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Thursday 19 December 2024
Pennsylvania Man Convicted of Wheeling Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal jury has convicted a Pennsylvania man of an Ohio County bank robbery, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Following a two-day trial, Frank L. Morrison, 58, of Braddock Hills, Pennsylvania, was found guilty of bank robbery on Wednesday.
On September 4, 2018, Morrison walked into United Bank in Elm Grove wearing a mask and demanded money from two tellers, obtaining more than $4,200 before fleeing. The jury viewed surveillance video which captured footage of the defendant disposing of his mask and other items into a nearby dumpster. Investigators recovered the material and obtained DNA evidence from the mask that matched with Morrison.
Morrison has a lengthy criminal history, including prior convictions for armed bank robbery, robbery, and access device fraud. He is presently serving an 87-month sentence due to federal firearms convictions in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
“Frank Morrison has made a living committing crimes throughout the region, but his criminal career is now over,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “We will seek a sentence that will keep Mr. Morrison behind bars for the rest of his life so that he can no longer terrorize the public.”
Morrison faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the Wheeling bank robbery conviction, and the United States will seek to have that sentence run consecutively to the term he is currently serving, according to Ihlenfeld.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton Reid and Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, and the Wheeling Police Department.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Parker Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Child AbuseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Frank John Kinale, III, 38, of Parker, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Kinale pleaded guilty to Child Abuse on September 3, 2024.
On September 21, 2021, Kinale drove while he was intoxicated with two minor victims in his vehicle and caused a single-vehicle rollover crash. The minor victims were injured as a result of the crash. The crash occurred on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Indian Reservation and Kinale and the victims are enrolled members of the CRIT Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00522-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-178_Kinale# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Owner of chain of Bikini Barista coffee stands sentenced for failing to report up to $6 million in incomeRead the Press Release
Seattle –The owner of a string of bikini barista coffee stands was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 10 months in prison and a $75,000 fine for making and subscribing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Between 2016 and 2020 Assad Baragzai, 47, of Yarrow Point, Washington, failed to report as much as $6 million in income on his tax returns. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tana Lin said, the tax system “is an honor system… and you weren’t honorable. (There was) absolutely no reason for you to be cheating on your taxes except for pure greed.”
“Our government relies on the 85 percent of Americans who each year pay the taxes they owe to keep communities safe, and provide all the other important services we need,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Mr. Baragzai had great business success, but failed to fund the community that made that success possible. Such conduct is not erased by paying what is owed some five years later – it is appropriate that he serve prison time for his willful tax fraud.”
According to records in the case, Baragzai significantly under-reported his income when he provided information to his tax accountant. The government believes that the tax loss over the five years that Baragzai underreported his income is more than $1.7 million. The tax loss in 2017 alone is more than $687,000. Baragzai disputes the government figures and argued that he had some legitimate deductions making the tax loss is $1.3 million. Judge Lin determined the tax loss was $1,348, 154.
In asking for a two-year prison term Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion wrote to the court, “Assad Baragzai reaped the benefits of American society but somehow convinced himself that he did not need to pay his share of the costs that support that society. All Americans pay a price for this kind of selfishness. For example, school lunches are provided by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. But for this prosecution, Baragzai’s tax fraud would have cost the government the equivalent of 462,000 school lunches.”
“Instead of paying his fair share toward public resources as every law-abiding American does, Mr. Baragzai misrepresented his income to furnish an already-lavish lifestyle,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office.
Baragzai is the second defendant to be sentenced in this investigation. In October 2024, Baragzai’s brother-in-law, 45-year-old Rajesh Mathew, of Auburn, Washington, was sentenced to 30 days in jail, a $5,000 fine, and 100 hours of community service for making and subscribing a false tax return.
Baragzai has agreed to pay restitution to the IRS. He may also face additional civil penalties, fines, and interest for the tax loss.
The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Dion.
Omaha Woman Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Daniella M. Fedail, age 30, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for distributing methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Fedail to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Fedail’s release from prison, she will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On November 15, 2023, DEA confidential source (CS) made a controlled purchase of 1 pound of meth. The CS first met with Hanna Faust aka “Williams” at a buy location in mid-town Omaha. Faust then made a call to her supplier who advised that a silver Impala would be arriving. Fedail drove to the parking lot and accepted the buy money and handed over the drug package containing 464 grams of meth.
On December 21, 2023, DEA obtained a federal search warrant for Fedail’s Omaha home. She was arrested and read her Miranda rights. She acknowledged engaging in narcotics trafficking.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 151 Months for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Edward Charles Lynch, age 76, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lynch to 151 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lynch’s release from prison, he will begin an 8-year term of supervised release. Judge Buescher ordered Lynch to pay $114,000 in restitution and $7,600 in special assessments.
On June 16, 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from Microsoft Bing Image - Online Operations about images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct being uploaded by a user of the online service. Law enforcement identified the IP address associated with the file upload and determined the subscriber assigned the IP address was Lynch. The IP address was associated with Lynch’s residence in Omaha.
On October 19, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Lynch’s residence and seized a computer belonging to Lynch. A forensic review of Lynch’s computer identified 443,731 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Lynch was previously convicted on or about November 1, 1996, of Sexual Assault of Child in Sarpy County, Nebraska.
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 Attorney’s 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 the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Omaha Man Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Program FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Henry T. Lewis, age 57, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for wire fraud. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lewis to five years’ probation and ordered him to pay $210,846.26 in restitution, with credit for $20,000.00 Lewis paid before sentencing.
During 2020 and 2021, Lewis, assisted by another person, submitted applications for Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program loans. Those loan programs were created or expanded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The applications misrepresented how much Lewis’s business had paid employees in past compensation and how much revenue Lewis’s business had received, resulting in applications for significantly inflated loan amounts under the PPP and EIDL programs. The PPP applications were supported by false tax documents Lewis had signed. The fraudulent applications on behalf of Lewis sought loans totaling approximately $348,494.50, and he obtained $195,497.00.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.
Ohio Resident Sentenced to More Than 7.5 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Fluorofentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Youngstown, Ohio, resident was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and fluorofentanyl, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Teqwan Scott, 29, also ordering Scott to serve four years of supervised release following his prison term. Scott previously pleaded guilty in this case to conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl.
Prior to sentencing, the Court was informed that Scott was responsible for trafficking between 40 and 70 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl from May 2021 to October 2022, during which time Scott was on bond with a pending state fentanyl trafficking charge in Venango County, Pennsylvania. Scott had already been convicted in Ohio of committing several crimes since 2014, including domestic violence, aggravated possession of drugs, illegal conveyance of prohibited items onto the grounds of a detention facility, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Scott.
Oahu Man Indicted for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy and Possessing and Discharging FirearmRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Clare E. Connors announced that, on December 19, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Blane Apostadiro, 47, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, charging him with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl; possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl; using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; and illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon and unlawful drug user.
According to the indictment and details from a previously unsealed criminal complaint, on October 27, 2024, Honolulu Police Department (“HPD”) officers observed Apostadiro driving a stolen vehicle. Apostadiro abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. While fleeing, Apostadiro discharged a privately manufactured firearm, also known as a “ghost gun,” prompting HPD officers to discharge their weapons in defense. Apostadiro was incapacitated during the exchange and taken into custody. HPD officers discovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, digital scales, plastic baggies, ammunition, a lower receiver, and a loaded “ghost gun” in Apostadiro’s possession. Additional controlled substances and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the stolen vehicle.
“Both fentanyl and ghost guns pose a grave threat to public safety, putting both law enforcement and innocent community members at risk,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold armed drug dealers accountable in the criminal justice system for the significant harm they inflict.”
If convicted of all counts, Apostadiro faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, including a combined mandatory minimum of 20 years for the drug and firearm charges, and fines of up to $10 million.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Honolulu Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan D. Slack and Wayne A. Myers.
New Hope Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking, Extortion, and Production of Child Pornography and Agrees to 40-Year Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A New Hope man pleaded guilty today to stalking and extorting a woman and producing child pornography involving two minor victims, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.
Donald Wayne Carmody, 30, of New Hope, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke to cyberstalking, two counts of extortion, and two counts of production of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement, Carmody used anonymous text messages to threaten to release pictures of the victim on the internet if she did not send him intimate photographs. Carmody also obtained the victim’s login credentials for her social media accounts and accessed their contents. After Carmody was arrested on cyberstalking and extortion charges for this conduct, investigators discovered a USB thumb drive belonging to him that contained images of child pornography that involved two victims under the age of twelve. The FBI’s Video Forensic Analysis Unit compared the images from the thumb drive, which showed a person’s hand, to pictures of Carmody’s hands taken during the investigation. The Unit identified similar class and distinguishing characteristics between the images, demonstrating that the hand in the images on the thumb drive belonged to Carmody.
As part of the plea agreement, Carmody stipulated to a 480-month sentence of imprisonment for the offenses. If the Court rejects the stipulated sentence, Carmody or the United States could withdraw from the plea agreement.
The maximum penalty for cyberstalking is five years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for extortion is two years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for production of child pornography is 30 years imprisonment. Each offense also carries the possibility of a $250,000 fine.
The FBI investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) and the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) have partnered and released a digital series to educate parents and caretakers about sextortion and how they can help prevent kids and teens from being victims. This series offers three-to-five-minute videos about current online safety topics and provides essential information about the true dangers of online activities. These videos titled “Sextortion Prevention” can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/@nationalcac/videos.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHAYQUAN GRAY, also known as “Scooby,” 24, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for firearm possession and drug distribution offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 14, 2024, New Haven Police officer observed Gray, who had an active state arrest warrant, participating in a drug transaction in the area of Ferry Street and English Street in New Haven. Gray was apprehended, and officers found him in possession of 80 individual bags of cocaine, a loaded Polymer 80 “ghost gun,” and more than $1,200 in cash.
Gray’s criminal history includes multiple felony convictions, including possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle and robbery in the third degree.
Gray has been detained since his arrest. On August 19, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This matter was investigated by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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 www.justice.gov/psn.
Mt. Vernon, Iowa, Resident Sentenced to Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
Brian Nathaniel Marshall, a resident of Mt. Vernon, who received child pornography was sentenced December 18, 2024 to 72 months in federal prison.
Marshall possessed and received child pornography and had these images on both his phone and computer. As described in Marshall’s plea agreement, the images possessed by Marshall included images of prepubescent minors.
Marshall was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Marshall was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $27,000 in restitution to nine identified victims who were used to produce child pornography and requested restitution for damages they suffered. There is no parole in the federal system.
Marshall is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, the Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team, and the Mt. Vernon Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR- 00025.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Monroe County Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Child Exploitation CrimeRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kenneth Lesser, age 50, a resident of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, for attempted online enticement of a minor.
According to the United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, between July 17, 2023 and August 3, 2023, Lesser, used the internet and an electronic device to attempt to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce, a person who he believed to be a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual conduct and to produce images of child pornography. During that period, on multiple occasions, Lesser transmitted obscene photographs of himself to the purported child.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations – Philadelphia Division. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case.
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Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights and Arson Charges for Setting Fire to Mormon ChurchRead the Press Release
A Missouri man pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses for setting fire to a house of worship.
According to court documents, Christopher Scott Pritchard, 48, pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with arson for setting fire to the Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on April 28, 2021. Pritchard admitted that he intentionally set fire to the church and that the fire he set caused a complete structural loss and obstructed the church’s congregants in the free exercise of their religious beliefs, as the city had to relocate and rent space from the city to hold its religious services.
“This defendant is being held accountable for viciously setting fire to and burning down the Church of Latter-Day Saints, a house of worship that served as a meeting place for LDS community members in Cape Girardeau,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Before this tragic fire, the church opened its doors to all, helped to feed the hungry, and support the needy. Attacks on houses of worship in our country undermine the fundamental right to practice one’s religion free from fear or violence. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce federal laws that protect all houses of worship from violent, hate-fueled attacks.”
“An attack on a church is devastating, for the community and even more so for the members of that church,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri. “Christopher Pritchard’s guilty plea today is the first step toward bringing justice for this crime.”
“No one should live in fear because of their religious beliefs,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough. “Today’s guilty plea serves as a reminder that justice will prevail when acts of hate threaten our communities. The FBI will vigorously pursue anyone who attempts to infringe upon the ability of congregants to exercise their constitutional right to religious freedom.”
“We are grateful no one was physically hurt when the church was destroyed by arson,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Greg Heeb of the FBI St. Louis Field Office. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue those who try to deny congregants of any house of worship from exercising their rights to religious freedom.”
“ATF will always provide expertise and resources to investigate arsons, and no case is that expertise more critical than a fire such as this,” said Special Agent in Charge Bernard G. Hansen of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Kansas City Field Division. “When a house of worship is intentionally destroyed by fire, it is not only that congregation that suffers, but the entire community. Religious centers, churches and mosques are often at the center of our neighborhoods, offering sanctuaries of peace and caring to those in need. Today’s guilty plea is a direct result of local, state, and federal law enforcement working together to ensure justice in this unthinkable act.”
Pritchard will be sentenced on Feb. 18, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for violating the Church Arson Prevention Act and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison for arson of a building affecting foreign or interstate commerce. Pritchard also faces a fine of up to $250,000 with respect to each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI St. Louis Field Office, ATF, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hahn for the Eastern District of Missouri prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Missouri Man Convicted of Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – Jurors in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau on Wednesday found a man from Carter County, Missouri guilty of a felony count of production of child pornography.
Evidence and testimony at trial showed that Clinton Rongey, 52, used the victim, who was three and four years old at the time, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material. Rongey took more than 100 images of the victim between February and November of 2023.
Rongey is scheduled to be sentenced on April 29, 2025. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years.
The case was investigated by the Carter County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Hunter and Nathan Chapman are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in Death of Tuscaloosa ManRead the Press Release
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A St. Francis, Minnesota, man was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment Tuesday for his role in an international drug trafficking ring that resulted in the death of a man, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Mona Hernandez, Houston Division.
Christopher Louis Bass, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler for distributing fentanyl, after previously pleading guilty and admitting that Dr. Louis Burgio’s death resulted from Bass’s criminal activity. Dr. Burgio was a psychology professor at the University of Alabama and the University of Michigan. In 2004, the University of Alabama Board of Trustees recognized Dr. Burgio as the University’s Distinguished Research Professor for his work in the Applied Gerontology Program, the highest honor bestowed upon a faculty member at the University.
“This case reminds us all too clearly that drug distribution is not a victimless crime,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “My office will continue to prosecute those who place these poisons into families and communities throughout north Alabama.”
“Combatting illicit drugs in the mail is a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Mona Hernandez, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Houston Division. “The overdose death in this case is a stark reminder of the dangers of fentanyl and why the Postal Inspection Service remains committed to eradicating these illicit substances from the U.S. Mail and consequently safeguarding our community. Christopher Louis Bass’ 240-month sentence should serve as a warning to those who intend to engage in this type of criminal activity. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will never tolerate the misuse of the U.S. Mail to distribute fentanyl to our communities.”
The case was investigated by the Tuscaloosa Police Department, the Tuscaloosa County Violent Crimes Unit, United States Postal Inspection Service – Birmingham, United States Postal Inspection Service – Twin Cities, the East Central Drug Task Force, and the Anoka-Hennepin Narcotics and Violent Crimes Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Alan S. Kirk prosecuted the case.
Mifflintown Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Janssen Rodriguez Velez, age 27, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the indictment alleges that Rodriguez Velez conspired to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, cocaine, between February 10 and 29, 2024, in Mifflin, Pennsylvania. The indictment also alleges that Rodriguez Velez possessed a Taurus G3 9mm Luger pistol during and in relation to his drug trafficking activities.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mannie Lamar Terry, also known as “Primo” and “J,” 37, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, was sentenced today to two years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 27, 2023, Terry sold approximately 4.5 grams of fentanyl for $300 to a confidential informant in Beckley. Terry admitted to that transaction and to selling approximately 4.5 grams of fentanyl for $300 to the confidential informant in Beckley on March 13, 2023.
Terry has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions for assault with intent to do great bodily harm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and multiple controlled substance possession offenses.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew D. Isabell and Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-59.
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Meth trafficker imprisoned for importing 50 kilograms of meth into the United StatesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 42-year-old Illinois resident has been sentenced for importing meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Cruz Vargas, Jr. pleaded guilty on March 4, 2023.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Vargas to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
On July 24, 2022, Vargas tried to enter the United States from Mexico through the Rio Grande Port of Entry with large containers loaded in his vehicle. Law enforcement referred him for a secondary inspection after he claimed the containers held vitamins. A narcotics detection K-9 alerted to the vehicle, leading authorities to test the containers, which confirmed the presence of meth.
At the time of his plea, Vargas admitted to transporting drugs.
The meth weighed over 50 kilograms.
Vargas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case.
Meriden Man Who Led Drug Trafficking Ring is SentencedRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOEL CORDERO, 45, of Meriden, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 155 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began an investigating an organization led by Cordero that was trafficking large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and other narcotics in Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that Cordero and his associates were receiving bulk quantities of heroin and fentanyl from out-of-state suppliers. They stored, processed, and packaged the heroin/fentanyl in multiple locations, including apartments located at 280 Collins Street in Hartford where some members of the organization resided, and distributed the drug in the Hartford area, and also the Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts area. A significant amount of drug trafficking activity occurred at the Neighborhood Supermarket, located at 316 Farmington Avenue in Hartford.
The investigation also revealed that members of the drug trafficking organization possessed and used firearms in connection with their drug trafficking activity.
During the investigation, law enforcement executed 12 search warrants in Connecticut and Massachusetts and seized approximately 10 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl, much of which was packaged for resale in hundreds of thousands of bags. Investigators also seized numerous vials of Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer used by narcotics traffickers as a heroin/fentanyl additive. Seven firearms, gun magazines, numerous rounds of ammunition, and a bullet proof vest were also seized from Cordero and his associates.
Fourteen individuals were charged with various narcotics, firearms, and immigration offenses as a result of this investigation.
Cordero has been detained since his arrest on June 29, 2017. On October 24, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one kilogram or more of heroin.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. Agencies assisting the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service and Connecticut State Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. 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.
Massachusetts Resident Sentenced to 151 Months for Traveling to Capital Region Intending to Sexually Abuse a 10-Year-OldRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Martin Connearney, age 35, of Lenox, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 151 months of incarceration, following his guilty plea earlier this year to traveling across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual acts with a minor. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of Connearney’s guilty plea last February, he admitted that between April 6, 2022 and May 5, 2022, he communicated with an individual to discuss and plan Connearney’s sexual abuse of a 10-year-old girl with speech and hearing difficulties who lived in the Capital Region. The individual Connearney communicated with was actually an undercover agent (“UC”). Connearney ultimately borrowed a car and on May 5, 2022, drove from Lenox to the Capital Region intending to meet with the UC and sexually abuse the child. Connearney was encountered by law enforcement officials at a prearranged meeting location and arrested.
In imposing sentence today, United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci found that Connearney was subject to an enhanced prison range under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines because he had intended to take advantage of a vulnerable victim. According to court documents, while planning the sexual abuse of the child, Connearney repeatedly told the UC that there was less of a risk he would be caught because of the child’s hearing and speech difficulties. As part of the sentence imposed today, Connearney must also serve a 20-year term of supervised release, which will begin after he is released from prison. Connearney will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The FBI Albany Division’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. The task force includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
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). 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.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Methuen, Massachusetts man was sentenced to federal prison for distributing methamphetamine in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Leuris Xavier Guerrero Valdez, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya McCafferty to 72 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine.
“Methamphetamine, a dangerous and highly addictive drug, wreaks havoc on public health and safety,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Individuals like the defendant who profit from poisoning our communities will be held accountable. Law enforcement will continue to focus on identifying and disrupting individuals distributing deadly drugs throughout New Hampshire.”
“DEA stands committed to keeping highly addictive drugs like methamphetamine off the streets of New Hampshire,” said Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen Belleau, New England Field Division. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Guerrero Valdez accountable for his crimes, but it should serve as a warning to those traffickers who are contributing to the drug crisis in America. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
According to charging documents and statements made in court, between June 2023 and March 2024, the defendant sold methamphetamine to an undercover officer on eleven occasions in New Hampshire. After the final sale, investigators arrested the defendant and searched a residence where he stored his drugs. There, investigators found large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Portsmouth Police Department and the Somersworth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather A. Cherniske and John J. Kennedy prosecuted the case.
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Massachusetts Man Charged with Multiple Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a four-count indictment charging NICHOLAS KINGSLEY, 40, of Agawam, Massachusetts, with firearm possession offenses.
The indictment was returned on December 4, 2024. Kingsley appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on April 16, 2024.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on April 16, 2024, Enfield Police arrested Kingsley after a traffic stop and he was found in possession of three privately made firearms (“ghost guns”) and 45 rounds of ammunition. On April 18, 2024, while Kingsley was detained in state custody, HSI special agents conducted a search of his vehicle in Agawam and seized 14 fully assembled firearms, several Glock machine gun conversion devices, and more than 2,000 rounds of various caliber ammunition.
It is alleged that Kingsley’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug, firearm, assault, and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges Kingsley with unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; unlawful possession of a machine gun, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and unlawful possession of a weapon in violation of the National Firearms Act, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Enfield Police Department, and the Agawam Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Lembo.
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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice 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 www.justice.gov/psn.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Filing COVID-19 Cares Act Loans and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Melvin Thompson Jr., 34, of Chestertown, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return in connection with submitting fraudulent loan applications.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with SAC Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office. Sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2025, at 10 a.m.The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act gives financial assistance including forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), helped businesses meet their financial obligations.
According to his plea agreement, beginning around March 2020, and continuing until approximately February 22, 2021, Thompson knowingly executed a scheme to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration by obtaining fraudulent EIDLs and loans under the PPP. In addition, as part of his scheme, Thompson filed false corporate tax returns, under penalties of perjury, with the IRS on behalf of four businesses seeking EIDL money. These businesses reported false or fictitious revenue and expense amounts.
In support of these applications, Thompson submitted fraudulent, unfiled tax returns. Additionally, on a few occasions, Thompson filed fraudulent tax returns with the IRS in support of his CARES Act loan applications.
Thompson primarily used the small business relief loan proceeds to engage in high frequency trading of options contracts and other securities, mainly at TD Ameritrade, where during 2020 alone he purchased and sold more than $12 million in securities. Through this high frequency trading, Mr. Thompson lost the $791,004 that he gained through this scheme, with the exception of money he spent to purchase a 2020 Lincoln Navigator.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the IRS-CI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney who is prosecuting the case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Steal Mail and Possession of Stolen Mail from New Orleans and Metairie Post Office BoxesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the sentencing of FREDERIC THOMPSON (“THOMPSON”), age 24, of New Orleans, who previously pled guilty to Conspiring to Steal Mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, and Possession of Stolen Mail that had been deposited into authorized mail receptacles, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708.
According to the indictment, on January 30, 2022, THOMPSON conspired with others to steal mail from two locations, the Lakeview Post Office in Orleans Parish and United States Postal Service (USPS) mailboxes located on Metairie Road in Jefferson Parish. One conspirator acted as the driver and another conspirator used a stolen USPS key to steal mail from the two locations, while THOMPSON was seated in the back of the vehicle. After a police chase, the trio were found in possession of approximately 30 pieces of stolen mail.
U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced THOMPSON to three (3) years probation and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the New Orleans Police Department, in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Man Pleads Guilty to Destroying Public Land in Los Padres National Forest Stemming from Unlawful Marijuana CultivationRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Jacinto Correa Cruz, 56, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty in federal court this week to one count of depredation against federal lands and one count of manufacture of, and possession with intent to manufacture and distribute, marijuana plants, stemming from his participation in a large-scale illegal cannabis cultivation operation in the Los Padres National Forest.
As part of his plea agreement entered on Dec. 17, 2024, Correa Cruz admitted to damaging federal property by willfully participating in an illegal marijuana grow operation on public lands and knowingly manufacturing marijuana plants. According to court documents, Correa Cruz was arrested in July 2022 during a multi-agency search of a large-scale marijuana cultivation complex in an area of the Los Padres National Forest known as the “Ventana Complex.” The complex is located in the Ventana Wilderness region of the national forest, a federally protected area that is known as a top “biodiversity hotspot” and is home to more threatened and endangered species than any other national forest in California.
The search and investigation of the cultivation site where Correa Cruz was arrested revealed two plots that had been cleared of most native vegetation to make way for approximately 10,000 marijuana plants. Law enforcement also discovered a camp area with a tent and 15 sleeping bags, and a kitchen area with thousands of pounds of trash and dead animal parts.
Significant quantities of hazardous materials and chemicals were also found on site. The illegal marijuana grow also had an irrigation system with two large water structures fed by a hose that was diverting water from a natural source. An environmental damage assessment found that the illegal operation diverted and used approximately 33,780 gallons of water a day in an area that was experiencing severe drought conditions. Furthermore, highly toxic and illegal chemicals, such as carbofuran, methamidophos, and diphacinone, were found on site and detected in the soil and water. These pesticides are known to have killed sensitive and endangered wildlife species throughout California. Fixing the environmental damage to this area cost over $92,540 per site and required a multi-step process spanning over a year.
“The illegal cultivation of marijuana on public land poses significant environmental risks to public lands and wildlife that must be combatted. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prosecute those who abuse natural resources and harm the environment while illegally growing marijuana on federal land,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey.
“Disrupting and dismantling the illegal cultivation of marijuana on federal lands remains a top priority for the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations team. We are committed to protecting our nation’s valuable resources for future generations and ensuring our national forests are safe for recreational use. This allows the public to enjoy these spaces without concerns for their health and safety. Our efforts would not have been possible without the strong cooperation of our partners at the Integral Ecology Research Center, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Brandon Robinson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Law Enforcement and Investigations, Pacific Southwest Region.
“Jacinto Correa Cruz helped poison the pristine lands of the Los Padres National Forest,” said Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. “He now stands accountable for the damage that will take years to heal. We will continue to stand firm with our federal, state, and local partners to keep our lands safe and prevent further depredation.”
Correa Cruz has been in federal custody since Aug. 22, 2022. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2025, before the Honorable Eumi K. Lee, United States District Judge. Defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty for each offense of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000, plus restitution. Any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant United States Attorney Anne C. Hsieh is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by USFS and the FBI, with assistance from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Luigi Mangione Charged with the Stalking and Murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and Use of a Silencer in a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Luigi Nicholas Mangione, 26, of Towson, Maryland, in connection with the Dec. 4 murder of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan. Mangione was taken into federal custody today and will be presented this afternoon in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker for the Southern District of New York.
“Today, the Justice Department has brought federal murder charges against Luigi Mangione,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged, Mangione planned his attack for months and stalked his victim for days before murdering him — methodically planning when, where, and how to carry out his crime. I am grateful to our state and local law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to locate and apprehend the defendant and to ensure that he answers for his alleged crime.”
“Brian Thompson was gunned down in cold blood as he walked down a street in midtown Manhattan,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim for the Southern District of New York. “Thompson was allegedly killed just because he held the position of chief executive officer of a health insurance company. As alleged, Luigi Mangione traveled to New York to stalk and shoot Thompson in broad daylight in front of a Manhattan hotel, all in a grossly misguided attempt to broadcast Mangione’s views across the country. But this wasn’t a debate, it was murder, and Mangione now faces federal charges. This office and its law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to fight violence in whatever form it takes.”
“Luigi Mangione allegedly conducted the carefully premeditated and targeted execution of Brian Thompson to incite national debates,” said Assistant Director James E. Dennehy of the FBI New York Field Office. “This alleged plot demonstrates a cavalier attitude towards humanity — deeming murder an appropriate recourse to satiate personal grievances. Through continued close partnership with the NYPD, the FBI maintains our steadfast commitment to fervently pursue any individual who promotes a personal agenda through violence.”
“NYPD detectives worked relentlessly to identify and widely distribute images of the suspect who allegedly carried out this premeditated, preplanned, targeted murder, and they are committed to assisting prosecutors in seeing this important case through to its rightful conclusion,” said Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). “This senseless incident highlights the critical role of the public in the NYPD’s public safety mission, and I thank everyone who saw something, said something, and did something. It is because of the public’s actions that we now have an alleged killer in custody back in New York City.”
As alleged in the complaint, over the course of the last several months, Mangione meticulously planned the execution of Brian Thompson in an effort to initiate a public discussion about the healthcare industry. Mangione targeted the victim, tracked his whereabouts, and traveled from out of state to New York City, where the victim was scheduled to attend the company’s investor conference. After arriving in the city on Nov. 24, more than one week before the murder, Mangione performed reconnaissance in the area around the victim’s hotel and the conference venue where the victim was scheduled to speak. Using a false identification, Mangione checked into an Upper West Side hostel.
In the early morning hours of Dec. 4, Mangione traveled by bicycle from the Upper West Side to the area around West 54th Street and Sixth Avenue. At approximately 6:45 a.m., Mangione strategically placed himself in between two cars on West 54th Street, and as the victim passed by, Mangione walked up behind the victim and fired several gunshots from a 9mm pistol causing the victim’s death. The pistol was equipped with what appeared to be a firearm sound suppressor or silencer. After the murder, Mangione fled on his bicycle northbound through Central Park and ultimately back to the Upper West Side.
On Dec. 9, Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while he sat in a fast-food restaurant after being recognized by one of the restaurant’s workers. Members of the Altoona Police Department confronted Mangione, who provided the same false identification that he used when checking into the Upper West Side hostel. Mangione was also found in possession of, among other things, a 9mm pistol and a sound suppressor consistent with the weapon used to kill the victim.
Mangione is charged with one count of using a firearm to commit murder, which carries a maximum penalty of death or life in prison; one count of interstate stalking resulting in death, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; one count of stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; and one count of discharging a firearm that was equipped with a silencer in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 30 years. A federal district court judge will determine any sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and NYPD are investigating the case. The Justice Department also thanks the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which has brought a separate prosecution against Mangione, which is currently expected to proceed to trial before the federal case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile, Jun Xiang, and Alexandra Messiter for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Luigi Mangione Charged with the Stalking and Murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and Use of A Silencer in A Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States; James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Jessica S. Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of a Complaint charging LUIGI NICHOLAS MANGIONE in connection with the December 4, 2024, murder of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan. MANGIONE was taken into federal custody today and will be presented this afternoon in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Brian Thompson was gunned down in cold blood as he walked down a street in midtown Manhattan. Thompson was allegedly killed just because he held the position of chief executive officer of a health insurance company. As alleged, Luigi Mangione traveled to New York to stalk and shoot Thompson in broad daylight in front of a Manhattan hotel, all in a grossly misguided attempt to broadcast Mangione’s views across the country. But this wasn’t a debate, it was murder, and Mangione now faces federal charges. This Office and its law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to fight violence in whatever form it takes.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “Today, the Justice Department has brought federal murder charges against Luigi Mangione. As alleged, Mangione planned his attack for months and stalked his victim for days before murdering him — methodically planning when, where, and how to carry out his crime. I am grateful to our state and local law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to locate and apprehend the defendant and to ensure that he answers for his alleged crime.”
FBI Assistant Director James E. Dennehy said: “Luigi Mangione allegedly conducted the carefully premeditated and targeted execution of Brian Thompson to incite national debates. This alleged plot demonstrates a cavalier attitude towards humanity – deeming murder an appropriate recourse to satiate personal grievances. Through continued close partnership with the NYPD, the FBI maintains our steadfast commitment to fervently pursue any individual who promotes a personal agenda through violence.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said: “NYPD detectives worked relentlessly to identify and widely distribute images of the suspect who allegedly carried out this premeditated, preplanned, targeted murder, and they are committed to assisting prosecutors in seeing this important case through to its rightful conclusion. This senseless incident highlights the critical role of the public in the NYPD’s public safety mission, and I thank everyone who saw something, said something, and did something. It is because of the public’s actions that we now have an alleged killer in custody back in New York City.”
As alleged in the Complaint:
Over the course of the last several months, MANGIONE meticulously planned the execution of Brian Thompson in an effort to initiate a public discussion about the healthcare industry. MANGIONE targeted the victim, tracked his whereabouts, and traveled from out of state to New York City, where the victim was scheduled to attend the company’s investor conference. After arriving in the City on November 24, 2024, more than one week before the murder, MANGIONE performed reconnaissance in the area around the victim’s hotel and the conference venue where the victim was scheduled to speak. Using a false identification, MANGIONE checked into an Upper West Side hostel.
In the early morning hours of December 4, 2024, MANGIONE traveled by bicycle from the Upper West Side to the area around West 54th Street and Sixth Avenue. At approximately 6:45 a.m., MANGIONE strategically placed himself in between two cars on West 54th Street, and as the victim passed by, MANGIONE walked up behind the victim and fired several gunshots from a 9mm pistol causing the victim’s death. The pistol was equipped with what appeared to be a firearm sound suppressor or silencer. After the murder, MANGIONE fled on his bicycle northbound through Central Park and ultimately back to the Upper West Side.
On December 9, 2024, MANGIONE was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania while he sat in a fast-food restaurant after being recognized by one of the restaurant’s workers. Members of the Altoona Police Department confronted MANGIONE, who provided the same false identification that he used when checking-in to the Upper West Side hostel. MANGIONE was also found in possession of, among other things, a 9mm pistol and a sound suppressor consistent with the weapon used to kill the victim.
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MANGIONE, 26, of Towson, Maryland, is charged with one count of using a firearm to commit murder, which carries a maximum potential sentence of death or life in prison; one count of interstate stalking resulting in death, which carries a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; one count of stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death, which carries a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; and one count of discharging a firearm that was equipped with a silencer in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a maximum potential sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years.
The maximum and minimum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the NYPD.
Mr. Kim also thanked the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which has brought a separate prosecution against MANGIONE, which is currently expected to proceed to trial before the federal case.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic A. Gentile, Jun Xiang, and Alexandra Messiter are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Los Angeles Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for his Leadership Role in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fernando Castro Bazan, 33, of El Monte, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 15 years in prison for his role as a leader in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine to the Sacramento area and elsewhere, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Castro Bazan sold and attempted to sell an undercover officer methamphetamine on three separate occasions. On July 15, 2021, Castro Bazan, who then resided in Los Angeles, sent a courier to Roseville to deliver 20 pounds of methamphetamine to the undercover officer. On August 12, 2021, Castro Bazan sent a different courier to deliver five pounds of methamphetamine to the undercover officer. Finally, in September of 2021, Castro Bazan promised to sell the undercover officer another 30 pounds of methamphetamine. The following day, law enforcement executed a search warrant of the defendant’s stash house and seized 31 pounds of methamphetamine.
On June 30, 2022, while on pretrial release for this case, Castro Bazan was arrested for a separate federal case in San Diego. That case involved his use of drivers to transport drugs for a Tijuana-based drug trafficking organization. Using his status as a club promoter and amateur musician, Castro Bazan hired numerous college-aged drivers, luring them with the prospect of easy money and “all-expenses-paid trips to Mexico.” A number of the young drivers Castro Bazan employed were arrested at the border and convicted of drug trafficking or related offenses. They now have federal felony convictions on their records. Castro Bazan remained in federal custody during the pendency of the San Diego case, and ultimately pleaded guilty to conspiracy and importation of methamphetamine into the United States. On May 17, 2024, a federal judge in San Diego sentenced him to 12 years in prison. After being sentenced in San Diego, Castro Bazan was transported to the Eastern District to face his sentence in this case.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team with assistance from the California Highway Patrol, the LAFD HIDTA Group 48, the LA IMPACT Group 1, the Rialto Police Department Narcotics Unit, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
Local man indicted for defrauding immigrants with false promises of legal statusRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 57-year-old Houston man has appeared in federal court for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jesus Carlos Silva made his initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Ho at 2 p.m.
According to the indictment filed Dec. 17, Silva ran a scheme to defraud immigrants from March 2022 until December 2024. He allegedly falsely promised to help them obtain U.S. citizenship or legal immigration status.
The charges allege Silva made false statements and misrepresentations to persuade victims to pay him thousands of dollars. He allegedly posed as an immigration attorney affiliated with Houston-based law firm, despite not being an attorney.
It is alleged that Silva targeted victims, most of whom lacked legal immigration status, and claimed he could secure their citizenship or legal status. He allegedly told some victims he had a close contact at U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS) who would expedite their applications. Silva charged victims between $7000 and $15,000 each, according to the charges.
The indictment further alleges Silva did not provide any assistance to victims regarding their immigration status and failed to secure legal status for them. Instead, he allegedly offered excuses for the lack of progress on their applications and eventually cut off communications.
The charges allege Silva repeatedly instructed victims to travel to Houston for fake appointments with USCIS. When they arrived, Silva allegedly gave excuses for his absence, and they discovered no such appointments had been scheduled.
If convicted, Silva faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Feinstein and Rodolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case.
An information is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Lansing Man, Prosecuted Under Safe Summer Program, Sentenced to 27 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Mychal Marcell Borney, 44, of Lansing, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of firearms. Borney was charged as part of Safe Summer 2024, a gun-violence enforcement program under which the U.S. Attorney’s Office committed to prosecute all firearms offenders who possess crime guns (that is, guns previously fired in the commission of a crime).
“No matter your zip code, everyone deserves the right to live free from the threat of gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Mr. Borney is a habitual lawbreaker who jeopardized the public’s safety. We will not relent in our efforts to hold accountable the few individuals driving gun violence in our communities.”
After callers reported hearing numerous gunshots from a car driving by, Lansing police responded and found Borney in the passenger seat of a car in the area. They found a loaded gun with an extended magazine in the car, near where Borney was seated. There were 13 spent casings in the road that had been fired from Borney’s gun. Borney had previously been convicted of illegal drug possession and home invasion and served two extended prison terms.
“Mychal Borney has proven time and time again that he is unable to make sound decisions without jeopardizing public safety. At the young age of 22 years old, he is considered a habitual lawbreaker who preys on the public as evidenced by his previous felony convictions for home invasion and drug possession,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “During this incident, Borney, a convicted felon, possessed a firearm immediately after it was used in a shooting during which someone could have been fatally injured. Thankfully, that did not happen here. In the end, poor choices have consequences. If you use an illegal firearm to threaten our community – pack a bag. You’re going to go to prison for an extended period of time.”
“The Lansing Police Department is committed to reducing gun violence and ensuring community safety,” said Lansing Police Chief Rob Backus. “This latest sentencing proves that our community feels the same way that we do. Illegal guns cannot and will not be tolerated. We appreciate our federal partners’ collaboration in holding those who endanger public safety accountable. This case highlights the importance of teamwork in combating violent crime and protecting Lansing residents.’
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced the second year of the Safe Summer program on May 23, 2024 in a press release and press conferences in Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Grand Rapids. Under this program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted all cases that satisfy two criteria. First, the case must involve a federal firearms offense. The two most common offenses are felon in possession, which prohibits previously convicted felons from possessing a gun, and possession of a machine gun, which generally prohibits persons from possessing fully automatic guns. Second, the case must involve a crime gun, which is any gun previously fired in the commission of a crime. These criteria focus federal efforts on the few individuals driving gun violence in their communities.
Gun violence is an acute problem across the United States. In 2021, for the first time ever, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death for American children, ages birth to 19, according to the New England Journal of Medicine (see also here). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. firearm homicide rate in 2021 was the highest documented since 1993. While the numbers have declined since 2021, they remain high.
Moreover, while gun violence has the potential to impact everyone, recent studies show that gun violence has a disparate impact on people of color. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that the disparity in shooting injuries among children before and after the pandemic in four major cities approximately tripled as between white children and children of color (Black, Hispanic, Asian).
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
This case was investigated by the Lansing Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
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LA Fiscalia Federal De Estados Unidos Y El Departamento De Policía De Freeport, Ny, Celebran Un Acuerdo Voluntario De Asistencia Técnica Para Garantizar Un Acceso Lingüístico Pleno a Los Servicios Policiales a Personas Con Conocimiento Limitado De InglésRead the Press Release
Breon Peace, Fiscal General del Distrito Este de Nueva York, y Kristen Clarke, Fiscal General Adjunta de Derechos Civiles, han anunciado hoy que los Estados Unidos han firmado un Acuerdo Voluntario de Asistencia Técnica con el Departamento de Policía de Freeport, Nueva York (FPD). El acuerdo formaliza un esfuerzo de cooperación entre el Departamento de Justicia (DOJ) y el FPD para ayudar al FPD a desarrollar un programa de acceso lingüístico que garantice que sus servicios policiales sean accesibles a las personas con dominio limitado del inglés (LEP).
Este es el primer Acuerdo Voluntario de Asistencia Técnica de este tipo en los Estados Unidos en el marco de la Iniciativa de Acceso Lingüístico de las Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad (LELAI) del DOJ. Es el resultado de un deseo mutuo de mejorar los servicios de acceso lingüístico del FPD y no el producto de una investigación o queja contra el FPD. El DOJ elogia al FPD por tomar la iniciativa de crear un programa de acceso lingüístico completo y eficaz para sus residentes LEP.
El fiscal Peace declaró: «Es de vital importancia que las fuerzas del orden puedan comunicarse eficazmente con los miembros de la comunidad, independientemente de la lengua que estos hablen. Trabajando en colaboración con el FPD, mejoraremos la seguridad pública para todos y esperamos replicar este acuerdo con otras agencias de seguridad en todo el Distrito Este de Nueva York.»
«La Iniciativa de Acceso Lingüístico de las Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad se diseñó específicamente para los departamentos de policía proactivos que reconocen la necesidad de una comunicación pronta y precisa y están dispuestos a invertir en las herramientas de acceso lingüístico y el entrenamiento que garanticen que las víctimas y los testigos de delitos puedan informar, la fiabilidad de las pruebas, proteger al público y promover la confianza de la comunidad», dijo la Fiscal General Adjunta Kristen Clarke de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «La División de Derechos Civiles continuará trabajando en cooperación con las agencias policiales de todo el país que buscan eliminar las barreras lingüísticas en la actuación policial».
Lanzado en diciembre de 2022, LELAI es un esfuerzo a nivel nacional para ayudar a las agencias policiales a abordar las barreras lingüísticas cuando interactúan con el público. La iniciativa se basa en los esfuerzos de larga data del Departamento para hacer cumplir el Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI) y la Ley Ómnibus de Control del Crimen y Calles Seguras de 1968 (Ley de Calles Seguras).
En virtud del acuerdo voluntario de dos años, el DOJ ayudará al FPD a desarrollar su programa de acceso lingüístico de acuerdo con los objetivos compartidos por las partes de promover la seguridad de los agentes y la seguridad pública, contribuir a un mayor control de la delincuencia, recopilar pruebas fiables a efectos de enjuiciamiento y fomentar aún más la confianza de la comunidad. El DOJ también ayudará al FPD a desarrollar políticas, procedimientos, protocolos de interpretación y traducción, asociaciones comunitarias y formación, entre otras cosas.
LELAI proporciona recursos y herramientas de asistencia técnica que pueden ayudar a las fuerzas del orden estatales y locales a proporcionar un acceso lingüístico significativo a las personas con LEP. Mediante la participación activa de los organismos policiales que desean revisar, actualizar o reforzar sus políticas, planes y formación en materia de acceso lingüístico, LELAI pretende apoyar los esfuerzos de creación de relaciones entre los organismos policiales, las partes interesadas de la comunidad y las poblaciones con LEP.
Puede obtenerse información adicional sobre el trabajo de la Oficina de Derechos Civiles de la Fiscalía de los EE.UU. de EDNY en su sitio web https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/civil-rights. El trabajo de la División de Derechos Civiles está disponible en su sitio web en www.justice.gov/crt y la información sobre el dominio limitado del inglés y el Título VI está disponible en www.lep.gov.
Más información sobre LELAI en www.lep.gov/law-enforcement. El público de EDNY puede denunciar posibles violaciones de los derechos civiles en https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/page/file/1396116/dl?inlineor%20civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Encargados: Megan Freismuth, Michael Goldberger y Dara Olds, fiscales adjuntos de la División de Derechos Civiles del Distrito Este de Nueva York.
freeport_pd_agreement.pdf freeport_pd_agreement_translated.pdfJustice Department Secures Agreement with Vegetation Maintenance Company to Resolve Immigration-Related Discrimination ClaimsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it secured an agreement with Burford’s Construction LLC (Burford’s), an Alabama-based contractor that provides vegetation clearing and maintenance for electrical utility companies and municipalities. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Burford’s routinely discriminated against lawful permanent residents when verifying their permission to work by demanding specific, and sometimes unnecessary, documents.
“Employers cannot demand specific or unnecessary documents from workers because of their citizenship status when checking their permission to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “All workers, regardless of citizenship status, deserve a hiring process that is free from discrimination.”
After conducting an investigation, the Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) determined that, from at least Jan. 1, 2021, through May 30, 2023, Burford’s routinely required lawful permanent residents to present specific immigration documents to establish their permission to work, even when they had already provided sufficient proof.
Under the terms of the settlement, Burford’s will pay $308,689 in civil penalties to the United States, train its personnel on anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies that relate to hiring and be subject to departmental monitoring.
Lawful permanent residents are sometimes referred to as “green card holders,” but they can show their permission to work using different types of documentation. As explained in the department’s newly-released fact sheet for lawful permanent residents, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) protects lawful permanent residents from discrimination when an employer is verifying their permission to work. Employers cannot limit the valid documentation that a lawful permanent resident may show when verifying their ability to work. The fact sheet also explains how lawful permanent residents can get help if they are being discriminated against.
IER is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
IER’s website has more information on lawful permanent residents’ rights under the INA and how employers can avoid unlawful discrimination when verifying someone’s permission to work. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.
Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of Stalking, Threatening, and Shooting at Ex-GirlfriendsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nahvarj Mills, 31, of Brandywine, Maryland, was found guilty today of 24 counts related to cyberstalking, disseminating sexually explicit photos, and multiple shootings involving two victims.
The jury verdict, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Mills dated both victims at various points in 2022 and 2023. Each victim ended their relationship with Mills. Between November 2023 and January 2024, Mills, angry about the break-ups, stalked both women by sending them threatening text messages, calling them hundreds of times, and showing up to their homes and places of employment unannounced.
Mills went to both victims’ houses and spread sexually explicit images of them on their lawns. He repeated this conduct at one victim’s home multiple times, spreading the photos outside her home, where her neighbors were able to see the images. He subsequently created a fake Instagram account that appeared to belong to the victim and disseminated the victim’s sexually explicit images to numerous individuals via Instagram. Mills ultimately enlisted the help of a friend to shoot at one victim’s home on multiple occasions.
The jury found Mills guilty of multiple counts of cyberstalking, unlawful publication, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Washington, D.C.’s Criminal Investigation Unit, the FBI Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen Houck, Marco Crocetti, and Caroline Burrell are prosecuting this case.
The prosecution team received valuable assistance from Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fox-Moles, Paralegal Specialists Melissa Macechko, Elizabeth Rives, and Tiffany Jones, Victim-Witness Advocates Yvonne Bryant, Rogers Dickerson, and Tonya Jones, and Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling.
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Jury Finds Convicted Killer Guilty of Racketeering in 2017 Robbery that Resulted in Death of Swim CoachRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Green, 38, of Washington D.C., was found guilty today of racketeering and other counts in connection with a 2017 shooting in Southwest that led to the death of a swim coach.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Chief Marc Yamada of the Montgomery County Police Department, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s Police Department, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Following a 12-day re-trial, the jury found Green, 38, aka “Twin,” guilty of RICO conspiracy and kidnapping in aid of racketeering. U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2025.
In 2021, Green was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, assault with a dangerous weapon, attempted robbery while armed, and robbery, for his action in the same shooting.
According to the government’s evidence, Green was a core member of a criminal organization that operated in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and elsewhere, primarily making money through a series of armed robberies. Green’s actions in Southeast Washington on April 9, 2017, led to the death of 25-year-old Zaan Scott. Mr. Scott, a coach at the Eastern Market pool, was on his way home from swim lessons when Green attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Mr. Scott died on May 17, 2017, of a blood clot that the medical examiner determined was a result of the shooting. Green also was found guilty of firing gunshots at another victim on Feb. 23, 2017.
Green has been detained since his arrest in April 2017.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar R. Mohanty and Michael Liebman.
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Jury Finds Convicted Killer Guilty of RICO Conspiracy and VICAR KidnappingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Green, 38, of Washington D.C., was found guilty on Wednesday of RICO Conspiracy (racketeering) and Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) kidnapping, in connection with a series of violent crimes he committed in early 2017.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Assistant Director, Washington Field Office, David Sunberg, Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince Georges County Police Department, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Following a 12-day re-trial, the jury found Green, 38, aka “Twin,” guilty of RICO conspiracy and VICAR kidnapping. U.S. District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2025.
In 2021, Green was found guilty of first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances, assault with a dangerous weapon, and attempted robbery in connection with other offenses committed during the same period. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the RICO conspiracy and VICAR charges, which led to the most recent trial and convictions.
In the 2021 trial, according to the government’s evidence, Green was a core member of a criminal organization that operated in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and elsewhere, primarily making money through a series of armed robberies. Green’s actions in Southeast Washington on April 9, 2017, led to the death of 25-year-old Zaan Scott. Mr. Scott, a swim coach at the Eastern Market pool, who was on his way home when Green attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Mr. Scott died on May 17, 2017, of a blood clot that the medical examiner determined was a result of the shooting. Green was also found guilty at the initial trial of firing gunshots at another victim on February 23, 2017.
In the recent re-trial, the evidence at trial established that Green and a co-conspirator committed a series of violent acts and were working as an “enterprise” to enrich themselves. The VICAR kidnapping conviction in the re-trial involved an incident on April 8, 2017, in which Green and a co-conspirator confronted a young man at gunpoint as the man was getting out of his car in a convenience store parking lot. Green ordered the victim back into the car and robbed him of his ATM card. He then forced the victim to drive to a nearby apartment complex, where he forced him to take off his clothes, and then robbed him of his sneakers and other belongings.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar R. Mohanty, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman, of the Superior Court Division Homicide Section.
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Jersey City Gang Member Charged with Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering and Weapons Offense for Role in ShootingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rutgers neighborhood street gang operating in the area of Triangle Park in Jersey City, New Jersey, is charged for his role in shooting rival gang members, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Micah Reid, aka “Nips,” 33, of Jersey City is charged by complaint with one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering activity and one count of discharging of a firearm during a crime of violence. Reid made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark, III in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Reid is a high-ranking member and associate of the Rutgers neighborhood street gang, which operates in the area of Triangle Park in Jersey City. The gang has historically engaged in retaliatory acts of violence against rival neighborhood street gangs operating in the area of the Salem Lafayette Apartments and the area of Wilkinson Avenue, Ocean Avenue, Martin Luther King Drive, and Wegman Parkway.
On October 1, 2023, Reid, driving a stolen vehicle, shot at members and associates of rival street gangs who were exiting a nightclub on Culver Avenue in Jersey City. In total, six individual suffered gunshot wounds. Law enforcement later recovered the firearm used in the shooting from Reid’s residence while executing a search warrant.
Reid faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the violent crime in aid of racketeering charge, and a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison on the firearm offense, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Both offenses carry a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited investigators of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, with the investigation leading to the charges.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson of the General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Jefferson Parish Man Indicted for Firearm and Narcotics ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – KERNELIUS ALFORD (“ALFORD”), age 35, of Metairie, was charged on December 13, 2024, in a six-count superseding indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Count 1 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(D). Counts 2 and 5 charged him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i). Count 3 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), and 942(e). Count 4 charged him with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(2). Finally, Count 6 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), and 942(e).
According to the indictment, ALFORD possessed a firearm on May 2, 2024. ALFORD was prohibited from possessing a firearm, due to his previous felony conviction(s). If convicted, ALFORD faces up to five (5) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, at least two (2) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment for Count 1; a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to life of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release for Counts 2 and 5; up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 3; up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $2,000,000 fine, and up to 6 years of supervised release for Count 4; up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 6. ALFORD also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to all six counts.
United States Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.
Jefferson County felon sentenced for federal gun violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Kemien Sharod Taylor, 51, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on December 19, 2024.
According to information presented in court, in November of 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence on 12th Street in Port Arthur, where Taylor had previously sold crack cocaine. During the search, Taylor directed officers to a firearm in a bedroom closet. The firearm had been reported stolen in Houston. In addition to the stolen firearm, detectives also located a quantity of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia to include Pyrex mixing bowls with cocaine residue and digital scales with cocaine residue. Further investigation revealed Taylor to be a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.
This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.
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Iranian Man Indicted for Providing Material Support to Foreign Terrorist Organization Resulting in Death, and for Scheme to Procure Sensitive U.S. Technology Used in Military DronesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men who were arrested earlier this week have been indicted on charges related to a scheme to illegally export sophisticated electronic components from the United States to Iran.
Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, 42, a dual U.S.-Iranian national of Natick, Mass. and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, A/K/A Mohammad Abedini (Abedini), 38, of Tehran, Iran, were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act “IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions (ITSR) regulations; and three counts of violation of the IEEPA and the ITSR. Abedini was also indicted on four additional counts of violation of the IEEPA and the ITSR; as well as one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death; and one count of provision and attempted provision of material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death.
On Jan. 28, 2024, three U.S. service members were killed, and more than 40 others were injured, in a drone attack by IRGC-backed militants on a military base located in northern Jordan, known as Tower 22. According to court documents, analysis of the drone that was recovered from the site of the attack showed that the drone was an Iranian Shahed UAV and that the navigation system used in the drone was manufactured by Abedini’s company.
The defendants were charged by criminal complaint on Dec. 16, 2024 and were arrested on Dec. 16, 2024. Sadeghi was arrested in Massachusetts and remains in federal custody. Abedini was arrested in Italy by Italian authorities at the request of the United States and is pending extradition proceedings.
According to court documents, Abedini is the founder and managing director of an Iranian company, San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co. (SDRA or SADRA), that manufactures navigation modules used in the IRGC’s military drone program. SDRA’s main business is the sale of a proprietary navigation system—known as the Sepehr Navigation System—to the IRGC, which the United States designated as an foreign terrorist organization (FTO) on April 15, 2019. The primary application of SDRA’s Sepehr Navigation System is for use in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs) – also known as drones – as well as cruise and ballistic missiles. Sadeghi was employed by a Massachusetts-based microelectronics manufacturer (U.S. Company 1) and was one of the founders of a Massachusetts-based technology company (U.S. Company 2) that specializes in wearable sensors that provide kinetic monitoring for fitness applications.
As alleged in court documents, Abedini, Sadeghi, and others conspired to evade U.S. export control and sanctions laws by procuring U.S. origin goods, services and technology from, U.S. Company 1 and causing them to be exported and supplied to Iran and, in particular, Abedini’s Iranian company, SDRA.
As further alleged, in or around 2016, Sadeghi traveled to Iran to request funding for U.S. Company 2 from the Iranian National Elites Foundation (INEF), which is an Iranian governmental organization whose main purpose is to recognize, organize and support Iran’s elite national talents. In exchange for funding for U.S. Company 2, which Sadeghi’s company ultimately received from the INEF, Sadeghi and others created a second company in Iran (Iranian Company 1). Shortly after forming Iranian Company 1, Sadeghi, through Iranian Company 1, entered into a contract with SDRA for the purchase of SDRA’s technology. It is also alleged that, since in or around 2016, on multiple occasions, Sadeghi has helped Abedini procure U.S. export-controlled electronic components for Abedini’s use in Iran.
Due to U.S. laws restricting exports to Iran, Abedini established a Switzerland front company for SDRA, Illumove SA (Illumove). According to court documents, with Sadeghi’s assistance, Abedini, through Illumove, entered into a contract with U.S. Company 1 to develop a mechanism to evaluate U.S. Company 1’s electronic components, including sophisticated semiconductors. It is alleged that Sadeghi and Abedini subsequently caused U.S.-origin goods, services and technology to be transferred to Iran, through Illumove, for the benefit of SDRA. Certain of the electronic components that Abedini allegedly obtained through Illumove were the same types of electronic components used in SDRA’s Sepehr Navigation System. According to court filings, the same navigation system that was determined to be used in the drone that struck Tower 22 and caused the death of three U.S. service members.
Abedini is also charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the IRGC Aerospace Force, which is a strategic missile, air and space force. Since at least in or about 2014, SDRA has had multiple projects with the IRGC Aerospace Force, including projects for guided rockets and integrated navigation systems. As alleged, between 2021 and 2022, approximately 99% of SDRA’s sales of the Sepehr Navigation System, which are used in IRGC one-way attack drones, were to the IRGC’s Aerospace Force.
Sadeghi and Abedini each face up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million fine on the charges related to violating the International Emergency Economics Powers Act. On the charges related to providing material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization, resulting in death, Abedini faces up to life in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jared Dolan and Alathea Porter of the District of Massachusetts’ National Security Unit; Trial Attorney Christina Clark of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section; and Trial Attorneys Katie Sweeten and David Smith of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing assistance and is seeking extradition of Abedini from Italy.
This prosecution is being coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. Government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Inmate at Federal Correctional Institute at Allenwood Sentenced to an Additional 41 Months’ Imprisonment for Assault on A Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Demetrius Catching, age 34, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institute at Allenwood, and formerly of Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to serve an additional 41 months in prison on the charge of assaulting, resisting, and impeding a corrections officer.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Catching was previously indicted by a grand jury in Scranton in April 2016, after an incident at FCI Allenwood in which Catching punched a corrections officer. Sentencing in this matter was delayed while Catching was prosecuted on federal charges for drug distribution and money laundering in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Catching is presently serving sentences from the Eastern District of Kentucky totaling 148 months for those offenses. The sentence imposed by Judge Mariani will run consecutively, or in addition to, the Eastern District of Kentucky sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
At the time of the incident at FCI Allenwood, Catching was serving a sentence of 60 months from the Eastern District of Kentucky for distributing cocaine base (crack). That sentence has since expired.
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Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition Sends Two Acadia Parish Men to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that two men from Acadia Parish were sentenced today by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays on firearms charges.
Tylius Arceneaux, 35, of Lafayette, Louisiana was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. On July 7, 2021, Arceneaux was involved in a single vehicle crash in Lafayette. At the time of the crash, he was in possession of a Beretta 9mm semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine loaded with approximately 23 rounds of ammunition. Law enforcement officers learned that Arceneaux had numerous felony convictions which prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Arceneaux admitted to illegally possessing the loaded firearm, knowing that he was prohibited from doing so, and pleaded guilty to the charge on September 5, 2024.
The case was investigated by ATF and Lafayette Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner.
Kiari Robinson, 35, of Crowley, Louisiana, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Robinson was charged in an indictment with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and pleaded guilty to the charge on September 4, 2024. On November 11, 2022, narcotics agents working with the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle run a stop sign and activated the emergency lights in their fully marked vehicle. The driver of the vehicle failed to stop for law enforcement and began to flee traveling at a high rate of speed. The vehicle finally came to a stop and the driver was identified as Robinson. When the deputies approached Robinson’s vehicle, they observed a black Glock handgun with an extended magazine sitting on the driver’s side floorboard. Deputies learned that Robinson was a convicted felon, having been previously convicted of several offenses in Acadia Parish, and they seized the firearm. A subsequent search of Robinson’s cell phone revealed photos of him holding the seized firearm. At his guilty plea, Robinson admitted that he possessed the gun, knowing he was prohibited from doing so.
The case was investigated by ATF and Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.
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Hyannis Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hyannis man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Timothy Lee Galvin, 32, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for April 3, 2025. Galvin was indicted in August 2023.
On or about June 2, 2023 in Barnstable, Galvin was arrested for possession of approximately six grams of fentanyl and three rounds of 9mm ammunition in his pocket, and a backpack in which the police found a privately made firearm which was a .45 caliber pistol, 11 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and 47 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum term of three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life in prison, a maximum of five years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $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 Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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.
Houston armed felon sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for distributing fentanylRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Houston convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Derrick Wayne Roberson, 32, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on December 19, 2024.
According to information presented in court, beginning in 2023, law enforcement conducted an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating out of Houston and into East Texas. Roberson was found to be a member of that organization and a distributor of methamphetamine, heroin, a fentanyl analogue, as well as a firearms trafficker. As a member of the organization Roberson would transport contraband from the Houston area to East Texas and distribute the contraband. Over the course of the investigation, Roberson sold not only large amounts of methamphetamine, but also fentanyl and a firearms, including a firearm equipped with a “glock switch.” A glock switch allows for a handgun to be fired as a fully automatic weapon, making it a machine gun. Roberson has previous felony convictions for robbery, felony theft, and evading law enforcement with a motor vehicle. As a felon, he is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, 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.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations, and the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.
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Greenbrier County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Wilbur Curtis Arnold Jr., 59, of White Sulphur Springs, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 29, 2024, law enforcement officers found a Winchester model 190 .22-caliber rifle at Arnold’s residence while arresting him on a warrant. Arnold told officers the rifle belonged to him. The rifle had been reported stolen on June 12, 2012.
On June 30, 2023, Arnold brought a Rock Island Armory model 1911 .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun to a White Sulphur Springs business, where he sold the firearm for $300. Arnold presented his identification and signed a purchase agreement for the sale of the gun.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Arnold knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on March 7, 2016.
Arnold has a long criminal history that also includes three convictions for domestic battery and convictions for violating a protective, battery, assault, DUI, and multiple additional controlled substance offenses.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, which consists of members of the West Virginia State Police, the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lewisburg Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell 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 Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-61.
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Fruit Juice Manufacturing Company and its Former President Plead Guilty to Food Safety CrimesRead the Press Release
The former president and primary owner of the now-closed fruit juice manufacturer Valley Processing Inc. (VPI) in Sunnyside, Washington, pleaded guilty this week to two misdemeanor charges related to the manufacture and sale of tainted fruit juice products in violation of federal food safety laws.
Mary Ann Bliesner, 83, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts under the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (FDCA), including failing to register a food facility with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bliesner also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor FDCA violation in connection with failing to prevent and correct VPI’s introduction of adulterated grape juice concentrate into interstate commerce, including grape juice concentrate that was delivered to a customer for use in the National School Lunch Program. VPI pleaded guilty to conspiracy to introduce adulterated and misbranded fruit juice into interstate commerce, including selling tainted fruit juice to customers. Bliesner and VPI agreed to pay a criminal forfeiture amount of $742,139 as proceeds of their criminal conduct.
In pleading guilty, VPI admitted that it conspired to distribute tainted and potentially unsafe apple and grape juice to customers in the United States and abroad between October 2012 and June 2019. VPI admitted that it misrepresented to customers the age and quality of VPI’s products. VPI admitted that it blended grape juice concentrate, which was stored outside the VPI facility for years and exposed to the elements, with newer grape juice concentrate, and sold the resulting blended grape juice product to unsuspecting customers as if it were new product. VPI sold at least some of this contaminated product to customers who provided grape juice for the National School Lunch Program, which provides free or reduced-cost lunches to children.
Bliesner and VPI admitted that they failed to register a food facility, known as the “Grape Road Facility,” with the FDA. Bliesner and VPI used the Grape Road Facility to store earlier seasons’ unsold grape juice concentrate, sometimes for years, in large concrete vats that were not properly covered or cooled. Bliesner and VPI admitted that product stored at the Grape Road Facility was adulterated, unsafe and unfit for consumption. According to VPI’s plea agreement, during a May 2018 FDA inspection, employees placed caution tape over the entrance to the room at the Grape Road Facility with the concrete storage vats. VPI employees then told FDA investigators that the facility was unsafe to enter and that it contained no juice or juice products. According to the VPI plea agreement, FDA investigators later learned about the vats and, after entering the room, observed grape juice concentrate that testing later confirmed was contaminated with bird and rodent feces, fur, insects, decaying remains of animals, mold, yeast and other contaminants. FDA inspectors also observed and photographed a live rat walking across the hardened crust that had formed on top of the grape juice concentrate.
In November 2020, the United States filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking to enjoin Bliesner and VPI from producing, storing or selling juice or juice products. In January 2021, Bliesner and VPI agreed to a consent injunction barring Bliesner and VPI from processing, manufacturing, preparing, packing, holding or distributing any type of food without first notifying and receiving approval from the FDA. VPI subsequently closed. Bliesner and the company no longer manufacture or sell juice products. In September 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bliesner and VPI with 12 counts of fraud and food safety crimes.
“Protecting the safety of American’s food supply is essential,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will take action whenever appropriate to ensure the individuals and companies that produce our food maintain safe facilities and tell the truth to their customers and the FDA.”
“Bliesner and her company, Valley Processing, produced juice in filthy and unsafe conditions, mis-labeled that product, and then sold it to the National School Lunch Program that serves low-income school children,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington. “School children deserve safe and nutritious food. Nothing is more important that the health and safety of our children. I commend the excellent work by investigators with the Food and Drug Administration and prosecutors in my office who uncovered and stopped this conduct and are protecting our public health.”
“Companies that mislead consumers and the FDA by selling adulterated products manufactured and stored under insanitary conditions place the public health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “In this case, the company’s actions put at risk the health of consumers, including schoolchildren, who consumed the fruit juice. FDA will continue to pursue and hold accountable those who attempt to subvert our regulatory processes at the expense of consumer safety.”
Bliesner and VPI will face a sentencing hearing on March 26, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney James Hennelly and Senior Trial Attorney David Gunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Devin Curda for the Eastern District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch, visit their website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Fruit Juice Manufacturing Company and its Former President Plead Guilty to Food Safety CrimesRead the Press Release
The former president and primary owner of the now-closed fruit juice manufacturer Valley Processing Inc. (VPI) in Sunnyside, Washington, pleaded guilty this week to two misdemeanor charges related to the manufacture and sale of tainted fruit juice products in violation of federal food safety laws.
Mary Ann Bliesner, 83, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts under the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (FDCA), including failing to register a food facility with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bliesner also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor FDCA violation in connection with failing to prevent and correct VPI’s introduction of adulterated grape juice concentrate into interstate commerce, including grape juice concentrate that was delivered to a customer for use in the National School Lunch Program. VPI pleaded guilty to conspiracy to introduce adulterated and misbranded fruit juice into interstate commerce, including selling tainted fruit juice to customers. Bliesner and VPI agreed to pay a criminal forfeiture amount of $742,139 as proceeds of their criminal conduct.
In pleading guilty, VPI admitted that it conspired to distribute tainted and potentially unsafe apple and grape juice to customers in the United States and abroad between October 2012 and June 2019. VPI admitted that it misrepresented to customers the age and quality of VPI’s products. VPI admitted that it blended grape juice concentrate, which was stored outside the VPI facility for years and exposed to the elements, with newer grape juice concentrate, and sold the resulting blended grape juice product to unsuspecting customers as if it were new product. VPI sold at least some of this contaminated product to customers who provided grape juice for the National School Lunch Program, which provides free or reduced-cost lunches to children.
Bliesner and VPI admitted that they failed to register a food facility, known as the “Grape Road Facility,” with the FDA. Bliesner and VPI used the Grape Road Facility to store earlier seasons’ unsold grape juice concentrate, sometimes for years, in large concrete vats that were not properly covered or cooled. Bliesner and VPI admitted that product stored at the Grape Road Facility was adulterated, unsafe and unfit for consumption. According to VPI’s plea agreement, during a May 2018 FDA inspection, employees placed caution tape over the entrance to the room at the Grape Road Facility with the concrete storage vats. VPI employees then told FDA investigators that the facility was unsafe to enter and that it contained no juice or juice products. According to the VPI plea agreement, FDA investigators later learned about the vats and, after entering the room, observed grape juice concentrate that testing later confirmed was contaminated with bird and rodent feces, fur, insects, decaying remains of animals, mold, yeast and other contaminants. FDA inspectors also observed and photographed a live rat walking across the hardened crust that had formed on top of the grape juice concentrate.
In November 2020, the United States filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking to enjoin Bliesner and VPI from producing, storing or selling juice or juice products. In January 2021, Bliesner and VPI agreed to a consent injunction barring Bliesner and VPI from processing, manufacturing, preparing, packing, holding or distributing any type of food without first notifying and receiving approval from the FDA. VPI subsequently closed. Bliesner and the company no longer manufacture or sell juice products. In September 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bliesner and VPI with 12 counts of fraud and food safety crimes.
“Protecting the safety of American’s food supply is essential,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will take action whenever appropriate to ensure the individuals and companies that produce our food maintain safe facilities and tell the truth to their customers and the FDA.”
“Bliesner and her company, Valley Processing, produced juice in filthy and unsafe conditions, mis-labeled that product, and then sold it to the National School Lunch Program that serves low-income school children,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington. “School children deserve safe and nutritious food. Nothing is more important that the health and safety of our children. I commend the excellent work by investigators with the Food and Drug Administration and prosecutors in my office who uncovered and stopped this conduct and are protecting our public health.”
“Companies that mislead consumers and the FDA by selling adulterated products manufactured and stored under insanitary conditions place the public health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “In this case, the company’s actions put at risk the health of consumers, including schoolchildren, who consumed the fruit juice. FDA will continue to pursue and hold accountable those who attempt to subvert our regulatory processes at the expense of consumer safety.”
Bliesner and VPI will face a sentencing hearing on March 26, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney James Hennelly and Senior Trial Attorney David Gunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Devin Curda for the Eastern District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the enforcement efforts of the Consumer Protection Branch, visit their website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Four Plead Guilty in Drug Conspiracy Involving More Than 80 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that four Orlando-area residents have pleaded guilty for their roles in a drug distribution conspiracy involving an estimated 89 kilograms of cocaine. Israel Miranda (36, Kissimmee), Abiezer Laboy-Lozada (36, Orlando), Jorge Antonio Gonzalez de la Fuente (31, St. Cloud), and Carlos Antonio Garcia Garcia (35, Kissimmee) have each pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute kilograms of cocaine. Miranda and Laboy-Lozada each face a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Gonzalez de la Fuente and Garcia Garcia each face a minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. The conspirators also forfeited $464,031 in cash seized during the case.
According to the plea agreements, the Drug Enforcement Administration identified a group of individuals working to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine and the proceeds of those sales during 2022. On May 1, 2023, Miranda distributed drugs to Laboy-Lozada in a parking lot. In this and similar meetings during the conspiracy, Laboy-Lozada obtained 20 - 30 kilograms of cocaine from Miranda. On October 4, 2023, Miranda delivered a shoebox to Gonzalez de la Fuente, who then delivered it to Garcia Garcia. When law enforcement stopped his vehicle, Garcia Garcia was found to be carrying the shoebox containing a kilogram of cocaine:
During the course of the conspiracy, Gonzalez de la Fuente met with his conspirators two or three times a month and was involved in distributing 15 - 50 kilograms of cocaine. Gonzalez de la Fuente continued to engage in drug distribution after being charged and was detained when this was discovered.
On October 13, 2023, Miranda delivered drug proceeds to an individual who was found to be transporting $262,257 in a brown paper bag. At the same time, Miranda texted a conspirator an image of the stacks of cash he was distributing with the message “should be 110k.”
Similar enforcement actions resulted in the seizure of $51,989 from Miranda on November 7, 2023, and $149,785 from Miranda on March 6, 2024. Over the course of the conspiracy, Miranda distributed drugs or drug proceeds reflecting distribution of more than 89 kilograms of cocaine. Miranda has agreed to forfeit of all the cash seized in the case.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. 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.
Founder and Head of Archegos Capital Management Bill Hwang Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Orchestrating Massive Market Manipulation and Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that SUNG KOOK (BILL) HWANG, the founder and head of a private investment firm known as Archegos, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein to 18 years in prison concurrently on each count charged for leading a criminal enterprise that manipulated the prices of multiple stocks and defrauded at least nine investment banks. In July 2024, HWANG was convicted following a nine-week jury trial of racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, market manipulation, and wire fraud.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Bill Hwang weaponized his personal hedge fund, Archegos, to pursue financial fraud on a national scale. For months on end, Hwang and his coconspirators used an array of lies and manipulative trading strategies to rig the stock market in Hwang’s favor. Hwang’s crimes brought him to the brink of staggering wealth before his fraud collapsed and left investors, banks, and even Hwang’s own employees with billions of dollars in losses. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that criminal manipulation schemes will be met with serious prison sentences.”
As reflected in the Indictment, court filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
Beginning in 2020, HWANG—along with his co-conspirators, including codefendant Patrick Halligan (Archegos’s Chief Financial Officer)—used the Archegos enterprise to pursue two interrelated criminal schemes, one involving manipulative trading in the marketplace and the other involving false and misleading statements to Archegos’s trading counterparties. Although HWANG held himself out as an investor focused on company fundamentals with a three- to five-year investment horizon, which had been Archegos’s investment approach for years, by the fall of 2020, HWANG spent his time—and nearly all Archegos’s capital—on constant trading in the same core stocks. HWANG began deploying strategies aimed to manipulate, control, and artificially affect the market for securities in Archegos’s portfolio. Those techniques included purchasing or selling securities at particular times of day including marking the price of securities up at the close of trading to trigger payouts to Archegos and trading at times and in a manner to give the false impression of additional interest in the securities, transacting in certain securities in large amounts or high volume, and timing or coordinating certain transactions to maximize impact on the market.
HWANG’s manipulative trading was sustained and furthered by lies and misrepresentations made to Archegos’s counterparties. As HWANG’s trading led to large position sizes, Archegos’s counterparties started to impose limits on Archegos’s trading. To enable HWANG to continue to trade the same names at larger sizes, HWANG, Halligan, and others conspired to make repeated, materially false and misleading statements to Archegos’s counterparties about Archegos’s portfolio of securities. These false and misleading statements were designed to fraudulently induce the counterparties into trading with and extending credit to Archegos, enabling and facilitating the market manipulation scheme, and to hide the true risk of doing business with Archegos.
By March 2021, HWANG’s manipulative trading scheme—which relied in part on continually increasing the size of Archegos’s positions in a handful of equities—had profoundly reshaped Archegos’s portfolio and risk profile. Now Archegos had concentrated its investments in a number of publicly traded stocks with markets that HWANG found he could distort, including of large companies, such as ViacomCBS and Discovery. Archegos’s portfolio became highly vulnerable to external events that might deflate the artificial prices HWANG had created. In late March 2021, the markets exposed HWANG’s price manipulation. On March 22, 2021, ViacomCBS announced a seasoned equity offering. Following that announcement, on March 23, 2021, HWANG directed nearly a billion dollars in additional purchases of stock in ViacomCBS and other companies whose stock HWANG had manipulated in a final effort to control the prices of those stocks and prevent them from declining and harming the value of his portfolio. On March 24, 2021, using what cash and trading capacity remained, HWANG made one final attempt to reverse market forces, but he failed. When the markets closed, Archegos faced substantial margin calls that it could not meet, causing billions of dollars in losses to the counterparties that had financed HWANG’s trading.
Ultimately, the market manipulation and fraud schemes, and the billions of dollars in losses that they caused, victimized a wide swath of market participants, including counterparties that engaged in loans and securities trading with Archegos based on lies and deceit, ordinary investors who purchased and sold the relevant securities at artificial prices, and securities issuers who made business decisions based on the artificial prices of their stocks. The schemes also caused millions of dollars of losses to innocent Archegos employees who had been required to allocate to Archegos a substantial amount of their pay as deferred compensation.
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In addition to the prison term, HWANG, 60, of Tenafly, New Jersey, was sentenced to three years of supervised release concurrently on each count and ordered to pay more than nine billion dollars in restitution.
Halligan, who was convicted at trial alongside HWANG of racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and wire fraud, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2025.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Podolsky, Alexandra Rothman, Samuel P. Rothschild, and Andrew Thomas are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Virginia Sheriff Convicted on Federal Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTSEVILLE, Va. – A former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, was convicted by a jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, yesterday for accepting over $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointments as auxiliary deputy sheriffs.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scott Howard Jenkins, 53, of Culpeper, Virginia, accepted cash bribes and bribes in the form of campaign contributions from co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, and James Metcalf, as well as at least five others, including two FBI undercover agents. In return, Jenkins appointed each of the bribe payors as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, a sworn law-enforcement position, and issued them official Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office badges and credentials. The bribe payors were not trained or vetted and did not render any legitimate services to the Sheriff’s Office.
In addition, Jenkins pressured other local officials to approve a petition filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court by Rahim, a convicted felon, to restore his right to possess a firearm and which falsely stated that Rahim resided in Culpeper County.
Jenkins was convicted of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count, 20 years in prison on each of the honest services fraud counts, and 10 years in prison on each of the bribery counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf all previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the bribery scheme and will be sentenced at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Richmond Field Office, Charlottesville Resident Agency is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and are prosecuting the case.
Former Virginia Sheriff Convicted in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia, was convicted by a jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, yesterday for accepting over $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointments as auxiliary deputy sheriffs.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Scott Howard Jenkins, 53, of Culpeper, Virginia, accepted cash bribes and bribes in the form of campaign contributions from co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, and James Metcalf, as well as at least five others, including two FBI undercover agents. In return, Jenkins appointed each of the bribe payors as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, a sworn law-enforcement position, and issued them official Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office badges and credentials. The bribe payors were not trained or vetted and did not render any legitimate services to the Sheriff’s Office. In addition, Jenkins pressured other local officials to approve a petition filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court by Rahim, a convicted felon, to restore his right to possess a firearm and which falsely stated that Rahim resided in Culpeper County.
Jenkins was convicted of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count, 20 years in prison on each of the honest services fraud counts, and 10 years in prison on each of the bribery counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf all previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the bribery scheme and will be sentenced at a later date.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia; and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI Richmond Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Richmond Field Office, Charlottesville Resident Agency is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith for the Western District of Virginia are prosecuting the case, with assistance provided by PIN Paralegal Specialist Lauren Fastenau.