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Wednesday 18 December 2024
Level 1 Sex Offender from Attleboro Arrested and Charged with Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Attleboro man, who is a Level 1 sex offender, has been arrested and charged in connection with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Eric Brault, 31, was charged with possession of child pornography and will appear in federal court in Boston at 3 p.m. today.
According to the charging documents, an investigation into an internet-based communications application used for the trafficking of CSAM allegedly identified Brault as a likely user of the application who participated in groups where CSAM was disseminated. During a search of Brault’s residence this morning, a review of his phone allegedly revealed that Brault was a member of several groups on the platform that exchanged CSAM. Additionally, more than 200 video and image files, most of which appear to depict CSAM, were allegedly located within a photo album on Brault’s phone.
Brault was previously convicted in Attleboro District Court to Indecent Assault and Battery on a Child Under 14 Years Old and was subsequently sentenced to 18 months of probation.
Brault faces a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Attleboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Soto of the Major Crimes Unit is 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Kentucky Man Sentenced for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material to South FloridaRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Dec. 12, James Ray Nichols, 32, from Louisville, Ky., was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment, followed by 25 years of supervised release, and ordered to register as a sex offender after pleading guilty to the charge of distribution of child pornography.
According to the court record, beginning in January 2024, Nichols, who lived at his parents’ home in Kentucky, used a social networking application on his phone to discuss having sex with an 8-year-old and 3-year-old in conversations with an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force Officer and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) Detective posing as the children’s mother in the Southern District of Florida. Between January and July 2024, Nichols distributed multiple videos of child sexual abuse material to the undercover officer.
On July 17, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Nichols’ Kentucky residence where he was found with a phone that held a cache of child sexual exploitation material. After his arrest, Nichols was transferred to the Southern District of Florida.
At sentencing, Nichols agreed to pay $10,000 restitution to victims of the material he distributed.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of HSI Miami, and Sheriff Rick Bradshaw of PBSO made the announcement.
HSI West Palm Beach and PBSO investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller is prosecuting it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov or https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/project-safe-childhood.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography call (877) 4-HSI-TIP [(877) 447-4847]. Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-80093.
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Justice Department Obtains Order Holding in Contempt Florida Man Who Is Permanently Enjoined from Preparing Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal court in New Jersey last month held in contempt Abraham Taylor, a resident of Florida and formerly of New Jersey, for continuing to prepare returns after the court permanently barred him and his business — Chentay Consulting Services LP, doing business as CCS Tax Services — from preparing federal income tax returns for others.
According to the court’s contempt order, Taylor concealed his violations of the permanent injunction by using electronic filing privileges assigned to Fredrick Gibson, of Uncle Sam Tax Services in Pennsylvania. Taylor agreed to the entry of the contempt order and a disgorgement judgment for preparing returns in violation of the injunction. Gibson agreed to forfeit his electronic filing privileges which Taylor had used to conceal his identity.
Taylor was previously held in contempt in 2021 for using electronic filing privileges assigned to his son O’Neal Taylor and his son’s business O’Neal Z. Taylor. Through the contempt order, Taylor agreed to a disgorgement judgment and O’Neal agreed to forfeit his electronic filing privileges.
The most recent contempt order requires Taylor to provide the United States with a list of his customers and to send a copy of the court’s injunction order to all customers for whom he prepared returns. It also provides that the court shall order the sale of Taylor’s house to satisfy the two disgorgement judgments if Taylor continues to prepare returns in violation of the injunction.
Each year the IRS highlights some of the tax scams that put taxpayers at risk of losing money, personal information, data and more. In the IRS’ most recent list, it specifically warned taxpayers “to beware of promoters peddling bogus tax schemes aimed at reducing taxes or avoiding them altogether.”
The IRS has some tips on its website for choosing a tax preparer, and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers and tax scheme promoters. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Second Contempt Order - Taylor_0.pdfJustice Department Files Nationwide Lawsuit Alleging CVS Knowingly Dispensed Controlled Substances in Violation of the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – In a civil complaint unsealed today in Providence, Rhode Island, the Justice Department alleges that CVS Pharmacy Inc. and various subsidiaries (collectively, CVS) filled unlawful prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs for unlawful prescriptions in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA). CVS is the country’s largest pharmacy chain, with more than 9,000 pharmacies across the United States.
The government’s complaint alleges that, from October 17, 2013, to the present, CVS knowingly filled prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, and/or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. Among the large number of unlawful prescriptions that CVS allegedly filled were prescriptions for dangerous and excessive quantities of opioids, early fills of opioids, and “trinity” prescriptions, an especially dangerous and abused combination of drugs made up of an opioid, a benzodiazepine and a muscle relaxant. CVS also allegedly filled large quantities of prescriptions for controlled substances written by prescribers it knew to be engaged in “pill mill practices” — that is, prescribers who issue large numbers of controlled substance prescriptions without any medical purpose. According to the complaint, CVS ignored substantial evidence from multiple sources, including its own pharmacists and internal data, indicating that its stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions.
The complaint alleges that CVS’ violations resulted from corporate-mandated performance metrics, incentive compensation, and staffing policies that prioritized corporate profits over patient safety. CVS set staffing levels far too low for pharmacists to both meet their performance metrics and comply with their legal obligations. CVS also allegedly deprived its pharmacists of crucial information (including by, for example, preventing pharmacists from warning one another about certain prescribers) that could have reduced the number of unlawful prescriptions filled. The complaint alleges that CVS’ actions helped to fuel the opioid crisis and that, in some particularly tragic instances, patients died after overdosing on opioids shortly after filling unlawful prescriptions at CVS.
“Our complaint alleges that CVS repeatedly filled controlled substance prescriptions that were unlawful and pressured its pharmacists to fill such prescriptions without taking the time needed to confirm their validity,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The practices alleged contributed to the opioid crisis and opioid-related deaths, and today’s complaint seeks to hold CVS accountable for its misconduct.”
“Opioid deaths remain a scourge on communities across Rhode Island and the nation, robbing families of loved ones and leaving a path of devastation in their wake,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha for the District of Rhode Island. “This lawsuit alleges that CVS failed to exercise its critical role as gatekeeper of dangerous prescription opioids and, instead, facilitated the illegal proliferation of these highly addictive drugs, including by pill mill prescribers. When corporations such as CVS prize profits over patient safety and overburden their pharmacy staff so that they cannot carry out the basic responsibility of ensuring that prescriptions are legitimate, we will use every tool at our disposal to see that they answer for it.”
The government alleges that by knowingly filling unlawful prescriptions for controlled substances, CVS violated the CSA and, where CVS sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs, also violated the FCA. The complaint alleges that CVS’s actions helped to fuel the opioid crisis. If CVS is found liable, it could face civil penalties for each unlawful prescription filled in violation of the CSA and treble damages and applicable penalties for each prescription reimbursed by federal healthcare programs in violation of the FCA. The court also may award injunctive relief to prevent CVS from committing further CSA violations, including ordering appropriate changes to corporate compliance programs and policies.
“When lives are destroyed or lost to opioid abuse, it doesn’t matter if the supplier is a street-level dealer, a pill mill, or a nationwide corporation,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our laws regarding the dispensing of opioids and other controlled substances are clear and apply to everyone. We will pursue whatever legal action is necessary to stop any enterprise, regardless of size, that places profit over the safety of our citizens.”
“CVS is alleged to have dispensed large amounts of highly addictive opioid medications to persons they knew had no medical need for them,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Simply put, they put profits over their obligation to keep their customers safe. A pharmacy is the final step in the pharmaceutical distribution process that is in place to keep customers safe. In the fight against the opioid epidemic, DEA will continue to be relentless in holding those accountable who violate our drug laws and place our communities in danger whether they are a criminal cartel or large pharmacy chain.”
“Pharmacies and pharmacists are critical partners to ensure controlled substances are dispensed lawfully and safely to the public,” said Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to holding individuals and entities that dispense these controlled substances improperly and without legitimate medical purpose accountable.”
“Protecting TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their dependents, is a top priority for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Today’s filing demonstrates DCIS’ ongoing commitment to partner with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to investigate health care providers that submit false claims to TRICARE and put its beneficiaries at risk.”
Whistleblower Hillary Estright, who previously worked for CVS, filed an action on October 17, 2019, under the qui tam provisions of the FCA. Those provisions authorize private parties to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene and take over such lawsuits, as it has done here.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Estright v. Health Corporation, et al., No. 1:22-cv-222 (D.R.I.).
The United States’ intervention in this matter underscores the government’s commitment to combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Washington, D.C. Division, HHS-OIG and DCIS investigated the case. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of California and Northern District of Ohio, DEA’s Office of Chief Counsel, DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Los Angeles Field Division, Office of Personnel Management, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and FBI provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant Directors Amy L. DeLine and C.B. Buente, Senior Litigation Counsel Donald Lorenzen and Trial Attorneys Benjamin Cornfeld and Amanda K. Kelly of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch; Trial Attorneys Claire L. Norsetter, Joshua Barron and Megan F. Engel of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara M. Bloom and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Love Hubbard and Rachna Vyas for the District of Rhode Island; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clare Wuerker and John Beerbower for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sydney Spector and Tracy Weinstein for the District of Hawaii; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Adrian Garcia for the Eastern District of Texas are litigating the enforcement action.
The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Files Nationwide Lawsuit Alleging CVS Knowingly Dispensed Controlled Substances in Violation of the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
In a civil complaint unsealed today in Providence, Rhode Island, the Justice Department alleges that CVS Pharmacy Inc. and various subsidiaries (collectively, CVS) filled unlawful prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs for unlawful prescriptions in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA). CVS is the country’s largest pharmacy chain, with more than 9,000 pharmacies across the United States.
The government’s complaint alleges that, from Oct. 17, 2013, to the present, CVS knowingly filled prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, and/or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice. Among the large number of unlawful prescriptions that CVS allegedly filled were prescriptions for dangerous and excessive quantities of opioids, early fills of opioids, and “trinity” prescriptions, an especially dangerous and abused combination of drugs made up of an opioid, a benzodiazepine and a muscle relaxant. CVS also allegedly filled large quantities of prescriptions for controlled substances written by prescribers it knew to be engaged in “pill mill practices” — that is, prescribers who issue large numbers of controlled substance prescriptions without any medical purpose. According to the complaint, CVS ignored substantial evidence from multiple sources, including its own pharmacists and internal data, indicating that its stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions.
The complaint alleges that CVS’ violations resulted from corporate-mandated performance metrics, incentive compensation, and staffing policies that prioritized corporate profits over patient safety. CVS set staffing levels far too low for pharmacists to both meet their performance metrics and comply with their legal obligations. CVS also allegedly deprived its pharmacists of crucial information (including by, for example, preventing pharmacists from warning one another about certain prescribers) that could have reduced the number of unlawful prescriptions filled. The complaint alleges that CVS’ actions helped to fuel the opioid crisis and that, in some particularly tragic instances, patients died after overdosing on opioids shortly after filling unlawful prescriptions at CVS.
“Our complaint alleges that CVS repeatedly filled controlled substance prescriptions that were unlawful and pressured its pharmacists to fill such prescriptions without taking the time needed to confirm their validity,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The practices alleged contributed to the opioid crisis and opioid-related deaths, and today’s complaint seeks to hold CVS accountable for its misconduct.”
“Opioid deaths remain a scourge on communities across Rhode Island and the nation, robbing families of loved ones and leaving a path of devastation in their wake,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha for the District of Rhode Island. “This lawsuit alleges that CVS failed to exercise its critical role as gatekeeper of dangerous prescription opioids and, instead, facilitated the illegal proliferation of these highly addictive drugs, including by pill mill prescribers. When corporations such as CVS prize profits over patient safety and overburden their pharmacy staff so that they cannot carry out the basic responsibility of ensuring that prescriptions are legitimate, we will use every tool at our disposal to see that they answer for it.”
The government alleges that by knowingly filling unlawful prescriptions for controlled substances, CVS violated the CSA and, where CVS sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs, also violated the FCA. The complaint alleges that CVS’s actions helped to fuel the opioid crisis. If CVS is found liable, it could face civil penalties for each unlawful prescription filled in violation of the CSA and treble damages and applicable penalties for each prescription reimbursed by federal healthcare programs in violation of the FCA. The court also may award injunctive relief to prevent CVS from committing further CSA violations, including ordering appropriate changes to corporate compliance programs and policies.
“When lives are destroyed or lost to opioid abuse, it doesn’t matter if the supplier is a street-level dealer, a pill mill, or a nationwide corporation,” said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our laws regarding the dispensing of opioids and other controlled substances are clear and apply to everyone. We will pursue whatever legal action is necessary to stop any enterprise, regardless of size, that places profit over the safety of our citizens.”
“CVS is alleged to have dispensed large amounts of highly addictive opioid medications to persons they knew had no medical need for them,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Simply put, they put profits over their obligation to keep their customers safe. A pharmacy is the final step in the pharmaceutical distribution process that is in place to keep customers safe. In the fight against the opioid epidemic, DEA will continue to be relentless in holding those accountable who violate our drug laws and place our communities in danger whether they are a criminal cartel or large pharmacy chain.”
“Pharmacies and pharmacists are critical partners to ensure controlled substances are dispensed lawfully and safely to the public,” said Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is committed to holding individuals and entities that dispense these controlled substances improperly and without legitimate medical purpose accountable.”
“Protecting TRICARE, the healthcare system for military members and their dependents, is a top priority for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Today’s filing demonstrates DCIS’ ongoing commitment to partner with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to investigate health care providers that submit false claims to TRICARE and put its beneficiaries at risk.”
Whistleblower Hillary Estright, who previously worked for CVS, filed an action on Oct. 17, 2019, under the qui tam provisions of the FCA. Those provisions authorize private parties to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in any recovery. The Act permits the United States to intervene and take over such lawsuits, as it has done here.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Estright v. Health Corporation, et al., No. 1:22-cv-222 (D.R.I.).
The United States’ intervention in this matter underscores the government’s commitment to combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, Washington, D.C. Division, HHS-OIG and DCIS investigated the case. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of California and Northern District of Ohio, DEA’s Office of Chief Counsel, Office of Personnel Management, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and FBI provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant Directors Amy L. DeLine and C.B. Buente, Senior Litigation Counsel Donald Lorenzen and Trial Attorneys Benjamin Cornfeld and Amanda K. Kelly of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch; Trial Attorneys Claire L. Norsetter, Joshua Barron and Megan F. Engel of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section; First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara M. Bloom and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Love Hubbard and Rachna Vyas for the District of Rhode Island; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clare Wuerker and John Beerbower for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sydney Spector and Tracy Weinstein for the District of Hawaii; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Adrian Garcia for the Eastern District of Texas are litigating the enforcement action.
The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
View the complaint here.
View Attachment 1 here.
View Attachment 2 here.
Jury Convicts Felon for Firearm Possession, Assault, and Discharging Firearm During Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A federal jury convicted Antonio Jerome Colbert, 37, a member of the Osage Nation, of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; and Carrying, Using, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
“I commend the witnesses and officers for reacting quickly to intervene on behalf of this woman. Without them, Colbert would not be held accountable for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This case exemplifies the effectiveness of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the federal initiative that brings together law enforcement for intervention and accountability.”
In September 2024, several witnesses called 911, reporting they heard yelling, a gunshot, or witnessed a man assaulting a woman. Tulsa Police officers responded to the shots fired call. Upon arrival, officers observed an SUV parked on the sidewalk with open doors. Officers immediately took Colbert into custody, and he adamantly denied any wrongdoing.
One witness testified that they heard a lot of yelling and looked over the fence to see what was happening. He observed a woman walking down the sidewalk when an SUV crossed the ditch, driving towards the woman. Colbert barely missed the woman and got out of the vehicle, yelling at her. The witness saw Colbert pull a handgun and shoot at the woman. Colbert’s shot missed the woman, and in his fit of rage, he began assaulting her. Body camera evidence presented to the jury showed the woman was visibly shaken, crying, and in need of intervention.
Despite a witness reportedly seeing Colbert shot at the woman, Colbert claimed he did not have a firearm and denied shooting at the woman. After a search of the vehicle that Colbert was driving, officers found a loaded handgun wedged in the seat. The officer who recovered the firearm testified that the handgun was jammed with a shell casing that failed to eject.
Further, the investigation revealed that Colbert was knowingly convicted of other felonies that prohibited him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Valeria Luster and Kenneth Elmore prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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 PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Jeffersonville Husband and Wife Sentenced for Making False Statements in Acquisition of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 17, 2024, Jacob McKenna, 38, of Jeffersonville, Vermont was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to time served to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Jacob McKenna previously pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with his acquisition of a firearm.
According to court records, on October 28, 2022, Jacob McKenna went to a federal firearms licensee (FFL) in Williston, Vermont. There, he filled out a written ATF Form 4473 in connection with the purchase of a nine-millimeter pistol. On the form, Jacob McKenna falsely stated he was not a user of illegal drugs. Based on that false statement, Jacob McKenna obtained the pistol. On January 5, 2023, Jacob McKenna returned to the same FFL and tried to buy two more nine-millimeter pistols. When confronted about this conduct on January 6, 2023, Jacob McKenna admitted to purchasing firearms on several occasions intended for persons prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms.
On July 26, 2024, United States District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford sentenced Jacob McKenna’s wife, Tamira McKenna, 36, also of Jeffersonville, to time served to be followed by a two-year term of supervised release. Tamira McKenna also previously pleaded guilty to making false statements in acquisition of a firearm.
For her part, on March 10, 2022, Tamira McKenna went to the same FFL in Williston, Vermont, where, like her husband, in the course of acquiring a handgun, she filled out paperwork falsely stating she was not a user of illegal drugs. On January 5, 2023, Tamira McKenna returned to the same FFL and tried unsuccessfully to buy two more nine-millimeter pistols, and again lied on an ATF Form 4473. The next day, during an interview with law enforcement Tamira McKenna admitted to her use of controlled substances and that she intended to purchase the firearms to give them to a person prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Burlington Police Department, the South Burlington Police Department, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, the Milton Police Department, and the United States Marshal Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Stendig. Tamira McKenna was represented by Lisa Shelkrot, Esq. Jacob McKenna was represented by Robert Behrens, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
International Drug Traffickers Indicted on Charges of Importing and Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Precursor ChemicalsRead the Press Release
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced an Indictment charging XIANG GAO, OLEKSANDR KLOCHKOV, and IGORS KRICFALUSIJS with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in the U.S., conspiring to import fentanyl precursor chemicals and a methamphetamine precursor chemical with intent to manufacture fentanyl and methamphetamine in the U.S., importing a fentanyl precursor chemical, and conspiring to commit money laundering. GAO, KLOCHKOV, and KRICFALUSIJS were arrested in Morocco by Moroccan authorities on April 17, 2024, extradited to the U.S. on December 11, 2024, and made their initial appearances in the Southern District of New York before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky on December 12, 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues continue to wreak catastrophic damage on the lives of New Yorkers. The defendants are alleged to have aggressively pursued methods to circumvent our ability to stem the flow of the poisons into this country and to bring tons of potentially deadly chemicals to the United States. This Office will continue to work relentlessly to detect and charge international drug traffickers bringing deadly drugs to our borders and to stop the danger long before it arrives.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “Those responsible for flooding our country with fentanyl must answer for their crimes. These three international chemical brokers are charged with conspiring to send fentanyl and methamphetamine precursor chemicals into the United States -- now they will face justice in an American courtroom.”
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said: “Today’s actions reflect our commitment to holding accountable those who peddle the poison responsible for fentanyl deaths in our communities, including those who import the precursor chemicals needed to manufacture these deadly drugs. No matter where in the world these individuals operate, the Department will find them and bring them to justice.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “Today’s announcement of charges against three high-level fentanyl chemical brokers highlights DEA’s commitment to attack every part of the global fentanyl supply chain. The defendants indicted today brokered ton-quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine precursor chemicals from China, knowing that these chemicals would be used to flood American communities with deadly drugs. These defendants also coached drug traffickers on how to use different precursor chemicals to make finished fentanyl destined for the United States. Today’s indictment should serve as a warning to drug traffickers operating across the globe that DEA will stop at nothing to save American lives and bring those responsible to justice.”
As alleged in the Indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:[1]
Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat that the U.S. has ever encountered. It is the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49. Fentanyl analogues, similar in chemical makeup and effect to fentanyl, can be even more potent and lethal than fentanyl. Fentanyl and its analogues have ruined countless lives, devastated entire communities, and killed Americans at an unprecedented rate.
The manufacture of fentanyl and its analogues begins with raw chemicals, known as precursors. Today, fentanyl precursor chemicals are principally sourced from China-based chemical manufacturers. These China-based chemical manufacturers ship fentanyl-related precursor chemicals around the world, including to the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere, where clandestine laboratories use the precursor chemicals to synthesize finished fentanyl and fentanyl analogues at scale, and distribute the deadly narcotics into and throughout the U.S.
Aware of sanctions placed on chemical precursors by the U.S. and other nations, Chinese manufacturers have adapted to create and export fentanyl precursor chemicals that are not yet banned, but that are specifically designed to imitate other prohibited chemicals or that can produce finished fentanyl and other drugs. The chemists working at such factories pursue chemical modifications to create new chemical compounds not yet subject to controls but capable of producing novel versions of narcotics that are as deadly or more than fentanyl. These new chemical compounds are marketed to international drug traffickers through broker networks with direct access to the chemical manufacturers, who take custom orders from buyers seeking to create fentanyl and evade customs and law enforcement agencies around the world.
XIANG GAO, OLEKSANDR KLOCHKOV, and IGORS KRICFALUSIJS are international drug traffickers who used their connections with China-based chemical manufacturers to broker deals for fentanyl and methamphetamine precursor chemicals for further distribution in the U.S. and elsewhere. During this investigation, GAO, KLOCHKOV, and KRICFALUSIJS conspired to sell ton-quantities of fentanyl precursor chemicals; provided more than five kilograms of fentanyl precursor chemicals and more than 50 kilograms of methamphetamine precursor chemicals; and shipped those chemicals to New York, Austria, and Spain, intending that the chemicals would be used to manufacture fentanyl and methamphetamine in New York for further distribution there.
Throughout the course of the conspiracy, the defendants repeatedly offered access to factories capable of producing tons of deadly narcotics precursors at a time, and consistently acknowledged that the precursors were designed to evade sanctions on narcotics importation but were purpose-built to make fentanyl and methamphetamine. For example, during one meeting, when GAO acknowledged that fentanyl is illegal in the U.S. and China, KLOCHKOV explained that, as a result, fentanyl “must be created, not purchased.” The defendants further provided instructions, including chemical formulas, to turn the precursors into finished fentanyl destined for distribution throughout New York.
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GAO, 35, a Chinese national; KLOCHKOV, 34, a Ukrainian national; and KRICFALUSIJS, 32, a Latvian national, are charged in the Indictment with: one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to import fentanyl precursor chemicals and a methamphetamine precursor chemical with intent to manufacture fentanyl and methamphetamine, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of importation of a fentanyl precursor chemical, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding efforts of the Bilateral Investigations Unit of the DEA Special Operations Division, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and Moroccan and Spanish authorities for their ongoing assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda C. Weingarten is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and Complaint, and the description of the Indictment and Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Indian National Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet A 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kirtan Patel (24, India) has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Patel faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between May 22 and 24, 2024, Patel communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The child, however, was an undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agent. Patel engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the undercover agent. Ultimately, Patel was arrested when he traveled to a location in Marion County to engage in sexual activity with the child.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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.justice.gov/psc.
Illinois Man who Transported Child Sexual Abuse Material Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
MIAMI – An Illinois man, who is a registered sex offender and was convicted of transporting numerous images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of three minor children, was sentenced on Dec. 13, to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas, who sits in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
According to court record, William Ahart, 42, of Ill., arrived into the Port Everglades cruise ship terminal in Fort Lauderdale from the U.S. Virgin Islands on June 15. Due to Ahart being a registered sex offender, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducted an examination of Ahart’s smartphone and discovered numerous images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Fort Lauderdale responded and further reviewed Ahart’s smartphone and discovered the CSAM images were sent to Ahart on messaging applications by three minor females who Ahart had been communicating with over several months. HSI Fort Lauderdale agents arrested Ahart, who admitted to communicating with minor females and receiving and viewing the CSAM images. Further investigation by HSI revealed that during sexually charged conversations between Ahart and one of the minor victims, Ahart encouraged the minor victim to engage in self-harm. Evidence was also uncovered during the investigation that Ahart mailed the minor victim a “fun package” containing knives, candles for hot wax, thumb tacks, and a shock collar so that the victim could continue to engage in self-harm.
On Sept. 20, Ahart pled guilty to transportation of child sexual abuse material.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of HSI Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami and the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case with the assistance from CBP and HSI Albany, N.Y. Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Catherine Koontz prosecuted it.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about the PSC initiative and for information regarding Internet safety, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-60118.
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Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Indicted for Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging Special Agent David Cole of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), 50, of South Jordan, Utah, with conspiring with another HSI special agent to sell alpha-PHP, a drug commonly referred to as “bath salts,” in Utah.
According to court documents, Cole and another HSI special agent used their status as federal law enforcement officers to acquire bath salts by representing to others in HSI and in other law enforcement agencies that they were going to use the bath salts to conduct legitimate HSI investigations. Cole and his co-conspirator then sold bath salts to HSI confidential human sources for thousands of dollars and allowed those sources to resell the bath salts on the streets of Utah for a profit. Cole and his co-conspirator profited hundreds of thousands of dollars through their illegal drug sales.
“The indictment alleges that David Cole abused his position as a federal law enforcement agent to obtain and sell dangerous drugs for profit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “A drug dealer who carries a badge is still a drug dealer — and one who has violated an oath to uphold the law and protect the public. Today’s indictment reflects the department’s commitment to holding accountable law enforcement officers who engage in criminal conduct, because no one is above the law.”
“David Cole took an oath to protect and serve. Instead, he allegedly distributed dangerous drugs in our communities for profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “Cole’s alleged actions not only helped fuel an already devastating drug crisis but also undermines the public’s trust in law enforcement. The FBI remains committed to holding accountable those who violate the law, regardless of their position.”
“Today’s arrest sends a clear message that federal employees who violate the trust of the public and break the law will be prosecuted,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). “DHS OIG is grateful for our continued partnership with our law enforcement partners as we continue fighting corruption.”
Cole is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and DHS-OIG are investigating the case, with support from HSI Executive Management.
Trial Attorneys Jordan Dickson, Alexander Gottfried, and Blake Ellison of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hartford, Connecticut Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Firearm Possession CaseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 16, 2024, Sharad Collier, 27, of Hartford, Connecticut, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III, to eighteen months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Sharad Collier previously pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on February 28, 2023, Collier fled from a residence in Morristown, Vermont where law enforcement arrested other individuals. Police tracked Collier to a nearby shed-like structure which the defendant refused to exit for approximately two hours. Eventually, Collier surrendered to the police. Police then obtained a warrant to search the residence from which Collier fled where they found a Glock Model 23 .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol in the bedroom previously occupied by Collier and from which Collier fled hours before he surrendered. Collier later admitted to investigators that he was an unlawful user of controlled substances in February 2023. He was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. The investigation into Collier further demonstrated that he was involved in trafficking cocaine base and fentanyl in Vermont in February of 2023.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Morristown Police Department, the Stowe Police Department, the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department, and the Vermont State Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Stendig. Collier was represented by Allan Sullivan, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Harlan Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Harlan man was sentenced on December 12, 2024, to 84 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography.
According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with Jesse Daniel Blaine, 42, received files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Blaine’s Harlan residence. A forensic examination of the seized electronic devices showed that Blaine used his electronic devices to receive, view, and possess images and videos of child sexual abuse material, and to search for child sex stories.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Blaine will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Blaine was also ordered to pay $21,000 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation-Cybercrime Bureau, Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force.
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 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Hampton landlord who racially harassed and evicted tenants sentenced to 17 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based interference with housing and employment.
According to court documents, David L. Merryman, 59, owned 39 rental properties in Newport News and 23 more in Hampton. Many of Merryman’s rental properties were in poor condition and located in low-income neighborhoods. He primarily rented the properties to underprivileged African American tenants with limited credit and housing options.
From 2019 through at least January 2024, Merryman engaged in a multifaceted scheme that included obtaining rent relief benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as fraudulently obtaining large initial payments in the form of security deposits, prepaid rent, and other fees for rental homes that were in poor repair. Merryman represented to prospective tenants that he would lease the rentals for longer tenancy terms but intended to evict them as quickly as possible to restart the cycle of fraud and collect more high initial payments from new tenants.
“David Merryman deliberately targeted families of color with limited means and housing options.” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Easter District of Virginia. “Landlords have a responsibility under the law to uphold the housing rights and protect the human dignity of the people to whom they rent. Mr. Merryman failed to uphold that responsibility and is paying a heavy price for his for racial discrimination and fraud.”
“For years, David Merryman used his position of power as a landlord and his tenant’s economic vulnerability to make a profit,” said Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “He not only sought out tenants with few housing options to rent, but then continued to racially harass and subject them to unsuitable living conditions. His victims were oftentimes mothers or fathers who just wanted to keep a roof over their family’s head. We’re thankful for today’s sentence which showcases the serious nature of these types of offenses, as well as the FBI’s commitment to investigating the perpetrators of these crimes.”
“Merryman specifically sought to rent his derelict properties to vulnerable minority tenants, and then subjected them to abhorrent racial discrimination and other abusive conduct,” said Rae Oliver Davis, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “His criminal actions were in repulsive disregard for both the law and well-being of his low-income tenants. Today’s sentencing stops his cycle of fraud and abuse and brings Mr. Merryman to justice.”
On several occasions, Merryman harassed his minority tenants with slurs, comments about slavery, mocking comments, death threats, and assaultive conduct related to their race, all in violation of their right to occupy and lease a dwelling free from racially motivated harassment, threats, and force. He also interfered with at least one victim’s right to enjoy employment free from racial threats and assaultive conduct.
Merryman fabricated lease documents, often with incorrect information related to the tenants, and backdated documents before forging tenants’ signatures and falsely representing that he was authorized to act on their behalf.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, state and federal governments made rent relief benefits available to those struggling during the national health crisis. Merryman filed fraudulent rent relief applications and used his tenants' names and personal information without their consent and forged their signatures. In many cases, he obtained significant sums of rent relief without telling the tenants, even evicting, or seeking to evict, the very same tenants for unpaid rent. To obtain housing-assistance payments from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Merryman also made false representations about the condition of his rental properties and whether he was receiving other payments that would be duplicative of federally funded rental assistance.
Merryman also defrauded tenants by obtaining money and property from them under false pretenses, primarily through false representations that he would repair his properties to induce tenants to pay significant upfront fees for neglected, even uninhabitable, properties that he never intended to improve.
For example, a tenant, identified as L.G., made requests for necessary repairs to the home she was renting, to which Merryman repeatedly made racially derogatory responses. In April 2019, Merryman threatened to turn L.G. and her children into “potting soil.” L.G. obtained a protective order against Merryman, who then responded by, among other things, parking his vehicle just outside the prohibited radius of the order and intimidating L.G. and her family.
Another tenant, identified as E.P., regularly paid Merryman rent from 2015 until she was laid off from her job in 2021 during the pandemic after suffering medical problems resulting in her hospitalization. On May 10, 2021, Merryman applied to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development for approximately $15,100 in rent relief benefits for E.P. and forged her signature, all without her consent. Despite obtaining those benefits for E.P., Merryman evicted her, citing her unpaid rent. E.P. then lost all her belongings when Merryman sent a crew to remove them from her home and tow her car when she was hospitalized.
After Merryman failed to complete a driveway construction project, the customer hired a concrete construction business owner, identified as E.S., to finish the job. E.S. had worked in the concrete construction business for more than 40 years. On July 8, 2020, shortly after E.S. finished the project, he received a call from Merryman, who repeatedly threatened him. E.S. obtained a protective order against Merryman, after which, in March 2021, Merryman came to a different jobsite where E.S. was working to intimidate him and his team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman, Julie D. Podlesni, and Brian J. Samuels prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-4.
Gulf Cartel drug trafficker sent to prison following major cocaine and cash seizuresRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 42-year-old resident of San Benito has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Salvador Cortez-Nava aka Chava pleaded guilty Aug. 24, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Cortez-Nava to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Nava ordering the kidnapping of a co-conspirator and threatened harm over the loss of several drug loads. In handing down the sentence, the court approved the government’s request to forfeit assets obtained through drug proceeds.
“The Mexican Gulf Cartel is one of Mexico's oldest criminal syndicates, engaging in drug trafficking, violence, human smuggling, and more, reflecting the complex challenges posed by the cartels along Texas’s border with Mexico,” said Hamdani. “Salvador Cortez-Nava, aka Chava, demonstrated his allegiance to this cartel by coordinating the distribution of cocaine and employing ruthless tactics, including ordering kidnappings and threats of violence. His actions underscored the perilous influence of the cartel as he transported drug proceeds back into Mexico. By sending Cortez-Nava to prison, justice delivers another blow against the Gulf Cartel’s violent hold on the narcotics trade.”
“The hard work of our agents leading up to this victory demonstrates Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) unique authorities and expertise in financial investigations to combat organized crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of HSI - San Antonio. “Through a multi-agency task force, we uncovered over $1.5 million in drug proceeds and seized more than 150 kilograms of cocaine; this amount of poison has no place in our country.”
“The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) aggressive enforcement continues to hurt the drug trafficking business by shutting down Cortez Nava's significant cocaine trafficking network,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Division Daniel C. Comeaux. “Regardless of the rank or the level of sophistication used to traffic drugs and money, the DEA has always been able to disassemble the structure these drug cartels have in place to move poison into American communities and successfully eradicate the threat.
Cortez-Nava was a key player in a large-scale cocaine trafficking network, importing significant quantities of cocaine from Mexico. He oversaw the transportation and distribution across multiple U.S. cities, including in the Rio Grande Valley as well as North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Florida and Indiana.”
Cortez-Nava’s criminal organization employed sophisticated methods, such as using vehicles with hidden compartments at ports of entry to smuggle cocaine from Matamoros, Mexico, into the United States. He also supervised the recruitment of individuals to carry out these smuggling operations.
A multi-agency task force investigating several narcotics and cash seizures from 2016 to 2020 determined Cortez-Nava led the organization.
A series of drug and money seizures resulting from Cortez-Nava’s orders included $501,145.00 in drug proceeds concealed inside a vehicle in February 2016 and 1.10 kilograms of cocaine in April 2017 that was intended to be distributed. After that drug seizure, authorities discovered an additional 48.35 kilograms of cocaine belonging to the Gulf Cartel. These seizures were followed by seizures of 29.45 kilograms of cocaine and $269,996.00 in 2018, and 68.3 kilograms of cocaine and over $812,000 in 2019.
During the investigation, authorities seized over $1.5 million in proceeds and approximately 150 kilograms of cocaine.
As part of his guilty plea, Cortez-Nava agreed to forfeit several properties, a vehicle, two firearms and various jewelry, watches and other items.
Cortez-Nava will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI and DEA conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Brownsville Police Department and Customs and Border Protection. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal state and local enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Oscar Ponce and Zachary Blackmon prosecuted the case.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who had been deported, illegally returned to the United States, and then used someone else’s social security number to obtain employment was sentenced today to more than one year in federal prison.
Luis Gomez-Otoy, age 39, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Postville, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 21, 2024, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents, one count of misuse of a social security number, and one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a felony conviction.
At the guilty plea, Gomez-Otoy admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Gomez-Otoy was arrested in May 2008 during an immigration enforcement action in Postville and was deported in October 2008. On May 8, 2024, immigration officials learned Gomez-Otoy had illegally returned to the United States and found Gomez-Otoy at the Clayton County Jail following his arrest on state charges. On July 12, 2024, Gomez-Otoy was convicted in state court of operating while intoxicated, second offense, and sentenced to 7 days’ imprisonment. Gomez-Otoy was previously convicted in the Northern District of Iowa in May 2008 for use of false employment documents, a felony, served five months’ imprisonment and was deported.
Gomez-Otoy also admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “green card,” both bearing his name, to prove his authorization to work in the United States when he completed employment and tax forms in May 2022 at a business in West Union, Iowa. The number on the Social Security card was assigned to someone else. The alien registration number on the Permanent Resident card was assigned to a female from Mexico. Social Security and Permanent Resident cards are documents prescribed by statute or regulation for entry into or as evidence of authorized stay or employment in the United States.
Gomez-Otoy was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Gomez-Otoy was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Gomez-Otoy 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 Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-1017.
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Grand jury indicts local doctor on false statements, writings charges related to 1989 rapeRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment today against a Sycamore Township man whose DNA implicated him in a 1989 rape.
Frederick Louis Tanzer, 66, is charged with four counts of making false statements to an agency or officer of the United States and two counts of making or using a false document or writing. Each count is punishable by up to five years in prison. These federal crimes are prosecutable even if an underlying offense has passed the statute of limitations.
Tanzer has been in custody since his arrest on Dec. 11 and will remain in custody pending trial.
According to court documents, Tanzer’s DNA was confirmed by a forensic laboratory as a match to the DNA the rapist had left at the 1989 crime scene, where the victim was violently raped over the course of five and a half hours in her condominium on Creighton Place in Cincinnati after arriving home from work.
It is alleged that Tanzer made several materially false statements to federal investigators when approached about the rape last week, including denying having seen or interacted with the victim on the date she was raped.
Tanzer is a medical doctor who has lived and practiced medicine in Ohio, Kansas and Colorado.
According to a recent filing relating to detention, during a search warrant executed on Dec. 11 at Tanzer’s home, investigators located restraints, a gag, a black hat and zip ties together in Tanzer’s dresser.
The same filing also detailed that two additional victims have been identified who were repeatedly drugged and raped by Tanzer, including as recently as two and a half years ago in Kansas. The document includes information about Tanzer drugging the women in order to have sex with them without their consent and about Tanzer using a burner phone to engage with sex workers when he traveled for work for weeks or months at a time.
Federal law enforcement officials ask the public to consider the circumstances of the rapes, and the locations where Tanzer has lived, and to contact the FBI with any similar information at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Division; and Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge announced the arrest. The IRS-Criminal Investigation Cincinnati Field Office assisted in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly K. Rossi and Julie D. Garcia are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Glade Valley Man Is Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – James Matthew Johnson, 36, of Glade Valley, N.C., was sentenced to 22 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release today for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Johnson was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Andy LeBeau of the Boone Police Department join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip that an individual later identified as Johnson was uploading CSAM to a cloud. Law enforcement initiated an investigation and identified the defendant. In June 2023, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant, seizing Johnson’s electronic devices. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed that Johnson possessed CSAM, including more than 200 images and 300 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as toddlers. The cell phone analysis further revealed that Johnson had also produced CSAM of a minor victim that included images and videos where the minor victim appeared to be intoxicated. Court records show that, during an interview with law enforcement, Johnson admitted that the minor victim was unaware that Johnson was producing CSAM of the sexual abuse.
On March 22, 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In announcing Johnson’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell said, “these offenses are serious, and the Court takes them seriously.”
The investigation was handled by HSI and the Boone Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Ghanaian National Sentenced to Prison for Role in Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A Ghanaian national pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal money laundering laws and has been sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on David Kakra Mensah, 31, of Accra, Ghana.
According to information presented to the Court, Mensah engaged in a money laundering conspiracy from in and around April 2022 until in and around June 2022. The court was advised that a Washington, D.C.-based university was the victim of a business email compromise that resulted in the fraudulent transfer of more than $603,000 from a bank account located in the Western District of Pennsylvania into a separate bank account owned by Mensah’s co-defendant, Charles Wilson Stout, who also has pleaded guilty and is pending sentencing.
To obfuscate the source of the fraudulent funds, Mensah and his co-defendant created a shell company and transferred portions of the funds into cryptocurrency that was ultimately deposited into a cryptocurrency account that Mensah owned. In addition to receiving a portion of the funds associated with the business email compromise, Mensah also was involved in a romance fraud scheme in which he obtained and moved money through individual victims living in Pennsylvania, Oregon, and elsewhere.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark V. Gurzo and Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Mensah.
German Sentenced to 240 Months in Prison for Travel with the Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A German man was sentenced today to 240 months in prison for traveling to New Jersey for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Christian Stefan Walther, 40, of Erfurt, Germany, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging him with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Law enforcement authorities began investigating Walther around January 2023 for child exploitation offenses. Two undercover officers communicated with Walther via email, phone, and an encrypted messaging app concerning Walther’s desire for sexual encounters with young children. Walther sent an undercover officer two videos, each of which depicted an adult male engaging in sexual conduct with a prepubescent aged female child. Walther also expressed his desire to engage in sexual conduct with children aged 8 to 12, described in graphic detail the sex acts he planned to commit against the children, and explained that he had lied to his friends in Germany about the purpose of his trip to the United States. Walther agreed to pay U.S. currency for access to the children.
On March 23, 2023, Walther traveled from Germany to New Jersey to meet the undercover officers in advance of what he believed would be a sexual encounter with one or more children at a hotel. Upon his arrest, Walther admitted that he traveled to the United States to have sex with children under 12.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked officers of the New Jersey State Police, under the leadership of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
Garner Hotel in Clarksville Agrees to Settle Allegations that It Violated the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Acting United States Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today that the United States has reached an agreement with Triumph Hospitality, LLC and A&S Hospitality Management, LLC, which collectively own and operate the Garner Hotel in Clarksville, Tennessee, to settle allegations that the Garner violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) by failing to honor a reservation made for an accessible room by an individual with a disability. As part of the settlement, the Garner will implement ADA training, pay the complainant $5,000.00, and pay a $2,000.00 civil penalty to the United States.
“We are committed to enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities in Tennessee,” said Acting United States Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski. “Hotels must have systems in place to effectively manage reservations made for accessible rooms by individuals with disabilities. Questioning a hotel guest’s disability status is prohibited under the ADA and is not an appropriate response when a hotel fails to honor a reservation for an accessible room.”
The United States alleges that the complainant reserved an accessible room, but that the hotel failed to honor the reservation when the complainant presented at the check-in desk. The United States also alleges that the hotel employee at the check-in desk made insensitive and inappropriate comments regarding the complainant’s disability, including questioning the complainant’s disabled status while other individuals in the hotel’s lobby and the complainant’s family were present. The hotel staff were ultimately unable to secure an alternative reservation for an accessible room at the Garner or at another hotel, and the complainant was unable to use the shower in the room where the complainant ultimately stayed.
Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, the owners and operators of the Garner will implement an ADA policy that complies with the Code of Federal Regulations sections pertaining to hotels, including 28 C.F.R. § 36.302. The owners will also conduct ADA training and pay the complainant $5,000.00 and a civil penalty to the United States of $2,000.00.
The civil claims settled by this Settlement Agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Tackeff investigated the complaint and negotiated the Settlement Agreement.
The Department of Justice has a number of publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit www.ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information Line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). ADA complaints may be filed by email to [email protected].
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Franklin Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to Steal over $118,000 in Welfare BenefitsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Franklin man pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing more than $118,000 in Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and childcare benefits, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Ryan Leblanc, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of making False Statements. U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2025.
Leblanc was living with the mother of his children but did not list her as part of his household. He instead falsely told the New Hampshire Department of Health Human Services that she was an “absent parent” and had not lived with him for several years. Leblanc applied for SNAP benefits and childcare benefits multiple times between March 2019 and December 2023, and each time omitted his partner from his household. Because of that, he underreported household income and financial resources and was able to get over $118,000 in SNAP benefits and childcare payments that he was ineligible for.
The charge of False Statements provides for a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General and New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.
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Former Member of Congress Charged with Acting as an Unregistered Agent of a Venezuelan NationalRead the Press Release
Note: View the indictment here.
A grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment yesterday charging David Rivera, 59, of Miami, with a scheme to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and to launder funds to conceal and promote his criminal conduct.
As alleged in the indictment, from in or about June 2019 through in or about April 2020, Rivera carried out a scheme to provide consulting and lobbying services to sanctioned Venezuelan businessman Raul Gorrín, who was added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) on Jan. 8, 2019, by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
On Gorrín’s behalf, Rivera sought to lobby U.S. government officials, including a senior official in the Executive Branch of the U.S. government (Government Official-1), to have Gorrín removed from the SDN List. Rivera received over $5.5 million for these activities and willfully failed to register under FARA, as required by law.
To conceal and promote his criminal activities, Rivera created fraudulent shell companies using names associated with a law firm and with Government Official-1 to give the false appearance that the shell companies were legitimate. In reality, these entities were not affiliated with the law firm or Government Official-1, and neither the law firm nor Government Official-1 were aware that Rivera had created shell companies in their names. Rivera used the money he received from his criminal activities to pay individuals who assisted him in his efforts to lobby senior government officials on Gorrín’s behalf, including by making payments through one of the shell companies.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sean O’Dowd and Monica Svetoslavov of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Healthcare Executive Sentenced for Mail FraudRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Kevin Harrington, age 50, of Oneonta, New York, was sentenced to serve a three-year term of federal probation and ordered to pay over $150,000.00 in restitution to his former employer in relation to his previous guilty plea to two counts of mail fraud, 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) announced.
At his previous change of plea hearing, Harrington admitted that he was the former executive director at First Community Care of Bassett, LLC (an affiliate of Bassett Healthcare Network). During his employment, Harrington submitted fraudulent expense reports seeking reimbursement for the purchase of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. As part of the scheme, Harrington provided invoices to his employer that falsely claimed he had paid thousands of dollars for medical equipment when no such equipment was ever purchased. Unaware that the invoices were fraudulent, First Community Care of Bassett issued and mailed checks to Harrington for reimbursement. In total, Harrington admitted to stealing over $150,000.00 from his former employer.
In addition to his term of probation, Harrington was ordered to serve six months of home confinement and was fined $5,500.00.
The FBI investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck.
Former FBI Agent Indicted on Charges of Cyberstalking, Witness Tampering, and Obstruction of Criminal InvestigationRead the Press Release
OAKLAND - A federal grand jury has indicted Paul Raymond Flood with cyberstalking, witness tampering, and obstruction of a criminal investigation by bribery. Flood, 54, of Castro Valley, was arrested yesterday and made his initial appearance in federal court this morning.
According to the indictment, which was filed May 16, 2024, and unsealed today, Flood was a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 2007 through 2019. In early October 2018, Flood met a first-year law student, referred to in the indictment as “Victim-1” or “V-1,” who had contacted him for information on pursuing a future career with the FBI. A family member of V-1’s, referred to in the indictment as “B-1,” knew Flood and referred V-1 to him.
Within a few weeks of meeting V-1, Flood allegedly began to make unwelcome romantic advances toward V-1 and engage in a pattern of harassing and intimidating conduct. The indictment charges that, among other conduct, Flood had a diamond ring delivered to V-1 in mid-October 2018; used different numbers and messaging applications to call and text V-1, creating and using at least 79 different numbers between mid-October 2018 through September 2019; sent messages demonstrating that he was surveilling V-1 and her family; and repeatedly pressured B-1 to have V-1 call or unblock Flood.
Although V-1 initially did not report Flood due to her family’s fear of retaliation, V-1 reported him in June 2019 to federal and local law enforcement authorities. Shortly thereafter, the FBI suspended Flood from duty and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) opened an investigation into Flood’s conduct. In response, Flood allegedly employed various means to pressure, harass, intimidate, and persuade V-1 to help him by not providing statements or testimony in the investigations against him, including threatening to commit suicide, offering V-1 various bribes, and pressuring V-1’s family members to persuade her not to cooperate with law enforcement. Flood allegedly succeeded in persuading V-1 to help him obstruct the pending investigations. This included V-1’s evading multiple attempts by DOJ OIG investigators to contact her for an interview and to serve her with a federal grand jury subpoena in July 2019. According to the indictment, Flood also persuaded V-1 to agree to enter a sham marriage with him so that she would not have to testify against him, buying her a $17,000 engagement ring in the process. V-1 did not follow through with the sham marriage plan.
The indictment charges Flood with one count of cyberstalking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2)(B), two counts of witness tampering by intimidation, threats, corrupt persuasion, or misleading conduct in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(b)(2) and (b)(3), one count of witness tampering by harassment in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(d), and one count of obstruction of a criminal investigation by bribery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1510(a).
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Flood faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each witness tampering count under 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b), three years in prison on the witness tampering count under 18 U.S.C. § 1512(d), and five years in prison on each count of cyberstalking and obstruction. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Flood is currently on conditional release. His next appearance in federal court is scheduled for Jan. 15, 2025.
United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Zachary Shroyer, Special Agent in Charge of DOJ OIG Western Region, made the announcement.
Assistant United States Attorney Anne C. Hsieh is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Mimi Lam, Lakisha Holliman, and Helen Yee. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DOJ OIG, with assistance from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.
Paul Raymond Flood Indictment
Foreign National Previously Extradited from Mexico Pleads Guilty to Leadership Role in Prolific Human Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Mexican national extradited to the United States from Mexico in 2023 pleaded guilty today to leading a human smuggling conspiracy operating in Mexicali on the U.S.-Mexico border for several years.
According to court documents, Ofelia Hernandez-Salas, 63, led a human smuggling organization that facilitated the travel of more than 100 migrants into the United States from and through Bangladesh, Yemen, Pakistan, Eritrea, India, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Russia, Egypt, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. Hernandez-Salas’ organization charged the migrants as much as tens of thousands of dollars to make the journey and directed the migrants where to illegally cross the border into the United States, including by providing them with a ladder to climb over the border fence. Hernandez-Salas and co-conspirators also robbed the migrants of money and personal belongings while armed with guns and knives.
“Hernandez-Salas has pled guilty to leading a criminal organization that smuggled migrants from more a dozen countries into the United States,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Her plea is the latest example of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA)’s long reach and unwavering commitment to bringing to justice the leaders of the human smuggling operations that victimize migrants for profit and endanger our national security.”
“Human smugglers are ruthless — they lie to, steal from, and gravely endanger their victims, wreaking death and devastation across our region,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to work with our federal and international partners to help dismantle human smuggling operations and bring perpetrators to justice.”
“We launched JTFA three years ago to disrupt the human smuggling networks that cause misery throughout the Western hemisphere,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Today, a leader of one such network pleaded guilty, making clear that if you try to profit from the desperation of others, the U.S. justice system will hold you accountable.”
“Hernandez-Salas ran a prolific human smuggling organization that illegally brought migrants from around the world into the United States — charging the migrants thousands of dollars, and often robbing them of additional money and belongings,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Such criminal operations not only violate U.S. law, but they also put migrants at great personal and financial risk. The Justice Department, through JTFA, is committed to working with our foreign law enforcement partners in Mexico and elsewhere to disrupt and dismantle dangerous transnational criminal organizations.”
“Extradition is a powerful tool to hold leaders of transnational criminal organizations accountable to American justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “But it requires cooperation and collaboration with our neighbors. Thanks to all the stakeholders of JTFA throughout the federal government for breaking down barriers and working proactively and collegially with Mexican authorities.”
Hernandez-Salas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States and three substantive counts of bringing an alien to the United States for commercial benefit or private financial gain. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In June 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed corresponding sanctions on the Hernandez-Salas transnational criminal organization.
Hernandez-Salas and co-defendant Raul Saucedo-Huipio, 50, were arrested by Mexican authorities at the request of the United States in March 2023. Saucedo-Huipio remains in custody in Mexico.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Yuma is investigating the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service, working in concert with HSI Tijuana, INTERPOL, and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. CBP’s National Targeting Center/Counter Network Division and OFAC also provided valuable assistance.
JTFA Co-Director Jim Hepburn and Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Jennis for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Mexico. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting and extraditing Hernandez-Salas.
The investigation and prosecutions of Hernandez-Salas and Saucedo-Huipio are being coordinated through JTFA. JTFA was created in June 2021 by Attorney General Garland, in partnership with Secretary Mayorkas, to strengthen the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse, or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.
Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other U.S. law enforcement agencies, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations that have the most impact on the United States; and coordinated significant human smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. In June, the initiative was expanded to Colombia and Panama to combat human smuggling in the Darién. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, District of New Mexico, District of Arizona, and Southern District of California. Dedicated support for the program is also provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division that are part of JTFA, led by HRSP and supported by the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; OIA; and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 345 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; over 290 U.S. convictions; 240 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This investigation is also supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or raise grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 17 Years After Pill Killed 18-Year-OldRead the Press Release
A drug trafficker who sold fentanyl to an 18-year-old girl who died of an overdose was sentenced this week to 17 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Ladraelyn Bolar, 34, was charged via criminal complaint in April and pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced Tuesday by senior U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means.
According to plea papers, Mr. Bolar admitted he conspired with others to distribute fentanyl. He acknowledged he sold blue M-30 pills containing fentanyl to an undercover ATF agent on March 25, 2024.
A confidential informant introduced the agent to Mr. Bolar and accompanied him to a parking lot in Fort Worth, where Mr. Bolar sold the undercover agent 100 M-30 fentanyl pills for $250, or $2.50 per pill. Later in the day, Mr. Bolar offered the undercover agent a “k-pack” of 1,000 fentanyl pills; the agent then bought 900 more fentanyl pills for $1,400, or approximately $1.55 per pill.
According to the evidence in the case, just five days prior, the friend of a woman who died from a fentanyl overdose told officers that she and the victim had purchased the offending pills from Mr. Bolar.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Levi Thomas prosecuted the case with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith.
Federal grand jury indicts six men for conspiring to steal and re-sell restaurant cooking oilRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Guodeng Chen, Didi Huang, Fangfang Yan, all of Pittsford, NY, Ruimao Yang, Yan Han, and Wen Xiao Zhang, all of New York, NY, with conspiracy to transport and sell stolen goods in interstate commerce, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Defendants Chen, Huang, and Yan are also charged with transportation and sale of stolen goods in interstate commerce, which carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, the defendants conspired to commit a series of thefts of used cooking oil, which can be refined into biodiesel fuel and re-sold for $4.00 to $5.00 per gallon, from numerous restaurants within and around Monroe County. Defendants Yang, Han, and Zhang drove trucks to restaurants and Zhang stole used cooking oil from oil collection tanks located outside of those restaurants. The defendants then delivered the stolen cooking oil to Chen, Huang, and Yan at a warehouse. Han worked in the warehouse and assisted in the collection and storage of the stolen cooking oil. Chen, Huang, and Yan subsequently sold the stolen cooking oil to a broker and caused the stolen cooking oil to be transported across state lines to a refinery located in Pennsylvania. On April 8 2022, Chen, Huang, and Yan caused approximately 45,000 pounds of stolen, used cooking oil to be transported from the Western District of New York to Erie, Pennsylvania, receiving more than $5,000 for the shipment. On April 28, 2022, Chen, Huang, and Yan caused another approximately 45,000 pounds of stolen, used cooking oil to be shipped from the Western District of New York to Erie, Pennsylvania, again receiving more than $5,000 for this shipment.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Harry Chavis, Acting Executive Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Office.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Search Warrants ExecutedRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On Wednesday, December 18, 2024, federal search warrants were executed at the following locations in the Des Moines metropolitan area:
- 700 block of SE 6th Street, Des Moines;
- 4700 block of 64th Street, Urbandale;
- 5800 block of Urbandale Avenue, Des Moines;
- 600 block of Kenyon Avenue, Des Moines;
- 7300 block of SE 19th Street, Des Moines;
- 3000 block of East University Avenue, Des Moines;
- 200 East Edison Avenue, Des Moines;
- 7200 block of SE 5th Street, Des Moines;
- 800 block of Knob Hill Drive, Des Moines;
- 14000 block of Lakeview Drive, Clive;
- 1200 block of East 34 Street, Des Moines;
- 5200 block of Douglas Avenue, Des Moines;
- 3700 block of East Sheridan Avenue, Des Moines.
The searches at these locations were an official law enforcement action involving officers, agents, and investigators from Des Moines Police Department, United States Postal Inspection Service – Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, and Houston Divisions, FBI Omaha Field Office, FBI Des Moines Resident Agency, FBI Des Moines Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF), Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Iowa State Patrol SWAT, United States Marshals Service, West Des Moines Police Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Story County Sheriff’s Office, Pleasant Hill Police Department, Johnston Police Department, Altoona Police Department, Indianola Police Department, Ankeny Police Department, Clive Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, Norwalk Police Department, Urbandale Police Department, Waukee Police Department, Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force, Central Iowa Drug Task Force, Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT), and Metro Special Tactics and Response (STAR), with assistance from the Chicago, Illinois Police Department and Houston, Texas Police Department.
False Claims Act Lawsuits Filed Against Three Individuals for Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic Relief FundsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee today announced the filing of lawsuits against three individuals alleging they fraudulently applied for and received CARES Act pandemic relief funds:
• Jazmyn Paduani (Manchester, New Hampshire) is alleged to have fraudulently applied for, received, and received forgiveness for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.
• Devin Vangel (Colorado Springs, Colorado) is alleged to have fraudulently applied for and received a COVID-19 Economic Injury and Disaster Loan Emergency Advance.
• Antoinette Avery (Holden, Maine) is alleged to have fraudulently applied for, received, and received forgiveness for a PPP loan.
As alleged in each of the complaints, the defendants either misrepresented the annual income and payroll costs of their businesses or misrepresented that they operated any business at all. Two defendants who received PPP loans also each received forgiveness for the loans by allegedly misrepresenting how the loan funds were used.
The complaints against Paduani, Vangel, and Avery were brought by the United States under the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA). The FCA provides that any person who “knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval” or “knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim” is liable to the United States for three times the amount of damages which the United States sustains, plus a civil penalty for each FCA violation. For FCA violations assessed after February 12, 2024, the minimum penalty per violation is $13,946.
Section 951 of FIRREA provides that the Attorney General may recover civil penalties against persons who knowingly make a false statement for the purpose of influencing a decision by the Administrator of the SBA or to obtain a loan, money, or anything of value under the SBA’s business loan program, including the PPP. For FIRREA violations assessed after February 12, 2024, the maximum penalty per violation is $2,449,575.
The complaints filed by the United States are a result of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s ongoing efforts to identify and investigate fraudulently obtained pandemic relief funds. Recent amendments to federal law have extended the statute of limitations for civil and criminal fraud enforcement actions concerning PPP and EIDL loans from six to ten years.
The civil actions are docketed United States v. Paduani, 24-cv-00439-JCN (D. Me.); United States v. Vangel, 24-cv-00440-JCN (D. Me.); and United States v. Avery, 24-cv-00441-KFW (D. Me.).
The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
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Evansville Domestic Abuser Sentenced to More Than Sixteen Years in Federal Prison After Shooting Ex-GirlfriendRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE— Ronald Jeremy McCallister, 51, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 200 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, on August 23, 2023, Evansville Police Department officers were called to a home in Evansville in response to a report of gunshots in the area. The officers were later advised that a woman had been shot by her ex-boyfriend, Ronald McCallister.
When officers arrived at the house, they found the woman in the backyard, near a tent, with a gunshot wound to her left ankle. The woman told officers that McCallister had been sending her suicidal messages through Facebook Messenger. After receiving the suicidal messages, she drove to the house where McCallister had been living in a tent in the backyard, hoping to offer him support. The conversation quickly escalated into an argument, at which point McCallister pulled out a gun and placed it next to the woman’s head. McCallister fired one round next to her face, and then pointed the gun at her foot and fired. He then went inside the house, leaving the woman on the ground in the backyard.
During a search of the home, officers found McCallister hiding in a bedroom. They also located McCallister’s gun, a loaded 9mm handgun.
McCallister has a lengthy criminal record, including felony convictions for domestic battery, robbery resulting in bodily injury, battery by means of a deadly weapon, and armed robbery. These previous felony convictions prohibit McCallister from ever legally possessing a firearm ever again.
“We have prioritized federal prosecution of armed domestic abusers because of the extreme danger they pose to those in their homes and the public at large,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The victim in this case will be protected from her abuser for many years, because of the excellent work of EPD, the ATF, and our federal prosecutor. This sentence should serve as a warning anyone who is involved in domestic violence and illegally armed: get rid of the guns or risk a long term in federal prison.”
“It unfortunately bears repeating that we all deserve to be safest with our closest partners, but for too many that is not the case,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute domestic abusers who possess firearms to ensure our communities are safe from these offenders.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.
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Dominican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Salvador Reynoso-Perez, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for March 25, 2025. In November 2024, Reynoso-Perez was charged by indictment.
Reynoso-Perez was deported from the United States on two prior occasions, with the most recent being March 16, 2021. Sometime after his March 2021 removal, Reynoso-Perez unlawfully reentered the United States. Immigration authorities became aware of Reynoso-Perez’s unlawful presence in the United States on Sept. 17, 2024. Reynoso-Perez was serving a state sentence for, among other things, Possession to Distribute a Class A substance.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Denver Man Sentenced for Operating Illegal Gambling ParlorRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jonathan Arvay, 38, of Denver, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison after being found guilty by a federal jury on one count of conducting an illegal gambling business and one count of conspiracy to conduct an illegal gambling business.
According to the facts established at trial, Arvay operated Player One Arcade in Denver, part of a network of gambling parlors extending from Greeley to Pueblo. These parlors offered several electronic forms of gambling through games made to resemble arcade games, as well as virtual slot machines in which customers attempted to earn credits. Upon completing their game of choice, customers would exchange any credits won for a purported cryptocurrency, Obsidian Digital Asset Coin (ODAC), whose only function was to be exchanged for cash at an ATM-like “cryptocurrency teller machine” next door to or within the gambling parlor. Customers were required to pay a transaction fee to exchange the ODAC for U.S. currency.
“This was a modern version of old-fashioned illegal gambling,” said Acting United States Attorney Matt Kirsch. “I am grateful for our local and federal partners who helped put this criminal in prison.”
“This sentence reflects an appropriate resolution to a complicated case: When you launder money and commit fraud against the government, the FBI and our partners will track you down across jurisdictions,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek.
“IRS-CI remains on the cutting edge of cybercrime investigations as financial crimes continue to become more sophisticated,” said Tom Demeo Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office. “We are committed to staying one step ahead of criminals and leveraging our partnerships with federal and local law enforcement agencies to protect the U.S. tax system.”
United States District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the trial. The FBI Denver Field Division, the IRS Criminal Investigation Denver Field Office, and the Pueblo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Cyrus Y. Chung, Alison Connaughty, and Jena Neuscheler handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 23-cr-00222-GPG
Defendant Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Violent Spree of Gunpoint CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Bryan Miller, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”); and Jessica Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that ROBERT FELIX-ARACENA was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels to 10 years in prison for conspiring to commit a series of gunpoint carjackings in Manhattan, the Bronx, and elsewhere in 2020, and for a related firearms offense.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Robert Felix-Aracena and his co-defendants engaged in a violent, armed carjacking spree that endangered lives and terrorized victims. Felix-Aracena, like his co-defendants, is now being held accountable for his actions. Today’s sentence is a reminder that this Office will relentlessly investigate and prosecute those who seek to inflict violence on our communities.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said: “This sentencing for these brazen armed carjackings should serve as a clear warning that such criminal acts will never be tolerated. ATF remains steadfast in its commitment to working together with our partners to identify, investigate, and apprehend the most violent offenders in our communities. I want to thank the men and women of the ATF/NYPD SPARTA Task Force, the NYPD Manhattan Robbery Squad, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for bringing these individuals to justice. We will dedicate all necessary resources to continue collaboration with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure our streets remain safe.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said: “This sentencing marks the final dismantling of an organized criminal network that instilled fear in New York City motorists. It is also a testament to the collaborative efforts of the dedicated NYPD investigators and ATF agents on the SPARTA task force. Their tireless work, day and night, is making people safe, making them feel safe, and enhancing the quality of life for all New Yorkers.”
According to the Indictment and statements made in public court documents and proceedings:
In October and November 2020, FELIX-ARACENA and a group of other individuals participated in a series of armed carjackings in Manhattan, the Bronx, and elsewhere. That group also included co-defendant CHRISTIAN CRUZ, who was sentenced earlier this year to 10 years in prison; co-defendant ANDRES CAICEDO, who was sentenced last month to four years in prison; and co-defendant JOSE LAVANDIER, who was previously sentenced to three years in prison. In particular:
- On October 22, 2020, CAICEDO and others participated in a gunpoint carjacking in the Bronx. As a co-conspirator brandished a firearm at the victim, CAICEDO took marijuana, cash, and the victim’s car keys from the victim.
- On November 1, 2020, FELIX-ARACENA, CRUZ, and others participated in a gunpoint carjacking from two victims in the Bronx. FELIX-ARACENA, armed with a TEC-9 firearm, and another carjacker took the vehicle from the victims, with FELIX-ARACENA brandishing a firearm and firing a shot near the foot of one of the victims in the process.
- On November 3, 2020, FELIX-ARACENA, CRUZ, and others participated in a gunpoint carjacking from two victims in Brooklyn. The group was driving the vehicle they had carjacked two days earlier, and CRUZ was armed with, and brandished, the TEC-9. That same day, the stolen vehicle was recovered in the Bronx by law enforcement, after FELIX-ARACENA, CRUZ, and the other carjackers fled from law enforcement in the stolen vehicle and on foot.
- On November 7, 2020, FELIX-ARACENA and others participated in a gunpoint carjacking from multiple victims in Manhattan. The other carjackers, armed with a firearm, approached the victims and took their vehicle, while FELIX-ARACENA and another carjacker remained in the getaway vehicle.
- During the evening of November 10, 2020, and the early morning hours of November 11, 2020, FELIX-ARACENA, CRUZ, and others participated in three gunpoint carjackings and an attempted carjacking.
- Finally, on November 13, 2020, FELIX-ARACENA, LAVANDIER, and others participated in a gunpoint carjacking from two victims in Manhattan. FELIX-ARACENA, armed with a defaced firearm, and another individual took the vehicle from the victims, while the other carjackers remained in the getaway vehicle. The stolen vehicle was located a few hours later, at which time FELIX-ARACENA, LAVANDIER and the others attempted to flee in the stolen vehicle before crashing into a nearby parked car. FELIX-ARACENA, LAVANDIER, and the others then fled on foot.
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In addition to the prison term, FELIX-ARACENA, 24, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and the NYPD, in particular, the Strategic Patterned Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension Task Force, which is composed of agents and officers of the ATF and the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Z. Margulies and Jonathan L. Bodansky are in charge of the prosecution.
D.C. Accountant Pleads Guilty to Mortgage Fraud and Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A Washington, D.C. CPA pleaded guilty today to making a false statement on a mortgage loan application and failing to file an income tax return.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Timothy Trifilo worked in tax compliance for several large accounting and finance firms. In recent years, Trifilo was managing director at a tax firm where he specialized in transaction structuring and advisory service, tax compliance and tax due diligence. Nevertheless, for a decade, Trifilo did not file federal income tax returns or pay all the taxes that he owed despite earning more than $7.7 million during that time. He caused a tax loss to the IRS of $2,057,256.40.
In February 2023, Trifilo sought to obtain a $1.36 million bank-financed loan to purchase a home in D.C. and was working with a mortgage company to do so. After the mortgage company told Trifilo that the bank would not approve the loan without copies of Trifilo’s filed tax returns, Trifilo provided the mortgage company with fabricated documents to make it appear as if he had filed tax returns and provided copies of tax returns for 2020 and 2021 that Trifilo never filed with the IRS. On these returns and other documents that he submitted to the mortgage company, Trifilo listed a former colleague as the individual who prepared the returns and uploaded them for filing with the IRS. This individual did not prepare the returns, has never prepared tax returns for Trifilo and did not authorize Trifilo to use his name on the returns and other documents that Trifilo submitted to the mortgage company. Based on Trifilo’s false representation, the bank approved the loan and Trifilo purchased the home.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 19, 2025. Trifilo faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison on the charge of making a false statement on a loan application and a maximum penalty of one year in prison on the charge of failure to file a tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Alexis Fleszar of the Justice Department's Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Cooper County Sex Offender Sentenced to 45 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Prairie Home, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for producing child pornography.
Bradley Leigh Knecht, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 45 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Knecht to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.
Knecht, who pleaded guilty to producing child pornography on April 4, 2024, is required to register as a sex offender due to prior Arkansas convictions for possessing child pornography.
A detective with the Boone County Cyber Crimes Task Force received a report on Aug. 17, 2022, that a user (later identified as Knecht) had uploaded multiple nude images of girls, approximately three to five years of age, to Snapchat. Knecht was arrested by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper during a traffic stop on Sept. 9, 2022, for failing to register as a sex offender in Cooper County, Mo. (to which he later pleaded guilty). His electronic devices were seized at the time of his arrest. Investigators found multiple social media accounts, including a Snapchat account, and identified the original child sexual abuse material that had been reported by Snapchat.
Knecht was using the Snapchat account to portray himself as a minor and engage in inappropriate conversations with other minors on Snapchat.
Investigators also found multiple nude images of a child victim under the age of 14. Knecht, portraying himself as the child victim, used the victim’s identity to solicit other children to produce and send pornographic images to him. For example, Knecht – posing as the child victim – exchanged approximately 284 messages with a user who identified herself as a 13-year-old girl over three days in May 2022. Knecht discussed matters of a sexual nature and requested and received nude images. In another conversation, Knecht, again posing as the child victim, messaged an individual who identified herself as a 14-year-old girl. Knecht sent her videos of the child victim as well as the 13-year-old from the previous conversation; the 14-year-old girl sent nude images of herself to Knecht. A total of 210 images were exchanged from May 12 to June 13, 2022.
Knecht also impersonated the child victim to sell her nude images to others using the CashApp application. Investigators identified more than 100 transactions in the three months prior to Knecht’s arrest on Sept. 9, 2022.
Knecht also had pleaded guilty in 2020 to failure to register as a sex offender in Moniteau County, Mo., as well as residing within one thousand feet of a school.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Cyber Crimes Task Force and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
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."
Convicted Felon, Whom Law Enforcement Encountered on Oakland’s “Blade,” Arrested on Firearm Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – An Oakland man was arrested yesterday on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jason Nious, 42, made his initial appearance in federal district court this morning.
According to the criminal complaint and court documents unsealed today, Oakland police encountered Nious on Sept. 18, 2024, while searching the 500 block of East 15th Street in Oakland for a different individual who had an active arrest warrant for gun possession. Officers saw Nious standing next to the wanted person and next to a car that was registered to Nious. Officers determined that Nious was a convicted felon, currently on probation. They then searched Nious’s car and found a gun with a live round in the chamber in a bag on the front passenger seat, along with a loaded 10-round magazine. Nious has prior convictions in Alameda County for human trafficking of a minor, providing controlled substances to a minor, and armed robbery.
Nious is next scheduled to appear in federal district court for a detention hearing on Dec. 23, 2024.
As detailed in the criminal complaint, the 500 block of East 15th Street in Oakland is within “the Blade,” an area surrounding International Boulevard between 5th Avenue and 23rd Avenue that is known throughout the Bay Area for its widespread pimping and pandering. The Blade also has seen a significant increase in other violent crimes in recent years. Consequently, this year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Oakland Police Department have been actively coordinating and increasing enforcement to combat sex trafficking and violent crime in the area.
United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp made the announcement.
A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Nious faces a maximum sentence of 15 years and a fine of $250,000 on the count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). A court would impose any sentence following conviction after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ivana Djak is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Oakland Police Department.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Giovanny Rivera-Sanchez (38, Kissimmee) to 57 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Rivera-Sanchez to forfeit a Glock 22 .40 caliber pistol, which was involved in his offense. Rivera-Sanchez entered a guilty plea on August 21, 2024.
Rivera-Sanchez was convicted of felony offenses in 2004, 2007, and 2008, and was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a result. On March 25, 2022, when Rivera-Sanchez was serving a term of federal supervised release, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at his residence. During the search, law enforcement officers discovered a firearm loaded with twelve rounds of ammunition. Officers interviewed Rivera-Sanchez, who stated that he was aware that the firearm was inside his residence.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Nate.
This case was 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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on the following 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.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Corey Whittico, 21, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal firearms offense stemming from his possession of a loaded Glock firearm equipped with a machine gun conversion device in December 2023, announced 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).
Whittico pleaded guilty on December 17, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. The Honorable John D. Bates scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 24, 2025.
According to court papers, on December 19, 2023, MPD officers familiar with Whittico observed him broadcasting live video over Instagram. The video showed Whittico in the front passenger seat of a moving vehicle in Northeast Washington, D.C. During the live broadcast, Whittico brandished a black Glock handgun that was equipped with an aftermarket machine gun conversion device, which has the effect of converting the firearm to fully automatic and is colloquially known as a “switch.”
As part of the same live broadcast, Whittico reached into the backseat of the vehicle and displayed black and clear plastic bags containing a green leafy substance consistent in appearance with marijuana. Officers located the vehicle in the Clay Terrace neighborhood of Northeast Washington and conducted a traffic stop. Following a search of the vehicle, officers recovered over three pounds of suspected marijuana and two Glock firearms: a Glock 27 equipped with a machinegun conversion device and loaded with 17 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition, and a Glock 45 loaded with 26 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Officers had observed Whittico brandishing one of those firearms—the Glock 27—on the Instagram live broadcast just minutes earlier.
Federal law prohibits Whittico from possessing a firearm because he has previously been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. For example, in 2023, Whittico was convicted of robbery in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland. Whittico was on probation for that offense at the time he possessed the firearm charged in this case.
The case was initially charged in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In January 2024, a federal grand jury empaneled by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia returned an indictment charging Whittico with the December 2023 offense.
Whittico has remained in custody since his December 19, 2023, arrest.
Whittico faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by MPD’s Sixth District Crime Suppression Team and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul V. Courtney and Kyle R. Mirabelli, with valuable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Cloherty and Omeed Assefi.
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Columbus Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Firearms, Including a Machine GunRead the Press Release
A Columbus resident who was advertising the sale of fully automatic weapons on social media—including ghost guns and machine guns—pleaded guilty to trafficking firearms resulting from a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation.
Matthew Azor, 19, pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on Dec. 17. Azor faces a maximum of 15 years in prison to be followed by at least three years of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. Sentencing will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Matthew Azor illegally sold machine guns and ghost guns on social media, making the deadliest of weapons readily available to dangerous individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office and law enforcement partners continue to prioritize prosecutions against those responsible for gun violence in Columbus and across the Middle District of Georgia.”
“The illegal trafficking of machine guns and ghost guns poses an unacceptable threat to the safety of our neighborhoods,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF will not waver in its mission to stop dangerous weapons from falling into the hands of criminals and will relentlessly pursue those who profit from this lawlessness.”
“Illegal firearms, especially machine guns and ghost guns, are a direct threat to public safety,” said Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis. “We remain committed to working alongside our federal partners to remove these dangerous weapons from the streets and hold those responsible accountable.”
According to plea agreement and other statements referenced in court, on Jan. 18, investigators with the Columbus Police Department’s Gang Unit contacted Azor, who was advertising Glock switches and firearms equipped with machine gun conversion devices for sale on social media. On Jan. 26, an undercover agent (UC) with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) contacted Azor and arranged for the purchase of machine guns. Azor confirmed with the UC that he had firearms which functioned as machine guns available; specifically, an AR pistol and a Glock.
The UC met Azor in Columbus and paid $1,100 for the following: a Glock model 17 9x19mm caliber firearm with an attached switch to convert the semi-automatic pistol to a rapid-fire machinegun; a privately made AR-styled pistol also known as a ghost gun; and three rounds of assorted 9mm ammunition. ATF agents examined the firearms and determined the Glock model 17 was able to fire fully automatic and the ghost gun was semi-automatic. A few weeks later, the UC arranged for the purchase of a fully automatic firearm and a Glock machine gun conversion device (MCD) that Azor claimed he had for sale. On Feb. 29, the UC met Azor and purchased the following: a PA-15 AR-pistol with a loaded magazine and a purported Glock MCD. ATF agents later examined those firearms and determined both were not machine guns.
These cases are 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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place; setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Columbus Police Department’s Gang Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Williams is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Clinton Man Sentenced for Employment Tax Fraud, Mail Fraud and False StatementsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Clinton, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for his involvement in tax and mail fraud, and other offenses.
Juliano Fernandes, 42, of Clinton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to five years of probation. In July 2023, Fernandes pleaded guilty to 11 counts of employment tax fraud, two counts of mail fraud and two counts of making false statements to a federal agency.
Fernandes exercised financial control over Force Corporation and AB Construction, both Massachusetts-based construction companies. Between 2015 and 2017, Fernandes willfully failed to account for and pay over employment taxes for these companies to the United States Internal Revenue Service. In addition, from approximately April 2013 through January 2017, Fernandes defrauded worker’s compensation insurance companies by misrepresenting the number of employees at Force Corporation and AB Construction, and the wages paid to the employees. In August 2017, Fernandes also made materially false statements to the U.S. Department of Labor regarding the value of property he owned in Lunenburg, Mass., and that he never had responsibility or control over the payroll of Force Corporation. These statements related to the Department of Labor’s efforts to collect funds from Fernandes and his businesses in connection with alleged civil wage violations.
Co-defendant Anderson Dos Santos, who worked for AB Construction, signed and filed individual tax returns for tax years 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, in which he materially under-reported his income.
Dos Santos pleaded guilty and was sentenced in May 2024 to three years of probation.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jonathan Wlodyka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations, Boston Field Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, Northeast Region; and Anthony DiPaolo, Executive Director of the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan D. O’Shea and Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office and John T. Mulcahy of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Casa Grande Man Sentenced to over 4 Years for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Eleazar Alfredo Gomez, 32, of Casa Grande, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 58 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gomez pleaded guilty on September 10, 2024, to Felon in Possession of a Firearm. This is his second conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
On July 23, 2024, Gomez possessed a firearm after having been previously convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Felon in Possession of a Firearm (CR-18-01086-PHX-DLR). Gomez was sentenced to 46 months for possessing the firearm in this case, and an additional 12 months for violating his supervised release in the 2018 case.
The Phoenix Police department conducted the investigation in this case. The prosecution was handled by Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01328-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024- 177_Gomez# # #
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.CEO of mergers and acquisition advisory firm pleads guilty to defrauding clients of over $2MRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Arlington-based business owner pled guilty yesterday to wire fraud in connection with his scheme to defraud eight companies of over $2 million.
According to court documents, from at least January 2020 through December 2022, Kiel Brendan Brandt, 34, owned and operated Epsilon Acquisition Services, a mergers and acquisitions advisory firm. From at least February 2021 through December 2022, Brandt defrauded companies and individuals by lying about the status of deals and the state of Epsilon’s finances, by falsely claiming that Epsilon would refund fees if deals did not close, and by falsely claiming that refunds had been or imminently would be issued.
When Brandt failed to secure funding and deals did not close, Brandt falsely claimed that the deals were delayed because the lenders and/or partners needed additional due diligence materials, insurance records, or other documentation.
For example, a client company in Argentina paid Epsilon approximately $275,000 in refundable payments and fees to find a buyer to purchase the company. Brandt never closed the deal, but rather than repaying the funds, he told the company that the bank was having payment processing issues, that there were delays in the money posting to the account, that the bank was unable to timely send the funds because of a bank holiday, and that the delays were because of technical complications in transferring funds overseas. To make his supposed efforts appear legitimate, Brandt initiated a transfer from his bank and obtained a confirmation order, but he then canceled the transfer before any of the money was sent from his account. Brandt, nonetheless, sent the confirmation number to the company.
Brandt further obfuscated the scheme by suggesting there had been an internal miscommunication at Epsilon with an employee named “Steph” regarding from which account the transfer should be initiated. In truth, “Steph” was a fictitious employee who did not exist. Brandt also suggested that the company could help facilitate the transfer of funds by opening a U.S. bank account. When that did not result in a refund payment, Brandt communicated that he would open a bank account in Central America from which he would make payment. Approximately a year-and-a-half after the company first sought repayment of its funds, Brandt signed and executed a contract acknowledging that Epsilon had failed to return money held in escrow as well as other refundable fees. Brandt again falsely promised to repay a portion of the $225,000 that he owed the company by September 9, 2022, but did not send any money.
In September 2021, another company agreed to provide Epsilon with a $1 million bridge loan to facilitate transactions for the company. In the loan agreement, Brandt falsely represented Epsilon’s debts, hiding that Epsilon owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to other victims. Rather than using the funds for their intended purpose, Brandt directed over $700,000 in repayments to other clients to whom he owed money and used the remaining funds primarily for transfers to employees and payments to personal accounts.
Brandt also solicited upfront fees by various names including “good faith deposits,” “loan commitment fees,” “insurance fees,” and “prepayments of commissions.” As with the bridge loan, however, rather than directing the funds towards their intended uses, Brandt directed payments to Epsilon’s operating expenses, and made sizeable payments to his personal bank accounts. Brandt also used payments from victims to pay other victims and clients.
In total, Brandt defrauded eight companies of $2,002,750 and he repaid the victims only $193,323. Epsilon also failed to repay $175,000 in advances to a ninth company. In his plea agreement, Brandt agrees to pay $1,984,426 in total restitution.
Brandt is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack A. Morgan and Kenneth R. Simon Jr. are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-250.
Bristol Man Pleads Guilty to Making Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DENNIS JOHN HERNANDEZ, also known as “DJ Hernandez” and “Jonathan Hernandez,” 38, of Bristol, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to making interstate threats.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6 and 7, 2023, Hernandez communicated with an individual via Facebook Messenger and made multiple statements threatening to carry out a shooting incident at UConn. The statements included “I would recommend remaining away from there because when I go I’m taking down everything And don’t give a f--- who gets caught in the crossfire. I’ve died for years now and now it’s others people turn. I’m prepared to give my life. So if I don’t get to see you on the outside know I love you always Not all shootings are bad I’m realizing. Some are necessary for change to happen.”
Court documents allege that Hernandez’s vehicle was identified on UConn’s campus on July 7.
On July 18 and 19, 2023, Hernandez made multiple Facebook posts threatening to harm or kill three individuals who reside out of state, including a state court judge. In addition, on July 19, in a conversation via text message with one of the victims, Hernandez stated “We’re taking lives if s--- isn’t paid up. It’s been years in planning just taking notes, names and locations. They talked their way into this and it’s almost point game. I know we don’t play in my family. If we have to take lives or buildings we will. So just letting you know so you can be prepared for a media circus one way or another.”
Hernandez pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate communications containing a threat to injure, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Nagala scheduled sentencing for February 6.
Hernandez has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on July 19, 2023.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bristol Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Vehicle Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ELVIS PEREZ, also known as “Pops,” 60, of Bridgeport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a multistate identity theft scheme that defrauded dozens of individuals and businesses out of more than $1 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Perez was involved in a multistate identity theft scheme led by his son-in-law, Tyshon Walker, and his daughter and Walker’s spouse, Stephanie Perez. Beginning in September 2020, Walker obtained personal information stolen from residents of Connecticut and other states and used it to apply for vehicle loans at dealerships in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island for motorcycles, an all-terrain vehicle, and other performance vehicles. Once the loan was approved by the dealership using the identity theft victim’s information, Walker would send “runners,” including Elvis Perez, to pick up the vehicle utilizing a fictitious driver’s license that included the identity theft victim’s information and a photograph of the runner. The vehicle was then transported back to Connecticut for resale on Facebook Marketplace.
Perez, sometimes alone and sometimes with an accomplice, travelled to at least four different car dealerships and stole at least four different vehicles as part of this scheme. Walker paid him for his work acquiring and transporting each vehicle.
Perez’s criminal history includes 12 felony convictions.
Perez has been detained since his arrest on July 19, 2023. On June 11, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Walker and Stephanie Perez have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, the Hopkinton (R.I.) Police Department, the Westtown – East Goshen Regional (Pa.) Police Department, and the Washington Township (N.J.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and Heather M. Cherry.
Belmont County man pleads guilty to child exploitation crimes in plea agreement that calls for 30-to-60-year prison sentenceRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Dennis Stopar, 65, of Flushing, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to sexually exploiting minors and possessing child pornography. The plea agreement includes a sentence recommendation of 30 to 60 years in prison.
According to court documents, between 2022 and 2023, Stopar sexually assaulted multiple female minor victims, forced a minor male victim to engage in sexual activity with another child and created hundreds of videos and images of the horrific abuse.
In December 2023, Dropbox, Inc. submitted a cyber tipline to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding child pornography being uploaded to a Dropbox account. Dropbox identified the IP address associated with the account within 24 hours. Further investigation revealed Stopar, a convicted sex offender, lived in a trailer on the property identified as the IP address.
On December 28, Belmont County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a local search warrant and seized Stopar’s electronic devices. Stopar’s electronic devices were subsequently processed via a federal search warrant, and he was charged federally in April 2024.
Stopar’s prior sex offense is a rape conviction for sexually abusing a victim beginning when the victim was approximately 6 years old until the victim was 16 years old.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Belmont County Sheriff David L. Lucas announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting 16 ChildrenRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Chief U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Gary Rocky Jones, 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, to life in federal prison followed by lifetime supervised release, for the sexual exploitation of 16 minors.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Baltimore Field Office, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department.
Already a twice-convicted sex offender, Jones was found guilty in September 2023 of 27 counts of sexually exploiting a child. Additionally, Jones was convicted of 15 counts of using an interstate commerce facility — specifically the internet — to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, commissioning a felony crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender, and distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to the evidence presented at trial, between 2014 and 2015, twice, Jones produced images and videos of a minor male — who was 14 to 15 years old at the time — engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, as detailed during the trial, from September 2018 through August 2020, Jones used social media accounts to persuade, entice, and coerce an additional 15 minor males, who were from several different states and ranged from eight to 17 years old, to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
During these internet-based communications, Jones convinced the victims to produce livestreamed and recorded visual depictions of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct, alone and with others. Then Jones had the boys send him the sexually explicit images and videos via the internet.
On April 2, 2018, Jones used a social media account to distribute child sexual abuse material. Additionally, from December 2, 2014, through January 31, 2020, and from May 29, 2017, through July 14, 2020, respectively, Jones possessed child sexual abuse material, in connection with two separate email addresses and related storage accounts. The jury found that, based on the evidence presented at trial, between 2015 and 2020, Jones committed felony offenses involving minors while he was required to register as a sex offender under Maryland law.
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 Attorney’s 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.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Colleen E. McGuinn, who are 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Armed Robbery of Three Postal Workers Leads to 21+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Wednesday sentenced a man who robbed U.S. Postal Service letter carriers in St. Louis County as part of a conspiracy to steal checks from the mail to 21 years and three months in prison.
Xavier Sean Boyd, 20, of Jennings, was one of five people involved in a conspiracy in the summer of 2022 to rob postal workers of the arrow keys that unlock mail collection boxes, use those keys to steal checks and then use those checks to commit fraud.
Boyd robbed a postal carrier at gunpoint on June 1, 2022, on Chambers Road in St. Louis County. The conspirators used that key four days later to steal mail from collection boxes in Berkeley, West Florissant, Normandy, Overland and Ferguson.
Boyd and co-conspirator Roy Lee Jones deposited $19,199.60 in stolen checks into Jones' credit union account on June 7, 2022. They next day, they tried to withdraw the entire amount, but were only able to obtain $8,500. They also deposited checks into Xavier Boyd 's bank account but were not able to withdraw any of the stolen funds.
Jones robbed a second postal carrier of his arrow key on June 9, 2022. Boyd robbed a third carrier less than 20 minutes later. Both were in Boyd’s mother’s SUV at the time. The third postal carrier noted the license plate of the SUV and police spotted the vehicle within minutes. Boyd initially pulled over and then sped away, sparking a high-speed chase that ended when Boyd crashed. Both men fled, carrying pistols. Police tackled Boyd within feet of the SUV and arrested Jones on the front steps of a nearby day care center.
In a video call from jail after his arrest, Boyd warned one of his co-conspirators to try and thwart the investigation, according to court documents. Boyd had just graduated from a prestigious local high school and had at least one college acceptance at the time he was terrorizing postal workers.
“Postal Service employees play an integral role in our communities delivering mail to the American people. As public servants, postal employees must be allowed to do their job safely and securely. Postal Inspectors will aggressively investigate anyone who brings harm to these invaluable public servants,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
Boyd pleaded guilty in September to three counts of robbery and two counts of possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a robbery.
Last month, Judge Schelp sentenced Jones, 22, to 84 months in prison. Jones pleaded guilty in August to one count of robbery, one count of theft of a mail key and one count of possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a robbery.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Dunkel 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.
Arizona Man Indicted for Sending Antisemitic Death Threats and StalkingRead the Press Release
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Nelson I. Delgado, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Newark Field Office, announced the return today of a three-count Indictment charging DONOVAN HALL with making interstate threats and interstate stalking. HALL was arrested on November 22, 2024, in Mesa, Arizona, and was subsequently presented in federal court in the District of Arizona. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Donovan Hall allegedly unleashed a campaign of terror against several Jewish New Yorkers, allegedly sending scores of hateful, violent, and antisemitic death threats. No individual deserves to be at the receiving end of these types of threats or to be targeted because of their religion. This Office is committed to aggressively prosecuting hate crimes of all kinds and seeking justice for the victims of these offensive and harmful acts.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado said: “We allege Hall used graphic and hate-filled rhetoric to terrorize several victims in New York City and around the U.S. These malicious phone calls escalated to text messages brazenly displaying his weapons, furthering his victims' worst fears. The FBI has ZERO tolerance for hate-filled speech, threats and violent actions. We will not rest until those who commit these types of crimes are held accountable.”
According to the Complaint, the Indictment, and other documents and statements in the public record:
Over a period of three months, HALL contacted several individuals located in New York, New York, (the “Victims”) approximately 1,000 times and made anti-Semitic and violent threats to torture, mutilate, and murder them and their families. In particular, starting in August 2024, HALL made dozens of threatening phone calls—many of which were anti-Semitic in nature—to the owner of a hotel located in Manhattan, the owner’s family members, and hotel staff. During these calls, HALL threatened numerous times to kill the Victims.
In October 2024, HALL escalated his threatening conduct by texting photographs of two firearms and a machete to the hotel owner, along with threats to use those weapons to harm the owner and his family. During a search of HALL’s residence in Arizona conducted on November 22, 2024, the firearms depicted in the text messages, among other weapons and ammunition, were recovered. The two firearms—neither of which is registered in HALL’s name—were located alongside his wallet in his backpack. One of the firearms was loaded.
HALL’s threats toward the Victims were part of a larger pattern of death threats sent to various other individuals. The targets of his threats are located throughout the U.S. In these communications, HALL consistently used violent and threatening language, and often targeted Jews.
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HALL, 34, of Mesa, Arizona, has been charged with two counts of making interstate threats, which each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of interstate stalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum 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 a judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Newark Field Office. Mr. Kim also thanked the New York Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, the FBI Phoenix Field Office, the Mesa Police Department, and the Clifton Police Department in Clifton, New Jersey.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Adelsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
After-Market Firearm Accessory Manufacturer and Distributor Sentenced for Illegal Distribution of Firearm SilencersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Hampshire company was sentenced for violating the National Firearms Act (NFA) by distributing interoperable components for firearm silencers.
KBC Capital, LLC d/b/a “Lethal Eye” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to three years’ probation and ordered to pay a $260,000 fine. In September 2024, KBC pleaded guilty to 26 counts of transferring a firearm in violation of the NFA.
“Silencers allow for the proliferation in criminal activity by reducing the sound of gunfire and affecting the ability to identify the location and source of a shot. By knowingly misbranding these devices, KBC flooded our streets with dangerous devices and impeded law enforcement,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners take all gun crimes seriously and will continue to work together to hold those accountable who violate our gun laws.”
“ATF takes violations of the National Firearm Acts very seriously, and suppressors in the wrong hands possesses significant threats to public safety. Today’s sentence, reinforces ATF’s commitment to arresting and prosecuting individuals who violate the NFA statutes,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division
“Each and every illicit silencer has potential for violent use and today’s sentence accounts for each transfer of a silencer made by KBC confirmed by this investigation. Companies in the firearms trade have a duty to follow regulations to ensure a safe, lawful firearms industry. This case brings together several of our law enforcement partners and underlines our commitment of holding sellers accountable when they try to subvert the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
“Postal inspectors are committed to ensuring the U.S. Postal Service is not a mechanism to distribute illicit firearms or firearm components,” stated Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “The sentence handed down in this case serves as a reminder that postal inspectors, along with our law enforcement partners, remain steadfast in our resolve to protect our communities from dangerous weapons.”
“This investigation is an example of DEA’s dedication to working with our local, state and federal partners in identifying, targeting and investigating those who are involved in selling dangerous devices,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to stop illegal activities so our communities can be safe places to be.”
KBC operated a website using the trade name “Lethal Eye,” selling a variety of firearms accessories. Despite marketing one of these products as a “muzzle break,” the product actually served as a principal part of a firearm silencer. This part was interoperable with other KBC products that, together, along with other generally available consumer products, could be combined to generate a firearm silencer. According to court documents, while doing business as “Lethal Eye,” KBC sent 26 illegal suppressor parts to Massachusetts residents. On Aug. 18, 2023, a search of Lethal Eye’s principal place of business resulted in the recovery of 327 items classified as illegal firearm silencers. At no time, was KBC an FFL and at no time did KBC pay the appropriate tax to manufacture a single silencer.
The NFA imposes taxes on the making and transfer of NFA Firearms, as well as a special occupational tax on Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) engaged in the business of importing, manufacturing and dealing in NFA firearms. Only certain classes of FFLs may lawfully manufacture NFA weapons. The NFA requires registration of all NFA firearms with the Attorney General in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The purpose of the NFA is to regulate transactions which are deemed to be more dangerous than those not regulated by the NFA due to their proliferation in criminal activity at the time the NFA was enacted.
United States Attorney Levy; ATF SAC Ferguson; HSI SAC Krol; USPIS INC Larco-Ward; and DEA Acting SAC Belleau made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Nashua (N.H.) and Hollis, (Mass.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.