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14 February 2025
Final two defendants of 76 indicted in Operation Ghost Busted sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
Brunswick, GA: The last of 76 defendants in a major south Georgia drug trafficking operation have been sentenced to federal prison, wrapping up an investigation into a gang-coordinated conspiracy that operated inside and outside Georgia prisons.
David D. Young, a/k/k “Khaos,” 44, of Hortense, Georgia, was sentenced to 235 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Methamphetamine, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. A co-defendant, Blake K. Screen, 36, of Brunswick, was sentenced to 100 months in prison just five months after his conviction at trial on charges of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered each of the defendants to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of their prison terms.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Altogether as adults, the 76 defendants in Operation Ghost Busted have been convicted of more than 250 felonies – and more egregiously, this investigation linked their drug trafficking operation to multiple deaths from dozens of overdoses,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “Our community is demonstrably safer with these drug distributors off the streets, and we applaud our law enforcement partners for the outstanding investigative work to put these defendants behind bars and bring this case to a successful conclusion.”
Young and Screen were among the 76 defendants indicted in December 2022 in USA v. Alvarez et al., dubbed Operation Ghost Busted. For more than two years, investigators from the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Police Department, the Brunswick Police Department, the Glynn County Sheriff's Office, and the Camden County Sheriff's Office collaborated with multiple federal, state, and local agencies to identify the sprawling drug trafficking network. Operating inside and outside Georgia prisons, the conspiracy was coordinated by members of the Ghost Face Gangsters working with affiliates of other criminal street gangs including the Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, and Gangster Disciples.
Both Young and Screen served as dealers and sources of supply to the operation. After the December 2022 indictment and subsequent sweep to bring the defendants into custody, Young was a fugitive for more than a year until he was identified through his extensive Ghost Face Gangsters facial tattoos and taken into custody in March 2024 in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, after being featured on “America’s Most Wanted.”
In addition to long histories of arrests and felony convictions, all of the defendants in Operation Ghost Busted have a history of illegal drug use, including several who survived repeat overdoses. Fifty of the defendants are high school dropouts.
Believed to be the largest drug trafficking prosecution in the history of the Southern District of Georgia, Operation Ghost Busted was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Georgia Department of Corrections; the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Glynn County Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office; and sheriff’s offices from Pierce, Camden, Wayne, Treutlen, McIntosh, Toombs, Telfair, Dodge, and Ware counties. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland and Criminal Division Deputy Chief E. Greg Gilluly Jr.
Federal Indictment Unsealed Charging Merced Man with Trafficking Hundreds of Kilograms of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Heroin, and FentanylRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — An indictment was unsealed today charging Jesus Magana Mellin, aka “Compadre,” 34, of Merced, with possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between October and November of 2022, Magana Mellin conspired with others to traffic substantial amounts of controlled substances in California and elsewhere. After a joint federal, state, and local investigation, law enforcement officers executed search warrants on two storage units connected to Magana Mellin’s drug trafficking ring. Inside the storage units, officers found 160 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, 158 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 14 kilograms of heroin, 7 kilograms of cocaine, and 40 grams of fentanyl pills. Three of Magana Mellin’s associates—Vanessa Arauza, Pedro Duarte Sanchez, and Luis Higuera Lopez—have been charged and convicted in the case.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET). Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Magana Mellin faces a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
El Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An El Salvadoran national living in Methuen, Mass. pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to illegal reentry.
Agustin Landaverde-Romero, 57, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for May 21, 2025. Landaverde-Romero was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024.
On or about July 13, 2020, Landaverde-Romero was found in the United States without having received express consent of the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Landaverde-Romero was previously removed to El Salvador on Oct. 7, 1999.
The charge of illegal reentry provides for sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Methuen Police Chief Scott J. McNamara made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 87 months in Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm as a Drug UserRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Reynaldo Kinjo Zialcita, age 53, was sentenced on February 12, 2025, to 87 months federal prison. He pled guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and Drug User in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3). The Court also ordered three years of supervised release following imprisonment, and a mandatory $200.00 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On November 16, 2023, Guam Police Department officers conducted a motor vehicle stop. The driver, Reynaldo Kinjo Zialcita, was asked to produce his driver’s license. Zialcita then picked up a small bag on the passenger seat, put his hand in the bag, and turned his back to the officer to conceal it. Zialcita was ordered out of the car and then gave consent to search the bag for his license. The bag contained a glass jar with 249.6 grams of methamphetamine along with a loaded Sig Sauer P365 pistol. Zialcita admitted being a drug addict and said that he started selling methamphetamine in various game rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. He bought the firearm to protect himself from being robbed of his drug proceeds. The firearm had previously been reported stolen in a March 2023 residential burglary.
“This case is another example of the danger faced by law enforcement during traffic stops,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “This type of prosecution not only prevented the distribution of a substantial quantity of drugs. It also reduced the risk of future gun-related violence. I commend GPD for its aggressive interdiction efforts.”
“Dealing drugs and possessing firearms is a losing, and very dangerous, combination,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “This sentence will give Mr. Zialcita time to reflect on his actions and hopefully change his lawless ways.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Guam Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Devarup Rastogi prosecuted the case in the District of Guam.
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 105 months in Federal Prison for Attempted Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hagatña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Jesse Fegurgur Belen, age 46, from Dededo, Guam was sentenced to serve 105 months imprisonment. Belen pled guilty to Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment, 50 hours of community service, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee. The Court also ordered the forfeiture of $1,636 in U.S. currency. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
During November 2022, Belen attempted to possess a postal package containing one pound of 98% pure methamphetamine. The drugs were mailed from Colton, California, and addressed to the Yigo Post Office. Belen and co-defendant Lorina Fejeran received the package and drove to Wusstig Road in Dededo. When law enforcement stopped their vehicle at a commercial building, Belen grabbed the methamphetamine and fled on foot. Belen threw the methamphetamine into the yard of a nearby residence to conceal the drugs. Law enforcement found him hiding 15 feet from the roadway.
“We will continue to interdict drugs trafficked through our mail system in an effort to keep Guam safe,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Belen’s significant criminal history also made him a worthy target for federal prosecution. I applaud the work of our federal partners in bringing him to justice.”
"One crucial aspect of HSI's mission is to prevent deadly drugs from infiltrating our borders and endangering our communities. By leveraging our partnerships with law enforcement, we can hold individuals accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “The arrest of Mr. Belen exemplifies our commitment to ensuring the safety of our community from the threat of deadly drugs."
“United States Postal Inspectors are dedicated to maintaining the sanctity of trust placed in the US Mail. We will aggressively pursue anyone who uses the US Mail to transport and distribute deadly drugs which impact the safety of our postal employees and customers.” said, Inspector in Charge Stephen Sherwood, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) San Francisco Division. “We thank our federal and local law enforcement partners, including Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency and Guam Police Department, for working with us to combat these crimes in the effort to make our communities a safer place to live and work.”
This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Services.
The case was prosecuted by Rosetta L. San Nicolas, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully present in the United States has pleaded guilty to trafficking thousands of fentanyl pills.
Freddy Artemio Guerrero Soto, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2025. In September 2024, Guerrero Soto was charged along with three co-conspirators.
According to court documents, in September 2024, an undercover agent ordered 30,000 blue pressed fentanyl pills and 500 grams of powder fentanyl from Ernesto Andujar Echavarria, who allegedly agreed to provide the pills and powder the next day. It is further alleged that shortly before the sale was to occur, Andujar Echavarria informed the undercover agent that an associate of his would deliver the drugs. A short time later, it is alleged that Guerrero Soto met with the undercover agent and provided him with a backpack containing a shoe box with a large number of blue pills and bags of brown powder. Guerrero Soto was arrested and during a search of his person, he was found to be in possession of a Dominican identification card. Together, the blue pressed pills and bags of brown powder seized from Guerrero Soto contained over 2 kilograms of fentanyl.
Andujar Echavarria has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl carry mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years to life in prison; no less than five years of supervised release; and a fine of up to $10 million. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of an imposed sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court
Defendant Convicted in Bank Fraud Conspiracy Case Receives Sentence in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Elijah D. Brown, 24, has been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Brown was sentenced to 63 months in prison, to run consecutive to a 42-month federal prison sentence he is currently serving for illegal possession of a machine gun, for a total of 105 months (8 years, 9 months) in prison. In addition, Brown was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,254,790.
In April 2024, a federal grand jury in Shreveport returned an indictment charging 21 defendants in connection with a federal bank fraud case in the Shreveport area. All of those defendants have now entered guilty pleas or entered into pretrial diversion agreements. A summary of the 20 remaining defendants and their status is as follows:
Defendant Name
Conviction/Sentence
Destane Glass, 23,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 3/27/25
Sharmaine Jackson, 26,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 6/5/2025
ZarRajah Z. Watkins, 23,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 4/24/2025
Arazhia R. Gully, 24,
Bossier City, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 2/20/2025
Eric D. Loud, 24,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 3/20/2025
Maya L. Green, 24,
Bossier City, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 3/27/2025
Olivia M. Deboe, 23,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentenced to 3 years supervised probation and ordered to pay $34,261.81 in restitution
Donte N. Larrimore, 24,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentenced to 3 years supervised probation
Shamaya S. Pouncy, 27,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentenced to 9 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,317.50
Precious Wilbert, 25,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentenced to 3 years of supervised probation
Cynthia R. Bryant, 22,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 4/10/2025
Trameka McGinty, 25,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 3/27/2025
Shaquentalas B. McGinty,
26, Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 6/5/25
Javonte J. Lejay, 28,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 3/27/2025
Octavia L. Mitchell, 33,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 3/20/2025
Shmarrian J. Taylor, 27,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud
- Sentencing set for 3/27/2025
Rakeydra S. Shepherd, 28,
Shreveport, LA
- Pleaded guilty to possession of a counterfeit security
- Sentencing set for 2/20/2025
Tina Marie Bryant, 43,
Shreveport, LA
- Entered into Pretrial Diversion Agreement
Lakysa S. Barfield, 26,
Shreveport, LA
- Entered into Pretrial Diversion Agreement
Kyra D. Washington-Bates,
24, Shreveport, LA
- Entered into Pretrial Diversion Agreement
This scheme to defraud began in January 2021 and continued through October 31, 2022. The defendants admitted to their involvement in the conspiracy to defraud banks including USAA Savings Bank (“USAA Bank”), Navy Federal Credit Union, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Barksdale Federal Credit Union and Bank of America.
Arazhiah Gully, Maya Green and ZarRajah Watkins worked at Teleperformance, a multinational company that provided business services including a call center in Shreveport. The call center provided customer service to USAA Bank. Gully, Green and Watkins all had access to USAA Bank customer information including names of customers, their ages, account balances, and account numbers. These three defendants admitted to conspiring with Destane Glass, Elijah Brown, Sharmaine Jackson, and others to defraud USAA Bank. Gully, Green and Watkins improperly obtained account holder information so that it could be used by others to create counterfeit USAA Bank checks, and they were paid to provide the account information. Counterfeit checks traced to accounts that these defendants accessed totaled over $4 million.
Glass, Brown and Jackson used social media and other methods to recruit individuals in the Shreveport area with bank accounts to use their accounts to deposit the counterfeit checks to make money. The co-defendants involved in the scheme would open accounts at various financial institutions under their own names and then provide their access cards and login information to other co-defendants. Counterfeit checks were then provided to these co-defendants to be deposited into their own personal bank accounts, and they were instructed to withdraw the funds in various ways, including making withdrawals at local casinos, through ATMs, Apple Cash payments, and PayPal payments. After withdrawing the money, the defendants would meet Glass, Brown, Jackson and other co-defendants in various places, including casino parking lots, and give the funds to them, with a portion of the proceeds going to the one who made the withdrawal. Activity in the casinos were captured by the surveillance cameras at those locations which helped solve the case. The counterfeit checks that were deposited were in varying amounts ranging from $5,000 to $40,000.
“The defendants involved in this conspiracy shamelessly targeted vulnerable elderly victims, stealing their personal identifying and bank account information and using it to take advantage of them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. “We urge everyone to make a habit of checking your bank accounts regularly to avoid becoming a victim of this type of fraud. If you see suspicious transactions, report it to your bank immediately.”
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police and Shreveport Police Department and was prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.
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Criminal Defense Attorney Indicted for Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging DAVID MACEY, a criminal defense attorney based in Florida, with bribery of a public official, conspiracy to bribe a public official, honest services wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, for a scheme in which MACEY paid tens of thousands of dollars to a senior Special Agent (“Agent-1”) with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), in exchange for Agent-1 providing sensitive law enforcement information to MACEY to assist MACEY in recruiting and representing clients. MACEY will be presented before Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron later today. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Reardon.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, David Macey provided secret payments to a senior DEA special agent in exchange for access to sensitive information that Macey could use to enrich himself, including information regarding sealed indictments and impending arrests. This prosecution underscores this Office’s commitment to combatting bribery – especially bribery that compromises law enforcement’s duty to protect and serve the public.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “David Macey, a criminal defense attorney, allegedly bribed a senior federal agent with tens of thousands of dollars for confidential information from law enforcement databases. Macey allegedly breached an expectation of privacy and received unlawful advantageous details to unjustly benefit his practice. The FBI will never tolerate those who engage in corrupt practices with public officials and cheat the investigative nature of our criminal justice system.”
According to the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]
MACEY is a criminal defense attorney based in Coral Gables, Florida. From in or about October 2018 through in or about January 2020, MACEY and a private investigator that worked with MACEY (“Investigator-1”) paid bribes to Agent-1 with the DEA in return for Agent-1 providing non-public, confidential DEA information in breach of Agent-1’s official duties. MACEY and Investigator-1 paid the bribes to Agent-1 using methods designed to conceal MACEY’s own connection to the bribe payments, including by using EDWIN PAGAN III, a former DEA Task Force Officer, as an intermediary. In return for the bribe payments, Agent-1 provided nonpublic, confidential DEA information to MACEY and Investigator-1 so that MACEY and Investigator-1 could use that information in furtherance of MACEY’s legal practice, including to recruit and represent criminal defendants.
Among the benefits paid by MACEY and Investigator-1 to Agent-1 were a $2,500 payment made in November 2018, shortly after Investigator-1’s retirement from the DEA, which was funneled to Agent-1 through a company owned by a close family member of Agent-1. At the same time that this payment was made, MACEY and Investigator-1 began asking Agent-1 to run searches in the DEA’s Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information System (“NADDIS”), a database that contains confidential information about individuals who are or have been under investigation by the DEA. Following that initial payment, MACEY and Investigator-1 continued to provide benefits to Agent-1, including $50,000 that was paid to Agent-1 for Agent-1’s purchase of a condominium in January 2019 and tens of thousands of dollars that were funneled from Investigator-1 through a company created by PAGAN.
In return, Agent-1 continued to provide nonpublic DEA information to MACEY and Investigator-1, including information about the timing of forthcoming indictments, information about DEA arrest plans of particular targets, and non-public information about arrests of criminal defendants. Agent-1 also continued to search NADDIS for names of particular individuals requested by MACEY and Investigator-1, doing so on dozens of occasions during the scheme. In addition, during the scheme, MACEY and Agent-1 discussed Agent-1’s efforts to influence subjects of DEA investigations to retain MACEY as their attorney.
* * *
MACEY, 54, of Coral Gables, Florida, and PAGAN, 52, of Miami, Florida, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison, and one count of receiving or paying a bribe, respectively, which carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison. MACEY and PAGAN are also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, each of which counts carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. PAGAN is also charged with four counts of perjury in connection with false testimony that he provided in a related criminal trial in November 2023. The charges against PAGAN were unsealed in November 2024.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, and thanked the DEA’s Office of Professional Responsibility for its support in this matter.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Deininger and Mat Andrews are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] The entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Crime Spree at CVS Stores in Northwest Results in Prison TermRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Craig Wilson, 64, of Washington DC, was sentenced today to 20 months in prison, for aggregated first-degree theft, for a string of retail thefts over the course of 11 days, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Wilson pleaded guilty on November 5, 2024, in D.C. Superior Court to one count of first-degree theft and one count of misdemeanor bail reform act violation. The Honorable Judge Carmen McLean ordered Wilson to serve 20 months in prison on the first-degree theft charge and 90 days incarceration on the bail reform act charge. Both counts were ordered to run consecutive to one another and Mr. Wilson’s prison sentence is to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, between June 19, 2024 and September 9, 2024, Wilson committed a string of thefts, mostly at the same CVS store located in the 1000 block of 16th Street, N.W. During that period, Wilson committed 13 retail thefts over the course of 11 days. In each instance, Wilson was seen on surveillance camera entering the stores, taking merchandise from the shelves, and leaving the stores without paying for the merchandise. Wilson stole over $3,000 in merchandise during his crime spree.
Wilson was arrested on September 26, 2024, and he has been in custody since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Cook, who prosecuted the case, and paralegal Sabrina Hudgens.
Coweta Resident Sentenced for Making False Statement to A Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ashley Bryanne Rockwell, age 40, of Coweta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to three years of probation for one count of False Statements.
The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshal Service and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office.
On October 2, 2024, Rockwell was found guilty by a federal jury at trial of knowingly and willfully making a false statement to a Deputy U.S. Marshal as to a material fact. According to investigators, on August 18, 2023, while being questioned during an active investigation, Rockwell denied leaving the state with a registered sex offender who was wanted for Failure to Comply as a Sex Offender. In fact, Rockwell had recently traveled to several states with the individual, including Colorado and Oregon.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Satter and Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.
Convicted Felon Admits to Defrauding COVID-19 Programs While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas woman pleaded guilty yesterday to carrying out a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $137,000 from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL).
Kelly Ann Mogavero, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2025, before United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva.
“Kelly Mogavero, a convicted felon recently released from prison, fraudulently collected unemployment insurance (UI) benefits intended for American workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “Yesterday’s guilty plea highlights our strong collaboration with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of the UI system and secure justice for the American taxpayer.”
According to court documents and admissions made in court by Mogavero, from June 3, 2020, to June 23, 2001, she devised and carried out a scheme to defraud Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation (DETR), the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES), and the Small Business Administration (SBA) in an attempt to fraudulently obtain $137,600 in relief benefits from the PUA, PPP, and EIDL programs.
As part of the scheme, while she was under United States Probation’s supervision, Mogavero fraudulently filed for unemployment insurance in both Nevada and Arizona and submitted at least two fraudulent applications for EIDLs and one fraudulent application for a PPP loan. Mogavero submitted materially false and fraudulent information, including that she was the sole proprietor of several companies which did not in fact exist, for which she stated false revenue amounts, and—for one of the EIDL applications—a false number of employees. Mogavero also submitted falsified tax documents in support of each application. As a result of her scheme, Mogavero successfully obtained more than $44,000 in relief benefits to which she was not entitled.
In October 2016, Mogavero was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the District of Nevada and she was sentenced to 46-months in custody followed by five years of supervision.
At sentencing, Mogavero faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence of each defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami, Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division, and Special Agent-in-Charge Quentin Heiden, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI, DOL-OIG, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General Office of Investigations - COVID Fraud Unit, Office of Inspector General U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Office of Inspector General Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Consumer Financial Protection Bureau investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Frayn is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
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Colombian Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Diego Guisao-Zapata, age 41, a citizen of Colombia, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Chief Border Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of the United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.
As part of his earlier guilty plea, Guisao-Zapata, an illegal alien who entered the United States unlawfully in 2023, admitted that on August 25, 2024, he traveled to the northern border in Churubusco, New York, where he smuggled two people – one from Mexico, the other from the Dominican Republic – into the United States for profit. Guisao-Zapata admitted that he had smuggled other people across the border in the past.
Guisao-Zapata will be taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for removal proceedings, following his release from prison.
United States Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Paulbeck prosecuted the case.
Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati, Ohio, man, Gene Primus, 32, was sentenced on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 400 months, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and heroin.
According to his plea agreement, law enforcement used a cooperating source to conduct a controlled buy of fentanyl from Fred Hardin, Primus’s co-defendant. Law enforcement began conducting surveillance of Hardin at a Lexington residence and observed Primus leaving the residence carrying a bucket and a bag and placing the items in a vehicle. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and found 2,987 grams of methamphetamine. A search of the residence revealed large amounts of additional methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, as well as digital scales, blenders with residue, plastic bags, cutting agents, and a loaded handgun.
Hardin, Primus’ co-defendant, was previously sentenced to 312 months in December 2024.
Under federal law, Primus and Hardin must both serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Upon their release from prison, they will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Chapman prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Charlestown Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison Following A Fourth Conviction on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Charlestown man convicted four times on child pornography charges has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
In this most recent case, Patrick K. Beattie, 39, admitted to a federal judge that beginning no later than in March 2023, he downloaded and stored hundreds of digital images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material that depicted minors, including prepubescent minors, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Some of image and video files were downloaded from the dark web.
Court records reflect that Beattie was previously convicted and sentenced on child pornography charges in matters unrelated to this case in 2017, 2022, and 2023.
Beattie was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 120 months of incarceration to be followed by fifteen years of federal supervised release. Beattie pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024, to an indictment charging him with two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. No plea agreement was filed in this matter.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise M. Barton and Christine D. Lowell.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Charlestown Police, and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with the assistance of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Unit.
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California Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Los Angeles, California, man was sentenced yesterday to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd, of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Cincinnati Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison, of the USPIS Pittsburgh Division, Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, Sheriff John E. Aubrey of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Chief Josh Grimes of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority Department of Public Safety made the announcement.
According to court documents, Teyrin Johnson, 30, was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Johnson had been charged following a multi-agency investigation that identified him as part of a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Louisville, Kentucky between June 16, 2020, and March 4, 2021. The investigation also revealed that Johnson laundered drug proceeds on August 10, 2020, when he was stopped at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport carrying $80,160 in cash.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the DEA Louisville Field Division, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Louisville Metro Police Department, the Kentucky State Police, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisville Regional Airport Authority Department of Public Safety.
This effort 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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Bonar prosecuted the case.
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Broken Bow Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of A ChildRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dylan Hansen Yazzie, age 28, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction.
The indictment alleged that between July of 2023 and September of 2023, Yazzie coerced or induced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction to transmit in interstate or foreign commerce. The crime occurred in McCurtain County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Broken Bow Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Yazzie will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.
Boston Woman Pleads Guilty to Using a Stolen Identity to Rent Apartments Allegedly Used by Co-Defendant for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston woman has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to a conspiracy to fraudulently rent two apartments under another individual’s identity.
Ashley Roostaie, a/k/a “Lola,” a/k/a “dropdeadlola,” 38, pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2025. Roostaie was charged in April 2023, along with alleged co-conspirator Terrence Pyrtle.
According to court documents Roostaie, and allegedly Pyrtle, utilized the personal identification information (including name, date of birth and Social Security number) of another individual to apply for and enter into lease agreements for two apartments in Braintree and Somerville, respectively. As part of their conspiracy Roostaie, and allegedly Pyrtle, created an email account under the name of the individual’s identity that they had submitted in connection with the apartments and transmitted a purported driver’s license containing the individual’s name and some of that individual’s personal identification information but depicting a different person’s photograph. By placing the apartment leases under another individual’s personal identification information Roostaie, and allegedly Pyrtle, were able to conceal any connection to and use of the apartments. According to court documents, Pyrtle allegedly then used those locations to participate in a drug conspiracy involving distribution quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine.
Roostaie, and allegedly Pyrtle, also used that individual’s personal identification information to obtain and use a Green Dot debit card to make payments associated with each of the apartments, each of which had a monthly rent that exceeded $1,000.
Pyrtle has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
The charge of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of access device fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Bridgewater, Fall River, and Quincy Police Departments and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bennington Man Convicted at Trial of Possessing BombRead the Press Release
Rutland, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that yesterday, Tyler Hayes, 42, of Bennington, Vermont, was convicted of two charges stemming from his unlawful possession of a homemade bomb, following a jury trial in U.S. District Court in Rutland. U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante ordered that Hayes remain in jail pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Hayes has been held in custody since his arrest on January 19, 2024.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, a bomb was discovered in Hayes’s former Bennington residence days after he abandoned the property in February of 2023. The property manager contacted law enforcement, who defused the bomb. Witnesses at trial described how Hayes had been discussing and constructing bombs for months, and had offered to trade a bomb for fentanyl. Other witnesses described Hayes making admissions after the bomb was discovered, including that he was “on the run” after a bomb had been found at his residence. An explosives expert from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives testified that, although the homemade bomb was rudimentary and simplistic (constructed from a combination of a pipe bomb and flammable liquids stored in plastic water bottles), it was nonetheless capable of causing substantial destruction and injury had it been detonated.
The jury convicted Hayes of possessing an unregistered destructive device, in violation of the National Firearms Act (“NFA”), and of possessing a destructive device while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, in violation of the Gun Control Act (“GCA”). Hayes faces up to 10 years in prison on the NFA violation, and up to 15 years on the GCA violation. The actual sentence will be determined by the judge with reference to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
“Yesterday’s guilty verdict in Rutland reflects not only the investigative skill of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations, but also the work of an extraordinary team of prosecutors and support staff from this office,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher. “The superb organization and presentation of evidence at trial demonstrated not only that Hayes was guilty of the crimes charged beyond a reasonable doubt, but also the extreme danger he presented to the community.” Drescher also thanked the Vermont State Police, whose Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit disabled the bomb, as well as the Bennington Police Department for their assistance in the case.
The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Corinne Smith and Nicole Cate. Hayes is represented by James Valente, Esq., and Chandler Matson, Esq.
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.
Asheboro Man Sentenced for Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – An Asheboro, North Carolina man was sentenced today in Winston-Salem to 9 years in prison after pleading guilty to a firearm charge, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).
MUSIN SHABORR ROBERTS, age 22, was sentenced to 108 months imprisonment plus 3 years supervised release by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC.
According to court records, on June 30, 2023, an officer with the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) saw people standing around a car in the parking lot of a Greensboro Housing Authority property. Aware of recent violent crime in the area as well as issues with trespassing on that property, the officer asked the parties to provide identifications to ensure no one was banned from the property. ROBERTS identified himself as “Justin Jones.” The officer was eventually able to identify ROBERTS and learned that ROBERTS had active warrants for arrest. ROBERTS was arrested and the GPD officer found a round of 9mm ammunition in ROBERTS’ left front pants pocket.
The outstanding arrest warrant related to an incident which was the basis for a sentencing enhancement today. The Court found, after an evidentiary hearing, that ROBERTS and four to six other individuals went to a party in Asheboro on June 24, 2023, wearing ski masks and long-sleeved jackets and opened fire on the partygoers, striking four men, one in the back of the head. The Court characterized it as “a planned, coordinated, cold-blooded attack.” Charges against ROBERTS in Randolph County relating to that incident are still pending.
At the time of his arrest in Greensboro, ROBERTS had been previously convicted of felony possession of a stolen firearm (Randolph County, 2022) and was sentenced to a suspended term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Thus, at the time of the instant offense, ROBERTS was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
ROBERTS pleaded guilty on June 5, 2024, to one count of felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).
The case was investigated by the Asheboro Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Special Assistant United States Attorney Mary Ann Courtney.
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.
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Anchorage man sentenced to 13 years for distributing methRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced today to 13 years in prison and will serve five years on supervised release for distributing methamphetamine in Alaska and violating his conditions of release from a previous drug distribution conviction.
According to court documents, Todd Robert Klink, 55, made two sales of methamphetamine totaling over 82 grams to a law enforcement witness in July 2023 and January 2024. The first sale was of 97% pure methamphetamine and the second was of 68% pure methamphetamine.
On Feb. 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in Alaska indicted Klink and charged him with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. On March 1, 2024, agents arrested Klink and executed a federal search warrant on his home. During the search, agents located and seized over 3.5 kilograms of 100% pure methamphetamine, over 500 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine, digital scales with drug residue and other assorted paraphernalia for drug use and distribution.
At all times during this conduct, Klink was on supervised release for a 2011 distribution of methamphetamine conviction in the U.S. District Court, District of Alaska.
On Jan. 29, 2025, Klink pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Klink received a 132-month sentence for distributing methamphetamine in 2023 and 2024, and a 24-month sentence for violating his supervised release, which will run consecutive, making his total sentence 156 months.
“Despite his past conviction for drug-related offenses and a history of criminal activity, Mr. Klink made the conscious decision to persist in trafficking dangerous drugs within our community, showing a disregard for both the law and well-being of others,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn R. Vogel for the District of Alaska. “The justice system will not stand by while illegal, poisonous substances are distributed in our communities, putting countless lives at risk. This sentence underscores our unwavering commitment to collaborating with law enforcement to dismantle drug trafficking operations and protect Alaskans.”
“Drug traffickers like Mr. Klink, who persistently violate our drug laws, pose an especially grave threat,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The sentence he received in this case will both safeguard our communities and hold him accountable for his crimes and I am proud of our team for their hard work achieving this result.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division and Anchorage District Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division and Anchorage Police Department, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody Tirpak prosecuted the case.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Firearm Offenses
Michael Lee Smith, 49, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison with three years of supervised release to follow for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on April 9, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on a property outside Cheyenne where the defendant lived. During the execution of the search warrant, LCSO found 10 firearms and multiple high capacity magazines. Smith is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Smith was indicted on Sept. 18. 2024, and pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2024. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Feb. 12, in Cheyenne. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and Laramie County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Hammer prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00146
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Roberto Palacios-Grimaldo, 39, of Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico, was sentenced to time served and will be deported for illegal reentry into the United States. According to court documents on Nov. 22, 2024, the defendant was arrested by the Sheridan Police Department for driving under the influence of alcohol. He informed officers that he was from Mexico. Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were contacted and determined that Palacios-Grimaldo had previously been removed from the U.S. and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in September 2016. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Feb. 12, in Cheyenne. Case No. 24-CR-00144
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
13 February 2025
West Virginia Resident Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A West Virginia resident has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Joshua Noel, 42, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Noel was part of a drug trafficking organization operating in Monongalia County, West Virginia, that distributed large quantities of controlled substances for more than six years. The drug organization, with its origins in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, transported 5 to 10 pounds of methamphetamine to Morgantown per trip.
Noel will serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Washington County Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – David Dion, age 47, of Greenwich, New York, pled guilty today to charges that he distributed and possessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James made the announcement.
Dion admitted that from July 2023 to January 2024, he distributed images and videos of CSAM via an encrypted chat messenger to another person, and possessed images of CSAM on five electronic devices on February 28, 2024, when his residence was searched. He also admitted that he produced morphed images of CSAM by using non-pornographic images of known children and superimposing the faces of those children onto other images of CSAM he found on the Internet to create an adapted or modified depiction of an identifiable minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dion possessed more than 130,000 images of CSAM across his devices.
Sentencing is currently scheduled for June 13, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Dion faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Dion may also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offenses and forfeit the devices used in the offenses. Dion will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI and NYSP are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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.
Violent Bridgeport Gang Member Sentenced to More Than 22 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
KEISHAWN DONALD, 23, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 270 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his involvement in a violent Bridgeport street gang and his murder of a rival gang member in 2018.
Today’s announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick.
According to court documents, statements made in court, and the evidence presented during a month-long trial, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. Donald has been a member of the “East End gang,” which began as a local street gang based in the East End of Bridgeport, but currently has members and associates who are either incarcerated or living throughout Bridgeport and surrounding towns. The East End gang has been aligned with other groups, including the PT Barnum Gang, the East Side gang and 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport. These groups were aligned against rival organizations in Bridgeport, including the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”) and the “Greene Homes Boyz,” (“GHB/Hotz”), based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End.
Due to the level of gun violence Bridgeport was experiencing, the investigation commenced shortly before East End members shot and killed Myreke Kenion and shot and attempted to kill D’Andre Brown, both members and associates of the GHB/Hotz gang, on January 26, 2020. The next day, in retaliation for these shootings, GHB/Hotz and O.N.E. members attempted to kill East End gang members and associates in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a state courthouse on Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport that resulted in four victims being shot while sitting inside a car.
Donald and other East End members distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; used and shared firearms; and committed at least six murders and other acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals. East End members celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube, and committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities.
On January 30, 2018, Donald shot and killed Eric Heard, also known as “Fetti,” a member and associate of the GHB/Hotz gang. On October 17, 2019, Donald and others attempted to kill Joshua Gilbert, a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang, in a drive-by shooting.
On December 5, 2023, a jury found Donald and three associates guilty of conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity.
Donald has been detained since October 17, 2019, when he was arrested on state charges after being found with a firearm shortly after the attempted murder of Joshua Gilbert.
Approximately 47 members and associates of the East End, O.N.E. and the GHB/Hotz gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has and solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick, and Karen L. Peck.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Utah Woman Sentenced for Stealing Veteran Disability BenefitsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tiffany Ann Bright, 39, of Washington, Utah, was sentenced today to 36 months’ probation, and ordered by the court to pay $150,000 in restitution after she stole unearned veteran disability benefits for years.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow comes after Bright pleaded guilty to wire fraud and theft of government funds on October 29, 2024.
According to court documents, and statements made at Bright’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from December 2013 to April 2022, Ms. Bright unlawfully stole veteran disability benefits from a prior partner. In the summer of 2013, Bright helped the veteran set up an online benefits account to start receiving disability benefits, but later changed the direct deposit information to bank accounts wholly owned by her. Bright submitted fraudulent documentation to the U.S. government to increase the payments, and lied about her marital status to receive the veteran benefits. To carry out the scheme, the payments were transmitted via interstate wire from New Jersey to Bright’s account in Utah.
In 2022, the veteran received a letter about his benefits, indicating changes had been made to his account. The veteran was unaware benefits were being paid still. He had assumed the benefits were being used to pay off his education debt.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the Department of Veteran Affairs, Criminal Investigations Division, and the Washington City Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $23.5 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced today that the Eastern District of Missouri collected $23.5 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $11 million was collected in criminal actions and $12.5 million was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Eastern District of Missouri worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect $16.9 million in cases pursued jointly by these offices, the majority of which was collected in civil actions.
Among the civil settlements were two cases involving allegations of false claims for medical services. Total Access Urgent Care (TAUC) paid $9.1 million and a Festus pain management doctor, Dr. Nehal Modh paid $1.2 million.Nearly $1 million of the total collected in criminal actions came from a continuing case against two Jefferson County chiropractors who aided their clients in committing disability fraud. So far, 27 patients have pleaded guilty and been ordered to repay fraudulently-obtained disability payments.
More than $880,000 was recovered in fiscal year 2024 from the garnishment of the retirement accounts belonging to two doctors who pleaded guilty in separate criminal cases. About $628,000 was recovered from Dr. Amy Swegan, who admitted accepting kickbacks from telemedicine companies involved in a nationwide fraud scheme. Nearly $255,000 was collected from Dr. Ashu Joshi, who distributed child pornography involving the daughter of a former patient.
“These cases show that our Financial Litigation Unit will aggressively pursue restitution for victims and taxpayers, even if it takes years after a case is resolved,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $5.6 million in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
- U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Isleta Pueblo Man with Unlawfully Possessing a Firearm
U.S. Attorney's Office and HSI Collaborate to Charge Mexican National with Stolen Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mexican national in the country illegally is facing federal charges after allegedly possessing a stolen firearm during a traffic stop.
According to court documents, the charge stems from a traffic stop conducted on January 9, 2025, on Interstate 25 in Sandoval County. During the stop, Jose Adan Gonzalez-Torres, a passenger in the vehicle, admitted to having a firearm in the car. A subsequent search revealed a firearm in the center console. Further investigation determined that the firearm had been reported stolen.
In the course of the investigation, Gonzalez admitted to law enforcement that he is unlawfully present in the United States.
Gonzalez will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted, Gonzalez faces 15 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Burkhead is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing of El Salvadorian Woman for Assaulting Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Salvadoran national was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for biting a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
According to the complaint, on May 29, 2024, a Border Patrol agent encountered a group of five individuals, including Erika Jasmin Lobato-Melendez, 27, walking along the border wall. When the agent attempted to take the group into custody, Lobato-Melendez became obstinate, refusing to enter the agent's vehicle and grabbing onto the border wall.
When agents tried to physically separate Lobato-Melendez from the fence, she bit down hard on the agent’s forearm, causing bruising, swelling, and abrasions. Even after being brought to the ground, Lobato-Melendez continued her aggressive behavior, attempting to bite the agent’s leg and kicking them.
Upon her release from prison, Lobato-Melendez will be subject to two years of supervised release and deportation proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Chief Patrol Agent Walter "Neil" Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol’s El Paso Sector and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation investigated these cases with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. McNair is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office Collects More than $60 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
BOSTON – United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts collected $60.17 million in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $19.56 million was collected in criminal actions and $40.6 million was collected in civil actions.
The District of Massachusetts also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $14.87 million in civil actions pursued jointly by these offices. Additionally, for calendar year 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts collected more than $1 billion.
“The American people deserve a government that is both accountable and effective in protecting their hard-earned tax dollars,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “These substantial recoveries reflect our unwavering commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, holding wrongdoers accountable, and securing justice for victims of fraud and other offenses. Whether through civil enforcement, asset recovery, or criminal prosecution, our Office will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to defraud the government and exploit the public.”
In Calendar Year 2024, the Office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit entered into settlements with defendants – totaling over $1 billion including agreements with Raytheon Company to resolve criminal and civil allegations of fraud against the government. As a result, Raytheon agreed to pay $147 million to resolve the criminal allegations and $428 million to resolve the civil allegations – making it the second largest government procurement fraud recovery under the False Claims Act (FCA).
In October 2024, the Unit recovered $425 million as part of a settlement agreement with Teva Pharmaceuticals to resolve allegations that Teva paid kickbacks via two co-pay assistance foundations in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute and FCA. This resolution stands as the largest individual co-pay assistance settlement to date.
Additionally, in May 2024, a $120 million settlement was secured with bankrupt lender Kabbage, Inc., to resolve FCA allegations that it knowingly submitted thousands of false claims for loan forgiveness, loan guarantees, and processing fees to the U.S. Small Business Administration as part of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). It is the largest federal civil settlement involving the PPP program.
In Fiscal Year 2024, the Office’s Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) was responsible for the collection of over $18.5 million in restitution for crime victims. They also recovered nearly $1 million in criminal fines and special assessments, as well as forfeiture of $15.5 million in criminal proceeds or other property involved in crimes. In addition, the Asset Recovery Unit forfeited 13 pit bull-type dogs alleged to be used in connection with dog fighting; forfeited a drone flying in a restricted zone during the 2024 Boston Marathon; filed a civil forfeiture action against 113 wildlife parts from endangered, threatened, or protected species; and filed three civil complaints to forfeit cryptocurrency and bank accounts connected to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
U.S. Attorney's Office Charges Mexican National for Attempted Bribery of U.S. Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mexican national faces federal charges for allegedly attempting to bribe a U.S. Border Patrol Agent after being apprehended for illegal re-entry into the United States.
According to court records, on February 8, 2025, Samuel Mendoza-Torres, 29, was taken into custody along with another individual near the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station. While being transported to the station, Mendoza-Torres allegedly asked the agent, "Can we fix this?" and offered $400 for his release.
During a post-arrest interview, Mendoza-Torres admitted to escorting illegal immigrants into the United States from Mexico. He also acknowledged knowing that offering money to the Border Patrol Agent was illegal.
Mendoza-Torres will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Mendoza-Torres faces 20 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and Chief Patrol Agent Walter "Neil" Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation and the U.S. Border Patrol are investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit Concludes Service as Top Federal Law Enforcement Official for IdahoRead the Press Release
BOISE – Josh Hurwit, 44, of Boise, concluded his service today as United States Attorney for the District of Idaho, the top federal law enforcement position in the state. It is customary for political appointees to depart at the start of a new presidential administration. Hurwit thanked President Biden for nominating him and Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo for their support during the nomination and confirmation process.
“It has been the honor of my professional life to serve as United States Attorney, and I am profoundly grateful to my colleagues and to all those who joined with us to fight crime and ensure justice for all Idahoans,” said former U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Leading a team of dedicated and extremely talented public servants has been a privilege every single day. The professionals in the U.S. Attorney’s Office exemplify the highest standards of excellence in their commitment to justice. Alongside our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners, we have used collaborative strategies to address the most pressing threats to Idaho communities, like fentanyl trafficking and the online exploitation of children. Our efforts have made an impact, and I have no doubt that this office will continue to positively impact our communities and ensure Idaho remains a wonderful place to live.”
During U.S. Attorney Hurwit’s tenure, the office redoubled its efforts to dismantle cartel-connected networks responsible for bringing dangerous drugs into Idaho. Working with its law enforcement partners, the office successfully prosecuted several drug trafficking conspiracies involving more than 10 defendants, including the Perez-Gomez, et. al. case in Jerome and the Cisneros-Guzman, et. al. set of cases in Canyon County. As the Perez-Gomez prosecution shows, the U.S. Attorney’s Office focused on ensuring that state and local enforcement can use federal prosecution in all parts of Idaho, even more rural areas hours away from a federal courthouse. The office also is now poised to host a new Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in its Coeur d’Alene branch office as a result of a partnership between the State of Idaho, Shoshone County, and other counties and cities in North Idaho.
The office remained focused on the opioid epidemic and the deadly scourge of illicit fentanyl, prosecuting 13 cases against drug dealers whose conduct led to a death due to the use of illicit fentanyl. The Basil, Walsh, and Goforth cases exemplify the office’s commitment to holding fentanyl dealers accountable and deterring other dealers from selling fentanyl in Idaho.
Under U.S. Attorney Hurwit’s leadership, the office also addressed fentanyl through robust training and awareness programs across Idaho:
- Along with federal and state partners, the office designed and conducted multiple two‑day fentanyl enforcement trainings for local law enforcement. These trainings provided up‑to‑date intelligence and covered investigation best practices for approximately two dozen agencies, including many in rural Idaho.
- With the DEA and the Idaho Office of Drug Policy, the office held the first Fentanyl Family Summit in Idaho, which provided support to the families of eight victims of fentanyl poisoning and, through the courageous and selfless efforts, raised awareness about fentanyl.
- The office also supported Idaho’s first Fentanyl Youth Summit, which brought together middle school students from three school districts to design projects in their schools to raise awareness about dangerous drugs and support healthy decision-making.
The office also continued to grow its Project Safe Childhood program, through which the office prosecutes child exploitation crimes. Since June 2022, 135 such cases were sentenced or charged. The Aguayo case from Pocatello, the Malone case from Boise, and the Richmond case from Post Falls are representative examples of how Project Safe Childhood removes dangerous predators from all parts of Idaho. This program is positioned to continue to excel through a broad array of partnerships, among them joint efforts with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at the Idaho Office of the Attorney General and the Treasure Valley Human Trafficking Task Force.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also remained focused on violent crime trends even as the violent crime rate declined in Idaho consistent with national trends. Through the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, the office’s prosecutors partnered with local and state law enforcement to target violent offenders in Idaho communities. The Bright, Logan, and Rhynecases are prime examples. In eastern Idaho, the prosecution of Morales, et. al. broke up a dangerous criminal network through which drugs from the southern border were exchanged for firearms in Idaho, some of which were recovered at crime scenes in Idaho and states across the region.
During U.S. Attorney Hurwit’s tenure, the office also dedicated increased resources to financial fraud. U.S. Attorney Hurwit established a COVID-19 Fraud Task Force to investigate illegal misuse of pandemic relief funds. So far, this effort has resulted in cases against 17 criminal defendants and civil settlements with four defendants. The amount of fraud associated with these cases is over $8.5 million. The office’s prosecutors also obtained guilty jury verdicts against (i) defendants in Meridian who sold counterfeit electronic devices made in China, (ii) a defendant who defrauded his partners in a Rexburg construction project, and (iii) a defendant from Coeur d’Alene who committed financial fraud as part of his forestry management business. The office’s civil enforcement attorneys obtained $5.9 million in judgments and settlements in cases involving health care fraud and procurement fraud.
The office also emphasized civil rights and hate crimes enforcement, including by hosting “United Against Hate” forums with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, among many other partners. The office was proud to strengthen its government-to-government relationships with Idaho’s sovereign Native American Tribes in other ways—for example, co‑hosting a regional law enforcement workshop with the Nez Perce Tribe.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit streamlined the office’s financial collection and asset forfeiture functions into a reorganized Asset Recovery Division. This team collected approximately $17.25 million in criminal and civil judgments, fines, restitution, and forfeiture. These funds were returned to victims and taxpayers.
Between 2012 and his confirmation as U.S. Attorney in 2022, Hurwit served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Idaho, first in the Civil Division and then the Criminal Division. He primarily prosecuted complex financial and environmental crimes, and he led the investigation into the Aryan Knights white supremacist prison gang, which resulted in charges against 10 defendants under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. In 2015, he received the Director’s Award for Excellence by a Litigative Team for his work as part of the team that successfully prosecuted United States v. Swenson et. al., the securities and wire fraud case arising from the collapse of DBSI, Inc. Prior to government service, Hurwit worked at the law firms of Covington & Burling LLP and Kirkland & Ellis in San Francisco, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York City. After law school, Hurwit clerked for U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in the Southern District of New York.
During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, Hurwit served on numerous Attorney General Advisory Council subcommittees. He was the Chair of the Border and Immigration Subcommittee, the Chair of the Hate Crimes Working Group within the Civil Rights Subcommittee, and served on the White Collar Crime and Cyber and Intellectual Property Subcommittees.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit proudly worked to strengthen relations between his office and tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, traveling to 40 of Idaho’s 44 counties to meet with sheriffs, police chiefs, and county prosecuting attorneys.
As provided for under the Vacancies Reform Act, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney will immediately assume office as Acting U.S. Attorney until further action by the new administration.
“I am excited to watch the office’s continued success,” said former U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Every member of the team has the highest professional and ethical standards and, together with our law enforcement partners, they will ensure that the administration of justice will continue seamlessly in the District of Idaho.”
The District of Idaho covers all counties and five tribal reservations across the state. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, with staffed offices in Boise, Pocatello, and Coeur d’Alene, employs 31 attorneys and 28 support staff who are responsible for conducting all criminal and civil litigation in the district involving the United States government. U.S. Attorney Hurwit had the distinct privilege of hiring 15 of these career public servants.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit will continue to reside in Boise and has not yet decided on his future professional plans.
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Two Kentucky Men Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY –Yesterday, two Kentucky men were sentenced for trafficking in fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Ron Eckart of the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force made the announcement.
According to court documents, Dominik Woods, 23, of Bonnieville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 5 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Woods was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offense.
On April 9, 2020, in Hardin Circuit Court, Woods was convicted of enhanced trafficking in marijuana, less than 8 ounces, and tampering with physical evidence.
Joshua Sanders, 36, of Cave City, Kentucky was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sanders was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On June 18, 2009, in Hart Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of receiving stolen property, firearm.
On March 29, 2010, in Barren Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of burglary, second degree, and theft by unlawful taking.
On December 22, 2010, in Hart Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of burglary, second degree, and receiving stolen property over $300.
On January 10, 2018, in Larue Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of receiving stolen property under $10,000 and possession of controlled substances.
On January 15, 2019, in Warren Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of fleeing or evading police, first degree.
On May 16, 2019, in Barren Circuit Court, Sanders was convicted of fleeing or evading police, first degree.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF, the KSP, and the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari 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.
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Two Estonian Nationals plead guilty in $577M cryptocurrency fraud schemeRead the Press Release
Seattle –Two Estonian nationals pleaded guilty yesterday for their operation of a massive, multi-faceted cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that victimized hundreds of thousands of people from across the world, including in the United States. As part of the defendants’ guilty pleas, they agreed to forfeit assets valued over $400 million obtained during the conspiracy.
According to court documents, Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turõgin, both 40, sold contracts to customers entitling them to a share of cryptocurrency mined by the defendants’ purported cryptocurrency mining service, HashFlare. Cryptocurrency mining is the process of using computers to generate cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, for profit.
Between 2015 and 2019, Hashflare’s sales totaled more than $577 million, but HashFlare did not possess the requisite computing capacity to perform the vast majority of the mining the defendants told HashFlare customers it performed. HashFlare’s web-based dashboard, which purported to show customers their mining profits, instead reflected falsified data. Potapenko and Turõgin used the proceeds of the fraud conspiracy to purchase real estate and luxury vehicles and maintained investment and cryptocurrency accounts. Potapenko and Turõgin have agreed to forfeit assets worth, as of the date of the plea, more than $400 million. The forfeited assets will be available for a remission process to compensate victims of the crime. Details about the remission process will be announced at a later date.
Potapenko and Turõgin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They are scheduled to be sentenced on May 8 and each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine each defendant’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Justice Department thanks the Cybercrime Bureau of the Estonian Police and Border Guard for its support with this investigation. The Estonian Prosecutor General and Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs provided substantial assistance with the extradition. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided extensive assistance to the investigation and the extradition of the defendants.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington, Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Seattle Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Friedman and Sok Jiang for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorneys Adrienne E. Rosen and David Ginensky of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jehiel Baer for the Western District of Washington is handling asset forfeiture aspects of the case.
Individuals who believe they may have been a victim in this case should visit www.fbi.gov/hashflare.
Two Estonian Nationals Plead Guilty in $577M Cryptocurrency Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Scheme Victimized Hundreds of Thousands of People in United States and Abroad
Two Estonian nationals pleaded guilty yesterday for their operation of a massive, multi-faceted cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that victimized hundreds of thousands of people from across the world, including in the United States. As part of the defendants’ guilty pleas, they agreed to forfeit assets valued over $400 million obtained during the conspiracy.
According to court documents, Sergei Potapenko and Ivan Turõgin, both 40, sold contracts to customers entitling them to a share of cryptocurrency mined by the defendants’ purported cryptocurrency mining service, HashFlare. Cryptocurrency mining is the process of using computers to generate cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, for profit.
Between 2015 and 2019, Hashflare’s sales totaled more than $577 million, but HashFlare did not possess the requisite computing capacity to perform the vast majority of the mining the defendants told HashFlare customers it performed. HashFlare’s web-based dashboard, which purported to show customers their mining profits, instead reflected falsified data. Potapenko and Turõgin used the proceeds of the fraud conspiracy to purchase real estate and luxury vehicles and maintained investment and cryptocurrency accounts. Potapenko and Turõgin have agreed to forfeit assets worth, as of the date of the plea, more than $400 million. The forfeited assets will be available for a remission process to compensate victims of the crime. Details about the remission process will be announced at a later date.
Potapenko and Turõgin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They are scheduled to be sentenced on May 8 and each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Justice Department thanks the Cybercrime Bureau of the Estonian Police and Border Guard for its support with this investigation. The Estonian Prosecutor General and Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs provided substantial assistance with the extradition. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided extensive assistance to the investigation and the extradition of the defendants.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington, Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Seattle Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Adrienne E. Rosen and David Ginensky of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Friedman and Sok Jiang for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jehiel Baer for the Western District of Washington is handling asset forfeiture aspects of the case.
Individuals who believe they may have been a victim in this case should visit www.fbi.gov/hashflare.
Two East Bay Residents, One of Whom Was A Bank Teller, Indicted on Charges of Cashing Stolen U.S. Treasury ChecksRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has indicted Franchesca Calagui, 25, and Dondre Gray, 27, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud, and also charged Calagui with receipt of U.S. Treasury check with forged endorsement or signature.
According to the indictment unsealed yesterday, from around May 2022 through March 2023, Calagui and Gray, both of Emeryville, Calif., conspired to obtain stolen U.S. Treasury checks, recruit others to fraudulently endorse or sign the stolen U.S. Treasury checks, and give the checks to Calagui to cash for the defendants’ personal benefit. At the time, Calagui was a part-time associate banker at JP Morgan Chase Bank.
The indictment describes text messages between Gray and Calagui discussing the ongoing scheme in which Gray stated “I definitely don’t wanna scam with chase since you work there,” and Calagui responded “I do not care if u scam us lmao.” Gray allegedly explained how he operated the scheme using runners, individuals who gets paid to enter a bank with a fraudulent check, cash it, and return the proceeds to the person who employed the runner. In all, the defendants are charged with devising and executing a scheme to cash at least 339 stolen U.S. Treasury checks totaling more than $850,000.
Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Knarr, Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s (VA OIG) Northwest Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Dean Lake of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG) made the announcement.
Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1349 and five counts of bank fraud under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1344(1), (2). Calagui is also charged with five counts of receipt of U.S. Treasury check with forged endorsement or signature under 18 U.S.C. § 510(b). Calagui and Gray were arrested and made their initial appearances in federal district court yesterday. Defendants are next scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on April 3, 2025, for a status conference.
An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 on each charged count. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia Johnson is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, TIGTA, IRS-CI, FDIC-OIG, USPIS, VA OIG, and SSA OIG.
Franchesca Calagui Indictment
Truck driver pleads guilty to smuggling 36 illegal aliens in trailerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year-old Alamo resident has admitted to charges of human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On Dec. 13, 2024, Eusebio Cavazos drove a tractor-trailer into the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita. Upon initial inspection, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of humans in the trailer.
Authorities referred him to secondary where they discovered 36 illegal aliens in the back of the trailer and nothing else.
A total of 15 were from Guatemala, 10 from Honduras, eight from Mexico and three from El Salvador. All were illegally present in the United States, five of whom had allegedly been previously removed and have pending charges for illegal re-entry.
Cavazos admitted someone had hired him to drive all 36 illegal aliens from a point near Donna to Houston.
He expected to receive $1,000 per alien he was transporting.
“As we have unfortunately seen in prior instances, smuggling of people via a tractor trailer is extremely dangerous and can lead to mass casualties,” said Ganjei. “As the Department of Justice works to secure the border and bring down demand for smugglers, we simultaneously expect to see a decrease in the number of people transported through such means.”
U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing May 15. At that time, Cavazos faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 possible fine.
Cavazos has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting the case.
Three Sales Executives Charged in Connection with Pre-IPO Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging Robert Cassino, also known as “Bobby Cassino,” Joseph Passalaqua and Joseph Rivera with securities fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and securities fraud. The defendants were arrested today and are being arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho. Raymond John Pirrello, Jr., also known as “Ray John,” was previously indicted for his involvement in the scheme.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the charges.
“The defendants repeatedly lied to investors about the costs associated with their investments and diverted millions of dollars in undisclosed mark-up fees to their sales offices,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “My Office will vigorously prosecute those who seek to take advantage of individual investors for their own greed.”
Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), New York Regional Office, for its significant cooperation and assistance during the investigation.
“At the behest of the company’s leadership, three defendants allegedly enticed investors with material misinformation to steal millions of their dollars through undisclosed upfront fees. This alleged scheme allowed the defendants’ respective sales offices to unlawfully profit at the expense of their clients’ trust and money. The FBI will never permit any individual to engage in hypocritical financial practices to covertly divert investments for personal enrichment,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.
As detailed in the superseding indictment, Pirrello, Cassino, Passalaqua and Rivera engaged in a scheme to defraud investors and prospective investors in securities offered by the company Late Stage Management, LLC (Late Stage). Late Stage was a New Jersey based manager of investment funds that offered investors “no fee” opportunities to invest in “Pre IPO” stocks, i.e., shares of stock in companies that anticipated an initial public offering (“IPO”) in the near term. Late Stage worked with several sales offices throughout New Jersey, New York and Florida to promote the investments, including Pre IPO Marketing, Inc. (“Pre IPO Marketing”), Prior2IPO and B4IPO.
Pirrello worked as the partner to the leadership of Late Stage, and Cassino, Passalaqua and Rivera led operations at Pre IPO Marketing, Prior2IPO and B4IPO, respectively. Pirrello and co-conspirators communicated with Cassino, Passalaqua, Rivera and others about how to market Late Stage to investors. Cassino, Passalaqua and Rivera then made material misrepresentations and omissions to investors and potential investors in Late Stage relating to, among other things, the existence and amount of fees paid by investors in stock offered by Late Stage. For example, they claimed that the only time Late Stage profited was on exit, when the company made its IPO or sold to a larger company, in which case it would be entitled to a 20% share of the investor’s profits. In reality, however, Late Stage charged fees in the form of upfront markups ranging from 10-50% of each investment. In total, between approximately March 2019 and July 2022, sales offices working on behalf of Late Stage raised approximately $528 million from investors and diverted approximately $88.6 million in undisclosed upfront markups to Pirrello, Cassino, Passalaqua, Rivera and their co-conspirators.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you believe that you or someone you know was victimized by Pirrello, Cassino, Passalaqua, Rivera or their co-conspirators, please inform the FBI at the following website: www.fbi.gov/Pirrello or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica K. Weigel is in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Special Agent Martin Sullivan and Paralegal Specialist Sarah Burn.
The Defendants:
ROBERT CASSINO (also known as “Bobby Cassino”)
Age: 62
Long Beach, New YorkJOSEPH PASSALAQUA
Age: 36
Sparta, New JerseyJOSEPH RIVERA
Age: 45
Elmont, New YorkPreviously Indicted Defendant:
RAYMOND JOHN PIRRELLO, JR. (also known as “Ray John”)
Age: 48
Sparta, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-499 (S-1) (KAM)
cr-23-499_s-1_stamped.pdfThird Defendant Pleads Guilty in Car Dealership Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Mississippi – A Louisiana man pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to use the stolen identities of others to purchase expensive vehicles in the Jackson, Mississippi metro area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2023, David L. Jones, Jr., of New Orleans, Louisiana, and his coconspirators obtained the identity information of credit-worthy individuals, created false identity documents in the names of those individuals, and then posed as those individuals at automotive dealerships in order to apply for vehicle financing. Jones and his coconspirators submitted credit applications and purchased or attempted to purchase vehicles from dealerships in the Jackson metro area.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 22 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Two of Jones’s coconspirators, Paul Anthony Robinson and Sarah Elizabeth Calderon, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Jones’s remaining coconspirators, Joshanique Elouise Bailey and Anna Waldei, are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Their cases are still pending trial. If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
“When we established Mississippi’s Cyber Fraud Task Force four years ago, we knew that more and more criminal acts would have a cyber element and that our expertise and resources would be increasingly in demand,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “And we are pleased to see the results of our work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. Secret Service in this case to put the brakes on this auto theft ring, put these criminals behind bars, and obtain justice for the people of Mississippi.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office are investigating the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and FBI Launch Online Portal to Enhance Department’s Capability to Bring International Antitrust Fugitives to JusticeRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the FBI jointly announced the launch of a new online portal for information on international fugitives who have been charged with antitrust offenses and other crimes affecting the competitive process. The Antitrust Division and FBI are committed to bringing individuals to court to face their charges, wherever they are located.
“Individuals charged with anticompetitive crimes should understand that the DOJ Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will take all available steps to ensure that they answer the charges in court,” said Director of Criminal Enforcement Emma Burnham of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Defendants should understand that the charges will not go away, and the Antitrust Division urges them to contact us to discuss resolution of the charges.”
“The FBI is focused on identifying, tracking and arresting fugitives across all our threats,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “By streamlining intelligence sharing and coordination, we are better equipped than ever to ensure no criminal can evade justice by hiding across borders.”
The Antitrust Division works with the FBI and other law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute companies and individuals whose anticompetitive conduct harms American consumers and the American economy, wherever those companies and individuals are located. After bringing criminal charges, the Antitrust Division works actively with domestic and foreign authorities to locate international fugitives and secure their extradition to the United States. The Antitrust Division and the FBI welcome information from the public about the location of international fugitives.
For more information on antitrust fugitives, go to the Antitrust Division’s Fugitive webpage. The FBI maintains a list of current antitrust fugitives whose charges are not under seal.
To report potential antitrust crimes to the Antitrust Division, contact the Complaint Center. If your complaint relates to potential antitrust crimes affecting government procurement, grant, or program funding, contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force Tip Center.
Sioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Refusing a Court OrderRead the Press Release
A man was sentenced on January 31, 2025, to 24 months imprisonment for contempt of court.
Joel Perea-Duenas, age 24, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 30, 2024, guilty plea to contempt of court.
In the evening hours of June 23, 2020, Perea-Duenas was asked to serve as the getaway driver for a drive-by shooting. He agreed, put on dark clothing, and joined three armed men in a waiting car. The attackers drove to the home of their intended victim, but seeing law enforcement in the area, aborted their attack. Perea-Duenas suggested a secondary target, drove to that new target and identified it to his conspirators. It was a home, occupied by seven people including children. One of the gunmen repeatedly fired upon the home hitting the house at least eight times. Perea-Duenas was later caught by police and admitted he knew about the intended shooting before agreeing to drive, admitted knowing there were people, including children, in the targeted home, and he wanted the shooting to occur to in retaliation against a resident of the home and his family. On November 19, 2021, Perea-Duenas pled guilty to two counts of being a drug user in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison.
On October 27, 2022, defendant was called as a witness at the federal sentencing of an accomplice. He was sworn by the district court judge. When he was questioned under oath, however, he refused to testify because he did not want to testify. The district court advised him that he did not have a lawful right to refuse to answer the questions. Nonetheless, Perera-Duenas persisted in his refusal to testify. The district court continued the sentencing, in part, to give Perea-Duenas time to reconsider his refusal of the district court’s lawful order. The sentencing resumed on December 8, 2022. Perera-Duenas again, communicated his refusal to testify. He was sent back to federal prison to complete his federal sentence for the firearms charge.
On October 19, 2023, while he was still in federal prison, he was charged with contempt of court. On November 20, 2023, he was released from federal prison on the gun charges, he was re-arrested and haled back into federal court to answer for his criminal contempt. On July 30, 2024, he plead guilty. He was sentenced on January 31, 2025, in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 24 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Judge Strand indicated in sentencing Perea-Duenas that this was the only time in his career as a jurist that he had encountered a refusal to testify of this nature and that the crime had to be sanctioned stiffly to ensure others do not follow suit.
United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax said: “refusals to testify, like refusals of court orders generally, strike at the very heart of the American justice system and the rule of law. As a result, those who disobey lawfully issued court orders risk prosecution and incarceration.”
Perea-Duenas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-4026/20-4071.
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Sin City Deciples Member Sentenced to 204 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Richard White, age 57, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after being found guilty of a racketeering conspiracy following an 18-day jury trial, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
White was sentenced to 204 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to the Second Superseding Indictment, the Sin City Deciples, originally formed in 1967 in Gary, Indiana, is an outlaw motorcycle organization in which its members and associates engaged in acts of violence, extortion, and narcotics distribution in the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere. Between 2009 and 2021, the defendant conspired with other members of the Sin City Deciples to commit racketeering activity and acted as the club’s National Head Enforcer. As part of that conspiracy, White committed multiple overt and predicate acts, the most serious of which were the attempted murder of Victim 2, as well as the beating and shooting of a Sin City member at the Gary clubhouse.
The agencies involved in this prosecution were: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Griffith Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents, the Merrillville Police Department, the Munster Police Department, the Schererville Police Department, the Pittsburgh (PA) Police Department and Allegheny County (PA) Sheriff’s Department. Also providing assistance were the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Arkansas, the Northern District of Illinois, the Southern District of Indiana, the Western District of Kentucky, and the Western District of Pennsylvania.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick, Michael J. Toth, and former Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly L. Schultz.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sex offender sentenced to federal prison for failing to register in BeaumontRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A sex offender living in Beaumont was sentenced to federal prison for failing to register in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Lequinte Dangelo Johnson, 37, pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on February 13, 2025.
According to information presented in court, in 2006, in Riverside, California, Johnson was convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old. As part of his sentence, Johnson was required to register as a sex offender. In July of 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service in Beaumont received information containing Johnson’s updated sex offender registration paperwork from Arizona. The paperwork indicated that Johnson had registered as homeless with a “RESIDENCE OR PHYSICAL LOCATION” in Glendale, Arizona. However, he listed a “409” cell phone number as his contact information. Through information found on social media, it was determined that Johnson was living in Beaumont where he was eventually found living in a storage unit, although never having registered in Texas.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.
This case was investigated by U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
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Sacramento Woman Pleads Guilty to Participation in Nearly $2.6 Million COVID-19 Benefit Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Tabitha Leigh Markle, 53, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between April 2020 and January 2021, Markle defrauded the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the United States out of unemployment insurance benefits. Markle collected personally identifiable information (PII) including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other information, and submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to EDD. Markle and her associates caused the UI debit cards to be mailed to addresses she listed in the fraudulent applications. They used the cards that were issued in the names of the supposed beneficiaries to withdraw cash from ATMs throughout California. Markle and her associates often appeared in ATM surveillance photos taking out large amounts of cash from the cards. Markle and her criminal associates obtained approximately $2,599,038 from the fraud.
Markle also used the means of identification of various victims, including N.T., who was a resident of Oakland. Without N.T.’s knowledge or permission, Markle filed a false unemployment insurance application with California EDD using N.T.’s true name and other identifying information, but using a false email address, phone number and mailing address. Markle’s associates withdrew thousands of dollars of unemployment insurance benefits from the card issued to N.T.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, California EDD – Investigation Division, and the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case.
Markle is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on May 13, 2025. Markle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine (or twice the amount of the loss) for mail fraud, plus supervised release of up to five years. She also faces a mandatory two-year consecutive prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the Court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Real Estate Executive Charged in Thirty-Million-Dollar Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Danielle Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the arrest of KEVIN FENG GAO. The Indictment unsealed today charges GAO with committing bank fraud as part of a scheme to steal $30 million intended as an investment in Manhattan real estate. GAO will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.
U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon said: “As alleged, Kevin Gao orchestrated a complex scheme to create a fraudulent, unauthorized bank account and use the account to steal $30 million from a real estate investor. Bank fraud schemes undermine the integrity of our financial system by corrupting it for criminal purposes, and I commend the FBI and our dedicated team of prosecutors for their outstanding work in uncovering this massive fraud.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “Kevin Gao allegedly opened an unauthorized corporate bank account to intercept and steal a $30 million investment. This alleged establishment of an illicit bank account wrongfully diverted a significant sum from its intended use. The FBI remains dedicated to apprehending all individuals who implement deceitful measures to steal what is not owed to them.”
According to allegations in the Indictment:[1]
GAO carried out a fraudulent scheme to open and use an unauthorized bank account in the name of a company (the “Management Company”) that managed a real estate development project in Manhattan (the “Real Estate Project”). GAO was an executive at another company that participated in a joint venture to develop the Real Estate Project, but GAO had no authorization from the Management Company to open the account in its name (the “Fraudulent Account”).
When GAO applied to open the Fraudulent Account, GAO made false representations to employees of an FDIC-insured bank (the “Bank”), including falsely representing that GAO was opening the Fraudulent Account with the Management Company’s permission. Additionally, when a representative of the Bank asked GAO to provide a copy of the Management Company’s operating agreement, GAO provided a fraudulent document rather than the actual operating agreement.
After GAO created the Fraudulent Account, an investment company agreed to invest $30 million in the Real Estate Development managed by the Management Company. But the investment company transferred its $30 million into the Fraudulent Account created by GAO rather than a legitimate account actually held and controlled by the Management Company. GAO then dispersed the $30 million to several accounts under the control of GAO and his co-conspirators.
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GAO, 37, of Queens, New York is charged with one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding work of the FBI.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Brumwell and Maggie Lynaugh are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Previously convicted felon sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing 28 firearmsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to five years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms.
According to court documents, on Dec. 26, 2023, officers of the Colonial Heights Police Department responded to the residence of Joshua J. Jernigan, 40, for an unrelated matter. After receiving authority from Jernigan to search his residence, the officers observed a loaded pistol magazine in the garage. The officers obtained a warrant to search the residence and recovered 28 firearms and five unregistered silencers.
Jernigan was convicted in 2004 in Chesterfield County of conspiracy/statutory burglary, statutory burglary with intent, and possession of burglarious tools. As a previously convicted felon, Jernigan cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-104.
Political Organizer and Former President of City Council of Atlantic City Pleads Guilty to Submitting Fraudulent Mail-In BallotsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – An Atlantic County, New Jersey, man today admitted to the procurement, casting, and tabulation of fraudulent mail-in ballots submitted in connection with the general election held on November 8, 2022, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Craig Callaway, 64, a former member and President of the City Council of Atlantic City and a political organizer who assisted campaigns for elected offices in New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to an Information charging him with depriving, defrauding, and attempting to deprive and defraud the residents of the State of New Jersey of a fair and impartially conducted election process by the fraudulent procurement, casting, and tabulation of ballots.
“The defendant admitted to depriving New Jersey residents of a fair election by participating in a scheme to cast ballots for voters who did not vote in the election. Along with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to prosecuting those who criminally seek to undermine impartially conducted elections.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning in or about October 2022, approximately one month before the general election held on November 8, 2022 (the “2022 General Election”), Callaway and others who were working at Callaway’s direction approached numerous individuals in Atlantic City, promising to pay them between approximately $30 and $50 to act as purported authorized messengers for voters who supposedly wished to vote by mail.
After receiving Vote-By-Mail Applications from Callaway or his subordinates, these purported messengers entered the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office carrying anywhere from one to four completed Vote-By-Mail Applications. Inside the County Clerk’s Office, as instructed by Callaway or his subordinates, these individuals provided County Clerk’s Office personnel proof of identification and signed the Vote-By-Mail Applications in the authorized messenger portion of the application before handing those signed applications to office personnel. Further, as instructed by Callaway or his subordinates, these purported messengers waited while Clerk’s Office personnel processed the applications and, if the applications were approved, provided to the purported messengers mail-in ballots for the voters listed on the applications.
Under New Jersey law, a messenger was required to deliver any mail-in ballots they received directly to the voter who requested the ballots, and certify that they would do so. However, after receiving mail-in ballots, these purported messengers left the County Clerk’s Office and handed the ballots to Callaway or his subordinates, instead of delivering the ballots to the voters.
Many of the mail-in ballots collected by Callaway or his subordinates were ultimately cast in the names of voters who have confirmed that they did not vote in the 2022 General Election—either in-person or by submitting a mail-in ballot—and that they did not authorize Callaway, his subordinates, or anyone else, to cast ballots for them in the 2022 General Election. Many of these mail-in ballots were counted towards the 2022 General Election.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly; the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency's Public Corruption Task Force, including the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William Reynolds; the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Chief James A. Sarkos; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; as well as special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone; the Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins; and the postal inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation leading to today’s complaint.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden, Attorney-in-Charge of the Trenton Branch Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney James H. Graham of the Special Prosecutions Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2025.
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Defense counsel: Megan J. Davies, Haddonfield, New Jersey
callaway.information.pdfPhiladelphia Man Sentenced to 39 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Burglarize Ups Warehouses; Others Previously SentencedRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia man was sentenced today on conspiracy charges related to his role in a conspiracy to burglarize approximately 55 United Parcel Service (“UPS”) warehouses across the United States, resulting in the theft of over $1.6 million worth of merchandise, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Aboudramane Karamoko, 21, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 39 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Bumb in Camden, New Jersey.
Three other defendants, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were each sentenced previously before Chief Judge Bumb. Specifically, Sekou Fofanah, 20, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release; Shamaire Brown, 19, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release; and Quamaire Brown, 19, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release.
As part of their sentences, all four defendants were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,600,157.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning at least as early as January 2021 through at least as recently as April 2023, Sekou Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, Quamaire Brown, Aboudramane Karamoko, and others conspired to commit burglaries of UPS facilities throughout the United States, including warehouses in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Rhode Island, among other States. The defendants gained access to the UPS facilities by breaking the windows of the loading bay doors or by prying open the loading bay doors. Once inside, they sought parcels marked with “lithium-ion battery” warnings, which indicated that the packages contained high-value electronic devices such as a cell phones. Sekou Fofanah, Shamaire Brown, Quamaire Brown, and Aboudramane Karamoko each admitted that they participated in the burglary of at least 55 UPS facilities and stole items valued at approximately $1,600,157.00.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna also acknowledged South Brunswick Police Department, Warwick Rhode Island Police Department, Clarkstown New York Police Department, Livonia, Michigan Police Department, HSI State College, State College Police Department, New York State Police, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia, Homeland Security Investigations Rhode Island, New Jersey State Police, Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Taylor Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, and Centre County District Attorney’s Office, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsels:
Anthony Iacullo, Esq. (for Sekou Fofanah)
Gary Mizzone, Esq. (for Quamaire Brown)
Stephen Natoli, Esq. (for Shamaire Brown)
Joel Silberman, Esq. (for Aboudramane Karamoko)
Pastor Is Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ashley James Crouse, 53, of Granite Falls, N.C., was sentenced today to 120 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Crouse was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Roger “Chip” Hawley, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Sheriff Alan C. Jones of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department, join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, in April 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) referred a tip to law enforcement that a Dropbox account user had uploaded videos containing CSAM. Law enforcement determined that the Dropbox user was Crouse, who was a pastor at a church in Caldwell County. On November 3, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Crouse’s residence and the church. From Crouse’s office at the church, detectives seized a computer tower, an iPad, and two thumb drives.
Crouse admitted to law enforcement officers that he had been downloading and collecting child pornography for five to six years and that he viewed CSAM at the church while multi-tasking and completing church business. The investigation determined that Crouse routinely used his computer at the church to access, view, and download CSAM. A forensic examination of Crouse’s church computer and other digital devices revealed that Crouse shared child pornography and links to child pornography through the Telegram application and that he had used AI and a software program to make child and other pornography. In total, Crouse possessed over 1,200 videos and 450 images depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Also on the church computer, investigators found that Crouse maintained a book that outlines in detail how to sexually abuse children. The forensic examiner further found evidence that Crouse had installed an anti-forensic software program on his church computer which he used to permanently delete files and folders.
On August 21, 2024, Crouse pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography that involved a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years, and receipt of child pornography. Crouse remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron commended the FBI, the SBI, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hickory Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Park Hill Resident Sentenced for Felony Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jack Dewayne Neugin, a/k/a Jackie Dewayne Neugin, age 56, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service.
On September 5, 2024, Neugin pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 27, 2024, while being booked and processed by law enforcement officers at the Cherokee County Jail, Neugin was discovered to be in possession of 27.35 grams of methamphetamine, a portion of which Neugin intended for distribution.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Neugin will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.