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21 February 2025
Previously Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Life in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Victor Armando Simms, 54, a previously convicted sex offender who most recently lived in Southeast Washington D.C., was sentenced today to life in federal prison in connection with his sexual abuse of multiple young girls, recording many of the incidents, and amassing a library of 3,300 still images and over 250 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Chief Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Simms, aka “Stacey Patrick Simms,” pleaded guilty on May 20, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan to first degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, two counts of aggravated sexual abuse with children, three counts of sexual exploitation of children, and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, law enforcement was called on January 15, 2023, when a young girl discovered explicit images of child sexual abuse depicting herself on an iPad belonging to Simms. The same day, Simms was formally placed under arrest and charged by complaint with one count of first-degree child sexual abuse in D.C. Superior Court.
On January 17, 2023, the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force executed a search warrant at Simms’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices including an iPad and a one-terabyte external hard drive. In addition, law enforcement agents seized numerous pills and pill bottles, which were believed to be used to sedate the young victims. Many of the videos produced by Simms showed the young victims asleep during the sexual assaults.
The forensic examination of the external hard drive revealed 3300 still images and 250 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, many of which included metadata indicating the date, time, and location where the file was initially produced. The metadata indicated that the minor female victims were sexually exploited and abused by Simms in Washington D.C., and at hotels in Maryland and Virginia. The investigation into this matter also revealed that Simms has engaged in acts of child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of minors since approximately 1997.
According to court documents, Simms is a previously adjudicated sex offender. He was convicted in North Carolina in 2005 of indecent liberties with a six-year-old child and a felony child sex act.
According to court documents, Simms used drugs to incapacitate some of the children, but not all, to make it easier to abuse them and to ensure they had no memory of his criminal conduct. He recorded the sexual abuse of these children, including anally and vaginally penetrating them, to ensure he had souvenirs of his crimes to carry with him. He raped and abused at least ten young victims.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents and detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Bond, Sarah Folse, and Caroline Burrell. The prosecution team received valuable assistance from Victim-Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko, as well as former Paralegal Specialist Alexis Spencer-Anderson.
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Parmelee Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault by an Habitual OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender. The sentencing took place on February 20, 2025.
William Verlin Fool Bull, Sr., age 45, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Fool Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 19, 2024.
By October 4, 2023, Fool Bull had been in a relationship with his girlfriend for approximately 10 years. They lived together with their two young children in Parmelee, which lies within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On October 4, Fool Bull punched his girlfriend in the face several times and suffocated her in their home. The assault stopped when Fool Bull’s girlfriend kicked him in the knee and fled. Fool Bull has two prior convictions for domestic abuse.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Fool Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
O’Fallon, Missouri Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison on Child Sex ChargesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man who engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old that he met online and discussed sex with another 15-year-old to 25 years in prison.
Andrew Haller, 34, met two 15-year-old girls on Tumblr before moving their conversations to the encrypted app Telegram.
The 15-year-old California victim came forward in October of 2023 and told the FBI that Haller was sexually abusing another teen. She said Haller told her that he had imposed rules on the other victim, and proposed rules for the California victim. The rules included that she would have to ask his permission once a day to urinate, wear a collar and refer to him only as “Sir,” Dad” or “Daddy.” He also asked her for nude photos and sent her photos and videos of the other victim.
After identifying Haller and performing a court-approved search of his home in November of 2023, the FBI identified that other victim. The victim told the FBI that she met Haller in person twice in 2023 and engaged in sexual activity. Haller struck her during the first visit and took pictures and videos of her, his plea says. He also told her he wanted to abuse children too young to talk or remember the abuse. She sent Haller sexually explicit photos at his direction.
In a letter to the court, the second victim said Haller won her trust by claiming that he suffered mental illness, as she did. Then he began controlling her, making demands and ordering her to carve his initial into her thigh. “He wanted me to have kids so he could abuse them,” she wrote.
Haller also possessed 195 images and 92 videos of known or suspected child sexual abuse material and sent that material to others via Telegram and Signal, another encrypted app, his plea says.
Haller pleaded guilty in October to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Orleans Parish Resident Guilty of Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson announced today that DAVID KELLUP JR., (“KELLUP”), age 45, of New Orleans, pled guilty on February 13, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to Counts 2, 4, 5, and 8 of the indictment pending against him. Sentencing is scheduled for May 24, 2025.
KELLUP was charged in Count 2 with Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). At sentencing, he faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release.
KELLUP was charged in Count 4 with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1). At sentencing, he faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment. Any sentence on Count 4 must run consecutive to any other sentence.
KELLUP was charged in Count 5 with possessing firearms after being convicted of certain felonies, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). At sentencing, he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment.
KELLUP was charged in Count 8 with maintaining a drug-involved premises, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 856(a) and Title 18 U.S.C. § 2. Count 8 carries up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment. All four counts also carry a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least May 8, 2024, KELLUP and other individuals, maintained three residences in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans for the purpose of packaging and distributing narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. Several of these individuals furthered this drug trafficking conspiracy by possessing firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Orange Park Man Sentenced to Two Years’ Imprisonment for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced D’eante Corker (25, Orange Park) to two years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Corker was found guilty on November 26, 2024, following a bench trial.
According to court documents, on March 27, 2024, a deputy from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Corker. During the stop, a canine officer arrived at the scene and his canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, which led to a search of Corker’s vehicle. During the search, a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol was found under the hood of the vehicle. Corker admitted to knowing about the firearm under the hood and that he was unable to lawfully possess firearms as a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clay County Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
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.
Oklahoma City Woman Sentenced for Stealing More than $1.1M from her EmployerRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Amy D. Shelton, 38, for Bank Fraud and Willfully Making and Subscribing a False Federal Income Tax Return. Judge Frizzell ordered Shelton to be imprisoned for 30 months, followed by five years of supervised release. Further, Judge Frizzell ordered Shelton to pay $870,934.67 in restitution to her former employer and $309,167 to the IRS.
“Shelton not only stole from a local business owner, but she also betrayed her employer’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This deliberate decision not only affected her employer but also defrauded the government, harming taxpayers.”
“Ms. Shelton’s sentence sends a clear message that tax fraud is not a victimless crime, and the government will hold these criminals accountable for their actions,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office. “She broke the trust of her former employer by embezzling more than a million dollars and then chose not to include all her income when she filed her taxes. The women and men of IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to bring people to justice who blatantly disregard their civic duty and willfully break the law by filing false tax returns. As part of her plea agreement and sentencing, Ms. Shelton is ordered to pay almost $1.2 million in restitution to her former employer and the IRS for back taxes, penalties, and interest.”
According to court documents, Shelton began working as an account manager for her employer in 2015. She was entrusted with handling payroll, paying bills, collecting rent, and updating financial documents. From May 2019 through November 2022, Shelton wrote more than 150 checks to herself, totaling more than 1.1 million dollars. With those funds, Shelton purchased luxury items, including recreational vehicles, purses, jewelry, and dozens of firearms. Further, Shelton did not report her income accurately and falsified her tax refunds.
Shelton was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The IRS-Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot P. Anderson prosecuted it.
Ohio doctor agrees to pay $600,000 to settle False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – An Ohio physician has agreed to pay the United States $600,000, plus contingent payments, to resolve False Claims Act allegations that he submitted fraudulent Medicare claims related to electro-acupuncture devices.
Ronald F. Ambrosia, 56, of Powell, Ohio, is a doctor licensed in Ohio who provided electrical nerve pulse stimulation services to patients in facilities across the state.
From 2016 until 2018, Ambrosia allegedly improperly billed Medicare for the application of percutaneous electrical nerve pulse stimulation devices (the “P-Stim Device”) in an office setting. The P-Stim Device is a device for treatment of chronic pain that, pursuant to manufacturer’s instructions, is affixed behind a patient’s ear using an adhesive. Needles are inserted into the patient’s ear and affixed using another adhesive. Once activated, the device then provides intermittent stimulation by electrical pulses. It is a single-use, battery-powered device designed to be worn for several days until its battery runs out, at which time the device is thrown away.
The procedures allegedly did not involve any surgery, anesthesia, or take place in an operating room (or even at a facility with such capabilities) but were billed to Medicare as surgically implanted neurostimulators, contrary to repeated guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the settlement. This matter was investigated by agents with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Linda Mindrutiu and W. Hunter West are representing the United States in this matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Attempted Carjacking and Federal Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WARREN ROLAND (“ROLAND”), age 33, was sentenced on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to the indictment pending against him. Count 1 of the indictment charged ROLAND with attempted carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2119(1). Count 2 charged him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
ROLAND was sentenced to 137 months imprisonment as to Count 1 and 120 months as to Count 2, both counts to run concurrently. Judge Long also ordered that ROLAND be placed on supervised release for 3 years and pay a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
On March 24, 2022, a concerned citizen called 9-1-1 after seeing a person acting suspiciously and openly carrying a firearm in his hand on Read Boulevard, in New Orleans East. The caller described the suspect and New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers saw a man matching that description, who was later identified as ROLAND. The officers attempted to stop ROLAND for questioning, but he fled on foot. A NOPD officer chased ROLAND on foot and saw him grab a black firearm from his waistband while running.
ROLAND ran into traffic on Read Boulevard, grabbed the front passenger side doorhandle of a stopped Toyota SUV, and tried to open the door while brandishing the firearm. The driver of the SUV attempted to drive away, but ROLAND held the handle and discharged a round from his firearm.
ROLAND eventually let go and was arrested. The firearm, a nine-millimeter Smith and Wesson Model SD9 pistol, loaded with 14 live rounds, was recovered at the scene. One spent shell casing was also found in the chamber of the weapon.
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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.
Nevada Woman Indicted in Romance Scheme to Defraud SeniorsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas, Nevada, woman has been charged in a 21-count superseding indictment for allegedly luring older men she met through online dating services and stealing their monies for her personal benefit.
Aurora Phelps, 43, with residences in Las Vegas and Guadalajara, Mexico, is charged with seven counts of wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; six counts of bank fraud; three counts of identity theft; one count of kidnapping; and one count of kidnapping resulting in death. Phelps is currently in custody in Mexico.
According to allegations contained in the superseding indictment, from July 1, 2021, to December 9, 2022, Phelps would meet older men on dating websites or services, then meet them in-person. It was part of her scheme to drug the older men to gain unauthorized access to and steal money from their financial accounts to personally benefit herself and her family members.
The superseding indictment stems from a two-year investigation by the FBI Las Vegas Division. The superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in September 2023.
Photo of defendant Aurora Phelps, from court document in United States of America v. Aurora Phelps, number 2:23-cr-0167-CDS-DJA, in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.
In romance scams, the scammer gains an unsuspecting individual’s affection and trust, then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. These schemes not only cause significant financial losses, but also deeply impact the lives of victims.
If convicted on all counts, Phelps faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison.
The charges were announced by 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.
The investigation is a result of the close cooperation between the United States and Mexican authorities. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing significant assistance in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel R. Schiess and Steven J. Rose are prosecuting the case.
An FBI website has been established seeking to identify potential victims. Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Phelps or otherwise have information related to the case are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or complete a survey via this website https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-aurora-phelps-investigation.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help older Americans is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage, which can be found at elderjustice.gov. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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aurora_superseding_indictment_coversheet_508_0.pdf aurora_ex_parte_motion_to_unseal_coversheet_508_0.pdfMujer De Nevada Acusada De Estafa Romántica De Adultos MayoresRead the Press Release
Las Vegas – Se le han imputado 21 cargos a una mujer de Las Vegas, Nevada, en una acusación formal modificada por presuntamente seducir a hombres mayores que conoció a través de servicios de citas en línea y robarles su dinero para beneficio personal.
Aurora Phelps, de 43 años de edad y con residencias en Las Vegas, Nevada y Guadalajara, México, está acusada de siete cargos de fraude electrónico; tres cargos de fraude postal; seis cargos de fraude bancario; tres cargos de robo de identidad; y dos cargos de secuestro. Phelps se encuentra actualmente detenida en México.
Según las acusaciones contenidas en la acusación formal modificada, desde el 1 de julio de 2021 hasta el 9 de diciembre de 2022, Phelps conocía a hombres mayores por medio de sitios web o servicios de citas, y luego los conocía en persona. Parte de su plan era drogar a los hombres para obtener acceso no autorizado y robar dinero de sus cuentas financieras para beneficiarse personalmente a si misma y a los miembros de su familia.
La acusación formal modificada se deriva de una investigación de dos años realizada por la División del FBI de Las Vegas. La acusación formal modificada fue presentada por el gran jurado federal en septiembre de 2023.
Foto de la acusada Aurora Phelps, tomada del documento judicial en Estados Unidos de América vs. Aurora Phelps, número 2:23-cr-0167-CDS-DJA, en el Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito de Nevada.
En las estafas de romance, el estafador gana el afecto y la confianza de un individuo desprevenido, luego utiliza la ilusión de una relación romántica o cercana para manipular y/o robar a la víctima. Estos esquemas no solo causan pérdidas financieras, sino que también tienen un profundo impacto en la vida de las víctimas.
Si es declarada culpable de todos los cargos, Phelps se enfrenta a una pena máxima de cadena perpetua.
Los cargos fueron anunciados por la fiscal interina de los Estados Unidos Sue Fahami para el Distrito de Nevada y el agente especial a cargo Spencer L. Evans para la División del FBI de Las Vegas.
La investigación es el resultado de la estrecha cooperación entre las autoridades estadounidenses y mexicanas. La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia está proporcionando asistencia significativa en este caso. Los fiscales federales adjuntos Daniel R. Scheiss y Steven J. Rose están procesando el caso.
Se ha creado un sitio web del FBI que busca identificar posibles víctimas. Se recomienda a cualquier persona que crea que él o alguien que conoce puede haber sido víctima de Phelps o que tenga información relacionada con el caso, se comunique con el FBI al 1-800-CALL-FBI o complete una encuesta a través del sitio web https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-aurora-phelps-investigation.
Si usted o alguien que conoce tiene 60 años o más y ha experimentado fraude financiero, los profesionales con experiencia están a la orden por la Línea Informativa Nacional de Fraude a Personas Mayores, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). Esta línea directa del Departamento de Justicia, administrada por la Oficina de Victimas de Delitos, puede brindar apoyo personalizado a quienes llamen evaluando las necesidades de la victima e identificando los próximos pasos pertinentes. Los administradores de casos identificarán a los organismos de informes apropiados, proveerán información a las personas que llamen para ayudarles a denunciar, conectar directamente con los organismos apropiados y facilitarán recursos y recomendaciones, basado en los particulares de cada caso. Denunciar es el primer paso y puede ayudar a las autoridades a identificar a quienes cometen fraude. De igual manera, denunciar ciertas pérdidas financieras debido a fraude lo más antes posible, puede aumentar la probabilidad de recuperar las pérdidas. La línea directa esta abierta de lunes a viernes de 10:00 a.m. a 6:00 p.m., hora oficial del oriente. El inglés, español y otros idiomas están disponibles.
Más información sobre los esfuerzos del departamento para ayudar a los estadounidenses de edad avanzada está disponible en la página web de la Iniciativa de Justicia para Ancianos, que se puede encontrar en www.elderjustice.gov. Para obtener más información sobre la Subdivisión de Protección al Consumidor y sus medidas de aplicación, visite www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Las denuncias por fraude a personas mayores pueden presentarse ante la Comisión Federal de Comercio en www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ o llamando al 877-FTC-HELP. El Departamento de Justicia proporciona una variedad de recursos relacionados con la victimización por fraude a personas mayores a través de su Oficina para Víctimas de Delitos en www.ovc.gov.
Una acusación formal es simplemente una alegación. Todos los acusados se presumen inocentes hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia.
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aurora_superseding_indictment_coversheet_508_0.pdf aurora_ex_parte_motion_to_unseal_coversheet_508_0.pdfMississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Relief Program of over $5,000,000Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Mississippi woman has pled guilty to defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal program intended to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic, of over $5,000,000. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.
On February 20, 2025, Lisa Evans, 42, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, pled guilty before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She will be sentenced on May 22, 2025 and faces a maximum term of 20 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to information presented in court, Evans submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for numerous individuals who were not entitled to PPP loans. The applications Evans submitted contained false representations, including fake federal tax documents. When the individual borrowers obtained the PPP loan funds, they then paid Evans kickbacks of 20 to 30 percent. The loss to the PPP program was $5,126,258.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren stated: “Individuals cheating the Paycheck Protection Program stole money from U.S. taxpayers who desperately needed these loans to keep their small businesses afloat and pay their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. I would especially like to commend and thank the federal law enforcement agencies who uncovered this fraud and brought this defendant to justice: the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Gulf States Field Division; the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Secret Service, Memphis Field Office; and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. My office will continue to work with these law enforcement partners to bring those who committed pandemic benefit fraud in the Western District of Tennessee to justice and to recover stolen pandemic relief funds.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin, who prosecuted this case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Michael White Sentenced to 100 Years on Federal Charges Related to Murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael ChandlerRead the Press Release
ABINGDON, Va. – Michael Donivan White was sentenced today to 100 years in federal prison on federal charges related to the November 2021 murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler and a wide-ranging drug conspiracy.
White, 36, of South Carolina, pled guilty to eight counts in relation to the murder of Officer Chandler. Specifically, he pled guilty to one count of causing the death of a person using a firearm, in which the killing was first-degree murder, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiring to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of using a place for the purpose of distributing or using a controlled substance, one count of using a communication facility in committing any felony-controlled substance offense, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a stolen firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and using, brandishing and discharging that firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
“Today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Michael White was sentenced to spend the next 100 years of his life in federal prison for murdering Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “No matter how righteous our prosecution was or how just this sentence is, no amount of jail time can bring back Officer Chandler. Our only hope is that today’s sentence brings some level of closure to Officer Chandler’s friends and family, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the Southwest Virginia law enforcement community. To all of the men and women who worked tirelessly to bring Michael White and his co-conspirators to justice, the Department of Justice is eternally grateful.”
"We can never bring Officer Michael Chandler back, and no sentence will ever fill the void left in the hearts of his family, friends, law enforcement community, and the Big Stone Gap community. But today's hearing helped bring some closure to his family. Michael White will spend decades behind bars for the cold-blooded murder of a hero. We will never stop fighting for those who put their lives on the line for our safety and security. Officer Chandler, you will never be forgotten,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “I commend the entire law enforcement community in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee for their dedicated work on this case, including the lead agencies, the Virginia State Police, ATF, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, in addition to all agencies who assisted with this case. This case highlights the important collaboration between our federal and state partners, and I wish to specifically thank Virginia Senior Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Kerney-Quillen for her key role in this case. My office stands firmly with law enforcement across the Commonwealth and will continue to pursue all avenues possible to ensure that anyone who harms or kills a police officer is held fully accountable. I am honored that my office could support the investigation and prosecution concerning the senseless death of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler."
“Virginia State Police is pleased to have been able to help bring Michael White to justice and provide some closure to the family and friends of Officer Michael Chandler,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “Officer Chandler was working to make the Commonwealth a better place and made the ultimate sacrifice.”
“We offer our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and colleagues of Officer Michael Chandler as they continue to navigate this horrific tragedy “said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood. “We hope that this sentencing provides comfort to Officer Chandler’s family. It is also our hope that this sends a clear message of accountability to those that actively engage in violent crime especially when it results in injury or death to those who devote their lives to protecting and serving our communities. Prioritizing violent crime and enforcing federal firearms laws remain at the forefront of our daily mission.”
According to court documents, beginning in August 2021 and continuing even after the time of his arrest, White and 18 other defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, in addition to heroin and fentanyl.
Tragically, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on November 13, 2021, Big Stone Gape Police Officer Michael Chandler responded to a dispatch call at 2505 Orr Street in Big Stone Gap, known locally as “the red house.” Upon arriving at the red house, Officer Chandler encountered a vehicle outside the residence. Officer Chandler requested backup, telling dispatch, “This car is taking off on me.” Inside the vehicle, Michael White told a female co-defendant, Misty Ward, to “get the fu*k out of there” because there were drugs in the vehicle and that “he was not going back to jail.” Ward started to drive off as directed, but then stopped and got out of the vehicle. At that point, White attempted to flee the scene, however the vehicle got stuck in the grass. Officer Chandler approached the vehicle on the driver’s side.
White brandished a Taurus 9mm pistol and immediately fired eight shots through the driver’s side window and door, striking Officer Chandler’s wrist and abdomen just below his bulletproof vest.
Officer Chandler died later that evening from his injuries.
Following the shooting, law enforcement identified White as a suspect. White was later located at a motel in Kingsport, Tennessee and a subsequent search of the motel room found a Taurus, 9mm pistol. Further testing ultimately proved this firearm to be the same one that fired the shots that killed Officer Chandler.
This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Virginia Police Department, the Kingsport Tennessee Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the East Tennessee Drug Task Force, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Virginia State Police, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, City of Norton Police Department, and Big Stone Gap Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena L. Busscher and Danielle Stone prosecuted the case with the valuable assistance of Jim Patterson of the Department of Justice’s Capital Case Section.
Miami Resident Charged with Leading Money Laundering Operation for Transnational Criminal OrganizationsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Alain Bibliowicz Mitrani, a resident of Miami, Florida and a citizen of France and Colombia, with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. The defendant was charged for his role as a leader of a scheme to launder more than $300 million, including for persons affiliated with cartels and other transnational criminal organizations engaged in drug trafficking, such as the Sinaloa Cartel. The defendant is scheduled to make his initial appearance today in federal court in the Southern District of Florida. He will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI), and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the charges.
“As alleged, the defendant used a seemingly legitimate technology company as a front for engaging in a multi-million dollar scheme that deliberately flouted federal laws to launder over $300 million, including for cartels and transnational criminal organizations engaged in drug trafficking,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Today’s arrest demonstrates that this Office will arrest and vigorously prosecute those who help facilitate financing for international drug traffickers.”
“Alain Bibliowicz Mitrani’s alleged money laundering scheme crumbled today, as did any façade of legitimacy behind his purported technology business. These accusations mark the beginning of the end for an alleged criminal organization that stands accused of defrauding financial institutions and enabling the availability of narcotics to American communities. Every day, HSI’s El Dorado Task Force stands alongside our law enforcement partners in utilizing every tool in its belt to ensure the public’s wellbeing is always the priority,” Stated HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.
“With no regard for the rule of law, Bibliowicz supposedly laundered more than a quarter billion dollars in drug money. It’s alleged he is complicit in the moving of these illicit funds through shell companies to locations around the globe. It’s time that he was stopped, and this arrest means Bibliowicz is no longer in the dirty-cash-washing business,” said Harry T. Chavis, Jr., IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge.
As alleged in the indictment and court filings, from approximately 2020 to 2024, the defendant was an owner and leader of a company (the “Company”) that laundered drug proceeds through United States financial institutions. The defendant and his co-conspirators sought to have the Company appear as a legitimate technology business. In reality, the Company’s public-facing operations were a cover for an elaborate multi-million-dollar money laundering enterprise based in Florida and Colombia.
Cartels and other transnational criminal organizations that engage in drug trafficking operate vast criminal enterprises that generate significant revenue globally by trafficking illicit narcotics. Because these organizations generate billions of dollars in revenue annually from trafficked narcotics, they must find ways to repatriate these proceeds back to their home countries to fund their ongoing enterprises. In many cases, drug trafficking organizations rely on separate money laundering operations, such as the Company, to repatriate their funds. In exchange, money laundering organizations and their associates, like the defendant, earn a significant commission for taking on the risk of laundering illicit proceeds for these criminal organizations.
Here, the defendant established numerous shell companies that were used to open bank accounts that transmitted the illegal proceeds in an effort to obscure the source of the funds. To protect the scheme from detection, the defendant lied to U.S. financial institutions about the purpose and activities of these companies, and he failed to register as a money transmitting business as required under state and federal law. In total, financial records show that the defendant and his organization laundered more than $300 million.
The defendant used his profits from this scheme for personal expenses and to fund his lavish lifestyle, including to purchase diamond pendant jewelry from designer jewelry company Van Cleef & Arpels, make payments towards his approximately $4 million Miami mansion, and fund luxury travel, including more than $16,000 on luxury hotel stays abroad in April 2023.
If convicted of the money laundering conspiracy offenses, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ and 10 years’ imprisonment on each count. If convicted of the unlicensed money transmitting conspiracy offense, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment on that count.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Amir and Philip Pilmar are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ALAIN BIBLIOWICZ MITRANI
Age: 51
Miami, FloridaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-39 (CBA)
25-cr-39_alain_tzvi_bibliowicz_mitrani_indictment.pdfMexican National Sentenced to 5 Years Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry Following Multiple DeportationsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Fermin Ortuno Valdovinos, 47, of Summerville, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for illegal reentry of an alien after removal, subsequent to a conviction of an aggravated felony, and violation of supervised release.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Valdovinos has a lengthy criminal history. He has reentered the country three times following three separate deportations. Additionally, Valdovinos has convictions for child sex crimes in the U.S.
On July 13, 2009, ICE officers encountered Valdovinos in the Anaheim City Jail in California where he was being held for charges of lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and forcible lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14. Valdovinos was interviewed and questioned regarding his immigration status in the United States and admitted entering the United States without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by an Immigration Officer.
On March 28, 2011, Valdovinos was convicted in the California Superior Court in Orange County, California of the offense of lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, and for two counts of the offense of forcible lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14. He was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.
While serving his sentence for child sex crimes, an Immigration official in San Berdino, California ordered Valdovinos to be removed to Mexico. Valdovinos was removed from the United States to Mexico on July 2, 2019.
Days later on July 11, 2019, near Sasabe, Arizona, Valdovinos illegally entered the United States and was encountered by a United States Border Patrol (USBP) agent. On Oct. 1, 2019, Valdovinos pleaded guilty to illegal reentry into the United States, subsequent to a conviction for a felony, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. On Jan. 6, 2020, Valdovinos was sentenced to 24-months’ imprisonment and 36-months’ supervised release.
On April 14, 2021, the Order of Removal was executed, whereby Valdovinos was removed from the United States to Mexico for a second time.
On July 8, 2022, in San Clemente, California, Valdovinos illegally entered the United States and was encountered by the USBP. On Sept. 21, 2022, Valdovinos pled guilty to improper attempted entry by an alien, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. He received a six month sentence. On Oct. 31, 2022, Valdovinos was found to be in violation of the terms of his supervised release in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California and was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment and 24 months’ supervised release.
On July 5, 2023, the Order of Removal was executed, whereby Valdovinos was removed from the United States to Mexico for the third time.
At some point following the third removal, Valdovinos again reentered the U.S. On June 20, 2024, the Berkeley County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office arrested Valdovinos for failing to register as a sex offender.
Valdovinos was charged with illegal reentry of an alien after removal, subsequent to a conviction of an aggravated felony. United States District Judge Richard M. Gergelsentenced Valdovinos to 50 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Judge Gergel also sentenced Valdovinos to 10 months imprisonment for violation of supervised release, to be served consecutive to the 50-month term of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement- Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Jose Salazar Jimenez (28, Mexico) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. Salazar Jimenez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, between August 2019 and August 2024, Salazar Jimenez voluntarily entered the United States, with knowledge that he had previously been removed, and that he was not legally permitted to so enter. On August 18, 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers found Salazar Jimenez in Hillsborough County.
Salazar Jimenez is a native and citizen of Mexico and was previously removed from the United States on four occasions between 2014 and 2019.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III and Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.
Mexican National Indicted for Aggravated Identity Theft and Passport FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Jose Manuel Ortiz Perdomo (41) with aggravated identity theft and making a false statement on a passport application. If convicted, Ortiz Perdomo faces a minimum sentence of 2 years, up to 12 years, in federal prison.
According to court records, on October 18, 2024, Ortiz Perdomo applied for a passport in a name that was not his own. Prior to applying for the passport, Ortiz Perdomo obtained means of identification in the victim’s name. When Ortiz Perdomo applied for the passport, he pretended to be the victim and submitted the fraudulent identification as his own.
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. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Leath.
Mexican National Indicted After Traffic Stop for Alleged Criminal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment this week charging a Mexican national with one count of possession of firearm by illegal alien.
According to court documents, Marcelo Olvera-Moreno was stopped while driving in Hutto, Jan. 24. A Williamson Country Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted the traffic stop after allegedly observing the passenger in Olvera-Moreno’s vehicle fire a handgun from the front passenger window. Olvera-Moreno admitted to law enforcement that he knew that he was illegally and unlawfully in the United States and that he had purchased the pistol at a flea market approximately three months prior.
Olvera-Moreno made his initial court appearance Jan. 28. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Williamson Country Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel Cohen and Daniel Castillo are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Mexican Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Mexican citizen was sentenced yesterday to two years in federal prison for illegally returning to the United States after being deported.
According to public court documents, Juan Carlos Solis Roan, 40, had previously been deported from the United States four times between 2008 and 2020. Solis Roan had been convicted twice of illegal reentry, including in 2019 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. In January 2024, law enforcement encountered Solis Roan, and in March 2024, Solis Roan was convicted in the Iowa District Court for Polk County of contempt for violating his probation for a 2006 drug conviction. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for a Stabbing Outside of a ShelterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Willie Byrd, 61, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for stabbing another man outside of a shelter in February 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe sentenced Byrd to concurrent sentences of 15 years in prison for aggravated assault while armed and three years in prison for carrying a dangerous weapon, and five years of supervised release. Byrd was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on November 20, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 8:30 pm, on February 28, 2023, Byrd stabbed the victim in the chest with a large fixed-blade knife near the corner of 2nd and D Streets, N.W. Before the stabbing occurred, the defendant was trying to take money from the victim while attempting to conduct a drug transaction. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries to multiple organs and required surgery and an extended hospital stay. MPD officers and detectives reviewed surveillance video footage of the stabbing from the nearby Federal City Shelter, which led to Byrd’s identification as the assailant. MPD detectives located Byrd inside of the shelter, and he was placed under arrest.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They commended the work those who assisted with the case’s preparation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Renee Prather and Paralegal Specialist Marcella Trader. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Erica Rudolf and Ella Gladman, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Evans, who investigated the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Importing Suicide Drug into the United States from MexicoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge for illegally importing the drug Pentobarbital into the United States from Mexico for use in committing suicide.
DANIEL GONZALEZ-MUNGUIA, also known as “Alejandro Vasquez,” 41, of Puebla, Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court in Chicago to one count of importing a controlled substance into the United States. The charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis set sentencing for Sept. 9, 2025.
Pentobarbital, also known as Nembutal, is a drug sold in Mexico for the purpose of euthanizing animals. In the U.S., Pentobarbital is a controlled substance and has been used in state-sponsored executions. Gonzalez-Munguia admitted in a plea agreement that from 2012 to 2021, he operated an online drug business that sold and distributed bottles of Pentobarbital to hundreds of individuals in the U.S. and throughout the world, including individuals in Illinois. Many of the buyers consumed the product and died, the plea agreement states.
The investigation by Homeland Security Investigations began in 2016 after a parcel of the drug was intercepted in a Chicago suburb. Authorities in the U.S. and several foreign countries conducted well-being checks and recovered Pentobarbital from numerous individuals who admitted to being despondent and ordering the suicide drug online from Gonzalez-Munguia. Law enforcement provided assistance to those individuals.
Gonzalez-Munguia admitted that he initially shipped bottles of the drug directly from Mexico and in the manufacturer’s packaging, but thereafter disguised it as a cosmetic product and used intermediaries to transport it into the U.S. before shipping to customers around the world.
The guilty plea was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Daniel Johnsen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Illinois Army National Guard Counterdrug Program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, and law enforcement agencies in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman is prosecuting the case.
gonzalez-munguia_plea_agreement.pdfLithia Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Injectable Fentanyl and Falsifying Hospital RecordsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Lisa Williams (56, Lithia) has pleaded guilty to six counts of tampering with a consumer product and six counts of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation. Williams faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each count of tampering and up to 4 years in federal prison for each acquisition offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, on October 30, November 5 and 28, and December 3, 9, and 10, 2023, Williams – a Florida licensed registered nurse (RN) – removed injectable fentanyl from a secure drawer at Hospital #1. Thereafter, Williams tampered with the injectable fentanyl by removing a portion of the controlled substance from its container for her own personal use. After removing the injectable fentanyl from the infusion bag, Williams swapped it with another container she had already tampered with and put it back into circulation. By tampering with the injectable fentanyl, Williams acted with reckless disregard that Hospital #1 patients would be placed in danger of death or bodily injury and under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to such risk. Williams also knowingly manipulated the hospital records to falsely report a canceled transaction and give the fraudulent appearance that nothing was removed from the secure drawer.
This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration—Office of Criminal Investigations and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo.
Lake City Man Sentenced to over 10 Years for Selling MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Jeremy Leonardo Roldan (52, Lake City) to 10 years and 4 months in federal prison for selling 50 grams or more of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine. Roldan pleaded guilty on October 3, 2024.
According to court documents, on December 11, 2023, Roldan sold methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer. Roldan previously sold methamphetamine to the undercover officer at least two prior times. Roldan was responsible for selling 59 grams of pure methamphetamine. While selling narcotics, Roldan was on supervised release for the same offense.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Kansas man sentenced for crimes related to child sexual abuseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man received a combined sentence of 87 months in prison after pleading guilty in two separate cases related to criminal misconduct involving minors.
According to court documents, Daniel Paul Prekopa, 46, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of attempted travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. In a separate case, Prekopa pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child sexual abuse materials.
In September 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) notified the Wichita Police Department about a cybertip concerning child sexual abuse materials uploaded to a Dropbox account. Law enforcement confirmed through investigation that the account to belonged to Prekopa. The materials depicted children under the age of 12 years old engaged in sexual conduct.
In a separate investigation in September 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Child Exploitation Task Force engaged in covert chat sessions on platforms known to be frequented by adults attempting to lure children into sexual acts. An undercover agent posing as a minor received a direct message from a user later to be confirmed as Daniel Prekopa. Prekopa sent provocative photos of himself and made sexually illicit comments during multiple exchanges with whom he thought to be a minor, at one point writing, “I could get in major trouble since you're under 16. But idc either” and “And you have damn cops online trying to catfish people to get them in trouble”.
FBI agents arrested Prekopa after he traveled from Kansas City, Missouri, to Overland Park, Kansas, for the intended purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a person under the age of 18.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), and the Wichita Police Department investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the cases.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Jury Convicts Former KC Police Officer of $200,000 Charity Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Kansas City, Mo., police officer who ran an anti-crime charity has been convicted in federal court of a scheme in which he spent more than $200,000 in donations for his own personal expenses.
Aaron Wayne McKie, 47, was found guilty on Thursday, Feb. 20, of nine counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. McKie worked as a police officer for the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department for 24 years, assigned as a police officer to the Crime Free Multi-Housing section from 2002 through 2023.
McKie served from 2009 to 2023 as president of Mid-America Crime Free, Inc. (MACF), a non-profit organization that claimed to provide training to persons in the rental housing industry and promote anti-crime programs. He was an officer of the charity for three years prior, from 2006 to 2009.
Evidence produced during the trial indicated that McKie devised a scheme to defraud MACF and its donors that began in July 2009 and lasted until October 2023. Individuals and businesses contributed $387,620 to MACF, not including in-kind donations. McKie spent at least $200,060 for his own personal purposes.
The biggest source of MACF funds was an annual golf tournament, “Fairways 4 Fuzz Golf Tournament.” Individuals and businesses donated both money and in-kind donations, such as food and beverages, to MACF via the golf tournament. At least 121 donors have been identified.
From 2009 to 2023, the flyers soliciting donations and players for the tournament claimed the funds raised would enable MACF to provide free seminars to owners of rental properties and train police officers. In reality, those claims were false. The Kansas City Police Department paid the salaries and expenses of Crime Free Multi-Housing unit officers who may have provided training to landlords; McKie used the majority of MACF funds for personal spending; and the IRS had revoked the organization’s tax-exempt status in 2010.
Under federal statutes, McKie is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole on each of the 10 counts on which he was convicted. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for nine hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, ending a trial that began Monday, Feb. 10.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Hanson. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Offender Arrested and Indicted for Using the Internet to Access Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest and indictment of Sean-Michael Smith (36, Jacksonville) for using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials. If convicted, Smith faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Smith is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in 2014 of distributing child pornography. Smith was arrested on December 18, 2024, and is detained pending trial.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation, Cyberstalking, and Sextortion OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Jackson man entered a guilty plea to federal charges relating to a “sextortion” scheme that targeted multiple victims, including minors, across several states.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Marquez Cameron Jones Weston, 22, operated a “sextortion” scheme in which he engaged in cyberstalking, interstate threats, extortion, attempted production of child pornography, and transportation of child pornography over the internet. As part of the scheme, Weston attempted to and did extort money and sexually explicit photographic images and videos from numerous female victims, some of whom were minors, over the internet.
Weston pleaded guilty to attempted production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography over the internet, extortion, and cyberstalking. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 27, 2025 and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Sam Houston State University Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly T. Purdie and Dave Fulcher are prosecuting the case.
The FBI provides the following six tips on how people can protect themselves from 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 this 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.
If you, your child, or someone you know is being exploited via sextortion, contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or report it online at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Additional resources can found at Sextortion and Financially Motivated Sextortion — FBI. If you believe you are a victim in this particular case, please also contact the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Mississippi.
Israeli Freight Forwarder Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Violating Export Restrictions Imposed on RussiaRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Gal Haimovich, 49, of Israel, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to illegally ship aircraft parts and avionics from U.S. manufacturers and suppliers to Russia, including for the benefit of sanctioned Russian airline companies. In addition, Haimovich paid the full forfeiture amount of $2,024,435.44 at today’s sentencing.
As part of his plea agreement, Haimovich admitted that his scheme involved deceiving U.S. companies about the true destination of the goods at issue, and that the defendant and others attempted to conceal the scheme by submitting false information in export documents filed with the U.S. government.
According to court documents, Haimovich owned an international freight forwarding company that was an affiliate in a group of companies that did business in various countries, including the United States and Israel. Haimovich, through those companies, operated as a freight forwarder of choice for individuals and entities seeking to illegally export goods to Russia in violation of U.S. export control laws. Between approximately March 2022 and May 2023, Haimovich facilitated the export of aircraft parts and avionics, including those with missile technology applications, from the United States through the Southern District of Florida, to various third-party transhippers on behalf of Russian customers. These Russian-end customers routinely instructed Haimovich to deceive the U.S.-based manufacturers and suppliers about the ultimate destination of the goods.
For example, between April 2022 and April 2023, after the United States imposed additional restrictions on the export of goods to Russia in response to the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Haimovich arranged for more than 160 shipments to companies in the Maldives and United Arab Emirates that were responsible for the illicit transshipment of the goods to Russia. One such shipment, of an air data module, occurred in August 2022. Haimovich, who had been hired by Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines) to deliver the aircraft component to Russia, directed a co-conspirator to falsely inform the U.S. supplier that the part was destined for the Maldives; in fact, Haimovich knew that the part was destined for Russia for the benefit of S7 Airlines.
Haimovich also agreed that, between March 2022 and May 2023, he billed Russian customers, including Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines), more than two million dollars to have aircraft parts and avionics illegally exported from the United States to Russia. In connection with Haimovich’s plea, he agreed to the entry of a forfeiture money judgment in the sum of $2,024,435 and to forfeit various aircraft parts and components.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Kevin J. Kurland of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
BIS and FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida handled the asset forfeiture component of the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20374.
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Israeli Freight Forwarder Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Violating Export Restrictions Imposed on RussiaRead the Press Release
Gal Haimovich, 49, of Israel, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to illegally ship aircraft parts and avionics from U.S. manufacturers and suppliers to Russia, including for the benefit of sanctioned Russian airline companies. In addition, Haimovich paid the full forfeiture amount of $2,024,435.44 at today’s sentencing.
As part of his plea agreement, Haimovich admitted that his scheme involved deceiving U.S. companies about the true destination of the goods at issue, and that the defendant and others attempted to conceal the scheme by submitting false information in export documents filed with the U.S. government.
According to court documents, Haimovich owned an international freight forwarding company that was an affiliate in a group of companies that did business in various countries, including the United States and Israel. Haimovich, through those companies, operated as a freight forwarder of choice for individuals and entities seeking to illegally export goods to Russia in violation of U.S. export control laws. Between approximately March 2022 and May 2023, Haimovich facilitated the export of aircraft parts and avionics, including those with missile technology applications, from the United States through the Southern District of Florida, to various third-party transhippers on behalf of Russian customers. These Russian-end customers routinely instructed Haimovich to deceive the U.S.-based manufacturers and suppliers about the ultimate destination of the goods.
For example, between April 2022 and April 2023, after the United States imposed additional restrictions on the export of goods to Russia in response to the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Haimovich arranged for more than 160 shipments to companies in the Maldives and United Arab Emirates that were responsible for the illicit transshipment of the goods to Russia. One such shipment, of an air data module, occurred in August 2022. Haimovich, who had been hired by Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines) to deliver the aircraft component to Russia, directed a co-conspirator to falsely inform the U.S. supplier that the part was destined for the Maldives; in fact, Haimovich knew that the part was destined for Russia for the benefit of S7 Airlines.
Haimovich also agreed that, between March 2022 and May 2023, he billed Russian customers, including Siberia Airlines (doing business as S7 Airlines), more than two million dollars to have aircraft parts and avionics illegally exported from the United States to Russia. In connection with Haimovich’s plea, he agreed to the entry of a forfeiture money judgment in the sum of $2,024,435 and to forfeit various aircraft parts and components.
Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Kevin J. Kurland of the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, and Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.
BIS and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida handled the asset forfeiture component of the case.
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to More Than 2 Years for Trafficking Drugs at a Public Housing Development in PortsmouthRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Dominican man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for trafficking drugs at a public housing development in Portsmouth, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Maikol Jordan Saldivar-Diaz, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 30 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In November 2024, Saldivar-Diaz pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of controlled substances.
“Saldivar-Diaz is an illegal immigrant who chose to distribute drugs outside of a public housing development,” said Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack. “The families at the housing development deserve better than to be endangered by those dealing and buying dangerous narcotics nearby. We will continue to support our partners to ensure public neighborhoods in the Granite State are safeguarded from drug activity and violence.”
According to court documents, Portsmouth Police Department was notified of drug activity at a public housing development in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Investigators were subsequently able to identify Saldivar-Diaz as the source of this drug activity. On three occasions in June and July of 2024, Saldivar-Diaz sold controlled substances to a confidential informant, including quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Portsmouth Police Department led the investigation. The Drug Enforcement Administration provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Scanlon is prosecuting the 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.
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Howey-In-The-Hills Resident Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Dorian Farmer has pleaded guilty to one count of failure to pay employment trust fund taxes and two counts of willfully failing to file tax returns. Farmer faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the employment trust fund offense and up to one year of imprisonment for each willful failure to file tax return offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, Farmer was the owner of several businesses in Howey-In-The-Hills in Lake County. For years, Farmer collected employment trust fund taxes from his employees—such as those that pay for Social Security or Medicare. Rather than turning these taxes over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Farmer embezzled the funds for his own use. He took large cash distributions from one of his businesses which went unreported to the IRS. Farmer also failed to file tax returns for himself and one of his businesses, Titleist Technologies, Inc. (d/b/a Summit Joint Performance) for tax year 2000, as required under federal law. Farmer’s criminal acts resulted in a total tax loss of $806,653.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Hilton Head Lawyer Sentenced for Knowingly Transferring $3M to Prevent the Lawful Seizure of the FundsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Peter J. Strauss, 46, of Hilton Head, has been sentenced to nine months in federal prison for knowingly transferring, and aiding and abetting the transfer of, $3 million to prevent the lawful seizure of the funds.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Strauss directed and aided and abetted the transfer of $3 million for Jeff and Paulette Carpoff following the execution of federal search and seizure warrants in California. Strauss directed the transfer of $3 million from an account in the Bahamas to his trust account, thereafter, combining the funds for his personal use.
Jeff and Paulette Carpoff owned and operated DC Solar Solutions, Inc. and DC Solar Distribution, Inc. (DC Solar), California corporations that designed, manufactured, and leased renewable energy products, specializing predominantly in the production of mobile solar generators.
On Dec. 18, 2018, the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies executed numerous search warrants on the businesses associated with DC Solar, as well as the personal residences of Jeff and Paulette Carpoff. Several seizure warrants were also executed on bank accounts and assets associated with DC Solar and its principals. The search warrants were conducted in conjunction with a large-scale investigation regarding an investment fraud and money laundering scheme being operated by the principals of DC Solar.
Following the execution of search and seizure warrants related to an investigation into the Carpoffs’ company, Strauss received $11 million from the Carpoffs. On Dec. 19, 2018, the first $5 million was transferred into Strauss’ trust account and thereafter distributed to various criminal defense attorneys and bankruptcy counsel and to Carpoffs’ captive insurance funds, managed by Strauss’ captive insurance management company. Thereafter, on Dec. 28, 2018, Strauss received an additional $3 million, largely used to pay for the Carpoffs’ captive insurance fund premiums. Finally, on Jan. 15, 2019, the Carpoffs wired Strauss $3 million into Strauss’ trust account. The combined funds in Strauss’ trust account were completely spent over the next few months.
Jeff Carpoff pleaded guilty in California to money laundering and wire fraud in January 2020 and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. In November 2021, Paulette Carpoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and money laundering. Paulette was sentenced to 11 years and three months.
Strauss pleaded guilty in November 2023 to removal of property to prevent seizure, admitting that by the time of the $3 million transfer in January 2019, he knowingly transferred and aided and abetted the transfer of funds from Carpoff to prevent and impair the government’s lawful authority to take the property into its custody and control.
United States District Richard M. Gergel sentenced Strauss to nine months imprisonment, to be followed by a two-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Strauss was ordered to pay $2.7 million in restitution, which Strauss previously paid in compliance with the terms of his plea agreement.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Limehouse prosecuted the case.
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Guilty Verdict in Georgia Tax Fraud Case, Defendant’s Second Federal Fraud ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Southwest Georgia resident with a prior federal conviction for tax fraud in Florida was found guilty by a federal jury seated in Albany of a fraudulent tax filing scheme.
Reginald Knight, 52, of Arlington, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of making and subscribing a false tax return on Feb. 19, following a two-day trial that began on Feb. 18. Knight faces a maximum of three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $100,000 fine. Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court.
“The defendant was claiming millions in refunds for a business that never generated income or incurred any losses, fabricating these claims in yet another attempt by the defendant to steal from taxpayers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “We are grateful to the IRS investigators who collaborated with our office to help bring a repeat fraudster to justice.”
“The guilty verdict serves as a notice to unscrupulous tax preparers that filing fraudulent tax returns will lead them to a criminal court date,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Lisa Fontanette, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue to investigate and recommend prosecution for those individuals who commit tax crimes.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Knight filed a tax return with the IRS on March 13, 2018, falsely claiming $3,211,907 in wages, $2,586,551 in withholdings, $1,848,000 in Schedule C (Form 1040) losses and claimed a refund of $2,165,154. As part of the scheme, Knight fabricated W-2s and Schedule Cs for two separate business entities; however, neither business ever generated the income, paid the withholdings or suffered the losses Knight claimed on his return. The financials Knight submitted on the signed tax form were entirely fabricated. The IRS did not issue a refund. The IRS began investigating Knight in 2021, discovering that Knight filed tax returns with similarly exorbitant financials for the non-operating business for tax years 2014, 2015 and 2016; the IRS did not issue a refund for tax years 2014 and 2015. The IRS did issue a $745,953 refund to Knight for tax year 2016 on June 7, 2017. Knight used the refund from the false claim to pay for the construction of a new home in Albany, made transfers to his investment account, purchased a vehicle and paid for personal living expenses totaling $442,667.30. The IRS recovered $315,466.97.
Knight has a prior federal conviction in the Southern District of Florida for one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the Government through False Claim for a Tax Refund and False Claim for a Tax Refund on Nov. 22, 2005, and was sentenced to serve five months in prison per charge, to be served concurrently.
The IRS Criminal Division and IRS Special Enforcement Program are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Guatemalan National Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan man residing in Medford has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Christian Estuardo Sanchez, 41, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the indictment, Sanchez was deported from the United States on Sept. 14, 2010. It is alleged that sometime after his removal, Sanchez illegally reentered the United States without permission. Sanchez was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 27, 2025.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Grand jury indicts 4 separate cases involving immigration offensesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury indicted four new immigration cases in Columbus this week.
According to their court documents, two defendants have prior convictions for drug trafficking, one defendant’s prior convictions include a firearms crime and driving under the influence, and the final defendant was allegedly smuggling illegal aliens across the United States.
Juan Carlos Garcia-Vasquez, 45, is a Mexican national who was charged with illegally reentering the United States. He was previous convicted in Franklin County for cocaine trafficking.
Ricardo Martinez-Nunez, 29, has prior convictions in Franklin County for improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle and driving under the influence. Martinez-Nunez is also charged with illegally reentering the United States. He is a Mexican national.
Previous convictions for Lino Mendiola-Vanegas, 45, include cocaine trafficking and forgery in Franklin County. He is charged with illegally reentering the United States and is a Mexican national.
Finally, it is alleged that Adalberto Calixto Tolentino, 21, was transporting four illegal aliens across the United States for financial gain.
According to his court documents, on Jan. 23, investigators with the Licking County Sheriff’s Office received information from Customs and Border Patrol located in Southern Arizona that a Toyota Highlander with an Arizona license plate was allegedly involved in human smuggling.
Sheriff’s deputies stopped Tolentino in Licking County and discovered four individuals in the vehicle as well as an envelope with $8,000 cash. When interviewed by law enforcement, one passenger said he had paid $10,000 to be helped crossing the border of Mexico into the United States. He was picked up in the desert in Arizona and eventually transported by Tolentino.
Tolentino was originally charged by criminal complaint and arrested on Jan. 24. He has remained in federal custody since that time. If convicted as charged, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has multiple prior misdemeanor charges, the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kenneth F. Affeldt and Tyler J. Aagard are representing the United States in these cases.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Southern District of Ohio Immigration Enforcement Task Force, which dedicates agents, attorneys and other staff to investigating and prosecuting immigration violations.
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Four Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Prison for Mailing, Distributing Methamphetamine and Cocaine Throughout Southeastern PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., announced that four members of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that mailed methamphetamine and cocaine to, and distributed it throughout, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, including in Reading, Quakertown, Bensalem, Plymouth Township, Coopersburg, and elsewhere, have been sentenced to prison by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson.
In January 2024, the defendants were charged by indictment with drug trafficking offenses. They entered guilty pleas late last year.
Aived Abel Garcia, aka “Nephew,” 26, of Chula Vista, California, was sentenced today by Judge Wolson to 70 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in the drug trafficking organization.
Miguel Aliaga, aka “Migz,” 37, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, and Avrian Haywood Mack, aka “The Kid,” 22, of Reading, Pennsylvania, were both sentenced earlier this month to 60 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
The DTO’s leader, Michael Sanchez, aka “West Coast,” 33, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced in January to 14½ years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
Members of the DTO mailed the drugs from California to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where members of the organization would then pick up the packages for subsequent distribution to their dealers.
Sanchez organized and managed the DTO, overseeing the drug shipments. Garcia would travel from California to Pennsylvania to pick up the packages of narcotics, collect money owed to the DTO, and deposit it into a bank account. He, Mack, and Aliaga then distributed bulk amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine for the organization.
“These defendants took part in a cross-country conspiracy that brought significant amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine from California to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “This office and our law enforcement partners at every level will continue to investigate and prosecute such traffickers, as we work to take illegal drugs off the street and make our communities safer.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia’s El Dorado Task Force, HSI Allentown, HSI Los Angeles, HSI San Diego, HSI LAX, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office Drug Strike Force, Quakertown Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Richland Township Police Department, Liberty Mid-Atlantic High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Berks County Detectives, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Bensalem Police Department, Montgomery County Detectives, and the Orange County Probation Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lizmar Bosques and Special Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Gannon, specially assigned from the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
Founder of Haitian Orphanage Convicted for Sexually Abusing Boys in his CareRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami convicted a Colorado man yesterday for sexually abusing numerous boys at the orphanage he founded and directed in Haiti.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael Karl Geilenfeld, 73, most recently of Littleton, founded St. Joseph’s Home for Boys — a home for orphaned, impoverished, and otherwise vulnerable children in Haiti — in 1985 and operated it for more than two decades. During this time, Geilenfeld repeatedly traveled from the United States to Haiti, where he sexually abused the boys entrusted to his care.
The jury convicted Geilenfeld of one count of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, between 2005 and 2010. Each of the six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place relates to a particular victim who was a child at the time of the offense. Each of the six victims testified about the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Geilenfeld, as did four other victims who were not the subject of the charged offenses. Geilenfeld is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each of the seven total counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Miami and the FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Monk for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Jessica L. Urban and Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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-20008.
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Founder of Haitian Orphanage Convicted for Sexually Abusing Boys in his CareRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Miami convicted a Colorado man yesterday for sexually abusing numerous boys at the orphanage he founded and directed in Haiti.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michael Karl Geilenfeld, 73, most recently of Littleton, founded St. Joseph’s Home for Boys — a home for orphaned, impoverished, and otherwise vulnerable children in Haiti — in 1985 and operated it for more than two decades. During this time, Geilenfeld repeatedly traveled from the United States to Haiti, where he sexually abused the boys entrusted to his care.
The jury convicted Geilenfeld of one count of traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, between 2005 and 2010. Each of the six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place relates to a particular victim who was a child at the time of the offense. Each of the six victims testified about the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Geilenfeld, as did four other victims who were not the subject of the charged offenses. Geilenfeld is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5 and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on each of the seven total counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Miami and the FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jessica L. Urban and Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lacee Monk for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Indiana Resident Sentenced to 27 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Michelle L. Bernskoetter, 37 years old, of Wheeling, Missouri, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to five counts of wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Bernskoetter was sentenced to 27 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $402,513.96 in restitution to the victim of the offense.
According to documents in the case, between June 12, 2020, and July 5, 2022, while employed as a financial manager, Bernskoetter devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money from her employer. She abused her position of trust by embezzling funds from her employer to pay her own personal credit card debt, resulting in a loss of over $400,000.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
Former Engineer Pleads Guilty to Possessing Trade Secrets of Oregon Semiconductor ManufacturerRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.-- Varun Gupta, 44, who previously lived and worked in Oregon, pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing trade secrets taken from his previous employer.
According to court documents, from July 2010 to January 2020, Gupta was employed as a product marketing engineer for an American technology company headquartered in California, with its largest concentration of facilities and employees located in Oregon. The company is one of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers, supplying semiconductor products to companies globally.
As part of his employment, Gupta signed an agreement prohibiting him from disclosing, retaining or making unauthorized copies of proprietary information or trade secrets without authorization from the company. Throughout his employment, Gupta had access to valuable and protected information including pricing structures and strategies and product development and manufacturing capabilities. To secure this information, the company used multiple layers of protection.
In early January 2020, Gupta announced his intent to resign and take a job with a domestic technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. While still employed at the company in Oregon, Gupta downloaded approximately 4,000 files, many of which contained trade secrets and proprietary materials, from his company-issued computer to personal portable hard drives.
Between February and July 2020, while employed by the company in Washington, Gupta possessed and accessed his previous employer's trade secrets and proprietary information without authorization. Gupta accessed information related to customized product design and pricing for significant purchases of computer processors, which Gupta used, as a representative of the Washington company, during head-to-head negotiations with his previous employer.
On December 26, 2024, Gupta was charged by criminal information with possessing stolen trade secrets.
Gupta faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 12, 2025, by a U.S. District Judge.
This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Geoffrey A. Barrow, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Anand B. Patel, Senior Counsel for the Criminal Division.
Former Broken Arrow Resident Pleads Guilty to Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Anthony Houser, age 36, formerly of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds and one count of Tax Fraud.
The Information alleged that between July 2016 and ending in February 2024, while serving as a manager for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Gaming Operations Authority Board and later as a manager for the Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises, LLC, Houser embezzled and obtained by fraud property owned by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation valued at $5,000.00 or more. The Information also alleged that Houser willfully filed a 2022 Form 1040 U.S. Individual Tax Return, made under penalties of perjury, which knowingly reported a false Adjusted Gross Income.
The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Houser was released on a personal recognizance bond pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara Traster and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Former Ambridge Water Authority Manager Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay Restitution of More Than $1 Million for Defrauding UtilityRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on February 20, 2025, to 27 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,073,185 on his conviction of mail fraud, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Michael Dominick, 44, who pleaded guilty to the mail fraud charge on October 8, 2024 (read the plea news release here).
According to information presented to the Court, Dominick was a former manager at the Ambridge Water Authority (AWA), where, during the period of January 2020 through August 2022, Dominick defrauded AWA of money and property totaling approximately $1,073,185. As manager of AWA, Dominick was responsible for overseeing all daily business and financial activity and had access to AWA’s bank accounts as well as cash and check payments made to AWA for water and related services. Dominick secretly diverted AWA’s money into his own personal bank accounts by writing checks to himself, depositing cash and checks issued to AWA into his personal bank accounts, using the AWA debit card to make purchases of personal items, and adjusting or failing to report the true location of AWA’s funds on critical financial records. As part of his sentencing, Dominick was ordered to pay restitution to the AWA and one of its insurers in the full amount stolen.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Bissoon stated that the sentence imposed would reflect Dominick’s significant abuse of public trust in perpetrating the fraud.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators with the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dominick.
Florida Men Indicted for Federal Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that TAVARISS DAVIS (“DAVIS”), age 44, and TOBEY FITCHETT (“FITCHETT”), age 45, of Perry, Florida, were charged in a four-count indictment on February 14, 2025 with violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act and Federal Gun Control Act.
According to the filed indictment, on or about August 1, 2024, DAVIS allegedly possessed with intent to distribute, five hundred (500) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine and possessed a firearm, a Taurus Model GC3, nine-millimeter handgun, in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Additionally, DAVIS was previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year in Florida, that prohibited him from possessing that firearm.
On or about August 1, 2024 FITCHETT was previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year in Florida, that, likewise, prohibited FITCHETT from possessing a firearm.
DAVIS was indicted in Count 1 for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 841(b)(1)(B). If convicted of Count 1, DAVIS faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and up to a maximum term of imprisonment of life, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and up to five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
DAVIS was also indicted in Count 2 for Possession of a Firearm, in furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A). If convicted of Count 2, DAVIS faces a minimum term of imprisonment of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
FITCHETT was indicted in Count 3 for possessing a firearm, having previously been convicted of a felony. Specifically, FITCHETT is accused of possessing a Taurus Model GC3, nine-millimeter handgun. If convicted, FITCHETT faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
DAVIS was also indicted in Count 4 for possessing a firearm having previously been convicted of a felony. Specifically, DAVIS is accused of possessing a Taurus Model GC3, nine-millimeter handgun. If convicted, DAVIS faces a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
The defendants also face payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Briana Williams of the Narcotics Unit.
Florida Businessmen Receive Prison Sentences in COVID-19 Mask and Glove Sale Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Brian H. Sperber and Edmond S. Norkus have received prison sentences for conspiring to commit wire fraud in a scheme in which the men tricked expectant purchasers of personal protective equipment out of more than $14 million.
“Sperber and Norkus cashed in on the unprecedented scarcity and skyrocketing price of personal protective equipment to get rich quick at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was exploding,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Now they justifiably confront prison terms for their cynical, illegal cash grab.”
“These sentences underline the FBI’s commitment to holding those who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain accountable,” said FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Brian H. Sperber became an authorized distributor for a Georgia-based personal protective equipment (“PPE”) manufacturer. Edmond S. Norkus operated warehouse space in Florida and was Sperber’s longstanding business associate. As the pandemic worsened, demand for, and market value of, PPE steeply increased. Even though Sperber was only authorized to sell to customers in a specific geographic sales territory and manufacturers had only extremely limited supplies available, Sperber and Norkus promised to sell large quantities of PPE to a wide range of would-be buyers.
But to make it appear that they could deliver on their promise, Sperber and Norkus diverted and showcased products already earmarked for other customers. They also provided customers with a variety of altered and counterfeit documents, designed to deceive customers into believing the products they had ordered were on the way. Ultimately, there were no products to supply and Sperber and Norkus pocketed the money while providing the victims with nothing.
United States District Judge Michael J. Brown sentenced Brian H. Sperber, 48, of Plantation, Fla., to two years, two months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,231,605.36. Sperber was convicted on May 28, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
Judge Brown sentenced Edmond S. Norkus, 61, of Deerfield Beach, Fla., to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Norkus was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,821,605.36. Norkus was convicted on May 28, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
Sperber used proceeds from the scheme to purchase a multi-million dollar waterfront mansion in Boca Raton, Florida. In a related civil forfeiture action, the United States and Sperber agreed to sell the property, netting approximately $4 million, and resolve the forfeiture in the criminal prosecution. As part of Sperber’s sentence, the district court forfeited Sperber’s interest in the funds. The United States, in Sperber’s plea agreement, agreed to recommend that the funds seized from the sale of the property be restored to the victims named in the restitution order.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alana R. Black and C. Brock Brockington prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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.
Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Felon Guilty of Fentanyl and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found a St. Paul man guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal possession of a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to evidence presented at trial, on April 19, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at an apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota, that Eric Marcel Turner, a.k.a. Xavier Thomas, 39, rented using an alias. In the apartment, officers found over 300 grams of fentanyl and a loaded firearm.
Because Turner has multiple prior felony convictions, including a federal drug trafficking offense, for which he served several years in federal prison, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
Following a three-day trial before Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court, a jury found Turner guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the West Metro Drug Trask Force, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and Allen A. Slaughter tried the case.
Five People Convicted in $1 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Five defendants who participated in a conspiracy and a fraud scheme involving 401(k) accounts of elderly retired Florida school district employees have been convicted after three defendants pleaded guilty and two defendants were found guilty by a federal jury. Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the convictions of the following defendants:
- Ronald Vargas, 38, of Osteen, Florida, pleaded guilty on August 21, 2024, to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
- Sarina Levy, 34, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, pleaded guilty on August 8, 2024, to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.
- Lambert Aguebor, 33, of Miramar, Florida, and Floyd Bostic, 42, of Tallahassee, Florida, were both found guilty by a federal jury on February 3, 2025, at the conclusion of a six-day jury trial. The jury found Lambert Aguebor guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Bostic was found guilty of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, three counts of Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, 16 counts of Money Laundering, and Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business.
- Grace Aguebor, 36, of Miramar, Florida, pleaded guilty on February 6, 2025, to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft.
Evidence presented at trial and court records show that the defendants were involved in a conspiracy to steal retirement funds from participants in a retirement 401(k) savings program comprised largely of Florida school district employees or prior employees. Between January 2022, and March 2022, Vargas, who worked for the company handling the retirement fund, conspired with the other defendants to have fraudulent withdraw forms faxed to the company requesting that the victims’ retirement funds be transferred to accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy. In total, the conspirators withdrew and attempted to withdraw retirement funds from 25 different 401(k) accounts, resulting in a net total of $1.1 million being stolen. Evidence presented at trial also established that Bostic was engaging in money laundering with the stolen funds.
Sentencing hearings for all defendants are scheduled for April 28, 2025, beginning at 10:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. All defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to three years on supervised release for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Vargas, Levy, Grace Aguebor, and Bostic face a mandatory minimum sentence of two years imprisonment—consecutive to any other prison sentence imposed by the court.
These convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Ethete man sentenced to 40 years' imprisonment for second-degree murderRead the Press Release
Kevin Joseph Mendibles, 37, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow for second-degree murder. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 19, in Casper. The court also ordered the defendant to pay $8,983.19 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on Feb. 25, 2024, the BIA Wind River Police Department was dispatched to a residence in Ethete for a woman who had been beaten badly and was barely breathing. Upon arrival, officers found the victim in a room with multiple stab wounds, blunt force injuries, and lacerations. When EMTs arrived, she had no pulse and was declared deceased. The defendant was interviewed and initially denied involvement but stated the victim had given him a place to live. In a follow-up interview, Mendibles admitted he killed the victim by beating and stabbing her. Mendibles was indicted on May 16, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Nov. 26, 2024.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is 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. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Case No. 24-CR-00076
Dominican Republic National Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Yudelkis Portes (43, Dominican Republic) to three years and 1 month in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after deportation. Portes entered a plea of guilty on December 4, 2024.
According to court documents, Portes was convicted of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft on February 28, 2013, and deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic. Following her deportation, Portes illegally reentered the United States.
This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
Dennis Allen Gaal Sentenced to 25 Years for Engaging in Interstate Travel for the Purpose of Engaging in Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – On February 21, 2025, Dennis Allen Gaal, 50, currently of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was sentenced to 25 years by the Honorable Travis R. McDonough, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following his incarceration, Gaal will be on supervised release for life, and he will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions during his supervised release.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Gaal agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of interstate travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b). Gaal, a registered sex offender from Mississippi, traveled to Chattanooga in December 2023, intending to sexually molest a 10-month-old child. In fact, Gaal had been communicating with a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who was posing as a person with access to the child. Gaal noted in the online discussions with the undercover agent that the sexual abuse would be “a dream come true.” He arrived in Chattanooga with gifts for the notional child, including Christmas outfits, a stuffed animal, and a rattle. When Gaal arrived, he was arrested and has remained in custody since his arrest.
“The defendant, while already a convicted sex offender, traveled to Tennessee to sexually molest a 10-month-old child,” said Francis M. Hamilton III, U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. “The facts are outrageous and disturbing. We are dedicated to prosecuting offenders like this to the full extent of the law.”
“Exploitation of children offenses are heinous and leave an immeasurable impact on victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “To protect our children, the FBI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and bring sexual predators to justice.”
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the investigation was led by FBI Special Agent Samuel Moore.
Assistant United States Attorney James T. Brooks and Special Assistant United States Attorney Charlie Minor with the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office, represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.”
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Dauphin County Man Sentenced to 97 Months’ Imprisonment for Receipt of Images Containing the Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dylan Ruppert, age 29, formerly of Halifax, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 20, 2025, to 97 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, for receiving images containing sexual exploitation of a child.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on August 11, 2023, law enforcement recovered approximately 65 electronic files of child pornography from Ruppert’s phone during a search of his home. Law enforcement also recovered electronic communications from Ruppert to another individual in which Ruppert discussed his desire to groom a child to engage in sexual activity.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Varley prosecuted the case.
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Colorado City Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Role in Child Sexual Abuse RingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – LaDell Jay Bistline, Jr., 46, of Colorado City, was sentenced on Wednesday by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to life in prison. On October 2, 2024, a jury convicted Bistline of one count of Receipt of Child Pornography; one count of Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor; two counts of Persuading or Coercing Travel to Engage in Sexual Activity; two counts of Using a Means of Interstate Commerce to Persuade or Coerce a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity; and two counts of Transportation of a Minor for Criminal Sexual Activity.
Bistline’s charges are based on his participation in a years-long child sexual abuse conspiracy that spanned several states and victimized at least 10 children. Bistline committed his crimes with others, including co-defendant Samuel Rappylee Bateman, the self-proclaimed leader of a religious sect based in Colorado City. Bateman and 10 of his other followers previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy and were not part of the trial against Bistline.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bistline delivered two of his own daughters to Bateman to become child “brides” and be sexually abused when the girls were nine and 11 years old. Bistline and others transported the victims between states including Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona to facilitate the sexual abuse. Bistline also participated in group sexual activity involving children, including one event he watched over a video livestream.
The Phoenix Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work rescuing and protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, the Colorado City Police Department, the Iron County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the St. George Resident Agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-8092-006-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-021_Bistline# # #
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.