 21, 2025.
Failure to register or update sex offender registration is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Reentry of a removed alien is punishable by up to two years in prison.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite and Special Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Collins.
Guatemalan National Indicted for Unlawful Transportation of Aliens and Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Timoteo Son-Gonzalez (40), a Guatemalan national, with unlawful transportation of an illegal alien for the purpose of financial gain and illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien. If convicted on all counts, Son-Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, in February 2025, Son-Gonzalez transported an alien for financial gain, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that the alien had come to, entered, and remained in the United States in violation of the law. The indictment also alleges that Son-Gonzalez was found to be unlawfully present in the U.S. after having been removed in June 2024.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Customs and Border Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.
Ghostface Gangster Member Sentenced for Distributing Mexico-Sourced Methamphetamine from a Georgia PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Georgia inmate who is a member of the Ghostface Gangsters (GFG)—a criminal organization founded in the prison system—and a drug courier were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a large methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy funneling drugs from a Mexico-based source involving another prisoner and high-ranking GFG member.
Warren Frederick Courts aka “Dirty,” 38, of Rutledge State Prison and Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Feb. 28. Courts previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 15
Co-defendant Keeli Nycole Wallace, 34, of Covington, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 40 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on Feb. 28. Wallace pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 14, 2024.
Codefendant Donald Jason Miles aka “Crash” aka “Cocho,” 39, of Valdosta State Prison and Forsyth, Georgia, is awaiting sentencing after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 13, 2024. Miles faces a minimum of ten years to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release and a maximum $10 million fine. His sentencing will be scheduled by the Court.
Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The penalties are steep for all those associated with dangerous criminal organizations, especially those directing illegal activity from behind bars,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “GBI and DEA agents worked tirelessly to root out the players tied to this insidious organization responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine sourced from Mexico into Georgia and helping federal prosecutors hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“The Ghostface Gangsters have systematically worked to flood the communities of Georgia with dangerous drugs,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The brazenness of these gang members to continue their criminal acts even behind bars must be met with decisive action to ensure justice and safety for our communities. This investigation shows that the GBI and our partners will work relentlessly to hold those who seek to poison our communities accountable.”
“This career criminal continued his drug trafficking activities despite being incarcerated, demonstrating his complete and wanton disregard for the safety of our community,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA’s efforts in bringing him to justice will ensure this gang member spends even more time in prison.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, undercover Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agents conducted a drug bust at Motel 6 in Albany on Sept. 12, 2022, resulting from a larger investigation into drug trafficking from Georgia prisons. Agents learned Courts, a state prisoner, had arranged a drug transaction from behind bars and hired Wallace as a drug courier to move methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source located in metro Atlanta to Southwest Georgia. Agents arrested Wallace in the parking lot of Motel 6, finding approximately 1,400 grams of methamphetamine and her cell phones.
Investigators discovered that Miles had recruited Wallace as a drug courier several months before her arrest. Wallace admitted she had performed 10-15 deliveries of 250 grams or less of methamphetamine at Miles’s direction. Miles introduced Wallace to Courts; both Miles and Courts are members of the prison-based criminal organization Ghostface Gangsters. Courts is a subordinate of Miles, as demonstrated by Courts giving Miles a portion of the profits he made from selling narcotics. During one transaction, Courts instructed Wallace to obtain methamphetamine from a Mexico-based source of supply near Atlanta, Georgia, and take it to meet a buyer at a Walmart in Albany. The buyer did not show up, and Miles instructed Wallace to return to Atlanta. The next day, Courts told Wallace that the intended buyer was ready. She returned to a Motel 6 in Albany, where she was subsequently arrested.
At the time, Miles was incarcerated at Valdosta State Prison, and Courts was incarcerated at Rutledge State Prison for separate drug trafficking offenses. Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) officers searched their prison cells and recovered contraband mobile phones on Sept. 16, 2022. Search warrants were executed on the phones, and investigators discovered detailed communications between Miles, Courts and Wallace related to the drug conspiracy, including communications involving the Mexico-based source of supply and the trafficking of large quantities of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Wallace was just one courier recruited by Miles and that Miles and Courts had funneled numerous redistributors to the Mexican source of supply near Atlanta, resulting in the distribution of at least 50 kilograms of methamphetamine in two months as a part of this conspiracy. Of the 50 kilograms distributed, Courts was directly responsible for facilitating the distribution of approximately 13 kilograms.
Both Miles and Courts have lengthy criminal histories, including multiple felony convictions for drug distribution and trafficking. Miles was most recently convicted in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia, on April 28, 2021, for conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison. Courts was most recently convicted in the Superior Court of Cobb County, Georgia, on Oct. 1, 2021, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to serve a total of 15 years with eight years to be served in custody and the remainder on probation.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Fraudster Receives Prison Sentence in Illegal Paycheck Protection Program SchemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Jerry Baptiste, the last of 20 defendants charged in a wide-ranging criminal scheme to steal Paycheck Protection Program funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been sentenced for his role in the scheme.
“This defendant and his co-conspirators used an unprecedented global crisis to defraud the government and the American people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Today’s tough, but fair, sentence sends the message that stealing from the government does not pay.”
“This sentencing wraps up an exhaustive investigation into a fraud scheme that stole emergency funds from businesses and individuals that desperately needed them during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will make every effort to ensure federal funds are used as intended and punish anyone who would steal from our government.”
“The sentencings of the 20 defendants serves as a reminder to those who committed PPP fraud that investigations into their criminal acts have not ended,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue their diligent search for those who defrauded the American people during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the third superseding indictment, and other information presented in court: from April 2020 through May 2020, Jerry Baptiste conspired with Darrell Thomas, Denesseria Slaton, Amanda Christian, Charles Petty, Bern Benoit, and others to submit a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan application for Transportation Management Services Inc. (“Transportation Management”), a company that Benoit purported to own. The PPP loan application for Transportation Management falsely represented that it maintained 66 employees and an average monthly payroll of $332,167, and that it would use the PPP funds for payroll, lease payments or mortgage interest, and utilities.
To support its payroll figures, Transportation Management submitted with its PPP loan application false IRS Form 941s, which are the Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, for each quarter of 2019. Transportation Management also included with its PPP loan application a fraudulent bank statement. Through the Transportation Management PPP loan application, Baptiste and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained $830,417. Baptiste also participated in preparing other fraudulent PPP loans.
Jerry Baptiste, 47, of Miami, Florida was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. P. Boulee to six and a half years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of$830,417. On October 29, 2024, Baptiste pleaded guilty to money laundering pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement.
All the defendants in Baptiste’s case have now been convicted and sentenced, with punishments ranging from probation to 15 years’ imprisonment:
- Darrell Thomas. On June 16, 2021, Thomas pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and money laundering. On May 9, 2022, Thomas was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $13,206,752.10 in restitution.
- Andre Lee Gaines. On June 17, 2021, Gaines pleaded guilty to the charge of making a false statement. On October 5, 2021, Gaines was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $806,710 in restitution.
- Kahlil Gibran Green. On September 1, 2020, Green pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. On January 14, 2021, Green was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $830,000 in restitution.
- Bern Benoit. On March 11, 2021, Benoit pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. On September 8, 2021, Benoit was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,105,217 in restitution.
- Carla Jackson. On February 15, 2024, Jackson was found guilty of money laundering by jury verdict. On May 16, 2024, Jackson was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $335,238.22 in restitution.
- Ricky Dixon. On August 1, 2022, Dixon pleaded guilty to the charges of aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit money laundering. On January 25, 2023, Dixon was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,320,928.31 in restitution.
- Meghan Thomas. On July 27, 2022, Thomas pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On May 23, 2023, Thomas was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,381,760.35 in restitution.
- Jesika Blakely. On March 15, 2022, Blakely pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. On February 8, 2023, Blakely was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $5,348,498.89 in restitution.
- Amanda Christian. On March 5, 2022, Christian pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On September 13, 2022, Christian was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $835,542 in restitution.
- Dwan Ashong. On June 29, 2022, Ashong pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. On October 31, 2022, Ashong was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,604,807 in restitution.
- John Gaines. On January 31, 2024, Gaines pleaded guilty to the charge of money laundering. On June 26, 2024, Gaines was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $806,710 in restitution.
- Charles Petty. On November 2, 2021, Petty pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. On February 25, 2022, Petty was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $830,417 in restitution.
- Derek Parker. On April 14, 2022, Parker pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On August 31, 2022, Parker was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $163,620.40 in restitution.
- David Belgrave II. On May 25, 2022, Belgrave pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. On August 25, 2022, Belgrave was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, with 18 months on home detention, and ordered to pay $877,000 in restitution.
- Charles Hill IV. On September 29, 2021, Hill pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On January 12, 2022, Hill was sentenced to five years’ probation, with 27 months on home detention, and ordered to pay $1,004,805 in restitution.
- Ryan Whittley. On May 25, 2022, Whittley pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On August 29, 2022, Whittley was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $797,275 in restitution.
- El Hadj Sall. On August 24, 2022, Sall pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On November 29, 2022, Sall was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $973,585 in restitution.
- Rick McDuffie. On April 27, 2022, McDuffie pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. On August 23, 2022, McDuffie was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay $5,125 in restitution.
- Teldrin Foster. On February 15, 2024, Foster was found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, making a false statement to a federally insured bank, and money laundering by jury verdict. On June 25, 2024, Foster was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $9,606,627.35 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samir Kaushal and Nathan Kitchens, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tal Chaiken and Norman Barnett, of the Northern District of Georgia, and Trial Attorney Siji Moore of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecuted the case.
The Department of Justice remains vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Four Admit Committing Fraud with Checks Stolen from the MailRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Four Franklin County, Missouri men have admitted using stolen checks from the U.S. Mail to commit bank fraud.
Matthew Cahill, 40, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and four counts of bank fraud. Cahill admitted that from roughly February 2020 through September 2021, he and others stole personal checks, business checks, bank account information and the personally identifying information of multiple victims by removing outgoing or delivered mail from mailboxes, residences and vehicles. Cahill and the others altered the checks or created counterfeit checks, and then used those checks at retail stores, deposited them or cashed them at banks. Cahill also electronically accessed a victim’s account and sent an unauthorized online ACH payment to an associate. The scheme created an actual and intended loss of $67,807.
Cahill is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29.
Donald Anderson, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and three counts of bank fraud and has been sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to repay $26,527 to victims.
Joshua Hopkins, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to repay $1,395.
Harvey Hale, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of bank fraud and has been sentenced to 12 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to repay $19,550.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the police departments in the cities of Washington, Union, Eureka, St. Clair and St. Charles investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.
Fort Myers Man Pleads Guilty to Robbing Convenience Stores at GunpointRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Kevoun Najae Watts (22, Fort Myers) has pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Watts faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the robbery offense and a minimum of 7 years, up to life, consecutive to the robbery count for the firearm offense. He has also agreed to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he used to commit the offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Watts admitted to robbing both two convenience stores at gunpoint in Fort Myers on July 31, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Myers Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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.
Former Stoneham Police Officer Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Stoneham Police Officer has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for a bribery and kickback scheme that netted millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts.
Joseph Ponzo, 51, of Stoneham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 27 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Joseph Ponzo was also ordered to pay $115,528 in restitution and a $100,000 fine. In November 2024, Joseph Ponzo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud; 24 counts of honest services wire fraud; one count of making false statements to government officials; and four counts of causing false tax returns to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service from 2016 to 2019. Joseph Ponzo was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2023 along with his brother Christopher Ponzo.
“Joseph Ponzo was a sworn officer, who pledged an oath to uphold the law, not violate it. However, he chose greed over integrity,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Joseph Ponzo’s greed came at the cost of consumers who were left paying the bill. A prison sentence is the price he will now pay for taking bribes and kickbacks.”
“When an officer shrugs off his sworn oath and breaks the law to pad his paycheck like Joseph Ponzo did, he betrays the people of his community – and all of us who wear a badge,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Every year, Massachusetts homeowners spend millions of dollars to fund energy conservation projects for consumers. Joseph Ponzo and his brother cheated them by shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars in a steady stream of bribes and kickbacks to an insider who steered contracts their way, ignoring all ethical boundaries. Know that the FBI will continue to tenaciously investigate such corruption, and bring those involved to justice.”
“Today’s sentencing of Joseph Ponzo demonstrates IRS-CI’s commitment to routing out corruption from all levels of the government.” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Ponzo orchestrated an elaborate kickback scheme to improperly obtain contracts from a government backed program designed to aid the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Programs like Mass Save are designed to help all citizens of Massachusetts, especially the less fortunate, who otherwise would not be able to afford these upgrades to their homes.”
Joseph Ponzo, along with his brother and co-conspirator Christopher Ponzo, conspired to pay, and did pay, tens of thousands of dollars in cash bribes, kickbacks, and other in-kind benefits, including a John Deere tractor, a computer, home bathroom fixtures and free electrical work, among other things, to Company A employees (Associates 1 and 2) in exchange for the Associates’ assistance in getting the defendants millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts.
Massachusetts law requires utility companies to collect an energy efficiency surcharge on all Massachusetts energy consumers. These funds, which amount to hundreds of millions of dollars each year, are to be disbursed by the utility companies to fund energy efficiency programs and initiatives in Massachusetts. Under the Mass Save program, the utility companies select lead vendors, like Company A, to approve and select contractors to perform energy improvement work for residential customers. This contracting work – performed by contractors at no-cost or reduced cost to the customer – is then paid for by Company A with Mass Save funds.
On a weekly basis, from 2013 to 2017, Christopher Ponzo paid Associate 1 $1,000 in cash. At times, Christopher Ponzo paid Associate 1 $5,000 to $10,000 in cash, telling Associate 1 that the extra money was from Joseph Ponzo for his part in the bribery scheme. In return for these payments, Associate 1, among other things, helped Joseph Ponzo set up a shell company, Air Tight, to do insulation work and get approved as a Company A contractor under the Mass Save program. Joseph Ponzo put his spouse’s name on Air Tight incorporation documents and contracting licenses in order to conceal his involvement in his corrupt side business. Despite having no professional experience in residential insulation work, Joseph Ponzo collected over $7 million under the Mass Save program.
After Associate 1 left Company A in 2017, Christopher Ponzo and Joseph Ponzo recruited Associate 2 to the bribery-kickback scheme from approximately 2018 to 2022, paying Associate 2 thousands of dollars in cash and hiring a relative of Associate 2 as part of the ongoing scheme.
During the course of the bribery-kickback scheme, Joseph Ponzo aided in the filing of false tax returns from 2016 to 2019 by claiming hundreds of thousands of dollars in false business deductions. To disguise personal expenses as business deductions, Joseph Ponzo used his company credit card to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in purchases at The Home Depot, Lowes and Staples, claiming to his tax preparers that charges at those establishments were business-related. In reality, Joseph Ponzo used the company credit card at those stores to purchase gift cards that he and his spouse then used to make thousands of dollars in personal expenditures.
In April 2022, both Joseph Ponzo and Christopher Ponzo falsely denied making bribe payments to any Company A employees when interviewed by federal agents.
In February 2025, Christopher Ponzo was sentenced to 27 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Christopher Ponzo was also ordered to pay a $300,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Foley; FBI SAC Cohen; and IRS Acting SAC Demeo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Dustin Chao of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Former State Official and State Representative Charged with Offenses Related to Cancelled State Audit of Medicaid ProviderRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an 18-count indictment charging KONSTANTINOS “KOSTA” DIAMANTIS, 68, of Farmington, and CHRISTOPHER ZIOGAS, 73, of Bristol, with various offenses related to the cancelling of a state audit of a Medicaid provider who engaged in health care fraud.
The indictment was returned on February 25, 2025. Diamantis and Ziogas each appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport, entered pleas of not guilty to the charges in the indictment, and were released on $500,000 bonds.
As alleged in the indictment, between January and June 2020, Diamantis, while serving at Deputy Secretary of the State of Connecticut’s Office of Policy and Management (OPM), and Ziogas, who served as a State Representative for Connecticut’s 79th Assembly District, engaged in a scheme in which Diamantis solicited and received corrupt payments and benefits from Helen Zervas, an optometrist and owner of Family Eye Care in Bristol, in exchange for official acts concerning a State of Connecticut audit of Zervas’s and Family Eye Care’s Medicaid overbilling. Diamantis and Ziogas then took steps to conceal their conduct.
As part of the alleged scheme, in January 2020, an official with Connecticut’s Department of Social Services (DSS) provided notice that it would perform an audit of Zervas’s and Family Eye Care’s Medicaid billing. Zervas, who has been charged separately, knew that she had fraudulently overbilled Medicaid for medical services that she had not provided, or that were not medically necessary. Zervas sought assistance from Ziogas, who was her fiancée, to prevent the DSS audit from proceeding. Ziogas, in turn, sought help from Diamantis. In exchange for payments from Ziogas and Zervas, Diamantis undertook official acts, and pressured other state officials to undertake official acts, aimed at favorably resolving the DSS audit.
As alleged in the indictment, on March 4, 2020, Ziogas made a bribe payment to Diamantis in the amount of $20,000. On that date, Zervas’s attorney emailed a DSS official with a settlement offer to resolve DSS’s audit. The next day, Zervas reimbursed Ziogas with a $25,000 check from Family Eye Care. On March 12, 2020, Ziogas made a $10,000 bribe payment to Diamantis, and was subsequently reimbursed by Zervas. After having been advised and pressured indirectly by Diamantis through officials at OPM and DSS, the DSS official cancelled the DSS audit and, on May 1, 2020, accepted Zervas’s settlement proposal.
The indictment further alleges that, on May 12, 2020, Diamantis and Ziogas delivered a check from Family Eye Care in the amount of $599,810 to DSS. On May 15, 2020, Ziogas, through Zervas, made a final bribe payment of $65,000 to Diamantis.
The indictment also alleges that Diamantis and Ziogas made multiple false statements when interviewed by the FBI during the investigation of this matter, and that Diamantis failed to include the $95,000 in corrupt payments on his 2020 federal tax return.
Finally, the indictment alleges that Ziogas, an attorney, separately committed bank fraud. Ziogas was the trustee of a client trust, identified in the indictment as “Trust-1.” In November 2019, Ziogas prepared and caused to be negotiated a check from Trust-1 in the amount of $5,500 made out to “Kosta Diamantis.”
The indictment charges Diamantis and Ziogas with extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; bribery, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
The indictment also charges Diamantis with seven counts, and Ziogas with two counts, of making false statements, which carries maximum term of imprisonment of five years on each count; Diamantis with one count of filing a false tax return, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years; Ziogas with three counts of making illegal monetary transactions, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count; and Ziogas with one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan N. Francis and David E. Novick.
Former Social Security Administration Employee Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Induce a Social Security Beneficiary for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Social Security Administration (SSA) employee pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to persuade a Social Security beneficiary to cross state lines to engage in prostitution.
Dae Sung Kim, 36, of Auburn, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2025. Kim was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in October 2024 and subsequently charged by Information in December 2024.
In March 2024, Kim handled an in-person visit at the Gardner SSA field office from an individual seeking Social Security benefits after losing her job. After redirecting the individual to another SSA field office near her residence in another state, Kim called the individual, using the phone number he obtained from SSA’s computer system. Kim indicated that he understood she was in a difficult situation and stated that maybe they could “work something out” that would benefit them both.
During a call monitored by law enforcement later that month, Kim again stated to the individual that they could “help each other out” and proposed giving the individual money in exchange for sex. In several subsequent text messages, Kim suggested that the individual travel to Massachusetts to meet him, offering to pay $100 to have sex in a car at a hotel parking lot. When Kim traveled to the hotel parking lot to meet the individual in October 2024, he was confronted by law enforcement.
The charge of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fitchburg and Gardner Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Former Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding His Elderly ClientRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Ronald Diaz, age 41, of Tucson, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 22 months in prison. Diaz pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud on July 18, 2024.
While working as a financial advisor, Diaz engaged in a scheme to defraud one of his elderly clients. To induce the victim into the scheme, Diaz falsely represented an investment opportunity in an “annuity” that “guaranteed” a 10% return. Between November 2020 and July 2022, to disguise his scheme, Diaz directed the victim to transfer $970,000 to Diaz’s family members. Diaz then instructed his family to distribute most of the victim’s funds back to Diaz. Diaz used large portions of the victim’s money for his own personal use including: (1) gambling at casinos; (2) a down payment for a 2021 Range Rover; (3) payments for credit card debt; (4) to remodel Diaz’s family pool; (5) mortgage payments; and (6) other personal expenses. Diaz made some “interest” payments to entice the victim into providing additional money throughout the scheme. None of the victim’s money was used towards any legitimate investment. During the investigation of the case, the victim passed away. As part of his sentence, Diaz was ordered to pay the victim’s next of kin $867,510.37 for the loss the victim suffered as a result of the scheme.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-04092-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-026_Diaz# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Fleeing felon with machinegun conversion device lands more federal prison timeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 33-year-old man has been ordered to prison after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase through the streets of Houston, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Evan Jones pleaded guilty July 3, 2024, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal has now ordered Jones to serve 108 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court noted a substantial sentence was warranted based on the facts of the case and Jones’ criminal history which includes two convictions for possession with intent to distribute heroin and one for reckless operation of a motor vehicle.
Authorities had tracked Jones to Houston where they attempted to arrest him on an outstanding warrant. As they approached him in a restaurant parking lot, Jones escaped and led the them on a high-speed chase through the streets of Houston. In the process, Jones drove on the wrong side of the road, ran a red light and collided with two vehicles.
His airbags deployed, and Jones then fled on foot. A local law enforcement officer tackled him, at which time Jones pulled out a Glock pistol he was carrying in his waistband.
The investigation revealed the gun was equipped with a machinegun conversion device. These are illegal and enable guns to be converted from semi-automatic to fully-automatic fire.
Jones has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ganz prosecuted the case.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Making and Passing Counterfeit CurrencyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cornelius Stewart, 30, Fitchburg, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 4 years in federal prison for making and passing counterfeit $100 bills. Stewart pleaded guilty to this charge on December 9, 2024.
Stewart and co-defendant Alex Stubbs were charged with passing numerous counterfeit $100 bills in various cities throughout Wisconsin. The investigation showed that between July and November of 2023, Stewart provided Stubbs with dozens of fake $100 bills having the same serial number to present to merchants when making small purchases, thereby obtaining large amounts of change in legitimate U.S. currency. Stewart also passed some of the bills himself.
In December 2023, a Dane County Sheriff’s deputy approached Stewart’s car to investigate attempts to pass the counterfeit money in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. Stewart sped off and dragged the deputy with the car, causing injuries. Stewart was convicted in Dane County for recklessly endangering the safety of the deputy and sentenced to five years in prison in May of 2024.
At the time of this offense, Stewart was on federal supervision for a previous conviction for manufacturing and passing counterfeit $100 bills in 2019. In addition, Stewart had been convicted federally in 2017 for the same offense.
In sentencing Stewart, Judge Conley gave considerable weight to Stewart’s repeated return to counterfeiting activity, observing that a significant prison sentence was necessary to deter Stewart’s choice to repeat it in the future. Judge Conley noted that Stewart’s conduct victimized small businesses who were impacted by the losses, as well as damaging the confidence in U.S. currency. Judge Conley ordered Stewart to pay $6800 in restitution to the businesses impacted.
In addition to the 4-year prison sentence for the current offense, Judge Conley revoked Stewart’s federal supervision and sentenced him to an additional 15 months in prison, for a total sentence of 63 months.
On December 12, 2024, Judge Conley sentenced codefendant Alex Stubbs to 14 months in prison for his role in passing the counterfeit bills.
The charges against Stewart and Stubbs were the result of an investigation conducted by numerous local law enforcement agencies, including police departments in Madison, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, Lake Mills, Marshall, Verona, Shorewood Hills, Tomah, Oconomowoc, as well as the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism Announces Visits to 10 College Campuses that Experienced Incidents of AntisemitismRead the Press Release
The Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced that it will be visiting 10 university campuses that have experienced antisemitic incidents since October 2023. Created pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order on Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism, the Task Force set as its first priority to eradicate antisemitic harassment in schools and on college campuses.
Leading Task Force member and Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Leo Terrell informed the 10 universities yesterday that the Task Force was aware of allegations that the schools may have failed to protect Jewish students and faculty members from unlawful discrimination, in potential violation of federal law. Mr. Terrell said he intends for the Task Force to meet with university leadership, impacted students and staff, local law enforcement, and community members as it gathers information about these incidents and considers whether remedial action is warranted.
“The President, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and the entire Administration are committed to ensuring that no one should feel unsafe or unwelcome on campus because of their religion,” said Mr. Terrell. “The Task Force’s mandate is to bring the full force of the federal government to bear in our effort to eradicate Anti-Semitism, particularly in schools. These visits are just one of many steps this Administration is taking to deliver on that commitment.”
The 10 universities identified by the Task Force are: Columbia University; George Washington University; Harvard University; Johns Hopkins University; New York University; Northwestern University; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Minnesota; and the University of Southern California.
If you have been discriminated against, you can file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division at civilrights.justice.gov. President Trump’s Executive Order can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/additional-measures-to-combat-anti-semitism/.
Federal Jury Finds Minneapolis Felon Guilty of Fentanyl and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found a Minneapolis man guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to evidence presented at trial, on February 24, 2023, law enforcement executed multiple search warrants on Kevin Deandre Bennett, 46. Law enforcement officers recovered more than 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, over $10,000 in cash, and a Glock model 19 9mm semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine from Bennet’s apartment, storage lockers, and on his person. Law enforcement also recovered drug related paraphernalia including a narcotics press, scale, and individual baggies containing smaller, distributable quantities of fentanyl.Following a three-day trial before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court, a jury found Bennett guilty on two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew C. Murphy and Andrew Dunne tried the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Wister Resident of First Degree MurderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Kendall Lee Forrester, age 35, of Wister, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of First Degree Murder in Indian Country, one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and one count of Causing the Death of a Person in the Course of a Violation of Title 18 United States Code Section 924(c).
The jury trial began with testimony on February 24, 2025, and concluded on February 27, 2025, with the guilty verdicts.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on the morning of October 31, 2023, Forrester shot and killed the victim with a single gunshot wound to the head. On November 1, 2023, the victim’s body and a set of bloody towels were discovered wrapped in plastic sheeting inside a hope chest in the back of the victim’s vehicle. At trial, the United States presented evidence from the officers who conducted a traffic stop on Forrester that while inventorying Forrester’s vehicle they discovered a 9mm handgun, one 9mm magazine loaded with 9 rounds ammunition, and a trash bag of freshly washed clothes and towels. Investigators also testified that a search of Forrester’s Wister residence a few hours later uncovered more towels appearing to be from the same set and a roll of plastic sheeting matching the plastic wrapped around the victim’s body. Additionally, a fingerprint comparison expert testified that a latent print found on the sheeting around the victim’s body matched Forrester’s prints. The United States also presented evidence that the chest had been in Forrester’s living room only hours before.
The guilty verdicts were the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Heavener Police.
The crimes occurred in LeFlore County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. Forrester will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals until sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Dean Burris represented the United States.
Farmington Hills Man Convicted in a Racially Motivated Assault of a Postal WorkerRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Farmington Hills man was convicted by a federal jury yesterday on charges of assaulting a United States Postal Worker, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced today.
Beck was joined in the announcement by Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S Postal Inspection Service's Detroit Division.
Russell Valleau, 62, was convicted following a three-day jury trial before United States District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds. The jury also unanimously found that Valleau intentionally selected the letter carrier as the object of his offense because of her actual or perceived race or color. The jury deliberated approximately two hours before returning their verdict. Valleau was convicted of assaulting a federal employee but acquitted of using a dangerous weapon in the assault.
Evidence presented at the trial established that Valleau, angered by receiving a black person’s mail in his mailbox, aggressively approached the passenger window of his letter carrier’s postal truck yelling racially charged insults at her. This letter carrier, a black woman herself, tried to diffuse the situation by directing him to leave the unwanted mail in his mailbox. Undeterred, Valleau continued his insults, now pointing the vitriol directly to the letter carrier. When she asked him to step away from her vehicle, he attempted to attack her through her open passenger window. Valleau was only thwarted when the letter carrier sprayed him in the face with her USPS-issued mace and drove away. Once apprehended, Valleau continued his offensive and profane language while in the custody of the officers – this included referring to his letter carrier as a “f**king smelly n**ger.” When officers admonished him for his language, he responded: “Oh, you like n**gers.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Beck stated, “A letter carrier was simply trying to do her job, and this defendant physically attacked her while using racist and offensive language. This type of behavior has no place in our community and will not be tolerated.”
“As the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the Postal Inspection Service prioritizes the safety and security of postal employees above all else,” said Detroit Division Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. “Let this verdict be a warning to those who threaten, intimidate, or otherwise harm the dedicated men and women of USPS: We will arrest you, and we will seek to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Court scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 27, 2025 at 10:00 AM. Valleau faces up to twelve months incarceration.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Farmington Hills Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Carlson and Darrin Crawford.
Essex County Armed Career Criminal Charged with Weapons Possession and Trafficking Fentanyl, Heroin, and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man was charged today with (i) being a felon in possession of a firearm, (ii) possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, and (iii) possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Michael Weaver, 38, of Irvington, New Jersey was charged today by superseding indictment with the above-referenced charges, and his arraignment will be scheduled before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court.
As a result of Weaver’s significant and violent criminal history, which includes numerous convictions in Essex County for robbery, aggravated assault, unlawful weapons possession, and drug trafficking, he was charged under the Armed Career Criminal Act. That charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. In total, as a result of all the charges in the Superseding Indictment, Weaver faces a total mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of imprisonment of life in prison. Each offense carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Chief Mitchell G. McGuire, and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Emanuel Miranda, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
El Salvador National Previously Convicted of Double Homicide Charged with Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A citizen of El Salvador who was previously convicted for double homicide and sentenced to 50 years in prison in El Salvador, was charged with illegally reentering the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
César Eliseo Sorto-Amaya, 28, was charged today by complaint with illegally reentering the United States and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal Court.
According to documents filed in this case, public statements and statements made in court:
Since 2015, Sorto-Amaya was deported from and illegally returned to the United States three separate times, including one time where he was deported after being convicted of weapons possession charges in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In April 2024, Sorto-Amaya was convicted in abstentia in El Salvador of double aggravated homicide and sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris, and law enforcement authorities in El Salvador, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Carol Dominguez, Esq.
sorto_amaya.complaint.pdfEight Gang Members Arrested in Operation Targeting Area Known as "Dead End"Read the Press Release
Eight gang members were arrested Tuesday in ATF-led “Operation Blue Laces,” announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Monday’s takedown, which occurred in the Wheatley Place Neighborhood in South Dallas, resulted in the apprehension of eight members of the 42 Oakland Crips street gang. They made their initial appearances Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee H. Toliver.
Those charged in three separate indictments include:
- Kendrick Jamal Young, aka “Peanut,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a FedArm AR-15 style pistol), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Christopher Jamiel Love, aka “Black,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a FedArm AR-style pistol) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Alex Jerome Bowman, aka “Big A,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
- Victor Scott Wingham, aka “Johnny Joe,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
- Joshua Jimond Wheatley, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
- Travion Williams, aka “Traa Savage,” charged with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Glock 9mm pistol)
- Jihadd Thies Gorree Thomas, charged with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Glock 9mm pistol)
- Jamarian Augustus Hewitt, charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Ruger 9mm pistol), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime , and using a communication facility (cell phone) to facilitate a drug felony
At a detention hearing on Friday, prosecutors said defendants had been dealing drugs on a daily basis on Dallas’ Casey Street, in an area known as the “Dead End.” Phone records introduced into evidence showed that several members of the conspiracy texted to warn one another about upcoming law enforcement raids, sent young people in to look for missing dope following the raids, and went right back to dealing drugs after the raids concluded.
Many of the arrestees had extensive criminal histories, with rap sheets that included drug and gun crimes.
During the takedown, agents seized 14 firearms, more than a kilogram’s worth of methamphetamine pills, as well as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, alprazolam, marijuana, TXC wax, hash, and more than $47,000 in cash. They also seized six vehicles, several pieces of Crips -themed jewelry, and a caiman alligator, which was transported to the Dallas Zoo.
Indictments are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, some defendants face up to life in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, the Dallas Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, IRS – Criminal Investigative Division, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Game Wardens. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assisted with care and transportation of the seized alligator. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case.
D.C. Man Convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deangelo Lorenzo Lewis, 28, of Washington D.C., was found guilty today of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 30, 2025.
The conviction was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and United States Marshal Robert A. Dixon, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division,
According to court documents, Deputy U.S. Marshals arrested Lewis on October 3, 2023, in an apartment that he had rented using a stolen identity. After securing Lewis and the apartment, Deputy U.S. Marshals applied for, received, and executed a search warrant on the apartment where they discovered more than $150,000 worth of checks that appeared to have been stolen from the U.S. mail, a check printer, and blank check stock, as well as driver’s licenses and social security cards issued to persons other than Lewis. Deputy U.S. Marshals also discovered a Century Arms, Micro Draco 7.62 x 39mm semi-automatic assault pistol, two 9mm handgun magazines, and approximately 1 ½ pounds of marijuana packaged for distribution. The Micro Draco was loaded with 26 rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service with assistance from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson, Justin F. Song, Jacqueline O. Yarbro and Paralegal Specialist Jenna Lee.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Second OffenseRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Shannon T. Hanson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Michael Natale, of Laurel, Delaware, was sentenced yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware for his crime of possessing child sexual abuse material. The Honorable Colm F. Connolly, Chief Judge, issued the sentence.
In October 2024, Mr. Natale plead guilty to Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. The case against Mr. Natale arose from conversations he was having online with another individual on the instant messaging platform “Kik.” Mr. Natale and the other individual exchanged graphic videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, to include the sexual abuse of the other individual’s own young son. That individual was arrested and a search of her Kik account led to the identification of Mr. Natale.
Today, Chief Judge Connolly sentenced Mr. Natale to 10 years of imprisonment. This sentence is the mandatory minimum sentence Mr. Natale must serve because he has a prior conviction in the State of Delaware for dealing in child pornography.
Acting U.S. Attorney Hanson stated, “Our office has always been dedicated to the protection of Delaware’s most vulnerable community members, the children. We will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit children for their own twisted satisfaction, especially those who refuse to change their behavior after previous convictions. I commend the FBI’s dedication and collaboration across districts in bringing this case, and that of Mr. Natale’s co-conspirator, to justice.”
“Natale posed a significant threat to children as demonstrated by his repeated perverse and sick exploitation. Even in the darkest corners of the internet, the FBI will find a way to seek justice for our children and stop the monsters who threaten their innocence and sense of security,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Briana Knox is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Shooting Mother and Minor DaughterRead the Press Release
St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Miguel Marrero, 52, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Emile A. Henderson, III, to Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Assault in the First Degree, and Assault in the First Degree. For his conviction, Marrero faces a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, on July 4, 2024, Marrero's minor son was involved in a physical altercation with a minor female at the Candido Guadalupe Terrace housing community in St. Croix where they both reside. The mother of the minor female rushed to area to stop the altercation and confronted Marrero who watched as the minors fought. The minor female’s mother allegedly struck Marrero in the face, and as she attempted to leave the area, Marrero shot her in her back. Marrero then shot the minor female in her leg and ankle as she attempted to flee the area. The mother of the minor female suffered significant physical injuries as a result of the gunshot wound to her back and was airlifted off-island for medical treatment. In 2000, Marrero was convicted in federal court of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Virgin Islands Police Department investigated this case and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston is prosecuting the case. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. For more information on the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods, please see: https://www.justice.gov/psn.
Columbus man pleads guilty to sextorting minor females through social media, possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jacob M. Rager, 21, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to sextorting at least two female victims and possessing child pornography.
According to court documents, in April 2023, one of Rager’s victims contacted the FBI National Threat Operations Center to report the distribution of nude photos of her at age 17. The female had communicated with Rager on Instagram and sent nude photos of herself to Rager on two occasions in February and November 2022, including once for a $15 payment.
In March 2023, Rager told the victim to send another nude photo of herself or he would send the prior photos of her to her friends. The victim did not comply, and Rager sent the nude images to a high school friend of the victim.
In October 2023, Rager sent messages to the victim via a TikTok account saying, “I have your nudes still. Reply unless you want me to expose you to everyone you know…”
During the course of their investigation, FBI agents became aware of a second victim whose nude images were also distributed to various individuals by Rager.
Rager sent the second victim a link on her Instagram account in October 2023 that connected to a mega site containing 70 folders. The folders were named after girls who attended Ohio University, including a folder of the victim. The images of videos of the females appeared to have been saved from the Snapchat account of each person.
Further, Rager created an Instagram account titled with the full name of the second victim and ending with the word “destruction.” He messaged the victim from this account saying, “i have your nudes still. unless you want me to show your friends, family and both your brothers i suggest you reply. im gonna make an example out of you if you don’t reply.”
Even after being contacted by the FBI and learning of the federal investigation pending against him, Rager continued to contact the second victim from various accounts on TikTok and Instagram.
When agents searched his cell phone, they discovered Rager possessed other child pornography of females ages approximately 10 to 15 years old. The images included minor females inserting objects like bottles and brushes into their vaginas.
Possessing child pornography is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison and using interstate communications to extort carries a potential maximum sentence of up to two years in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
Columbia Man Returns to Federal Prison Following Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Daisean Montez Skeeters, 31, of Columbia, has been sentenced to a total of 57 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, which violated both federal criminal law and his federal supervised release from a previous conviction.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on July 17, 2024, Columbia Police Department officers responded to a domestic violence call at Skeeters’ home. After arriving, police learned there might be firearms in the home. Because Skeeters was already on federal supervised release for a previous weapons conviction, agents also spoke to his U.S. Probation Officer, who said that he was also advised of firearms in the home. Agents obtained a search warrant for the residence and located two firearms. Agents obtained a second search warrant for Skeeters’ DNA to compare to swabs taken from those firearms. DNA testing confirmed an extremely high probability that Skeeters’ DNA was present on one of the firearms. Skeeters entered a guilty plea to knowingly possessing that particular firearm as a convicted felon.
Skeeters was already on federal supervised release following a previous conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, this conviction was also a violation of the terms of that supervised release. Skeeters was also a high-ranking member of a violent street gang in Columbia.
United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Skeeters to a total of 57 months’ imprisonment, which was comprised of a 24-month revocation of his supervised release and a consecutive term of 33 months’ imprisonment for the new criminal charge, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. 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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott Daniels and Matthew Sanford are prosecuting the case.
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Colorado Dentist Pleads Guilty to Multiple Tax Evasion ChargesRead the Press Release
A Colorado dentist pleaded guilty today to six counts of tax evasion related to his use of an illegal tax shelter.
According to court documents and statements made in court, since 2014, Ryan Ulibarri owned and operated Ulibarri Family Dentistry in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 2016, Ulibarri purchased an abusive-trust tax shelter for $50,000. The tax shelter involved concealing income and creating false tax deductions through the use of a so-called business trust, family trust, charitable trust and a private family foundation, all of which Ulibarri created and controlled. From 2017 through 2022, Ulibarri used this tax shelter to conceal from the IRS over $3.5 million in income he earned from his dental practice.
To set up the tax shelter, Ulibarri, as the purported trustee, signed trust instruments purporting to create the three trusts and foundation, and he opened bank accounts in the name of each. He further recruited friends to falsely sign his trust instruments as the purported creators of the trusts. Ulibarri then transferred majority ownership of his dental practice to the business trust. Ulibarri did this despite having been warned by attorneys and CPAs that, in Colorado, a trust could not own a dental practice.
He then transferred over $3 million he earned from his dental practice into the bank accounts of the various trusts and foundation to create the illusion that the funds belonged to those entities. In reality, Ulibarri retained complete control over the funds and used the funds to pay for personal expenses including his home mortgage, credit card bills, boats and professional baseball season tickets. Finally, he filed false tax returns for himself, his dental practice, the trusts and foundation that falsely reported the income he earned from his dental practice as income of the trusts. On those tax returns Ulibarri also claimed fraudulent deductions for his personal living expenses which he disguised as trust expenses and charitable donations.
In total, Ulibarri is alleged to have caused a tax loss to the IRS of over $1 million.
Ulibarri is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of tax evasion as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Special Agent in Charge Amanda Prestegard of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Denver Field Office made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Amanda R. Scott and Lauren K. Pope and Assistant Chief Andrew J. Kameros of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Cocaine Delivery Service Driver Is Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Dusan Dimic, 41, of Reston, Virginia., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation that used Zipcars, rental cars, and privately owned vehicles to deliver cocaine to customers throughout the Northwest.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., DEA Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Dimic pleaded guilty on November 12, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. In addition to the 41-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Dimic to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in August 2022, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) began an investigation into individuals operating a narcotics delivery service, operating primarily in Northwest Washington, D.C. using rental vehicles and rideshare services.
Undercover law enforcement agents conducted 14 controlled purchases of illegal narcotics from Dimic’s co-conspirator. Dimic served as either the driver for the co-conspirator or arranged for a driver to drive the co-conspirator to distribute narcotics. During the undercover controlled purchases, Dimic frequently sat in the driver’s seat, the co-conspirator always sat in the front passenger’s seat, and the undercover agent (as the customer) sat in the rear passenger’s seat. The drug transactions took place immediately next to Dimic while he remained in the driver’s seat.
Dimic typically conducted drug transactions on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Dimic typically began his route by driving to a supermarket on the 2200 block of I Street NW, to meet his co-conspirator. The two men then proceeded to pick up various individuals, meeting with them for a brief period to engage in narcotics sales.
Zipcar records show Dimic’s name listed on the account and Dimic’s credit card on file as the form of payment for the vehicles used during the conspiracy. On certain days, when Dimic was not the driver, he would provide transportation and drivers for his co-conspirator.
At approximately 5:24 p.m. on September 21, 2023, law enforcement arrested Dimic and his co-defendant. From Dimic, law enforcement recovered 90 grams of cocaine located on the front driver’s side floorboard, a small blue bag with Dimic’s identification cards, his cell phone, and $2,304.51 in cash. From the co-defendant, law enforcement recovered $4,454.74 in cash, a blue bookbag containing multiple eyeglass containers with 483 grams of cocaine, and a medicine bottle containing 90 grams of methamphetamine pills located on the front passenger floorboard.
During the course of the conspiracy, Dimic and his co-conspirators sold an average of 56 grams of cocaine per day from August 2022 to August 2023.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the MPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Iris McCranie and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Rasalam with valuable assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Crosby and Lauren Randall.
Co-Leader of Transnational Drug Trafficking Organization Arrives in the U.S. to Face Federal Narcotics and Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking enterprise co-helmed by former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been sent to the United States from Mexico to face federal charges alleging that he ran a continuing criminal enterprise, committed murder and attempted murder, and conspired to possess, distribute, and export cocaine, the Justice Department announced today.
Andrew Clark, 34, a Canadian citizen who was residing in Mexico, was arrested by Mexican authorities in October 2024 and is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in United States District Court in Phoenix on charges contained in a 16-count superseding indictment out of the Central District of California. Alongside Wedding, Clark allegedly controlled a billion-dollar drug enterprise with supply routes that transported ton-quantities of cocaine from Colombia to Canada by way of Mexico and Southern California.
From March to August 2024, Wedding and Clark allegedly conspired with others to export, possess, and distribute more than 1,800 kilograms of cocaine. In addition, using a network of virtual currency wallets, Wedding, Clark, and their co-conspirators transferred approximately a quarter of a billion dollars from April to September 2024. In one day, investigators seized more than $3 million dollars from one cryptocurrency wallet.
“The defendant, as described in the superseding indictment, played a key role in running a violent, international drug trafficking organization that was responsible for multiple murders,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “We are grateful to have him in the United States where he will face justice. When law enforcement officials around the globe work together, there is nowhere criminals can hide.”
The superseding indictment alleges that Wedding and Clark, whose aliases include “The Dictator,” directed the November 20, 2023, murders of two individuals and the attempted murder of a third victim in Ontario, Canada. Wedding and Clark also allegedly ordered the murder of a fourth individual on May 18, 2024. Clark and another co-defendant are also charged with the April 1, 2024, murder of a fifth individual in Ontario, Canada.
Clark is the second-named defendant in the superseding indictment that charges a total of 16 defendants. With Clark’s expected court appearance, a total of eight defendants will have been arraigned in this case. Clark’s co-conspirators are scheduled to begin trial on May 6.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
If convicted, Clark would face a mandatory minimum penalty of life in federal prison on the continuing criminal enterprise charge. The murder and attempted murder charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The drug trafficking charges carry mandatory minimum penalties of 10 years in prison.
The FBI investigated this matter with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Federal Policing. In addition, significant assistance was provided by U.S. law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations – Detroit and United States Customs and Border Protection – Buffalo; Canadian law enforcement partners, including Niagara Regional Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Service, and Peel Regional Police; Mexican law enforcement partners, including the Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la República) and the Criminal Investigation Agency (Agencia de Investigación Criminal); and Colombian law enforcement partners, including Colombian National Police – Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol, Special Interagency Investigation Group (Policía Nacional de Colombia – Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol, Grupo Especial de Investigación Interagenciales). This investigation was conducted with the support of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Maria Jhai of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Clewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Antowan Jabaar Cain (45, Clewiston) has pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Cain faces a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. For the firearm offense, Cain faces a minimum of 5 years, up to life imprisonment, consecutive to the sentence imposed for the distribution offense. He has also agreed to forfeit the firearm used in the offense.
According to the plea agreement, on December 12, 2024, Cain sold a firearm and methamphetamine in Hendry County.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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.
Chesapeake man pleads guilty after attempting to transport a child for sexRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Chesapeake man pled guilty today to attempted coercion and enticement of a child.
According to court documents, on Feb. 16, 2024, Kyle Andrew Babiak, 31, began communicating through a social media app with an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) whom Babiak believed to be a 14-year-old girl. During the messaging conversation between Babiak and the UC, Babiak directly acknowledged and expressed concern over the girl’s age, writing that he could “wind up in a court martial.” Babiak, and active duty sailor, sent a photograph of himself in what appeared to be a Navy uniform and asked for the girl to send a photograph in return.
Babiak suggested things they could do together in person and again acknowledged that he believed the person with whom he was communicating was a minor. Babiak continued to escalate the sexual content of his messages to include explicitly describing sexual acts he desired with the girl and sent sexually explicit photos of himself.
When the UC noted that the girl’s parents were not home, Babiak requested her address and made plans to pick up the girl and drive her back to his residence. Babiak specifically asked the UC if the girl’s parents tracked her location. During the drive to pick up the girl, Babiak continued sending sexually explicit messages that acknowledged that he believed the girl was a minor.
When Babiak arrived at the address provided by the UC, he parked his car, approached the front door of the residence, and was arrested by NCIS agents and officers from the Hampton Police Department.
Babiak is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; Emily Schmid, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office; and Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-76.
Central Coast Woman Arrested on Complaint Alleging She Created Hundreds of Bogus Medical Documents for Immigration ApplicantsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Luis Obispo County woman has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging she created hundreds of fraudulent immigration documents by misusing physicians’ credentials to show compliance with medical examination requirements for immigrants to register for green cards or otherwise adjust their immigration status, the Justice Department announced today.
Chantelle Lavergne Woods, 54, of Nipomo, is charged with fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Woods was arrested on Wednesday made her initial appearance Thursday in United States District Court and a federal magistrate judge ordered her released on $10,000 bond. Her arraignment is scheduled for March 25.
“The fraudulent conduct described in the criminal complaint undermined the integrity of our nation’s immigration system,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “We commend our law enforcement partners for putting a stop to it.”
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires the submission of a medical examination and vaccination record that assess several physical and mental health factors to determine an applicant’s legal status. Federal law requires licensed physicians – or “civil surgeons” – to perform these examinations.
According to an affidavit filed on February 18 with the complaint, from February 2021 to April 2024, Woods, while operating an Arroyo Grande medical clinic, created hundreds of fraudulent documents pertaining to medical examination and vaccination requirements for individuals seeking to register for a lawful permanent resident (LPR) card – commonly known as a “green card” – or otherwise adjust their immigration status.
Woods allegedly maintained a website that advertised itself as a “Medical Weight Loss and Immigration Services” clinic that, in part, purported to help applicants with immigration physicals. One of the doctors listed on that website as an “M.D. Board Certified Neurologist and Designated Civil Surgeon for USCIS” was in fact, according to the California Medical Board website, a pediatrician, not a neurologist.
She allegedly forged several doctors’ signatures – including one doctor who died before Woods prepared the fraudulent immigration forms.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Ventura Resident Office Tactical Diversion Squad and USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Elia Herrera of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section and Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.
Cayce Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison on Drug Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kayla Martin, 34, of Cayce, was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Martin and Michael Tart were arrested in April 2022 after Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department investigators seized over a kilogram of methamphetamine and a firearm from a vehicle Tart was driving on I-77 North in Richland County. Martin had previously arranged for Tart to pick up the methamphetamine from her home. A subsequent search of Martin’s home uncovered a .380 pistol along with drug residue and other drug paraphernalia. At the time, Martin was a convicted felon and on supervised release from a 2020 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Martin’s conviction for the April 2022 incident was a violation of her supervised release. Martin also faces charges with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office in another drug-related incident in 2020. Tart has pleaded guilty for his part in this incident and is awaiting sentencing.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Martin to 123 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. 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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are prosecuting the case.
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