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18 February 2025
New Kensington Felon Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Two Dozen FirearmsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 20 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of federal firearms charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Michael Guin, 27.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about January 22, 2024, Guin and his co-defendant, Steyn Sarduy, conspired to steal a truck and used the stolen vehicle to crash into and gain access to a firearms store in New Kensington. The defendants broke multiple display cases and stole 24 firearms. As a previously convicted felon, Guin was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Guin.
Mexican National Sentenced to 24 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Elias Garcia-Cervantes (37, Mexico) to 24 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after deportation. Garcia-Cervantes entered a guilty plea on November 22, 2024.
According to court documents, Garcia-Cervantes was convicted of carrying a concealed firearm on July 28, 2015, and illegal reentry into the United States after deportation on February 21, 2017. Following those convictions, Garcia-Cervantes was deported from the United States to Mexico. After his deportation, Garcia-Cervantes 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.
Mexican National Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that RAUDEL MIRANDA-MARTINEZ, age 44, pled guilty to reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326.
According to court records, on or about January 11, 2023, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents encountered MIRANDA-MARTINEZ at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center where he was being held for public intoxication. Records checks revealed MIRANDA-MARTINEZ unlawfully reentered the United States after he was previously deported on September 9, 2004. MIRANDA-MARTINEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three (3) years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2025.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney M. Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican National Arrested for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Jose Luis Carrasco-Aldape (37, Mexico) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Carrasco-Aldape faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.
According to court documents, Carrasco-Aldape is a citizen and national of Mexico. He was previously removed from the United States on March 22, 2004, and October 12, 2017. On February 13, 2025, Carrasco-Aldape was found voluntarily back in the United States when he was encountered by law enforcement in Clay County. Carrasco-Aldape has not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Maine Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison after Methamphetamine Recovered from Safe in Biddeford ApartmentRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Tyrone Fleurimont, 36, to 120 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court records, in April 2024, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigators executed a search warrant at a Biddeford apartment used by Fleurimont. Agents seized approximately 180 grams of methamphetamine pills, 90 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 293 grams of cocaine, and 66 grams of cocaine base, along with cash, a 9mm handgun and a loaded 18-round magazine. Individually wrapped baggies containing approximately 14 grams of cocaine were also later recovered from Fleurimont’s person.
Fleurimont has prior criminal convictions in both Massachusetts and Maine, including a 2013 conviction for possessing a Class A drug with intent to distribute, a 2016 conviction for possessing a firearm without a permit, and a 2019 conviction for unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs.
DEA investigated the case with the assistance of the Biddeford Police Department.
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Los Angeles Man Sentenced to 41 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Launder MoneyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A California man was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for conspiring to launder money obtained from internet-related fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Charles Singleton, 65, of Los Angeles, California, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo, to Count One of an Indictment, which charged him with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2018 to August 2020, Singleton worked with conspirators to launder money obtained through business email compromises, which is a method of wire fraud often targeting businesses or individuals working on business transactions involving high-dollar wire transactions. The fraud is carried out by compromising, hacking, and/or “spoofing” legitimate email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to cause employees of a target company, or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions, to conduct unauthorized transfers of funds, most often to accounts controlled by the fraud perpetrators.
Singleton opened several business bank accounts in the names of companies he controlled and received proceeds of wire fraud in those accounts. Singleton and his conspirators then withdrew and transferred money from various bank accounts and shared the bank account information. Singleton also executed at least one fraudulent contract with a conspirator for a wire of $70,000.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Arleo sentenced Singleton to three years of supervised release, ordered forfeiture of over $1.1 million constituting proceeds derived from the conspiracy, and ordered $1,469,003 in restitution to the victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, Woodland Park Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
singleton.indictment.pdf
Long Beach Man Who Was Getaway Driver in Fatal Armed Robbery of Victim Dealing Marijuana in Inglewood Pleads Guilty to Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Long Beach man pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for his role in the March 2021 murder of a victim in Inglewood during a marijuana deal.
Mateo Paul, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and one count of brandishing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Paul has been in custody since November 2023.
“This defendant’s recklessness led to a victim’s violent death and the prospect of a life sentence in federal prison,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “When local and federal law enforcement work together – as we did in this case – we can bring severe punishment for perpetrators of violent gun crime.”
According to his plea agreement, in March 2021, Paul and co-defendants Leandrew Raglin, 22, of Lancaster, and Iysis Elanore Smith, 22, of Inglewood, agreed to rob a marijuana dealer at gunpoint. They devised a plan to lure the dealer via a social media application to a meeting location, where they would ambush him at gunpoint and steal his marijuana.
On March 15, 2021, Smith approached the vehicle occupied by the victim. While Smith distracted the victim, Paul and Raglin parked behind the victim’s vehicle. Raglin then exited the vehicle Paul was driving, approached the passenger side of the victim’s car and opened fire, repeatedly wounding the victim in the passenger seat. Raglin then walked around to the driver’s side of the vehicle and opened fire, fatally wounding the victim in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, according to court documents.
Raglin’s brandishing and discharge of the firearm fell within the scope of Paul’s criminal agreement and could reasonably have been foreseen to be a necessary or natural consequence of the unlawful agreement, the plea agreement states.
United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled a June 27 sentencing hearing, at which time Paul will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
Raglin has pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment against him in this case and is scheduled to go to trial on May 19. The criminal charges against Smith are still pending. Both defendants face potential life sentences.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI and the Inglewood Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crimes Section and Gregg E. Marmaro of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section are prosecuting this case.
Lexington Woman Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington, woman, Amy Lynn Cook, 38, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, to 276 months, for production of child pornography.
According to her plea agreement, on December 1, 2023, law enforcement received a tip that a Google user, later identified as Cook, had uploaded child sexual abuse material to the platform. Law enforcement also identified additional tips that indicated that Cook had uploaded child pornography images to various other social media platforms, including Facebook. In an interview with law enforcement, Cook admitted that she would sell images, including sexually explicit images of minors, to others on the internet. Search warrants obtained for Cook’s social media accounts and electronic devices led to the discovery of child pornography images, including images of infant that had been produced by Cook. Cook stated that someone requested the image via the internet and that she had been paid to produce and send it.
Under federal law, Cook must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon Cook’s release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by HSI and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Lebanon County Man Indicted for Sex Offense Involving MinorRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Chase Lawrence, age 23, of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 5, 2025, for travelling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The case was unsealed following Lawrence’s initial appearance.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between on or about December 18, 2022 and October 6, 2023, Lawrence travelled from Lebanon County, Pennsylvania to the State of Ohio, with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a female who was under 16 years old.
The case was investigated by the Camden Ohio Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley (Wes) Mishoe is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 maximum penalties under federal law for the indicted offense are 30 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release after imprisonment, a fine, and a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Leader of One of Newark’s Largest Open-Air Drug Markets and Last of 26 Defendants Sentenced to 168 Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – a Newark, New Jersey man was sentenced today for his role as the leader of an expansive drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of drugs and used firearms to protect their drug operation in Newark, New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Shaheed Blake, a/k/a “Sha Gotti,” a/k/a “Sha,” a/k/a “Bruh,” 41, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment followed by 5 years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark, New Jersey. He was the last among his 25 co-defendants to be sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark.
Blake’s 25 conspirators were previously sentenced as follows:
- Anderson Hutchinson was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment;
- Jabaar Blake was sentenced to 163 months’ imprisonment;
- Jason Colon was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment;
- Keyenn Rodgers was sentenced to 150 months’ imprisonment;
- William Teal was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment;
- Brian White was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment;
- Todd Garrett was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment;
- Anthony Bowens was sentenced to 88 months’ imprisonment;
- Dorrell Blake was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment;
- Daquan Lockhart was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment;
- Aldoray McClain was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment;
- Sharif Davis was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment;
- Roger Thomas was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment;
- Lamont Pugh was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- David Rogers was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Hanif Yarrell was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Aaron Watson was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Marquise O’Neal was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Jaleel Metz was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment;
- Bernard Brown was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Jesse Scott was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Rasheem Langley was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Shadesasha Ford was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
- Linwood Lyles was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment; and
- Andrew Knox was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.
This case was the result of a long-running wiretap investigation led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Newark Police Department.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Defendants were members and associates of a Bloods-affiliated gang that called itself the “CKarter Boys,” a play on “the Carter”—the name of the drug distribution building in the 1991 film New Jack City. As Bloods members, the CKarter Boys used the letters “CK” to signify “Crip Killer,” a sign of disrespect to their rival street gang, the Crips.
The investigation revealed that the organization’s leaders—Blake and Anderson Hutchinson, a/k/a “Murda Rah”—operated a massive drug market that flooded the streets of Newark with heroin and crack cocaine 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
Blake, Hutchinson, and members of their organization sold heroin and crack cocaine to customers out of two neighboring houses near the Newark-Irvington border. These drug dens were located in the heart of a residential community, just two blocks from the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, a public school serving children from Pre-K to Fifth Grade. On average, just one of these locations, which Blake controlled, generated approximately $10,000 per day in revenue from narcotics sales, and, on at least one occasion, revenue exceeded $13,000 in a single shift.
One of the abandoned residences was virtually impenetrable due to the organization’s efforts to fortify the structure by boarding up all doors and windows. The defendants gained access to the residence through a second-floor window by way of a ladder that conspirators then brought inside the residence. Once inside the abandoned residence, the defendants would sell heroin and crack cocaine through a small hole that was cut out on a first-floor outer wall, allowing customers to purchase narcotics in exchange for cash, similar to a restaurant’s drive-through window. In a backyard shed, the defendants stored narcotics, a communal cell phone that was used to operate the business, multiple firearms, and several boxes of ammunition.
The investigation resulted in charges against 26 defendants, including Blake, two other leaders, middlemen who assisted with transporting drugs and drug proceeds, distributors, and suppliers.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of ATF, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. in Newark, and members of the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Director Emanuel Miranda, with the investigation. He also thanked the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, the Irvington Police Department, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, the Belleville Police Department, the West Orange Police Department, the Livingston Police Department, the Nutley Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Verona Police Department.
The CKarter Boys were prosecuted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (“VCI”). The VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Essex County Correctional Facility, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri and Jake A. Nasar of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Atlanta-Area Return PreparersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia seeking to bar three Atlanta-area tax return preparers from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing federal tax returns for others, as well as to require the defendants to disgorge the fees they received for fraudulently prepared returns.
The civil complaint was filed against Mabika Ilunga; Simon Ilunga; Simon Ilunga Jr.; Mabilus Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service; Big Cheez Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service and SN Tax Services Inc. doing business as Metro Insurance and Tax Service. According to the complaint, the defendants prepared and filed tax returns that falsely understated their customers’ federal income tax liabilities by fabricating, among other things:
- Businesses and related business expenses and losses;
- Education and qualified electric vehicle credits;
- Unreimbursed employee business expenses and
- Dependents and filing status.
The defendants fabricated these items to inflate their customers’ refunds and increase their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
According to the complaint, the defendants prepared thousands of tax returns for 2020 through 2023, and already prepared over 400 returns between the start of the 2025 filing season and today’s filing. The complaint alleges that the IRS reviewed income tax returns for 34 of the defendants’ customers and found that returns for 33 of those customers had errors that required an adjustment, often included without the customers’ knowledge or consent. As a result, the complaint alleges that the defendants have cost the United States lost tax revenue as well as the time and resources necessary to investigate the false returns. The complaint further alleges that the defendants harmed their customers who could potentially face large income tax debts and may be liable for penalties and interest.
The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. (More information can also be found here.) The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers, whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2025.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $84,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronical federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Ilunga et al Complaint.pdfIllegal Alien Charged with Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY –A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant was issued last week charging an illegal alien with aggravated identity theft, making a false statement during a firearm transaction, and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court records, on or about November 11, 2024, Manuel Antonio Xante-Ajanel, 25, a citizen of Guatemala, attempted to purchase a firearm from Academy Sports in Paducah using fraudulent identification belonging to another person. The transaction was terminated when the identification provided was flagged as being fraudulent. A search warrant was executed on January 31, 2025, at the defendant’s residence in Mayfield, Kentucky. Law enforcement located numerous fraudulent identification documents. Later that day, a search warrant was executed on the defendant’s vehicle, yielding a loaded 9-millimeter handgun. The defendant admitted to possessing the firearm and to being in the United States unlawfully.
Homeland Security Investigations verified that Xante-Ajanel is Guatemalan and entered the United States illegally.
Xante-Ajanel is in state custody and will make an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky at a later date. If convicted on the charges in the complaint, Xante-Ajanel faces a minimum sentence of 2 years and a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the ATF – Paducah Post of Duty, HSI – Paducah Post of Duty, and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint 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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Houston felon sentenced for federal firearms violation in Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Houston convicted felon has been sentenced to prison for a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Bobby Ray Emanis, 40, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on February 18, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in September 2023, a deputy with the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a suspicious vehicle on County Road 2286 in Cleveland. The vehicle was parked in the roadway with its lights off. The truck had no front license plate and no registration sticker in the windshield. Emanis was identified as the driver and informed the deputy there was a sawed-off shotgun behind the seat. The loaded shotgun was recovered. Further investigation revealed Emanis was a convicted felon, having been previously convicted of numerous violations in Liberty County, Nacogdoches County, and Harris County. As a convicted felon, Emanis knew he was prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.
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Health Net Federal Services, LLC and Centene Corporation Agree to Pay over $11 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability for Cybersecurity ViolationsRead the Press Release
Note: View the settlement agreement here.
Health Net Federal Services Inc. (HNFS) of Rancho Cordova, California and its corporate parent, St. Louis-based Centene Corporation, have agreed to pay $11,253,400 to resolve claims that HNFS falsely certified compliance with cybersecurity requirements in a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to administer the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) TRICARE health benefits program for servicemembers and their families. In 2016, Centene acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Health Net Inc., HNFS’s corporate parent, and assumed the liabilities of HNFS.
“Companies that hold sensitive government information, including sensitive information of the nation’s servicemembers and their families, must meet their contractual obligations to protect it,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue knowing violations of cybersecurity requirements by federal contractors and grantees to protect Americans’ privacy and economic and national security.”
“Safeguarding sensitive government information, particularly when it relates to the health and well-being of millions of service members and their families, is of paramount importance,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “When HNFS failed to uphold its cybersecurity obligations, it didn’t just breach its contract with the government, it breached its duty to the people who sacrifice so much in defense of our nation.”
“This settlement reflects the significance of protecting TRICARE, and the service members and their families who depend on the health care program, from risks of exploitation,” said Cyber Field Office Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General. “DCIS will not be deterred from investigating contractors that fail to comply with federal cybersecurity requirements and risk exposing protected information vulnerable to criminal hackers. The U.S. taxpayers who fund these government contracts expect no less.”
The settlement resolves allegations that, between 2015 and 2018, HNFS failed to meet certain cybersecurity controls and falsely certified compliance with them in annual reports to DHA that were required under its contract to administer the TRICARE program. The United States alleged that HNFS failed to timely scan for known vulnerabilities and to remedy security flaws on its networks and systems, in accordance with its System Security Plan and the response times HNFS had established. Furthermore, the United States alleged HNFS ignored reports from third-party security auditors and its internal audit department of cybersecurity risks on HNFS’ networks and systems related to asset management; access controls; configuration settings; firewalls; end-of-life hardware and software in use; patch management (i.e., installing critical security updates released by vendors to counter known threats); vulnerability scanning; and password policies.
The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California handled the matter, with assistance from DoD’s Office of Inspector General, including the DCIS, Cyber Field Office Western Region and the Inspector General’s Office of Audits, Cyberspace Operations Directorate, and DoD’s Defense Contract Management Agency, Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center.
Trial Attorneys Christopher Wilson, Laura Hill, and Jonathan Thrope of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Tennyson for the Eastern District of California represented the United States in this matter.
The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Health Net Federal Services LLC and Centene Corporation Agree to Pay over $11 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Related to CybersecurityRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Health Net Federal Services Inc. (HNFS) of Rancho Cordova and its corporate parent, Centene Corporation, have agreed to pay $11,253,400 to resolve claims that HNFS falsely certified compliance with federal contractor cybersecurity requirements, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The cybersecurity requirements were contained in a contract between HNFS and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to administer the Defense Health Agency’s (DHA) health insurance program TRICARE for servicemembers and their families.
“Safeguarding sensitive government information, particularly when it relates to the health and well-being of millions of service members and their families, is of paramount importance,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “When HNFS failed to uphold its cybersecurity obligations, it didn’t just breach its contract with the government, it breached its duty to the people who sacrifice so much in defense of our nation.”
“As TRICARE’s managed healthcare services contractor, DoD entrusted HNFS with safeguarding the sensitive information of the nation’s servicemembers and their families,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to pursue federal contractors that place such data at risk by failing to meet material cybersecurity requirements in their contracts.”
“This settlement reflects the significance of protecting TRICARE, and the service members and their families who depend on the health care program, from risks of exploitation,” said Cyber Field Office Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the DoD Office of Inspector General. “DCIS will not be deterred from investigating contractors that fail to comply with federal cybersecurity requirements and risk exposing protected information vulnerable to criminal hackers. The U.S. taxpayers who fund these government contracts expect no less.”
The settlement resolves allegations that, between 2015 and 2018, HNFS failed to meet certain cybersecurity controls and falsely certified compliance with them in annual reports to DHA that were required under its contract. The United States alleged that HNFS failed to timely scan for known vulnerabilities and to remedy security flaws on its networks and systems, in accordance with its System Security Plan and the response times HNFS had established. Furthermore, the United States alleged HNFS ignored reports from third-party security auditors and its internal audit department of cybersecurity risks on HNFS’s networks and systems related to asset management; access controls; configuration settings; firewalls; end-of-life hardware and software in use; patch management (i.e., installing critical security updates released by vendors to counter known threats); vulnerability scanning; and password policies. Nonetheless, the United States alleged, HNFS annually certified to DHA that it complied with controls that it violated and, for all of these reasons, its claims for payment were false.
The government’s pursuit of this matter is part of its ongoing efforts to hold accountable entities or individuals that put sensitive information at risk by knowingly providing deficient cybersecurity products or services, knowingly misrepresenting their cybersecurity practices or protocols or knowingly violating obligations to monitor and report cybersecurity incidents. Information on how to report cyberfraud can be found here.
The United States was represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Tennyson, along with Christopher Wilson, Laura Hill, and Jonathan Thrope of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, with assistance from DoD’s Office of Inspector General, including the DCIS, Cyber Field Office Western Region, the Inspector General’s Office of Audits, Cyberspace Operations Directorate, and DoD’s Defense Contract Management Agency, Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center.
The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
https://justice.gov/usao-edca/media/1389341/dl?inline
Hanceville Man Sentenced to More than Seven Years in Prison on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Hanceville man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for a methamphetamine crime, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and New Orleans Division Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer.
U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Jason Earl Shirley, 41, to 87 months in prison. In November 2024, Shirley pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, on October 5, 2023, a Cullman County Sheriff’s Office deputy initiated a traffic stop on Shirley. Shirley was driving on the center line, had an expired tag, and did not have a valid driver’s license. Shirley appeared nervous and would not make eye contact with the deputy, so the deputy asked Shirley to step out of the car. When Shirley got out, a black zippered bag fell out of the vehicle. Shirley admitted to the deputy that drugs were in the bag. The deputy searched the vehicle and recovered a camouflage bag under the driver’s seat that contained methamphetamine, scales, and a smoking device with methamphetamine residue.
The DEA investigated the case along with the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristy M. Peoples and Sara M. Judah prosecuted the case.
Guatemalan national sentenced for illegal reentry in Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Guatemalan national has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Carlos Rodriguez-Torres, 42, pleaded guilty to reenty of deported alien and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 18, 2025.
According to information presented in court, on April 18, 2024, Rodriguez-Torres was found in Lumberton. Data system checks revealed Rodriguez-Torres is a citizen and national of Guatemala and illegally present in the United States. Further investigation revealed Rodriguez-Torres had been previously deported or removed to Guatemala on March 14, 2012; October 9, 2012; March 12, 2013; and January 8, 2019. Rodriguez-Torres had also been previously convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien on February 20, 2018, in the Eastern District of Texas.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Lumberton Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.
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Guatemalan National Sentenced to 23 Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry in the United StatesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eddie Damian-Guillen, age 38, of Guatemala, was sentenced on February 13, 2025, to 23 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for illegal reentry into the United States by an illegal alien.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Damian-Guillen was encountered in the United States at Pike County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania, having been arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance. Damian-Guillen was previously removed from the United States in 2003, 2004, and 2020. His removal in 2020 followed his conviction and sentence for assault in the first degree in Connecticut, in which he ran over a victim with his car following a bar fight.
Damian-Guillen will be removed from the United States following service of his sentence.
The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle A. Moreno prosecuted the case.
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Guatemalan Citizen Pleads Guilty to Illegally Transporting Undocumented AliensRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Fredi Herrera-Sontay (42, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to being paid to transport an undocumented alien to further his illegal presence in the United States. Herrera faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, the U.S. Border Patrol received information that a grey truck with a Georgia license plate traveling southbound on I-75 was transporting undocumented aliens between Atlanta, Georgia, and South Florida. Border Patrol agents patrolling I-75 observed the truck and determined that Herrera was the registered owner and was illegally present in the United States. Agents stopped the vehicle in the early morning hours of January 29, 2025.
Upon questioning, Herrera and a passenger in the truck stated that they were citizens of Guatemala. Neither of them had any documents establishing that they were legally authorized to be in the United States.
Database checks for the vehicle reflected that it was purchased by Herrera on February 4, 2022, and that the mileage at the time of the purchase was 88,054. The vehicle’s odometer showed that the mileage at the time of the stop was 435,814, meaning that the vehicle had been driven 347,760 miles—or, on average, about 9,660 miles per month—since Herrera had purchased it.
Both Herrera and the passenger were administratively arrested and transported to the Jacksonville Border Patrol Station for immigration processing. During processing, agents learned that Herrera had multiple previous immigration encounters and had been removed from the United States on July 11, 2018. No results returned for the passenger, indicating no prior encounters.
During an interview, Herrera stated that that he was taking the passenger to Miami, for which he was paid $250, and that he was generally paid $250 for each person he transported. When he was asked how many times he had transported aliens, he replied that he did not know, that he did not have a clue how many times.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Former Western New York man pleads guilty to perjury for lying while testifying during his fraud trialRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –Acting U.S. Attorney Joel L. Violanti announced today that Michael W. Luehrsen, 41, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to perjury, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. As part of his plea, Luehrsen has agreed to pay approximately $2-million dollars in restitution and forfeit approximately $2-million dollars in assets, including investments and real estate proceeds.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Grace Carducci, who is handling the case, stated that in February 2022, Luehrsen testified under oath in his previous jury trial before the United States District Court for the Western District of New York as follows:
Q. Mike, I want to start by talking about your dad. You told Mr. Kruly that on the days that those prescriptions were faxed you were not in town, is that what you said?
A. That’s correct.
Q. Can you tell the jury, where were you?
A. On June 27, 2014, I was actually in California visiting Cornerstone Pharmacy with two physicians. On July 11, of 2014, I was in Boston, Massachusetts.
Q. And how do you remember that?
A. I have photographs from my phone showing me in those particular cities.
Evidence from Luehrsen’s cellular telephone shows that the testimony quoted above was false. Photographs on the cell phone establish that he was, in fact, in Buffalo on July 11, 2014. In addition, telephone records and financial records established that Luehrsen was in Buffalo on that date. At the time of this testimony, Luehrsen was being tried for, among other crimes, conspiring to commit health care fraud. It was a matter material to the trial whether or not Luehrsen was in Buffalo when an altered compound prescription form was faxed from his father’s home located in the Western District of New York.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 27, 2025, before Judge Vilardo.
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Former Guatemalan Congressman sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for international drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A former Guatemalan congressman has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for his role in an international drug trafficking conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. of the Eastern District of Texas.
Jose Armando Ubico Aguilar, 45, a former senior Republic of Guatemala official, pleaded guilty to being involved in an international drug trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on February 11, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Ubico Aguilar served as an elected member of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala from 2016 to 2024. He also served as an elected Deputy and was the President of the National Defense Committee of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala from 2018 to 2023.
“The sentencing of this corrupt Guatemalan official who brokered and facilitated cocaine shipments into the United States while betraying his country through his partnerships with known drug traffickers and other corrupt officials shows the commitment of the Eastern District of Texas United States Attorney’s Office to identify, disrupt, and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “I am grateful to our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to ensure that Ubico Aguilar will no longer be allowed to hide behind his position of power.”
“The sentencing of this corrupt official who brokered and facilitated cocaine shipments into the United States sends a message to Transnational Criminal Organizations across the world that they will be held responsible for the poison they distribute into the United States,” said Dallas DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “This sentence reflects our continued resolve to partner with our international law-enforcement counterparts to fight greed, violence, and public corruption.”
On March 3, 2021, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas indicted Ubico Aguilar charging him with federal drug trafficking violations. In May 2024, Ubico Aguilar arrived in the United States and pleaded guilty. During his plea hearing, Ubico Aguilar admitted his role in the conspiracy, including relaying drug-related information and U.S. currency to another Guatemalan official on behalf of an international drug trafficker. These actions resulted in the safe passage of at least 450 kilograms of cocaine through Guatemala for distribution in the United States.
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.
This case was investigated by the North Texas Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) Strike Force Group Two; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Division; the DEA’s Guatemala City Country Office and the DEA’s San Jose (Costa Rica) Country Office; the FBI’s Dallas Field Office; the Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas and Guatemala Field Offices; the U.S. Marshals Service’s Dallas Field Office; and Customs and Border Protection’s San Diego Field Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division also provided significant assistance in securing the surrender of Ubico Aguilar.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Eason.
Former Great Falls woman sentenced to prison for 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation that seriously injured passengerRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A former Great Falls woman who was convicted by a federal judge for a December 2021 crash on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in which a juvenile passenger suffered serious injuries was sentenced on Feb. 12 to 14 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said today.
After a one-day bench trial on Aug. 27, 2024, Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris found the defendant, Noblee Rose Littledog, 23, currently of Aberdeen, Washington, guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury as charged in an indictment. At sentencing, the court allowed Littledog to self-report to prison.
In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Dec. 1, 2021, Littledog was driving a 2019 Jeep Cherokee on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation with the victim, a passenger identified as Jane Doe, who was 17 years old. While driving on Badger Creek Road, Littledog attempted to pass two vehicles at the same time while driving 105 mph. Littledog lost control of the vehicle and overcorrected, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and roll several times before coming to rest right side up. Both Littledog and the victim were seriously injured. Jane Doe suffered severe trauma to her lower extremities, underwent multiple surgeries and has permanent damage.
The government presented evidence at trial that seconds before the crash, Littledog was traveling at a minimum speed of 105 mph. The evidence also showed that both occupants were restrained at the time of the crash. Jane Doe reported that Littledog had consumed alcohol on the drive, and Littledog told law enforcement at the hospital that she had consumed two alcoholic beverages approximately 30 to 40 minutes before the crash.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, the Montana Highway Patrol and the FBI, with assistance from the Cut Bank Police Department, conducted the investigation.
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First Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot is now Acting U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS--The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana announced today that First Assistant Timothy J. Racicot is now the Acting U.S. Attorney following the departure of former U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
As Acting U.S. Attorney, Racicot is the chief federal law enforcement official in the state of Montana.
Racicot is a career prosecutor who became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in October 2005. He has served as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney since August 2022.
Racicot received an undergraduate degree from Carroll College and a law degree from the University of Notre Dame.
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Federal felon pleads guilty to committing drug and gun crimes while still on supervised releaseRead the Press Release
Seattle – A federal felon, still on supervision for a 2012 conviction, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four federal felonies concerning drug and gun crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Barry Tremain, 58, of Gold Bar, Washington, was found with guns and drugs on two different occasions in May 2024. U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead scheduled Tremain’s sentencing for May 22, 2025.
According to records filed in the case, on May 7, 2024, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Deputies attempted to stop a vehicle Tremain was driving for a traffic violation. Tremain attempted to flee but was apprehended. Officers found Tremain with methamphetamine, scales, and $16,000 cash. In the car deputies found a 9mm handgun and additional methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and three cell phones. Tremain was taken into local custody and released a short time later.
Tremain was on supervision for a 2012 conviction for drug and firearms crimes, so federal probation visited Tremain’s Gold Bar residence on May 15, 2024. Tremain was found to have a .44 caliber revolver and additional methamphetamine. He had a drug ledger and more than $10,000 in cash.
Tremain pleaded guilty today to two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Tremain is prohibited from possessing firearms due to 2012 convictions for three counts of distribution of heroin, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of heroin with intent to distribute and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
The drug charges are punishable by up to 40 years in prison and the gun charges are punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Whitehead after considering the sentencing guidelines and other factors.
The case was investigated by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Probation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Hobbs.
Federal Trial Jury Convicts New Orleans Woman of Two 2022 Robberies of Igor’s LoungeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA- Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson announced that on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, DEBORAH COOPER (“COOPER”), 54, of New Orleans, was found guilty of all charges following a jury trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo.
The jury found COOPER guilty of all seven counts against her. Count 1 charged COOPER with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a). Counts 2 and 4 charged COOPER with interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2. Counts 3 and 5 charged COOPER with using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§924(c)(1)(A)(ii) and 2. Count 6 charged COOPER with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Count 7 charged COOPER with tampering with proceedings, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1).
According to court documents, COOPER, and an unknown person, robbed Igor’s Lounge, located on St. Charles Avenue, in New Orleans in February and March of 2022. During the February robbery, COOPER, and the unknown person, held an Igor’s bartender at gunpoint and demanded she open the register and poker drawer. The robbers then forced the bartender to the rear of the bar, and ordered her, at gunpoint, to lie on the floor while they fled. The robbers stole over twelve hundred dollars ($1,200.00) in U.S. currency. Similarly, during the March robbery, COOPER and the unknown person, retuned to Igor’s and robbed another bartender at gunpoint. This time , they stole over seven thousand dollars ($7,000.00) in U.S. currency. The New Orleans Police Department investigated the robberies and obtained surveillance footage showing the robbers parking COOPER’s Ram pickup truck near Igor’s on the day of the February robbery. NOPD then obtained a search warrant for COOPER’s residence and located various items of clothing worn by COOPER during the robberies, twelve hundred dollars ($1,200.00) in U.S. currency, and a Smith and Wesson firearm, that COOPER attempted to hide, during this search. The NOPD also located blue latex gloves in COOPER's Ram truck, similar to the blue latex gloves worn by the robbers during the March robbery.
U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo will sentence COOPER on May 7, 2025. COOPER faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years imprisonment up to a maximum term of life imprisonment as a result of being convicted of two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing of a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime. This sentence will run consecutive to the sentences imposed by the Court for the remaining counts for which COOPER was convicted. As it relates to her convictions for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, and Tampering with Proceedings, COOPER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. For the felon in possession of a firearm conviction, COOPER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. COOPER also faces a term of supervised release of up to 5 years after completing her term of imprisonment. At sentencing, the Court will also impose a mandatory special assessment fee of $700.00. Additionally, the Court may impose fines and restitution.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany Reed and Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.
Federal Jury Finds Dauphin County Man Guilty of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Melad Fahmy, age 44, of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, was convicted on February 13, 2025, for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor following a four-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson. The jury deliberated approximately 45 minutes before returning its verdict.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, this case was the result of a multi-agency undercover operation designed to combat human trafficking and child exploitation. Fahmy responded to an advertisement FBI had placed on a website known to advertise prostitution and escort service. Fahmy then communicated with an undercover agent posing as an aunt and acting as the pimp for her minor niece to entice the child to engage in illegal sexual acts for $100. Fahmy was arrested after arriving at a Harrisburg hotel with $100 in cash.
"Cases like this are brought together through the diligent work of law enforcement and their dedication to protecting all children from exploitation," said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. "The FBI will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to locate, apprehend, and bring to justice those who prey on our most vulnerable."
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Dauphin County Drug Task Force, and Lower Paxton Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Haugsby and Stephen Dukes prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is a life of imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of 10 years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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East Conemaugh Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of East Conemaugh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Kari Ameen Wheeler, 38, pleaded guilty to Counts One and Two of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about August 21, 2024, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Wheeler distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Further, on August 23, 2024, Wheeler possessed two firearms and ammunition after previously having been convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and Cambria County Drug Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Wheeler.
District Court Enters Permanent Injunctions Prohibiting Unauthorized Debits to Consumer and Small Business Bank AccountsRead the Press Release
On Jan. 31, a court in Miami entered the final in a series of consent decrees, permanently barring 10 individuals and entities from operating a scheme to steal funds from thousands of bank accounts belonging to consumers and small businesses across the United States.
In a civil complaint unsealed on Dec. 11, 2023, the Justice Department alleged that a network of individuals and their companies, including defendants Farhan Khan, Jeremy Todd Briley, Christopher Foufas, Brandon Hahn, and Melinda Petit-Homme, participated in a scheme to steal millions of dollars from consumers and small businesses by making recurring unauthorized charges against their bank accounts.
The defendants allegedly used sham companies, including Altitude Processing Inc., which does business as Clear Marketing Agency, to cover their tracks and make the unauthorized charges appear legitimate. The defendants also allegedly took elaborate steps to portray the sham companies as legitimate businesses that provided online marketing services, creating bogus websites for the sham companies, fake customer authorizations for the charges, and a “customer service” call center to field complaints and offer refunds. The government alleged that, in reality, victims of the scheme never signed up for — or received — any services from the defendants.
“These consent decrees are the hard-won result of the Department’s efforts to eradicate schemes that prey upon consumers and small businesses across the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department is committed to using all the tools at its disposal to block fraudsters from reaching into victims’ bank accounts and draining their savings through repeated unauthorized charges.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will relentlessly pursue any and everyone masquerading as legitimate businesses to fraudulently steal money from unsuspecting consumers,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the Postal Inspection Service’s Criminal Investigations Group. “Postal inspectors work diligently to investigate fraud scams and educate the public about how to protect their money from criminals.”
Under the consent decrees, the defendants may not charge consumers without authorization. The consent decrees also prevent the defendants from taking any measures to: (a) evade fraud and risk monitoring programs established by any financial institution, payment processor, or the operator of any payment system; (b) disguise the nature of transactions; or (c) artificially reduce chargeback rates. They are further prohibited from assisting any other individuals or entities with taking any of the prohibited actions. The consent decrees do not constitute an admission of guilt on behalf of the defendants.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Carolyn Rice and Meredith Reiter of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch represented the government in this matter. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida provided substantial assistance.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Denton County woman sentenced to federal prison for fatal fentanyl overdoseRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Denton woman has been sentenced to over 19 years in federal prison for her role in a fatal fentanyl overdose in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Tiffane Chantial Volz, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos
Mazzant on February 18, 2025.Co-defendant, Courtney Green, 28, also of Denton, pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison on January 30, 2025, by Judge Mazzant.
According to information presented in court, on April 15, 2023, law enforcement officers responded to a reported overdose death on Heatherton Drive in Celina, Texas. Autopsy results determined the victim died of pulmonary congestion and edema due to the toxic effects of fentanyl. An investigation revealed emails and text messages between the victim and Green discussing the distribution of prescription pills. Further investigation determined Volz to be Green’s source of supply.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a Public Safety Alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. The Public Safety Alert coincides with the launch of DEA’s One Pill Can Kill Public Awareness Campaign to educate the public of the dangers of counterfeit pills and urges all Americans to take only medications prescribed by a medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. The campaign aims to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in fake pills that are mass-produced by criminal drug networks in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate prescription pills, and are killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate. For more information, please visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
This case was investigated by the Celina Police Department, Denton County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Delta Man Sentenced to Prison for His Role in Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – Jarvis Hood, 23 of Belzoni, was sentenced on Tuesday to five years in prison for conspiring to transfer firearms to Chicago, Illinois residents and making false statements to federal firearms licensees during the purchase of multiple firearms.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the investigation began after agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives noticed that a high volume of firearms recovered in crimes in the City of Chicago had been purchased in the Northern District of Mississippi. Some of the firearms involved in new crimes had been purchased as recent as one day prior to use in a new offense.
Several of the firearms were recovered in violent crimes and had machinegun devices attached that converted the firearms to be able to fire automatically. In total, investigators identified over 60 firearms that were purchased illegally and transported to Chicago for resale. Five defendants pled guilty for their roles in the offense. After a five-day trial in October 2024, a federal jury returned a verdict finding Hood guilty of the offense.
On February 18, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Hood to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence imposed will run consecutive to a sentence that Hood is currently serving in an unrelated state court case. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Hood absolutely deserves this time in prison after he participated in a scheme to illegally traffic firearms to Chicago for personal profit without any concern that these guns would be used by violent criminals to create more victims,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We will continue to hold accountable those who place innocent citizens at risk by putting guns in the hands of people who do not have any respect for human life.”
“Machineguns cannot be tolerated on the streets of any community, and this defendant, alongside his codefendants, are guilty of trafficking these dangerous weapons between Mississippi and Chicago,” remarked ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon of the Chicago Field Division. “I commend the agents, officers and the United States Attorney’s Office for their commitment in investigating and prosecuting this case, holding the defendants accountable for trafficking over 60 firearms which ended up in the hands of dangerous individuals.”
The case was investigated by the Chicago Field Division of ATF, with assistance from the ATF Oxford, Mississippi Field Office. Valuable contributions were made by the Chicago Police Department, Wilmette Police Department, and Amtrak Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Addison and Samuel Stringfellow 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. 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.
Daytona Beach Man Sentenced to Prison for Theft of Government Money and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Richard Eugene Findley (63, Daytona Beach) to 3 years and 9 months in federal prison for theft of government money and aggravated identity theft. As part of his sentence, Findley must also pay restitution to the Social Security Administration, the Department of Agriculture, and the victim of the identity theft. Findley entered a guilty plea on April 30, 2024.
According to court documents, Findley obtained E.G.’s identification card, Social Security card, and birth certificate sometime in the 1990s. He then used E.G.’s identity without E.G.’s permission to fraudulently obtain various government benefits, including a Florida driver license, Social Security benefits, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Del Mastro.
Convicted Robber Sentenced to Additional Prison Term After Firing Machine Gun at Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Montrez Ballard has been sentenced to ten years in prison after firing a machine gun at a Georgia State Patrol officer.
“Ballard’s brazen actions endangered the life of a law enforcement officer,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Moultrie, Jr. “This lengthy prison sentence reflects Ballard’s dangerous, and potentially lethal, attack on a Georgia State Patrol trooper whose very mission is to help keep our community safe.”
“The swift and coordinated response of law enforcement ensured that a dangerous individual was taken off the streets before he could inflict further harm. ATF will not stand by while criminals use illegally modified weapons to terrorize our communities. We will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who believe they can act without consequence,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Jones.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: On July 21, 2023, Ballard, driving a Nissan Maxima, abruptly cut off a Georgia State Patrol (GSP) trooper in Atlanta. Ballard fled from the trooper after the officer activated his emergency equipment to stop Ballard. In his attempt to evade the trooper, Ballard drove more than 20 miles per hour above the speed limit in a residential neighborhood, ran stop signs, and nearly struck another motorist.
Minutes into the chase, Ballard’s vehicle crashed into a stop sign. Ballard then exited his vehicle and fled on foot. When the trooper chased him, Ballard confronted the officer and fired at least three shots at the trooper. The trooper returned fire but Ballard escaped.
Other law enforcement agencies, including the Atlanta Police Department and Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, responded to help locate Ballard. Officers eventually arrested Ballard – who was on probation for a state robbery offense at the time – and recovered his firearm. Ballard’s gun, a Glock 19 9mm handgun, was examined and determined to be equipped with a device that converted the weapon into a machine gun, allowing the gun to fire continuously without multiple trigger pulls.
Montrez Ballard, 21, of Hampton, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to ten years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Atlanta Police Department and Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Dwayne A. Brown, Jr. 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. 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.
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.
California man who molested teen on flight sentenced to two years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 42-year-old Los Angeles County, California man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two years in prison for abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft enroute to Seattle from Burbank, California, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Justin Baker was arrested March 14, 2024, when the Alaska Airlines plane arrived at SEA. Baker has been in custody since the jury returned its guilty verdict on October 23, 2024. At sentencing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour imposed the maximum sentence allowed by law saying, “I was particularly struck by the candor of the victim and her bravery in testifying.”
“This was a calculated and predatory sexual assault on an 18-year-old girl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Mr. Baker underestimated the victim’s strength in testifying, as well as the commitment we have in the Western District of Washington to hold these aircraft offenders accountable.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, Baker was in the middle seat, with the victim seated to his right next to the wall of the plane. Baker learned the victim was preparing to go to college and was just 18 years old. According to testimony at trial, Baker showed the teen sexually explicit text messages he had on his phone and then draped his jacket over his lap as well as her lower body. The victim attempted to move away from Baker and closer to the wall. He reached under the jacket and groped her leg. Despite the victim saying “No” and moving away when he first tried to touch her, he continued to grope her genitals over her clothing. Then he reached into her top and groped her breast
Ultimately, the victim got out of her seat to contact the flight crew. As she tried to pass by Baker, he groped her buttocks and pulled her back down into her seat. Ultimately the victim was able to leave and report the assault.
Speaking in court today, Assistant United States Attorney Grace Zoller said Baker, “treated the victim like an object… He dehumanized her.”
The victim shared how the assault has “shattered the trajectory of her life.” She told the court about anxiety around airports and flying, and how her family and loved ones “have watched me change in ways I have never imagined.” Her goal she said is to “hold Baker accountable.”
Judge Coughenour said he was imposing the maximum two-year sentence because of the “seriousness of the crime, the harm to the victim and the danger (Baker) poses to the community.”
When released from prison, Baker will be on five years of federal supervision and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristine Foerster and Grace Zoller.
Bonita Springs Man Sentenced to Thirty Months for Interstate Threats and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Aaron Thomas Fister (30, Bonita Springs) to two years and six months in federal prison for interstate transmission of threats and stalking. Fister entered a guilty plea on November 7, 2024.
According to court documents, Fister engaged in a years-long campaign of threats and harassment against a former intimate partner and her sister. Fister’s conduct included making hundreds of harassing phone calls, including dozens in a single day and many during the early-morning hours. Fister also created a series of graphically threatening voicemails, including numerous threats to kill both victims and their family members, as well as a threat to kill and decapitate one victim’s infant daughter. Fister engaged in physically threatening and harassing conduct as well, including slashing car tires, smashing headlights, hitting a family residence with paintballs, using a GPS tracking device to track one victim, and nearly striking one victim with his car while she was pregnant. One victim fled the state of Florida, traveling hundreds of miles away and leaving behind family members and possessions to get away from Fister.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Atlanta Woman Indicted for Aggravated Identity Theft and Passport FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Jermirria Jackson (48, Atlanta, GA) with aggravated identity theft and making a false statement on a passport application. If convicted, Jackson faces a minimum sentence of 2 years, up to12 years, in federal prison.
According to court records, on January 19, 2022, Jackson applied for a passport in a name that was not her own. Prior to applying for the passport, Jackson had obtained means of identification in the victim’s name. When Jackson applied for the passport, Jackson pretended to be the victim and submitted the fraudulent identification as her 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 Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
Anchorage man sentenced to over 11 years for attempting to coerce a minorRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to over 11 years in prison and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release for attempting to coerce and entice a minor in 2023.
According to court documents, in early July 2023, Benjamin Roundy, aka “Aleks” or “Alekzander Marko,” 43, responded to a public group chat post on an internet-based app by an individual who identified herself as a 13-year-old living in Anchorage. The group chat post was actually made by an undercover agent.
Court documents explain that Roundy communicated with the undercover agent for nearly a month, first on the app and then via text message, and he initiated sexual conversations. Roundy discussed sexual acts he wanted to perform on the individual, who be believed to be a child, and made repeated requests for explicit photos of her.
On Aug. 4, 2023, Roundy asked the undercover agent to meet in person at the parking lot of a grocery store in Anchorage. The undercover agent told Roundy she was going to walk home from a friend’s house, and Roundy asked what street the friend lived on. Shortly after learning the fictional address of the friend, the defendant left his home to meet the undercover agent, who he thought was a minor.
Court documents further explain that Roundy texted the undercover agent instructions on where to meet him. When he received no response to his instructions, Roundy drove to a parking lot where he could see the street of the fictitious friend. Law enforcement arrested Roundy in the parking lot shortly thereafter and discovered a new bottle of personal lubricant and condoms in his vehicle.
The investigation revealed thousands of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse on Roundy’s electronic devices and data detailing his online presence, which included searches for child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and related terms.
On April 25, 2024, Roundy pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
“Mr. Roundy’s conduct was heinous, as he tried to meet with who he believed was an underage girl in Anchorage to engage in sex, sought explicit images of the child, and obtained graphic images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of other minors for years,” said First Assistant U.S Attorney Kathryn R. Vogel for the District of Alaska. “Our office’s commitment to safeguarding Alaska’s children from those who seek to exploit their innocence is unwavering. We will relentlessly pursue justice by working with law enforcement to identify, investigate and hold accountable anyone who targets children.”
“The defendant posed a significant threat to children in Alaska and abroad, as demonstrated by his disturbing pattern of conduct involving child exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Even in the darkest corners of the Internet, the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force will find a way to seek justice for our most vulnerable.”
The FBI and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander of the District of Alaska and Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Alleged serial arsonist faces federal chargesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old McAllen resident has been charged with arson and possession of a destructive device, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Daniel Eduardo Rivera is expected to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 9:00 a.m.
According to the criminal complaint, Rivera has allegedly been targeting an individual since 2022 by setting multiple fires to the victim’s residence and vehicles.
The charges allege that in November 2022 at approximately 2:03 a.m., fire department officials responded to the victim’s residence due to a fire coming from a storage shed. They extinguished it, but authorities later determined it to be incendiary in nature, according to the complaint.
At approximately 1:10 p.m. that same day, the fire department was allegedly dispatched to the victim’s house for a second time where they discovered the porch to be fully engulfed with fire seeping into the home. The charges allege they were again able to extinguish it but not before it had caused significant damage to the home. They also found a Molotov cocktail at the scene, according to the complaint.
According to the victim, Rivera had allegedly confronted him and threatened to kill his family at night and burn the victim’s house down.
The complaint further alleges that in May 2024, fire officials responded to a vehicle fire in McAllen. It has already been extinguished, but authorities allegedly determined another Molotov cocktail was used in an attempt to set the car ablaze. The investigation links Rivera to that incident, according to the charges.
If convicted, Rivera faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the arson and a maximum of 10 for possession of a destructive device.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives is conducting the investigation with the assistance of the McAllen Fire Marshal’s Office, Fire and Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Devin V. Walker are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Alleged High-Level Human Smuggler Extradited to El PasoRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national was extradited from Mexico City to El Paso on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in human smuggling operations through the El Paso corridor.
According to court documents, Osvaldo Coronel-Fernandez aka “Omero,” of Ciudad Juarez, is charged with one count of aiding and abetting, bringing in aliens without authorization for financial gain and one count of conspiracy to encourage and induce aliens to come to the United States for financial gain.
Coronel-Fernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury in El Paso on Nov. 20, 2019 for offenses that allegedly occurred between July 2015 and August 2016. If convicted, he faces three to 10 years in federal prison for the aiding and abetting charge and up to 10 years in prison for the conspiracy charge. 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 is investigating the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Coronel-Fernandez. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting and extraditing Coronel-Fernandez.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Watts is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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52-Month Prison Sentence for a D.C. Convicted Felon Who Traveled to the Jersey Shore to Rob an Overnight PharmacyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ashawntea Henderson, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. to 52 months in federal prison for participating in an early morning robbery of a drug store at the Jersey Shore. During the May 2020 robbery, he and his co-conspirators jumped the counter, overpowered the night pharmacist, stole thousands of prescription narcotics, and then – as they attempted to flee to the District – crashed into a responding police cruiser.
The sentencing was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Terence Reilly of the Newark Field Office.
Henderson pleaded guilty on October 30, 2024, to interference of commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery). In addition to the 52-month prison sentence, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Henderson to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Henderson and his co-conspirators researched potential targets including Walgreens and CVS pharmacies which were open all night. On May 9, 2020, Henderson and others drove more than 200 miles from Washington, D.C. to a Walgreens Pharmacy on State Road 33, in Neptune, New Jersey.
At 3:09 a.m., Henderson and two others dressed in masks and gloves entered the Walgreens. All three jumped over the pharmacy counter and demanded codeine, Adderall, and Percocet. One of the co-conspirators grabbed the night pharmacist, demanded that he open the locked cabinets containing additional pills, and forced the pharmacist to assist them. After grabbing thousands of prescription medicines – including Oxycodone, morphine, amphetamine, and Nucynta – Henderson and the two co-conspirators fled in a black Nissan Altima operated by a fourth co-conspirator. At one point, the Nissan collided with a responding police officer’s patrol car but continued at high speed back to Washington D.C.
After returning to the District, as they celebrated at a hotel, one of the co-conspirators received a text from a known drug distributor asking the price for a drug of the same type stolen from Neptune, New Jersey. The co-conspirator and the drug distributor continued to exchange texts about the sale of drugs for the following weeks.
Henderson is currently serving a five-year prison sentence in Maryland in connection with his 2022 possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the Neptune Township Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by AUSAs Justin Song, Sarah Martin and Cameron Tepfer.
23cr190
17 February 2025
Zachary A. Cunha Concludes His Service as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Zachary A. Cunha announced today that he has stepped down from his position as United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, effective immediately, after receiving notification from the White House that the President has directed him to do so. Mr. Cunha previously tendered a letter of resignation to the President and the Attorney General on February 7, 2025, in which he indicated his intent to leave office at the end of this week. U.S. Attorney Cunha made the following statement:
I am deeply grateful to Senators Reed and Whitehouse for recommending my nomination to the White House, and to President Biden for his trust and confidence in appointing me to serve this extraordinary District and its citizens as United States Attorney. I have worked hard every day to live up to the example of excellence set by my thirty-eight distinguished predecessors over the 235-year history of this Office, and it has been the honor of my career to do this job.
Over the three years that I have had the high privilege to serve as U.S. Attorney, it has been my constant goal to make sure that the work of this District punched far above the weight that our compact geography and small staff might imply. By every measure, the men and women of this Office have met that goal, again and again, across every category in which we prosecute and litigate on behalf of the people of the Ocean State.
In the face of a persistent opioid crisis, and the scourge of fentanyl that has cost countless lives, this Office prosecuted the largest illegal pill seizure in the United States, and brought suit against the nation’s largest pharmacy chain for creating a culture of noncompliance that allowed countless improper opioid prescriptions to flow out into our communities. Recognizing the complexity of this crisis, we have prosecuted criminals who prey on our neighbors struggling in recovery, while at the same time partnering with public health authorities to make sure that those same vulnerable victims have access to the care they need, and we have worked tirelessly to present an innovative, effective, and impactful anti-opioids education program in schools and community settings across Rhode Island.
At the same time, we have worked relentlessly to bring fraudsters to justice, because their crimes have devastating impacts on our family, friends, neighbors, towns and businesses. We have likewise remained focused on holding businesses and corporations who commit crimes accountable, and have worked to protect the federal taxpayer from fraud, waste, and abuse, including by ensuring that those who serve our nation in uniform are not put at risk by shoddy and counterfeit gear. And, because every American deserves safe and secure communities, we have taken a firm stand against violent crime, bringing the serious charges against those responsible for bringing the most deadly illegal weapons into our communities, while proceeding with resolve and fierce determination against those who prey on our most vulnerable community members: our children.This Office’s civil rights work stood up to ensure that every Rhode Islander can access fair lending and to ensure that children with behavioral disabilities have the chance to receive care in their communities, rather than spending months of isolation in a locked hospital ward; and we have stood resolute against acts of hatred and violence directed against our communities of faith, race, or ethnicity, while hosting more than fifteen United Against Hate conversations with over 800 of our fellow citizens across the state.
In these, and countless other areas, the men and women of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island exemplify excellence in public service: acting always with integrity, in the best traditions of this Office and the Department of Justice, and driven by precisely those qualities that Attorney General Robert H. Jackson impeccably distilled, over eight decades ago, as the defining traits of a first-rate prosecutor: the ability to “temper[] zeal with human kindness, [the determination to] seek[] truth and not victims, [the unwavering commitment to] . . . serve[] the law and not factional purposes, and[, above all] [a resolution to] approach[] [the] task with humility.”[1]
I am profoundly proud of their work, and deeply humbled to have served with them.
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Zachary A. Cunha took the oath of office as United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island on December 13, 2021, following his nomination by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., and confirmation by the United States Senate. During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, he was also honored to be named to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, where he served alongside a small group of colleagues from across the nation who advised the Department’s senior leadership on matters of policy.
Mr. Cunha devoted the past twenty years of his career to public service with the Department of Justice, beginning as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn), before serving in the District of Massachusetts, and, for more than a decade, in the District of Rhode Island. In the course of his DOJ service before being appointed U.S. Attorney, he was named Chief of the Civil Division in the District of Rhode Island, and Chief and Deputy Chief of Affirmative Civil Enforcement in the District of Massachusetts, where he focused on civil and criminal health care fraud matters, litigation under the federal False Claims Act, and representation of the federal government’s interests at both the trial and appellate level. He began his legal career on September 10, 2001, when he was sworn in as an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of New York, representing the City and its officers in litigation in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. He is a graduate of Brown University (A.B., with honors, 1998) and the George Washington University Law School (J.D., with honors, 2001).
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[1] Robert H. Jackson, The Federal Prosecutor, 24 J. Am. Jud. Soc’y 18 (1940) (address at Conference of United States Attorneys, Washington, D.C., April 1, 1940).
United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero Concludes Her Tenure as Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for the Eastern District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Jacqueline C. Romero announced the conclusion of her tenure as United States Attorney, effective immediately.
Ms. Romero was sworn in as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (EDPA) on June 21, 2022, following her nomination by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmation by the U.S. Senate. She oversaw one of the largest Districts in the country, with nearly six million residents across nine counties, and one of the busiest United States Attorney’s Offices, with a staff of over 300 located at offices in Philadelphia and Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Prior to her appointment as U.S. Attorney, Ms. Romero had served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the same Office for 16 years, specializing in fraud investigations and civil rights cases.
“When I came here, almost 20 years ago now, it was to do the job, to be a prosecutor. I didn’t come here for a title,” said Ms. Romero. “But it has been the absolute honor of my life to hold this title of U.S. Attorney. The work we’ve done these last years — scores of violent offenders and child predators taken off the street, fraudsters who preyed on investors and the elderly locked up, drug dealers and dirty doctors who poisoned our communities brought to justice, civil rights violations brought to light, and much more — all of it has made the Eastern District of Pennsylvania safer, stronger, and more just.”
“I’m extraordinarily proud, too, of our outreach efforts,” Ms. Romero said. “My team and I have gone out and met the people of this District where they are. It’s helped build trust in the community and that isn’t just something, it’s everything. I know that all of my colleagues here, no matter their role, will carry on this Office’s important work, on behalf of the people of southeastern Pennsylvania.”
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Under Ms. Romero’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prioritized both the prosecution of violent crime, fraud, and civil rights violations, and proactive anti-crime efforts through community engagement, youth outreach, and reentry initiatives.
U.S. Attorney Romero also oversaw the expansion of EDPA’s Allentown office to better serve the residents of Lancaster, Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties, hiring three experienced Assistant District Attorneys from Lehigh, Berks, and Northampton Counties, to add to an experienced team with deep roots in the area. The expansion also increased the office’s physical footprint and upgraded its facilities, to meet the increased investigative workload from the Office’s law enforcement partners from the Lehigh Valley to Lancaster.
Violent Crime
U.S. Attorney Romero doubled the size of EDPA’s Violent Crime Unit, pursuing data-driven prosecutions that targeted the predominant drivers of violence in the District. Through focused partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the Office took illegal guns off the street, dismantled dangerous gangs and drug trafficking organizations, and sent a message to area carjackers and other violent offenders. These collaborative efforts significantly contributed to a 40 percent drop in violent crime in many areas of the District.
During Ms. Romero’s tenure:
- Her Office, the ATF, FBI, and Philadelphia Police Department, working together as the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force, charged dozens of carjackers federally, resulting in substantial prison sentences.
- USAO-EDPA, following an investigation by HSI and the Reading Police Department, secured life imprisonment for the leaders of a violent drug and sex trafficking gang known as the Sevens, putting a permanent end to their reign of terror in the city.
- EDPA prosecutors secured the conviction at trial of Rafael Vega-Rodriguez for the attempted murder of three FBI agents, resulting in a 45-year prison sentence.
White Collar Crime
Under U.S. Attorney Romero, the Office successfully prosecuted numerous complex financial fraud and public corruption cases.
Among them:
- Bringing racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and related charges against Joseph LaForte and James LaForte, the main principals of the fraudulent investment vehicle Par Funding, which is alleged to have generated over $100 million in illegal proceeds for the defendants to the detriment of Par Funding’s numerous investors. The brothers have both pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
- The convictions at trial of former Local 98 business manager John Dougherty and former Local 98 president Brian Burrows for embezzling union funds and related charges. Dougherty was sentenced to six years in prison for these offenses and public corruption crimes for which he was convicted at an earlier trial; Burrows was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.
- The conviction at trial of Joseph Cammarata for stealing more than $40 million in a years-long securities fraud scheme carried out with two codefendants. Cammarata, a securities claims aggregator, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was subsequently convicted at a separate trial of tax evasion related to the securities scheme and sentenced to a partially concurrent term of 72 months in prison.
Civil Enforcements
Under U.S. Attorney Romero, EDPA maintained one of the most active affirmative civil enforcement dockets in the country, including False Claims Act qui tams, civil Controlled Substances Act investigations, and civil rights matters. U.S. Attorney Romero was able to do so while supporting the Civil Division’s handling of an increased defensive litigation docket.
During her tenure:
- The District recovered hundreds of millions of dollars through False Claims Act settlements, including $172 million from national insurer the Cigna Group; almost $60 million in total from cardiac monitoring company BioTelemetry Inc. and two of its subsidiaries; $25 million from generic drug manufacturer Glenmark Pharmaceuticals; $20 million from durable medical equipment supplier Electrostim Medical Services, Inc. and its chairman; more than $16 million from optical lens and lens equipment maker Essilor; more than $15 million from Kansas chiropractic company Titan Medical Compliance and its owner; and over $8 million from the Boeing Company for allegedly failing to adhere to critical manufacturing specifications in the production of composite parts for V-22 Osprey military aircraft.
- The District sued AmerisourceBergen, one of the country’s largest wholesale pharmaceutical distributors, for allegedly violating federal law in connection with the distribution of controlled substances to pharmacies and other customers across the country, thereby contributing to the prescription opioid epidemic. That litigation is ongoing.
- Ms. Romero prioritized the Office’s civil rights work. This included the resolution of the most redlining investigations in the country, in which EDPA held financial institutions like Citadel Federal Credit Union, ESSA Bank & Trust, and Trident Mortgage Company accountable for such alleged practices.
Community Outreach
U.S. Attorney Romero was committed to strengthening the Office’s partnerships in the diverse communities it serves throughout the District, particularly those struggling with violent crime, opioid abuse, and the legacy of systemic exclusion from education, health care, housing, and employment.
She expanded the Office’s outreach efforts, adding a youth engagement coordinator and other personnel to form a dedicated External Engagement team, which bolsters EDPA’s public safety mission.
U.S. Attorney Romero and the team worked proactively with local leaders, schools, and organizations to identify potential issues that could be addressed through better community engagement, outreach to area youth, and support for people returning home to our communities from prison.
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Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., the District’s First Assistant United States Attorney, is now Acting U.S. Attorney upon Ms. Romero’s departure from the Office. Mr. Thayer is a career prosecutor with over three decades of experience in the Department of Justice.
U.S. Attorney Ross outlines her accomplishmentsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross became the United States Attorney on October 11, 2021. Nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on July 26, 2021, and unanimously confirmed by the Senate on September 30, 2021, she became the first black woman to hold the position in the Western District of New York.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve in this position as the top law enforcement officer in the Western District of New York, my home, where I was born and raised and have spent the majority of my life.” U.S. Attorney Ross said. “And serving in this particular office was also special because I started my career as a federal prosecutor here, in 1995.”
As U.S. Attorney for the 17 counties in the Western District of New York, Ms. Ross’s accomplishments are wide ranging. Cases involving approximately 1178 defendants were resolved during her tenure, including several high-profile cases:
U.S. v. Robert Morgan
U.S. v. Joseph Bongiovanni
U.S. v. Peter Gerace
U.S. v. David Jakubonis
U.S. v. Abughanem
Ms. Ross also oversaw the filing of charges in multiple new cases, including addition high profile cases, of national and international interest, including:
U.S. v. Payton Gendron
U.S. v. Hadi Matar
U.S. v. Brandon Washington
Under Ms. Ross’s tenure, the violent crime rate decreased in several Western District of New York counties, including Erie and Monroe Counties, home to the Cities of Buffalo and Rochester.
In addition, approximately 120 appellate briefs were filed and 75 appellate oral arguments handled while Ms. Ross was U.S. Attorney, resulting in a near perfect rate of affirmations by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, notably:
U.S. v. Richard Leon Wilbern
U.S. v. George Moses
In civil matters, between 2022 and January 2025, approximately $80,000,000 was collected in criminal, civil and forfeiture actions. That funding collected is given to victims of crime, and provided as aid to state and local law enforcement agency partners who worked with the United States Attorney’s Office on criminal cases. And Ms. Ross oversaw the largest settlement in the history of the District with a $98,000,000 settlement with Independent Health.
In March, 2022, Ms. Ross was one of the first 12, of 93, United States Attorney’s to be selected to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC), which she served on until her term ended after a year and a half. The AGAC advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys in Department policies. In addition, Ms. Ross was also selected as the Chairperson for the AGAC sub-committee on Law Enforcement Coordination, Victim Assistance and Community Relations (LEVC). In this role, Ms. Ross lead the sub-committee that advised the Attorney General on matters involving law enforcement, victim assistance, and community relations. In June, 2023, Ms. Ross hosted the LEVC meeting in Buffalo, bringing U.S. Attorneys from across the country to the Buffalo area for two days. The meeting included presentations and discussions on the May 14th tragedy, which included a visit to the Tops store on Jefferson Avenue, business, and community outreach efforts, as well as multiple presentations by law enforcement.
In June 2022, Ms. Ross arranged a visit by then Attorney General Merrick Garland, and other top DOJ and FBI officials, who came to Buffalo to meet with families and survivors of the Tops shooting and announce federal hate crime charges against defendant Payton Gendron.
Community outreach was a hallmark of Ms. Ross’s tenure as U.S. Attorney. She worked tirelessly to build better relationships between members of the community and law enforcement in both Buffalo and Rochester. Ms. Ross developed quarterly meetings with community leaders in both cities, establishing an ongoing dialogue and building trust. She also sought new and innovative ways to reach the community, including creating the first of its kind podcast in the U.S. Attorney’s community. “Feds Demystified” sought to pull back the curtain from federal law enforcement agencies to provide information about those agencies and educate the public. Ms. Ross also created a series of Public Service Announcements, sharing important messages on Human Trafficking, Black History, Women’s History, Juneteenth, Internet Safety, and Voting Rights. In addition, she empowered members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to also get involved in the community by attending job and career fairs, speaking at local schools, and serving on the Erie County Overdose Prevention Task Force.
Throughout Ms. Ross’s time as U.S. Attorney, school districts, police departments, social service agencies, and local governments received approximately $55,000,000 in federal grant funding for youth and victim services, to battle human trafficking, and initiatives addressing law enforcement, the opiate epidemic, reentry and recidivism, among others.
As a result of her efforts, Ms. Ross was honored by multiple organizations for her work, including the New York State Bar Association, Erie County Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Minority Bar Association of WNY, and the Women’s Bar Association. She was also named as a top leader in WNY in several publications, some multiple times, including Buffalo Business First’s Power 100 Business Leader of Color; Business First’s Power 200 Woman; the Rochester Business Journal and The Daily Record Power 50 Law list; City & State’s Power of Diversity: Black 100 list; and City & State’s Law Power 100 list and was selected as a Woman of Distinction by the New York State Senate.
Ms. Ross was also a much sought after speaker locally and across the country. She spoke at two United States Attorney’s Conferences; numerous law enforcement conferences; victims’ rights conferences; several legal and professional conferences; as well as at colleges, U.B Law School and many community events.
Ms. Ross wants the community and staff in her office to know that as United States Attorney she was completely dedicated to the WNY community and the staff in her office. “I came to make positive changes inside and outside of the office, and I believe I was successful. I always want to leave a place better than when I showed up, that was the goal. And I believe I have reached that goal.”
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U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez to Step Down, Concluding Impactful Tenure in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez announced his resignation today at the request of President Donald J. Trump, becoming one of over 20 U.S. Attorneys asked to step down amid the transition of presidential administrations.
“Today, I say farewell to a Department that I love,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “Together, we have made our community safer by delivering swift and certain justice to the most prolific violent offenders, human and drug traffickers, and child abusers. We have saved lives by intervening to prevent violence and by supporting those who strive to return to our community from incarceration. Most importantly, we fought to build a community united in the pursuit of justice for all by choosing prevention before punishment, delivering consequences but not indignity, and seeking redemption not isolation.”
Uballez, nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on January 26, 2022, and confirmed by the Senate on May 17, 2022, focused on restructuring the office’s approach to violent crime throughout his tenure. He engaged in proactive measures through the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, working in partnership with Albuquerque Community Safety’s Violence Intervention Program, to engage directly and personally with those most likely to shoot or be shot. For those who chose violence, he realigned federal law enforcement to focus on the danger of the individual, not the nature of the charge, and in doing so wielded federal jurisdiction surgically against those driving violence in our community. And he established the District’s first Federal Reentry Program in order to support people returning to our community from incarceration.
Uballez’s other efforts included expanding resources and services to Tribal communities and modernizing the U.S. Attorney's Office by transitioning it from a paper file system to digital, enhancing operational efficiency and responsiveness in federal prosecutions.
"Alex Uballez has served the people of New Mexico with honor and distinction as U.S. Attorney and has been an incredible partner in our mission to protect the American public," said Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque field office. "Throughout his time as U.S. Attorney, Mr. Uballez has been dedicated to ensuring the safety of the citizens in our community and relentless in his pursuit of justice for victims of crime. There is no doubt his work has made a positive impact on our community. It's been a privilege to work with Mr. Uballez, we thank him for his service and wish him well in his future endeavors."
“It has been a pleasure to partner with District of New Mexico U.S. Attorney Alex Uballez.” said Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “U.S. Attorney Uballez’s dedication to upholding the law and ensuring violent criminals are held responsible for their crimes has been in lock step with ATF’s mission. The ultimate goal of ATF and all law enforcement throughout the State of New Mexico is to ensure that the great citizens of New Mexico can feel safe and secure in their communities. US Attorney Uballez was in steadfast with this goal, and I truly believe he leaves his position having made New Mexico a safer place then when he took the position.”
“I had the privilege of working with Alex, first as an Assistant United Sates Attorney and later as the United States Attorney,” said Margaret A. Katze, Federal Public Defender for the District of New Mexico. “Throughout his tenure, he exemplified honesty and a straightforward approach. His focus on community safety was evident in his deliberate, data-driven prosecutorial decisions, always asking whether a case would enhance public safety. Alex’s commitment to community engagement as a crime-reduction strategy was thoughtful and research-based. Under his leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office played a key role in establishing the District’s first re-entry court. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him and found our professional partnership both effective and rewarding.”
“The Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office has enjoyed a strong collaboration with U.S. Attorney Alex Uballez,” said Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman. “He has been a great leader for the people of New Mexico and we wish him continued success in his future endeavors.”
During his tenure, Uballez also served in a senior policy role at the Department of Justice, having been appointed to the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee where he advised Attorney General Merrick Garland on policy, procedure, and management impacting U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Uballez also served on subcommittees specializing in Native American issues, violent and organized crime, environmental justice, and border and immigration. Before his appointment as U.S. Attorney, Uballez was an Assistant U.S. Attorney, focusing on organized crime investigations and prosecuted serious offenses such as child sexual abuse, human trafficking, and violent crimes. As a line attorney, Uballez also handled the extradition of high-profile cartel leader Carlos Arturo Quintana, and assisted in international investigations pursuant to Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties.
Following his resignation, current First Assistant U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney until a successor is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
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Carla Freedman Concludes Her Service as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Carla B. Freedman announced the conclusion of her tenure as United States Attorney, effective immediately.
Ms. Freedman was sworn in on October 8, 2021. Ms. Freedman previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Syracuse office of the Northern District of New York from 2007 through 2021. She was a Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney and the Narcotics Chief from February 2018 through 2021. She also served as Deputy Narcotics Chief from 2016 through 2018.
Ms. Freedman stated: “For over 17 years, I have had the honor and privilege of working at the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, first as an Assistant United States Attorney, and for the past three years, leading the office as the United States Attorney. During my tenure I have had the good fortune to work with some of the finest public servants in my office as well as with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. I could not be more proud of the work and accomplishments we have achieved in the pursuit of justice, always with integrity and commitment to the rule of law.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Hanlon now serves as Acting United States Attorney.
16 February 2025
First Woman Presidentially Appointed as United States Attorney for the District of Utah Departs from PostRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The first woman presidentially appointed as the United States Attorney for the District of Utah and sworn into office as the 38th United States Attorney to serve in the State of Utah, leaves the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The Honorable Trina A. Higgins was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on January 31, 2022. Her last day as United States Attorney is February 16, 2025.
Under Higgins’ leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Utah focused on cases that have the largest impact and cause the most harm to Utah citizens. Working with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office significantly increased the number of financial crime prosecutions in Utah; brought more complex narcotics and firearm cases focused on defendants higher in criminal organizations; and prosecuted many significant violent crime cases, including murders, sexual assaults, child exploitation, human trafficking, robberies, and carjackings.
During her tenure, The U.S. Attorney’s Office tried 35 jury trials, including three homicides committed in Tribal communities. United States Attorney Higgins was the trial attorney in one case where a man brutally murdered a Navajo woman in front of her two young daughters in the Navajo Nation. The jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison.
United States Attorney Higgins also served on several Attorney General’s Advisory Committee subcommittees for Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. Those included the Environmental Justice Subcommittee, the Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee, and the Native American Issues Subcommittee.
Maintaining the United States Attorney’s strong partnerships with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, United States Attorney Higgins made it a priority to strengthen and build upon those relationships to pursue justice and better serve the people of Utah.
Leaders in the law enforcement community offered comments regarding U.S Attorney Higgins’ service.
“Strong partnerships between law enforcement and prosecutors are essential to upholding the rule of law. U.S. Attorney Higgins has been an invaluable friend to the FBI and a staunch supporter of our mission,” said Mehtab Syed, Special Agent in Charge of the Salt Lake City FBI. “During her tenure, she championed the safety of Utahns, and we thank her for her years of dedicated public service.”
“United States Attorney Trina Higgins has been an engaged and dedicated law enforcement partner as well as a steadfast advocate of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “Her extensive experience as a career prosecutor, and unwavering commitment in her pursuit of justice have been pivotal in the successful prosecution of many complex cases.”
“I would like to thank United States Attorney Higgins for her many years of dedicated service as a federal prosecutor and as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah,” said U.S. Marshal Justin Martinez of the District of Utah. “USA Higgins is a consummate professional and has always kept the lines of communication open. USA Higgins is an extremally effective leader and a real change agent. She will be greatly missed by the U.S. Marshals Service and every federal, state and local agency she works with.”
“With appreciation, we thank United States Attorney Higgins for her dedication to DEA efforts in the state of Utah,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “Cooperation and hard work between DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, has led to many successful prosecutions. On behalf of the men and women of DEA, we wish nothing but the best for United States Attorney Higgins now and into the future.”
"HSI is grateful for its long-standing relationship with United States Attorney Higgins and her staff," said HSI Utah Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brandon Crane. "The collaboration has had a significant impact on public safety throughout Utah and stands as an example for future collaborations."
“United States Attorney Higgins has been a tremendous partner in supporting the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s efforts to safeguard the U.S. Mail, postal workers, and the public,” said Glen Henderson, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division. “United States Attorney Higgins was committed to holding accountable those who harm postal employees or exploit the U.S. Mail for illicit activities, including narcotics distribution. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with United States Attorney Higgins and we wish her continued success in all her future endeavors.”
“I want to thank United States Attorney Higgins for her partnership and outstanding leadership in working with our local law enforcement agencies,” said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. “She prioritized complex and violent offender cases to improve safety within the communities we serve.”
“United States Attorney Trina Higgins’ dedication to justice and service to the community is truly exceptional and will be greatly missed,” said Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown. “Her career as a dedicated prosecutor made our city safer—whether it was prosecuting some of our first Project Safe Neighborhood cases or complex, high-profile, or challenging cases. United States Attorney Higgins handled every case with professionalism and a true sense of duty. Never did she hide from the difficult cases. We will always remember USA Higgins’ compassion for crime victims and their families. She made sure victims’ voices were heard and understood in the pursuit of justice. While we will miss United States Attorney Higgins greatly, I know her legacy will endure through the District of Utah because of her distinguished career.”
United States Attorney Higgins has been in public service for 30 years. Prior to her leadership role as U.S. Attorney, Higgins served as an Assistant United States Attorney for over two decades and as a Salt Lake County Deputy District Attorney. At the time of her nomination, Higgins was serving as the Mediterranean Legal Advisor at the United States embassies in Valletta, Malta and Nicosia, Cyprus. A Utah native, Higgins earned her undergraduate degree from Weber State University and Juris Doctor degree from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, where she also worked as an adjunct professor for a decade.
14 February 2025
Woman indicted for spending $260,000 on handbags using company debit cardRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman with using her former employer’s company debit card to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in unauthorized purchases.According to court documents, Kendra Gonzalez, 32, of Olathe was indicted on one count of wire fraud.
While working as a comptroller, Gonzalez is accused of using a company debit card to purchase 150 luxury handbags from a social commerce marketplace for online buying and selling of secondhand goods.
Gonzalez also allegedly used the company debit card for unauthorized personal expenses such as meals, entertainment, and hotel accommodations, and to send money to other people.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Hoover Rafael Alberto-Zuniga, 34, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McFarlane is prosecuting the case.
Jose Melecio Bolivar-Chaidez, 54, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation - subsequent to a felony conviction. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting the case.
Jose Cristobal Rubio-Bardales, 43, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien convicted of an aggravated felony. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.
Lazarro Tiburcio-Nevarro, 38, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Christopher Oakley is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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West Virginia Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A West Virginia man, Richard Hudson, 72, was sentenced on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 139 months, for bank robbery by intimidation.
According to his plea agreement, on February 15, 2024, Hudson robbed the Traditional Bank on Tates Creek Road in Lexington. Hudson approached a teller, placed a grocery bag and a note on the counter, and demanded that the teller empty the contents of her drawer into the bag. The teller did so and attempted to hand the bag back to Hudson, who then demanded for her to empty the bottom drawer as well. The teller did so, and Hudson was able to obtain $14,106 during the robbery. He fled the scene and was eventually apprehended in Charleston, WV. Hudson, a career offender, has robbed a series of banks across the Nation since the 1980s.
Under federal law, Hudson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, Hudson will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Waukee Man Sentenced to 32 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl and Fraud-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A Waukee man was sentenced today to 32 years in federal prison for fraud, money laundering, and fentanyl distribution.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Stephan Rashad Haley, 36, also known as “Ace” and “Bosh,” acquired large quantities of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl from multiple drug sources and distributed the fentanyl-laced pills in the Southern District of Iowa. During an October 2023 search warrant at Haley’s Waukee residence, law enforcement located a stolen, loaded pistol, marijuana, cocaine, and pills containing fentanyl. Haley used the stolen pistol during an October 2023 shooting at an apartment complex in West Des Moines. At sentencing, the Court found Haley was responsible for more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl.
From May to August 2023, Haley also participated in a vast, multi-million-dollar fraud scheme. Working with coconspirators located throughout the country, Haley recruited at least three other individuals to open fraudulent bank accounts and deposit stolen checks. The portion of the conspiracies in which Haley participated caused an intended loss of over $3.5 million to more than 10 victims.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Haley will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Haley was also ordered to pay $66,437 in restitution.
Ten of Haley’s co-defendants in the fraud and money laundering case remain set for trial, currently scheduled to begin on June 23, 2025. Eight co‑defendants have pleaded guilty.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and West Des Moines Police Department, with assistance from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Clive Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Des Moines Police Department, Secret Service, and numerous state and local agencies from across the country.
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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Warwick Man Sentenced for Traveling with the Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Warwick man who previously admitted to a federal judge that he traveled to a local hotel via a commercial rideshare provider with the intent to have sex with a person he thought to be 13 years old was sentenced today to six years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Zachary Q. Baker 39, admitted that on March 10, 2023, he responded to an online advertisement for escorts that contained images of what appeared to be two young females being offered for a “short visit” and a “little fun.” Baker engaged in a lengthy series of text messages with a person he believed was offering a 13-year-old and an 11-year-old for sex in exchange for a fee.
According to information presented to the court, after several hours of text messaging, Baker traveled to a local hotel via a rideshare where he met with the person he believed was arranging for a sexual encounter with one or both of the girls. The person with whom Baker was communicating and with whom he met was, in fact, a Homeland Security Investigations agent.
Baker was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith to 72 months of incarceration to be followed by 10 years of federal supervised release. Baker pleaded guilty on July 9, 2024, to a charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
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Unlawful Alien Found Guilty of Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Martin County man was convicted this week by a Fort Pierce federal jury of being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm.
Adam Marc Twinley, 44, of Palm City, Florida, entered the United States lawfully from the United Kingdom in 2013 on a visa for internationally recognized athletes and supporting personnel. Twinley did not leave the United States upon the expiration of his visa at the end of 2013. In 2016, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began Twinley’s removal proceedings, which were ongoing when, in October 2023, Twinley was discovered at a local gun range in possession of several firearms.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Interim Field Office Director Juan Agudelo of ICE, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), made the announcement.
ATF West Palm Beach Field Office and ICE ERO investigated the case.
Federal law prohibits an unlawful alien of possessing a firearm in the United States.
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-14012.
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