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31 January 2025
LiveCare Inc. Agrees to Pay up to $4.9 Million to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that LiveCare Inc., located in Venice, Florida, has agreed to a settlement of up to $4.9 million to resolve allegations that the company violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act by unlawfully paying a marketing service for referrals of Medicare beneficiaries.
LiveCare provides remote patient monitoring (“RPM”) services to patients with Type 2 diabetes.
“Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute undermine the integrity of our healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida will hold providers participating in the federal health care system accountable for these violations in order to preserve program funds and ensure the provision of appropriate services to patients.”
“Kickback schemes waste valuable Medicare funds and undermine the integrity of medical decision-making,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricardo M. Carcas of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Our agency will continue to thoroughly investigate health care fraud, including the emerging area of allegations related to remote patient monitoring.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by private individuals, on behalf of the United States, under the qui tam (commonly known as “whistleblower”) provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery if the government takes over the case and obtains judgment against or reaches a monetary agreement with the defendant.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. It was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Keefe.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Lincoln Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that William Arthur Parrott, age 54, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was convicted on January 30, 2025, by a federal jury in Lincoln of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture after a three-day trial in Lincoln presided over by the United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis.
Evidence presented to the jury included testimony from three persons involved in drug distribution with Parrott between March of 2020 and November of 2022. In addition, the Government presented text messages sent between Parrott and one of the witnesses concerning drug transactions, drugs found during the search of a witness’s hotel room, information from searches involving co-conspirators, a tracker placed on a co-conspirator’s vehicle, and surveillance done by narcotics investigators.
Parrot is scheduled to be sentenced April 24, 2025. Parrott faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.00.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Jury Convicts Baltimore Man of First-Degree Felony Murder While Armed and Related Charges for Killing Unarmed Man in Southeast, D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ethan Cunningham, 22, of Baltimore, MD was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of two counts of felony murder while armed, and related charges stemming from a May 2022 shooting of James Lee Curtis, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The jury also found Cunningham guilty of one count of first-degree burglary while armed, one count of attempted robbery while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, and one count of possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman scheduled sentencing for March 28, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on May 10, 2022, the victim, James Lee Curtis, was coming home from getting dinner and picking up his roommate. As he was entering his building, the defendant, Ethan Cunningham, and an associate followed Curtis into his apartment building. The defendant brandished a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine and repeatedly assaulted Curtis, demanding he open his apartment door where a child and woman were inside. When Curtis refused to open the door, the defendant continued assaulting him throughout basement area of the apartment building until Curtis’s roommate tried to intervene. The defendant then began shooting, striking Curtis once, and striking his roommate’s backpack. The defendant then stood over the roommate who had fallen to the ground and threatened to shoot him before fleeing the building. Curtis died from his injuries shortly thereafter.
The defendant was arrested on May 30, 2022 and has remained detained since that date.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma McArthur and Natalie Hynum.
Jennings Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Brandon James Willridge, 41, of Jennings, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 84 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to information presented in court, in January 2023, law enforcement officers were familiar with Willridge and aware of his drug trafficking activities in the area and had an active arrest warrant for him. On January 30, 2023, officers with the Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and Gueydan Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Willridge as the result of the active arrest warrant for him.
During the traffic stop, officers found Willridge to be in possession of a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun underneath the driver’s seat of the vehicle. In addition, Willridge had a bottle containing several orange pills in the driver door console of the vehicle, which were confirmed to be Alprazolam, a controlled substance. Other evidence indicated Willridge had been trafficking in narcotics during this time in the Gueydan and Lake Arthur areas. Willridge pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information on October 18, 2024, charging him with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Willridge has prior felony convictions for false representation of a controlled substance in 2003 and possession with intent to distribute marijuana in 2010.
The case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and Gueydan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Myers P. Namie.
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Jacksonville Man Indicted for Attempting to Entice and Meet an 11-Year-Old Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Noel Daniel Simonca (47, Jacksonville) with attempting to entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Simonca faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. Simonca was arrested on January 19, 2025.
According to court documents, on December 10, 2024, an undercover FBI agent (UC) in Jacksonville was conducting an online undercover operation to identify adult individuals who were seeking to make contact with and engage in sexual activity with children. Posing as the parent of an 11-year-old child, the UC posted a short message in a public chatroom of a particular online social messaging app. A short time later, an individual using the app name “mdesase” contacted the UC using a private text messaging feature of the app. User “mdesase” confirmed that he would “love to see [the 11-year-old child],” and indicated that he had a preference for children aged “8-13.” On December 11, 2024, the UC and user “mdesase,” who was subsequently identified as Simonca, discussed meeting to have a “play date” and “trade [daughters].”
Between December 12, 2024, and January 19, 2025, there were more online text conversations between the UC and Simonca during which they discussed meeting in person. On December 26, 2024, Simonca texted the UC and described the sexual activity that he intended to engage in with UC’s “child.” Simonca and the UC ultimately agreed to meet at a specific location in Jacksonville Beach so that Simonca could meet the “child” and take photos of “her.” On the afternoon of January 19, 2025, Simonca drove to the agreed meeting location where he was arrested by FBI agents.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt:
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. Desoto and pleading not guilty on Jan. 30 was:
Oscar Gonzalez-Perez, 36, of Hesperia, California, on charges of distribution of methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gonzalez-Perez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Gonzalez-Perez was released pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 23-12.
Nolan A. Anselmi, 28, of Bozeman, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Anselmi faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and three years of supervised release on the drug charges and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearm charge. Anselmi was released pending further proceedings. The Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 24-23.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Jan. 30 was:
David Alan Moorse, 39, of Helena, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Moorse faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Moorse was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI’s Montana Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation. PACER case reference. 25-3.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Houston Man Indicted for Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Houston returned an indictment today charging a Texas man with not paying to the IRS taxes that his company withheld from employees’ paychecks.
According to the indictment, Joseth Limon, of Harris County, allegedly owned Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. The indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Platinum paid its employees over $3.5 million in wages and withheld over $450,000 in taxes from their paychecks. During that period, however, Limon allegedly did not pay the IRS those withheld taxes and did not file any employment tax returns, as required by law.
If convicted, Limon faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh for the Southern District of Texas 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.
Honduran National Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Elmer Edin Chavarria-Morales (32, Honduras) to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Chavarria-Morales entered a guilty plea on August 28, 2024.
According to court records, Chavarria-Morales, a citizen of Honduras, was convicted of rape in Indiana state court on June 26, 2018, and was deported from the United States on September 21, 2018. Chavarria-Morales reentered the United States and was convicted of illegal reentry after deportation in the Southern District of Texas on February 22, 2021, and was deported from the United States a second time on November 11, 2022.
Following his two deportations, Chavarria-Morales was arrested on April 2, 2024, by the Daytona Beach Police Department and was subsequently convicted of assault (domestic violence) on April 16, 2024. After his arrest, law enforcement learned that Chavarria-Morales was illegally present in the United States.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.
Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Re-entryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that VICTOR MANUEL OSORTO-LOPEZ (“OSORTO”), age 40, was sentenced on January 30, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, OSORTO was removed from the United States on December 4, 2009 and, again on September 3, 2012. He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on March 14, 2024, and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter. He was sentenced by United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe to (6) six months of imprisonment, to be followed by (1) one year of supervised release and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hazard Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Hazard, Ky., man, Herbert Allen, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 126 months, for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, on May 30, 2023, Allen knowingly possessed with the intent to distribute a kilogram of methamphetamine. Specifically, based on an investigation, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Allen’s residence. Upon their arrival, Allen was in his vehicle. When approached, Allen admitted to police that a backpack containing a large amount of methamphetamine was in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 1,084 grams of methamphetamine, plastic baggies, and a large quantity of cash.
Under federal law, Allen must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Allen’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Hazard Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Hazard, Ky., man, Clifton Plowman, 41, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 181 months, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to his plea agreement, following a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Plowman, law enforcement recovered multiple bags from the vehicle, containing 22 grams of methamphetamine and two sets of digital scales. On his person, they found $2,065 in cash and 50 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal law, Plowman must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and KSP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Guilty Verdict in Cook County Armed Drug Trafficking Conspiracy TrialRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – The head of an armed drug trafficking organization (DTO) based out of Cook County, Georgia, and two co-conspirators were found guilty this week of numerous federal charges following a two-and-a-half-week trial in Valdosta.
Calvin James Smith, Sr., aka “Rollo,” 56, of Adel, Georgia, was found guilty of all 23 counts he was charged with in the 44-count indictment: one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; 14 counts of distribution of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; two counts of distribution of cocaine base; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Smith is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Bobby Leon Kaiser, 54, of Adel, was found guilty of nine of 12 counts he was charged with: one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; two counts of distribution of methamphetamine; five counts of distribution of cocaine base; and one count of distribution of cocaine. Kaiser is facing a maximum of life in prison.
Vernardo Henley, 44, of Valdosta, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Henley is facing a maximum of life in prison.
The trial began on Monday, Jan. 13, and concluded on Wednesday evening, Jan. 29. Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands presided over the cases. Sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Federal, state and local law enforcement marshaled significant resources to stop the distribution of a large amount of deadly illegal drugs from a small town in South Georgia. Our dedicated trial team worked tirelessly to hold the leader and his co-conspirators accountable for their crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Armed drug trafficking organizations have no place in our communities, and we will continue working together to make Middle Georgia safer for everyone.”
“The success of this large-scale investigation and the arrests of these drug dealers demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to fighting the drug trafficking organizations responsible for driving addiction and destroying communities,” said FBI Atlanta Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Rich Bilson.
"Today’s verdict sends a clear message that criminal organizations operating in Georgia, especially those trafficking in dangerous drugs and using firearms to further their operations, will be held accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This conviction is a testament to the tireless work of our law enforcement partners, who have dedicated countless hours to ensuring that those who threaten our communities with violence and illegal substances will face justice.”
"Investigations and prosecutions like this one are great examples of the ongoing effort between local agencies and our federal partners to disrupt the flow of illegal narcotics into our communities,” said Hahira Police Chief Stryde Jones. “We are thankful to see this effort come to a close successfully.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the FBI undertook a significant investigation beginning as early as December 2020 of an armed drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by Smith and centered in Adel, a small town in South Georgia. During the course of the investigation, agents determined that Smith and Kaiser were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and crack cocaine, as well as marijuana, working with several associates. Kaiser and others were operating an open drug market at Kaiser’s gazebo and storage shed in Adel, where Smith was a major seller. Henley was released from federal prison on Jan. 20, 2022, and was heard over wiretap trying to locate Smith and purchase up to four kilograms of methamphetamine and sell the drugs. Beginning in Oct. 2021 and continuing through Nov. 10, 2022, agents developed confidential sources (CS) who provided information regarding drug activity at the gazebo and storage shed and conducted more than 25 controlled evidence purchases of methamphetamine and crack cocaine. As part of a wiretap, agents discovered 13 locations used by the DTO. Search warrants were executed at these locations on Nov. 10, 2022, and methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana and 15 handguns and rifles were seized. Agents recovered more than five kilograms of pure methamphetamine, more than ten pounds of marijuana and several hundred grams of crack cocaine and cocaine.
Smith was recorded hundreds of times discussing purchases and sales of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, and directing others to distribute the drugs. Smith has a lengthy criminal history including aggravated assault, illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and controlled substance distribution. Henley has many prior convictions including a 2015 conviction in the Middle District of Georgia for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Kaiser has prior felony convictions, including false imprisonment and drug possession.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI), the Hahira Police Department, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the Adel Police Department and the Moultrie Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Daniels and Robert McCullers are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Conspiracy and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A twice-deported Guatemalan national, described in court documents as being “the most consistent member” of an organized group of individuals that repeatedly stole high-end construction equipment, building supplies, and clothing from national retailer’s stores has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, after which he will be deported, having been convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and illegal re-entry into the United States, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
As described in court proceedings, Marvin Estuardo Morales De Paz, 30, of Cranston, was one of as many as a dozen members of a Rhode Island-based conspiracy of individuals who traveled to home improvement and clothing stores in at least five states to commit thefts, then transported the stolen merchandise to Rhode Island to sell. Morales was present for nearly every theft and set prices for, and directed sales of, the stolen items.
According to information presented to the court, the ring was involved in at least 35 documented thefts in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. It is estimated that members of the conspiracy stole more than $280,000 worth of merchandise. Tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen goods was recovered from Morales’s residence when he was arrested on April 11, 2024.
Morales was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith to 30 months of incarceration to be followed by one year of supervised release. Morales will be turned over to ICE and faces deportation upon completion of his term of incarceration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations agents in Providence, with the assistance of HSI agents in Boston, and Allentown, Pennsylvania, and the Providence, Coventry, Warwick, Smithfield, and Johnston, RI Police Departments; Boston, Norwood, Bellingham, Marlboro, Seekonk, Avon, Auburn, MA Police Departments; Montville and Fairfield, CT Police Departments; and the Parkesburg, Downingtown, Lebanon, Wyomissing, and Reading, PA, Police Departments; Nashua, NH Police Department; and Marlboro, NJ Police Department.
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Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Pedro Alberto Martin-Xon (24, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Martin-Xon faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. Martin-Xon will be arraigned on February 6, 2025.
According to the indictment, Martin-Xon was previously deported from the United States on January 3, 2019. Following his previous removal, he did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On January 26, 2025, Martin-Xon was found to be voluntarily in the United States in St. Johns County.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.
Grove Man Sentenced After Stealing Identity of Deceased FriendRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Terry Ross Killion, 43, for committing Aggravated Identity Theft. Judge Heil ordered Killion to serve 24 months imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release. Additionally, Judge Heil ordered Killion to pay $116,763 in restitution.
In 2019, Killion obtained the identifiers of his deceased friend, Kelly Davis, and began impersonating him. Killion set up several accounts in Davis’s name and contacted the Social Security Administration, claiming to be Kelly Davis. Killion then fraudulently diverted the payments to himself.
Killion will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General – Dallas Kansas City Field Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Jiang prosecuted the case.
Fort Wayne Man Convicted at Trial of Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Late Yesterday, Detric L. Cummings, 42 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was found guilty of firearm and drug trafficking offenses following a four-day jury trial, presided over by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.
Cummings was charged in an indictment with a total of eight counts, and prior to the start of the trial, he entered a plea of guilty to five counts of distributing controlled substances, including methamphetamine and fentanyl. Cummings went to trial on the remaining counts, and a jury found him guilty of those remaining counts, which included possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. The jury also found Cummings to have previously committed three violent felonies on occasions different from one another, making him an armed career criminal under federal law.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled on a later date on all counts. Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Indiana State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Auburn Police Department The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley J. Miller Lowery and Justin C. Sheridan.
This case was also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former University Employee Charged with Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mohammad Ebrahim Torki Harchegani, 38, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor for sexual activity.
During a contested bond hearing, an FBI special agent testified that on Dec. 3-4, 2024, multiple agencies participated in an online chat operation targeting child sex offenders where an officer posed as a 14-year-old female. Torki, a legal permanent resident of the United States and Iranian citizen, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the alleged 14-year-old girl. Torki ultimately traveled to the residence where he believed the girl was home alone to engage in sexual activities with her. He was arrested thereafter.
Testimony was also presented that Torki was a researcher at the University of South Carolina at the time of the chat. Upon his arrest, his employment was suspended and his contract with the university was not renewed.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Torki was ordered detained at the hearing. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department participated in the online chat operation and investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Winston Holliday are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Pleads Guilty in Relation to Fentanyl Poisoning Death of Another MarineRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to a felony drug offense for his actions surrounding a 2020 fentanyl transaction that resulted in the death of a U.S. Marine.
Anthony Ruben Whisenant, 24, pleaded guilty in United States District Court to the use of a communication facility – a cellphone – in committing a felony drug offense.
United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee is scheduled to sentence Whisenant on May 7, at which time he will face a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison.
“Fentanyl continues to claim the lives of too many in our community,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Our office remains committed to holding accountable those responsible for circulating fentanyl and other dangerous substances in our district and threatening the health and safety of our residents.”
According to court documents, in May 2020, Whisenant was an active-duty lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps stationed aboard Camp Pendleton in Oceanside when he ordered pills marketed as oxycodone – but which actually contained fentanyl – for a fellow U.S. Marine, identified in court papers as “L.M.”
Whisenant contacted the drug dealer, Gustavo Jaciel Solis, 28, based on an advertisement Solis shared via his Snapchat account, according to court documents. L.M. drove Whisenant and another U.S. Marine, Ryan Douglas White, 27, from Camp Pendleton to collect the drugs from Solis later that same day. The three Marines then drove to a party in Compton where L.M. ingested some of the pills purchased from Solis and died shortly after. At the direction of Whisenant, White flushed the remaining pills down a toilet before first responders arrived.
Solis was charged in 2020, along with Whisenant and two other civilian co-conspirators, with being part of a drug ring that distributed narcotics to civilians and members of the Marine Corps, and White was charged as an accessory after the fact.
Solis was arrested in July 2020, at which time investigators seized narcotics and several firearms – including a 9mm “ghost gun” – from his residence. Solis pleaded guilty in April 2022 to two federal drug trafficking offenses: participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and distributing fentanyl resulting in death. His sentencing is pending, and he faces a maximum sentence of life.
White pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of misprision of a felony for his knowledge of the fatal drug transaction and his attempts to hinder law enforcement’s investigation. His sentencing is scheduled for June 6, at which time he will face a maximum sentence of 3 years.
A superseding indictment filed in September 2020 named two other defendants: Jordan Nicholas McCormick, 29, of Palmdale, and Jessica Sarah Perez, 25, of Pacoima.
McCormick allegedly supplied provided LSD, ecstasy, cocaine and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to co-conspirators. McCormick has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial on April 22.
Perez distributed narcotics including fentanyl and cocaine to the conspiracy’s civilian customers. She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and was sentenced in September 2022 to pay a $100 fine and placed on probation for two years.
This matter was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.
Former Senior Adviser for the Federal Reserve Indicted on Charges of Economic EspionageRead the Press Release
John Harold Rogers, 63, of Vienna, Virginia, a former Senior Adviser for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (FRB), was arrested today on charges that he conspired to steal Federal Reserve trade secrets for the benefit of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
In furtherance of the conspiracy, allegedly made false statements to the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG), and those false statements had a material impact on its investigation.
“As alleged, the defendant violated the trust placed in him by the Federal Reserve Bank by putting U.S. trade secrets in the hands of his PRC co-conspirators, knowing full well that such information would benefit the PRC Government and PRC instrumentalities,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to disrupt economic espionage and protect our national security.”
“President Trump tasks us with protecting our fellow Americans from all enemies, foreign and domestic. As alleged in the indictment, this defendant leveraged his position within the Federal Reserve to pass sensitive financial information to the Chinese government, a designated adversary,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Let this indictment serve as a warning to all who seek to betray or exploit the United States: law enforcement will find you and hold you accountable.”
“As alleged in the indictment, Rogers betrayed his country while employed at the Federal Reserve by providing restricted U.S. financial and economic information to Chinese government intelligence officers,” said Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “This information could allow adversaries to illegally gain a strategic economic advantage at the expense of the U.S. This indictment sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will hold accountable those who threaten our national security.”
“The Chinese Communist Party has expanded its economic espionage campaign to target U.S. government financial policies and trade secrets in an effort to undermine the United States and become the sole superpower,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Today's indictment represents the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protect U.S. national security interests and U.S. jobs and bring to justice those who are willing to betray their country for personal gain.”
“This indictment sends a clear message that those who deliberately misuse sensitive Federal Reserve information for their own personal gain and lie about it to investigators will be held accountable for their actions,” said Special Agent in Charge John T. Perez of the FRB-OIG, Headquarters Operations.
According to the indictment, Rogers, a U.S. citizen with a Ph.D. in economics, worked as a Senior Adviser in FRB’s Division of International Finance of the FRB from 2010 until 2021, where he was entrusted with confidential FRB information. The confidential information that Rogers allegedly shared with his Chinese co-conspirators, who worked for the intelligence and security apparatus of China and who posed as graduate students at a PRC university, is economically valuable when secret.
China holds a large amount of U.S. foreign debt (approximately $816 billion as of October 2024). The data Rogers shared with his co-conspirators could allow China to manipulate the U.S. market, in a manner similar to insider trading. Gaining advance knowledge of U.S. economic policy, including advance knowledge of changes to the federal funds rate, could provide China with an advantage when selling or buying U.S. bonds or securities.
The indictment alleges that, from at least 2018, Rogers allegedly exploited his employment with the FRB by soliciting trade-secret information regarding proprietary economic data sets, deliberations about tariffs targeting China, briefing books for designated governors, and sensitive information about Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) deliberations and forthcoming announcements. He passed that information electronically to his personal email account, in violation of FRB policy, or printed it prior to traveling to China, in preparation for meetings with his co-conspirators.
Under the guise of teaching “classes,” Rogers met with his co-conspirators in hotel rooms in China where he conveyed sensitive, trade-secret information that belonged to the FRB and the FOMC. In 2023, Rogers was paid approximately $450,000 as a part-time professor at a Chinese university.
On Feb. 4, 2020, in response to questioning by the FRB-OIG, Rogers lied about his accessing and passage of sensitive information and his associations with his co-conspirators.
Rogers is charged with conspiracy to commit economic espionage and with making false statements.
The FBI Washington Field Office and FRB-OIG are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Nicholas Hunter and Steve Marzen of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export 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 Senior Adviser for the Federal Reserve Indicted on Charges of Economic EspionageRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Harold Rogers, 63, of Vienna, Virginia, a former Senior Adviser for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (FRB), was arrested today on charges that he conspired to steal Federal Reserve trade secrets for the benefit of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Rogers allegedly made false statements to the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General, and those false statements had a material impact on its investigation.
The indictment, unsealed today, was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Supervisory Official Devin DeBacker of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the Washington Field Office, and John T. Perez, Special Agent in Charge, Headquarters Operations, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-CFPB OIG).
“President Trump tasks us with protecting our fellow Americans from all enemies, foreign and domestic. As alleged in the indictment, this defendant leveraged his position within the Federal Reserve to pass sensitive financial information to the Chinese government, a designated foreign adversary,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “Let this indictment serve as a warning to all who seek to betray or exploit the United States: law enforcement will find you and hold you accountable.”
“As alleged, the defendant violated the trust placed in him by the Federal Reserve Bank by putting U.S. trade secrets in the hands of his PRC co-conspirators, knowing full well that such information would benefit the PRC Government and PRC instrumentalities,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to disrupt economic espionage and protect our national security.”
“The Chinese Communist Party has expanded its economic espionage campaign to target U.S. government financial policies and trade secrets in an effort to undermine the U.S. and become the sole superpower,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg. “Today's indictment represents the FBI's unwavering commitment to protect U.S. national security interests and U.S. jobs and to bring to justice those who are willing to betray their country for personal gain.”
“This indictment sends a clear message that those who deliberately misuse sensitive Federal Reserve information for their own personal gain and lie about it to investigators will be held accountable for their actions,” said John T. Perez, Special Agent in Charge of Headquarters Operations FRB-CFPB OIG.
According to the indictment, Rogers, a U.S. citizen with a Ph.D. in Economics, worked as a Senior Adviser in the Division of International Finance of the FRB from 2010 until 2021, where he was entrusted with confidential FRB information. The confidential information that Rogers allegedly shared with his Chinese co-conspirators, who worked for the intelligence and security apparatus of China and who posed as graduate students at a PRC university, is economically valuable when secret.
China holds a large amount of U.S. foreign debt (approximately $816 billion as of October 2024). The data Rogers shared with his co-conspirators could allow China to manipulate the U.S. market, in a manner similar to insider trading. Gaining advance knowledge of U.S. economic policy, including advance knowledge of changes to the federal funds rate, could provide China with an advantage when selling or buying U.S. bonds or securities.
The indictment alleges that from at least 2018, Rogers allegedly exploited his employment with the FRB by soliciting trade-secret information regarding proprietary economic data sets, deliberations about tariffs targeting China, briefing books for designated governors, and sensitive information about Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) deliberations and forthcoming announcements. He passed that information electronically to his personal email account, in violation of FRB policy, or printed it prior to traveling to China, in preparation for meetings with his co-conspirators. Under the guise of teaching “classes,” Rogers met with his co-conspirators in hotel rooms in China where he conveyed sensitive, trade-secret information that belonged to the FRB and the FOMC.
In 2023, Rogers was paid approximately $450,000 USD as a part-time professor at a Chinese university.
On February 4, 2020, in response to questioning by the Office of the Inspector General for the Federal Reserve Board, Rogers lied about his accessing and passage of sensitive information and his associations with his co-conspirators.
Rogers is charged with conspiracy to commit economic espionage and with making false statements. Conspiracy to commit economic espionage carries a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $5 million. Making false statements carries a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Trial Attorneys Nicholas Hunter and Stephen Marzen of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Section.
A criminal indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Owner of ‘Timepiece Gentleman’ Luxury Watch Consignment Store in Beverly Hills Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles man who ran a Beverly Hills luxury watch consignment business and was known as “The Timepiece Gentleman” was sentenced today to 70 months in federal prison for swindling dozens of his customers of out a total of at least $5.6 million.
Anthony Farrer, 36, formerly of downtown Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton.
Farrer pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud. He has been in federal custody since November 2023.
“This defendant stole millions of dollars from customers who trusted him and then used his ill-gotten gains to fund his exorbitant lifestyle,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “The sentence imposed today sends a message that those who defraud the public will be held accountable.”
“The so-called ‘Timepiece Gentleman” was actually a con-man whose time living lavishly ran out when the high-end watch owners he victimized brought his crimes to the attention of law enforcement,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field. “This successful prosecution is the result of a joint collaboration among local and federal partners working together in order to bring Mr. Farrer to justice.”
“Mr. Farrer exploited his clients’ trust for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Instead of making good on his business promises, Mr. Farrer swindled his clients out of money and property to fund his own extravagant expenditures, and now he’ll suffer the consequences. IRS-CI is committed to protecting clients and consumers from this sort of dubious behavior, and we are proud to have been a partner in this investigation.”
From November 2022 to November 2023, Farrer used his business – also called “The Timepiece Gentlemen” – to connect purchasers and sellers of high-end watches. In a typical consignment sale, a client would ship a watch to The Timepiece Gentleman and Farrer would take possession of the watch, agreeing to display it at his Beverly Hills store and through online and social media marketing. The items involved in this case included luxury watches by Rolex, Richard Mille, and Patek Phillipe, among others.
Once the watch was sold, Farrer was supposed to remit the sales proceeds back to the client, minus a consignment fee, which typically was approximately 5% of the sales price. If the watch did not sell within a specific time or for a specified price, Farrer was to return the watch to the client.
But instead of remitting watch sales proceeds – or the unsold watches themselves – back to the clients, Farrer sold the client watches and kept the proceeds for himself. He also used client watches – without the client’s knowledge or permission – as collateral for loans that he took out from lenders.
When a client asked about the status of a watch on consignment sale, Farrer lied and said that the watch had not yet been sold. In fact, Farrer already had sold the watch or otherwise disposed of it, keeping the funds for his own personal benefit.
In addition to his consignment sale business, Farrer also purported to purchase watches on behalf of his clients. Typically, a client sent funds to Farrer, often by wire transfers to his bank accounts or through payment processors such as Zelle, for the purpose of Farrer locating and buying a specified watch on the client’s behalf.
But Farrer took the clients’ money and used it for other purposes, including to fund his lavish lifestyle such as buying or leasing luxury automobiles, apartments, and other luxury goods.
When a client who had sent him money asked Farrer about the status of a watch purchase, Farrer often sent another watch to the client to tide the client over or lull them into a false sense of security regarding the status of the purchase. Like a Ponzi scheme, the other watch Farrer sent to the client often belonged to other clients who had themselves sent him that watch for a consignment sale. These clients were unaware Farrer was using their watches for that purpose, rather than attempting to sell the watches on behalf of the clients.
In total, Farrer fraudulently obtained money and property belonging to more than 40 victims and caused total losses of at least $5,691,005. Farrer also will be subject to a restitution order for payment owed to victims in amounts to be determined later.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Former NYCHA Superintendent Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Accepting More Than $300,000 in BribesRead the Press Release
Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JUAN MERCADO, a former superintendent for the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”), was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for soliciting and accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from contractors in exchange for awarding those contractors no-bid contracts or approving payment on previously awarded contracts at NYCHA developments. MERCADO’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who also presided over his guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “As a public housing superintendent, Juan Mercado held a position of public trust. For years, Mercado abused his position by demanding and accepting more than $300,000 in bribes in connection with repair work at NYCHA developments – money that should have gone to improving the lives of NYCHA residents. As today’s sentence shows, corruption will not be tolerated at any level of government.”
According to the Information and Complaint, the plea agreement, and evidence presented during a multi-day evidentiary hearing:
NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in the country, providing housing to New Yorkers across the City and receiving over $1.5 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) every year. When repairs or construction work at NYCHA housing require the use of outside contractors, services must typically be purchased via a bidding process. However, when the value of a contract was under a certain threshold, designated staff at NYCHA developments, including superintendents, could hire a contractor of their choosing without soliciting multiple bids. With either type of contract, a NYCHA employee needed to certify that the work was satisfactorily completed in order for the contractor to receive payment from NYCHA.
From at least 2014 through at least July 2023, MERCADO served as a superintendent at multiple NYCHA housing developments in Queens. For approximately nine years, MERCADO demanded and received hundreds of thousands of dollars from multiple contractors in exchange for arranging for those contractors to receive contract work at developments where MERCADO was employed or in order for MERCADO to sign off on work that had been completed. Although MERCADO initially demanded that contractors pay him 10% of the contract value in order to receive the work, MERCADO eventually doubled the amount that contractors had to pay from 10% to 20% of the value of the contract. The contractors typically paid MERCADO between $500 and $2,000 for each contract on hundreds of occasions. In total, MERCADO accepted approximately $329,300 in bribes in connection with at least $1,886,000 in contract work at NYCHA developments.
Of the 70 individual NYCHA employees charged with bribery and extortion offenses in February 2024, 60 have pled guilty, and three have been convicted after trial.
If you believe you have information related to bribery, extortion, or any other illegal conduct by NYCHA employees, please contact [email protected] or (212) 306-3356. If you were involved in such conduct, please consider self-disclosing through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at [email protected].
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In addition to the prison term, MERCADO, 50, of West Babylon, New York, was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $329,300 and forfeit $329,300.
Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Department of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), the HUD Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, which work together collaboratively as part of the HSI Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, as well as the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry J. Fang, Jacob R. Fiddelman, Catherine Ghosh, and Meredith C. Foster are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Nandita Vasantha.
Former Middle School Teacher and Basketball Coach Sentenced for Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – An Antioch, Tennessee, man, and former South Laurel Middle School teacher and basketball coach, William Goodson, 32, was sentenced on Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, to 246 months, for online enticement of a minor.
According to his plea agreement, from August 2023 through February 23, 2024, while he was a teacher at the Middle School, Goodson persuaded a minor to engage in sexual activity. Specifically, Goodson communicated many sexually explicit messages with the victim, through text messages and Snapchat. When questioned, Goodson told police that his relationship with the minor was like that of a boyfriend, and he further admitted to buying the victim gifts and communicating daily, via Snapchat. Ultimately, Goodson convinced the minor victim to engage in sexual contact, on multiple occasions, within his classroom.
Under federal law, Goodson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Goodson’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Jerry Hollon, London Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and London Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Former Hospital Administrator Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison in Identity Theft Scheme that Spanned Three DecadesRead the Press Release
An Iowa hospital administrator who lived under a false identity for more than 30 years and caused the false imprisonment, involuntary hospitalization, and forced medication of his victim was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison.
Matthew David Keirans, age 59, from Hartland, Wisconsin, received the prison term after an April 1, 2024, guilty plea to one count of false statement to a national credit union administration insured institution and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Evidence presented at hearings in the case established that Keirans and his identity theft victim worked together at a hotdog cart in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the late 1980s. Keirans assumed the victim’s identity and, for the next three decades, used that identity in every aspect of his life. Keirans obtained several false documents in the victim’s name, including a Kentucky birth certificate.
In 2013, Keirans obtained employment as a high-level administrator in an Iowa City hospital. Keirans provided the hospital with false identification documents during the hiring process, including a fictitious I-9 form, social security number, date of birth, and other identification documents in his victim’s name. After getting hired, Keirans worked for the hospital remotely from his residence in Wisconsin. Keirans’ access to, and roles in, the system architecture of the hospital’s computer infrastructure were “the highest it could be,” and Keirans “was the key administrator of critical systems.”
Between March 2014 and May 2022, Keirans repeatedly obtained vehicle and personal loans from two credit unions in the Northern District of Iowa using the victim’s name, social security number, and date of birth. Keirans obtained nine loans with a total value of over $250,000 from the credit unions. Keirans also obtained various lines of credit from other lenders in the victim’s name and with his personal identifiers.
Keirans also maintained deposits at a national bank in the victim’s name. In August 2019, the victim, who was homeless at the time, entered the branch of the national bank in Los Angeles, California, and told a branch manager that he had recently discovered that someone was using his credit and had accumulated large amounts of debt. The victim stated that he did not want to pay the debt and wished to close his accounts at the bank. The victim presented the bank with his true social security card, as well as an authentic State of California identification card. Due to the large amount of currency in the accounts, the branch manager asked the victim a series of security questions, which the victim was unable to answer. The national bank then called the Los Angeles Police Department (“LAPD”).
LAPD officers spoke with Keirans on the telephone, who stated he lived in Wisconsin and did not give anyone in California permission to access his bank accounts. After faxing the LAPD a series of phony identification documents, the LAPD arrested Keirans’ victim on two felony charges. After Keirans requested his victim’s prosecution, the victim was charged in Keirans’ name and held without bail at the Los Angeles County Jail.
In the ensuing months, Keirans contacted the LAPD and Los Angeles District Attorney (LADA) numerous times requesting updates on the victim’s prosecution. Meanwhile, Keirans’ victim continued to assert throughout the California criminal proceedings that he was not Keirans. A California state court judge ultimately found Keirans’ victim was not mentally competent to stand trial and ordered Keirans’ victim to a California mental hospital. The California state court also ordered Keirans’ victim to receive psychotropic medication.
In March 2021, Keirans’ victim pled “no contest” to the two felony charges in exchange for a “time-served” sentence, a $400 fine, and immediate release from custody. In total, Keirans’ victim spent 428 days in county jail and 147 days in the mental hospital as a result of Keirans’ false reports to the LAPD and LADA. The state court also ordered Keirans’ victim to “use only their true name, Matthew Keirans” in the future.
After his release from jail and hospital, Keirans’ victim made numerous attempts to regain his identity. For his part, Keirans continued to make false reports and statements to law enforcement officials in Wisconsin and California. The State of California billed the victim over $118,000 for the costs of his “care” in the mental hospital between October 20, 2021, and March 15, 2021.
In January 2023, after learning where Keirans was employed, the victim contacted the Iowa City hospital’s security department about Keirans. The hospital referred Keirans’ complaint to a local law enforcement agency, which assigned an experienced detective, Ian Mallory, to investigate the victim’s complaint. The detective conducted an investigation and, over the course of the ensuing months, unraveled Keirans’ identity theft scheme. Among other things, the detective obtained DNA evidence that conclusively proved that Keirans was not the son of an elderly man in Kentucky, as Keirans had claimed, but that Keirans’ victim was the man’s son.
During an interview with the detective in July 2023, Keirans initially insisted that the victim was “crazy” and “needed help and should be locked up.” After the detective presented Keirans with the results of the DNA testing, however, Keirans confessed to the three-decade identity theft scheme. Keirans also admitted to providing fraudulent documents to authorities in Los Angeles from his residence in Wisconsin to aid in the arrest, prosecution, and incarceration of the victim. A California court ultimately exonerated the victim after Keirans pled guilty in federal court.
Keirans was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Keirans was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment and fined $10,000. He was ordered to make $6,191 in restitution the victim and ordered to repay $10,000 in court-appointed attorney fees. Keirans must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
At the sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Williams said Keirans’ crime was “egregious,” “callous,” and “Kafkaesque.” Chief Judge Williams stated Keirans “weaponized the criminal justice system to achieve his goals.” Chief Judge Williams praised the “remarkable and exceptional work” of the Iowa detective.
“Matthew Keirans spent decades pretending to be someone he was not, all the while knowing that his victim was suffering,” said United States Attorney Timothy T. Duax. “Keirans used his victim’s identity to live his life, obtain loans, and lines of credit. When the victim tried to clear his name of Keirans’ debts, Keirans deliberately and calculatedly lied to police officers and prosecutors in California in order to keep his victim locked up, unable to live his life, and to keep his own secret safe. Today, Keirans has been held responsible for his actions and will spend years in prison.”
“I would like to thank Detective Mallory for his tenacious work on this case,” said University of Iowa Police Chief Lucy Wiederholt. “His persistence in finding the facts highlights our commitment to helping victims of crime.”
“The FBI is committed to working with our local law enforcement partners wherever we can to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution,” said Eugene Kowel, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge. “The FBI commends the University of Iowa Police Department’s tenacity in bringing Keirans’ fraudulent crimes to an end, and we remain dedicated to holding individuals like Keirans accountable when they break the laws of our country and impose harm on victims.”
Keirans 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 Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Iowa Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-CR-1020.
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First Two Defendants in Omaha Methamphetamine Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Jody D. Webb, age 45, of Lincoln, Nebraska and Jason Unruh, age 51, of Omaha, Nebraska were sentenced on January 31, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Webb to 75 months’ and Unruh to 188 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After their release from prison, Webb will begin a 2-year term of supervised release, and Unruh a 5-year term of supervised release.
On August 3, 2023, FBI surveillance observed Unruh meet with codefendant Jonathan Ovalle-Solis. During the observed meet, Unruh entered Ovalle’s vehicle and exited with a package of what appeared to be a white substance in a clear bag. This deal was recorded.
A subsequent TextNow search warrant on the phone number belonging to codefendant Ovalle-Solis and his known Mexican meth source of supply, confirmed that Unruh was coordinating with the Mexican source to buy a pound of meth. Messages showed Unruh would pick up pound quantities of meth on multiple occasions in August and September of 2023. The messages from the Mexican source to Unruh would typically give an address and vehicle description of who Unruh was to meet for meth deliveries.
On October 17, 2023, law enforcement officers were investigating this same drug trafficking organization when they observed Webb meet with a suspected drug courier. After the meet officers conducted a traffic stop on Webb who had approximately 2 pounds of meth in her vehicle. Messages obtained from a phone search warrant confirmed that Webb had arranged the 2-pound deal with the same Mexican source of supply.
Jonathan Ovalle Solis pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 14, 2025.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Fentanyl and Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for More Than Three YearsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ABEL JOSE FARIAS, 21, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 46 months in federal prison for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and illegal possession of two firearms after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On July 18, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a four-count Indictment against Farias, charging him with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. According to public record, in December 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents received information regarding a subject selling fentanyl pills. The agents arranged to meet with the subject to buy fentanyl at a gas station in Moore, Oklahoma, where they encountered and ultimately arrested Farias. In his vehicle, agents discovered a bag of fentanyl pills, as well as a firearm. After executing a federal search warrant, law enforcement found another firearm at Farias’s residence.
On November 13, 2024, Farias pleaded guilty to counts 1, 2, and 4 of the Indictment, and admitted he possessed fentanyl which he intended to distribute, as well as two firearms, which he could not possess because of his felony convictions.
At the sentencing hearing on January 28, 2024, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Farias to serve 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the dangerous nature of fentanyl, and that firearms were involved in Farias’s previous convictions, leading Judge Heaton to the conclusion that the sentence needed to promote respect for the rule of law.
Public record further reflects that Farias has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court, including those for first-degree burglary in case number CF-2022-2403 and being a felon in possession of a firearm in case number CF-2022-1866.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the 21st District Attorney Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan J. West prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Federal Jury Convicts Getaway Driver in Four Robberies of Suburban Chicago Financial InstitutionsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted the getaway driver in the robberies of three banks and a credit union in the Chicago suburbs.
TARANDLE LEE served as the driver while his friend, CHARLES LAWLER, entered the financial institutions and presented demand notes. Together the pair robbed three banks and a credit union, while Lawler also robbed an additional bank by himself.
The robberies were as follows:
Sept. 22, 2021: Lawler robbed BMO Harris Bank in Naperville, Ill.
Sept. 28, 2021: Lawler and Lee robbed Old Second Bank in Lisle, Ill.
Oct. 6, 2021: Lawler and Lee robbed Bank Financial in Westmont, Ill.
Jan. 3, 2022: Lawler and Lee robbed BMO Harris Bank in Woodridge, Ill.
April 14, 2022: Lawler and Lee robbed DuPage Credit Union in Downers Grove, Ill.
After a week-long trial in federal court in Chicago, the jury on Wednesday convicted Lee, 45, of Bolingbrook, Ill., on all four robbery counts against him. Lawler, 54, of Villa Park, Ill., pleaded guilty prior to trial to the first three robberies and stipulated to his role in the final two.
Lee faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the four robberies he committed, while Lawler faces up to 20 years for each of the three robberies to which he pleaded guilty. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman has not yet set Lee’s sentencing date. Lawler is set to be sentenced on March 11, 2025.
The convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Downers Grove, Ill. Police Department, Bellwood, Ill. Police Department, Woodridge, Ill. Police Department, and Villa Park, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alejandro G. Ortega and Jonathan L. Shih.
Fairbanks man sentenced to 12 years for attempted production of child pornography, enticement of minorRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and will serve 25 years on supervised release for attempting to produce child pornography and entice a minor.
According to court documents, on July 7, 2023, a law enforcement official, acting in an undercover capacity and posing online as a 12-year-old girl, posted an ad in an Alaskan chat group on a social media application known to law enforcement to be utilized by individuals seeking sexual encounters with minors.
A short time after the posting, Dahkota Mitchell, 32, messaged the undercover official. Between July 7 and Nov. 28, 2023, Mitchell and the undercover official discussed multiple things, including Mitchell’s requests that the undercover official send him explicit content, plans to meet in-person, and sexual interactions if an in-person meeting occurred.
Mitchell decided to meet with the undercover official for sex and requested she bring an 11-year-old friend for the sexual encounter. Mitchell made plans with the undercover official to meet in Anchorage on Nov. 17, 2023, but the defendant abruptly stopped communicating with the official and the meeting did not occur.
On Nov. 25, 2023, Mitchell resumed communicating with the undercover official and explained that his mother had found out about their communications. Mitchell made another plan to meet with the undercover official and the alleged minor friend on Nov. 28, 2023, and provided the address of his hotel and his room number.
Mitchell was arrested at an Anchorage hotel on Nov. 28, 2023. He pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor on Oct. 25, 2024.
“Child predators target Alaska’s most vulnerable, leaving lasting harm in their wake. Mr. Mitchell attempted to meet with an individual he thought was a 12-year-old girl and encouraged her to bring a minor friend for an in-person sexual encounter,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “His actions were both dangerous and reprehensible. This sentence ensures that he will be closely monitored for many years, safeguarding our communities. Our office remains committed to working with law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable and protect Alaska’s children.”
“Protecting children from online predators is a priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners across Alaska,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “As demonstrated in this case, predators using the Internet for sexual exploitation of children will be identified and held accountable for their reprehensible crimes.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Edmonton, Kentucky Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a HandgunRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – An Edmonton, Kentucky, man was sentenced this week to 5 years and 11 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court documents, Aaron Dale McKinney, 48, was sentenced to 5 years and 11 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 23, 2023, McKinney possessed a Springfield Armory (HS Produkt), model XD-45, 45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, and ammunition. He was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.
On May 25, 2021, in Metcalfe Circuit Court, McKinney was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, first degree, third or more offense (methamphetamine).
On September 26, 2017, in Metcalfe Circuit Court, McKinney was convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine, first offense.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Kentucky State Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Dominican National with Pending Federal Indictment Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national, residing in Lawrence with pending federal fentanyl trafficking and firearm charges, has been arrested and charged with unlawfully reentering the United States. After the defendant was arrested and charged in 2023 with alleged federal drug and firearm offenses, he was released on conditions and later deported.
Santo Alberto Baez Baez, 36, is charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Baez Baez was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023 with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (fentanyl). He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2023 with one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
In 2022, law enforcement began investigations into multiple drug trafficking organizations (“DTOs”) that distributed large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine in the Lawrence area. According to court documents, on June 21, 2023, search warrants were executed at 13 locations in Massachusetts, including three locations in Lawrence, allegedly used by the DTOs. It is alleged that, during a search of one of the Lawrence-based residences, Baez Baez was found in the bedroom where a Rossi model M971 .357 caliber revolver loaded with .38 special ammunition and a silencer, a box of .38 special ammunition, a container of controlled substances – some of which were packaged in clear plastic bags for sale – and a brick that weighed approximately 200 grams – later analyzed and determined to contain fentanyl – was recovered. According to the criminal complaint, fraudulent identification documents, including social security cards and Baez Baez’s Dominican passport, where also discovered.
At the time of his arrest, it was determined that Baez Baez had an outstanding state warrant for distribution of fentanyl, and it was determined that he was not legally present in the United States.
Following a detention hearing on federal charges, Baez Baez was released by the Court on conditions on July 11, 2023. According to court documents, he was later brought into the custody of immigration authorities and placed into removal proceedings and, on Aug 28, 2023, he was ordered removed from the United States to the Dominican Republic. Baez Baez was removed on Sept. 19, 2023, at which time his fingerprint, photograph and signature were obtained.
It is alleged that on an unknown date and location, Baez Baez reentered the United States without being inspected. Authorities learned that Baez Baez was living in Lawrence, Mass.
According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 18, 2024, an individual was stopped for a traffic violation in Andover, Mass. The operator produced a New York driver’s license identifying himself as Jose Villar Baez. It was determined that there was a warrant for “Villar Baez” in Concord District Court for leaving the scene of an accident, causing property damage and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The operator of the vehicle was arrested and later fingerprinted. Fingerprint analysis allegedly determined that “Villar Baez,” the operator of the vehicle, was in fact Baez Baez. According to the criminal complaint, Baez Baez was released by a state clerk magistrate on personal recognizance.
On Jan. 27, 2025, a federal arrest was issued for Baez Baez for violating his pre-trial release. On Jan. 31, 2025 Baez Baez was arrested in Lawrence at a location that had been previously searched in June 2023 at the time Baez Baez originally was arrested.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of no less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, no less than four years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense provides for a sentence of no less than five years in prison to run consecutively with any sentence imposed on the drug offense. Baez Baez will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police and made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Massachusetts and the Natick Police Department. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and Christopher Pohl of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dallas, Texas Man Admits Making Threats of Violence Against Sikh OrganizationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A man from Dallas County, Texas admitted to a federal hate crime and for making interstate threats against the employees of a Sikh nonprofit organization, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced.
Bushan Athale, 49, of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court to an Information charging him with one count of interfering with federally protected activities through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and one count of transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person. Sentencing is scheduled for June 3, 2025.
“Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said Vikas Khanna, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. “Every individual in this country must be free to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution. We will continue to ensure the safety of our communities by prosecuting those who threaten our basic American freedoms.”
“Every citizen has the right to feel safe, secure, and free from fear of violence or hate,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “We are deeply grateful to our law enforcement and community partners who stand with us daily. Together, we remain steadfast in pursuing those who threaten the safety and well-being of the people we are sworn to protect.”
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
On or about September 17, 2022, Athale called the main number of an organization that advocates for the civil rights of Sikh individuals within the United States. Over the course of the next hour, Athale left seven voicemails expressing hatred toward Sikh individuals working at this same organization and threatening to injure or kill these individuals with a razor.
Athale’s voicemails, which were filled with violent imagery and obscenity, contained references to places, people, and tenets that are particularly significant within the Sikh religion. Among other things, Athale stated his intention to “catch” the Sikhs at Organization 1, forcibly shave their “top and bottom hair,” use a “razor” to “cut” their hair and “make” them bald, “make” them smoke and eat tobacco, and “show [them] the heaven.”
On March 21, 2024, Athale again called the same Sikh organization and left two more voicemails. In these voicemails, Athale again used violent, sexual imagery to express his hatred toward Sikhs as well as Muslims, and spouted antisemitic rhetoric.
During his guilty plea, Athale also admitted to additional conduct reflecting his long history of making violent threats rooted in religious animus. For example, Athale admitted that on November 6, 2021 and November 7, 2021, he had sent electronic messages to a former co-worker, in which he stated that he “hate[d] Pakistan” and “hate[d] Muslims.” Athale wrote, “I hate you, I just don’t know how to kill your whole family including you? Tell me??? I will figure it out […] Probably I will hire a Jew, they will be most happy.”
Athale also admitted that, from May 28, 2024 to May 31, 2024, he had sent threatening electronic messages to a recruiter who he believed to be a Muslim. Athale wrote statements such as “you will be dead, get out [expletive] Muslim” and “If you dont [sic] back off you are killed.”
The charge of interfering with federally protected activities carries a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison and the charge of transmitting an interstate threat carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison. Both charges also carry a maximum potential penalty of up to a $250,000 fine. The defendant also may be sentenced to a term of supervised release after any term of imprisonment imposed.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited the special agents of the FBI of the Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, with the investigation leading up to this guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara A. Aliabadi of the Special Prosecutions Division in Camden, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Richardson of the Civil Rights Division in Camden, and Trial Attorney Eric Peffley of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
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Defense Counsel: AFPD Maggie Moy
athale.information.pdfDenham Springs Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Barry Paul Vining, age 57, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, to 78 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of child pornography. Vining must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment. The Court also ordered Vining to pay $357,000 in restitution and ordered him to register as a sex offender upon his release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on November 27, 2022, Vining knowingly distributed the two images of child pornography when he uploaded them to a file sharing service accessed via the internet, and that allowed other users of the service around the world to download and share the images. In addition, at the time Vining distributed the child pornography, he possessed files that contained numerous images and videos of child pornography.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Culver City Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Recklessly Crashing Drone into Super Scooper Firefighting Aircraft During Palisades FireRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Culver City man agreed to plead guilty to recklessly operating a drone that crashed into and damaged a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft fighting the Palisades Fire earlier this month, the Justice Department announced today.
Peter Tripp Akemann, 56, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft. This morning federal prosecutors filed a criminal information charging Akemann with the misdemeanor offense that carries a prison sentence of up to one year in federal prison.
In a plea agreement also filed this morning, Akemann agreed to plead guilty to the criminal offense and admitted to his reckless and illegal conduct in flying the drone that posed an imminent safety hazard to the Super Scooper crew. As a result of the drone collision, the firefighting aircraft was taken out of service for a period of time and was not able to continue its firefighting mission. As part of the plea agreement, Akemann agreed to pay full restitution to the Government of Quebec, which supplied the plane, and an aircraft repair company that repaired the plane. Akemann also agreed to complete 150 hours of community service in support of the 2025 Southern California wildfire relief effort.
“This defendant recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “This damage caused to the Super Scooper is a stark reminder that flying drones during times of emergency poses an extreme threat to personnel trying to help people and compromises the overall ability of police and fire to conduct operations. As this case demonstrates, we will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with the critical work of our first responders.”
“Lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Please respect the law, respect the FAA’s rules and respect our firefighters and the residents they are protecting by keeping your drone at home during wildfires.”
Akemann is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the plea agreement, while the wildfire was burning in and around Pacific Palisades on January 9, Akemann drove to the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and parked his vehicle on the top floor of the parking structure. He then launched a drone and flew it towards Pacific Palisades to observe damage caused by the Palisades Fire.
Akemann flew the drone at least 2,500 meters (more than 1.5 miles) toward the fire and lost sight of the drone. As Akemann was flying the drone, it collided with a Government of Quebec Super Scooper carrying two crewmembers attempting to fight the blaze. The impact caused an approximately 3-inch-by-6-inch hole in the left wing. After landing, maintenance personnel identified the damage and took the aircraft out of service for repairs.
At the time of the collision, the Federal Aviation Administration had issued temporary flight restrictions that prohibited drone operations near the Los Angeles County wildfires that erupted earlier this month.
As a result of the collision, the Government of Quebec and an aircraft repair company incurred costs of at least $65,169 to repair the plane.
The FBI investigated this matter. The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Los Angeles Fire Department, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia and Ian V. Yanniello of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Convicted of a Drive-By Shooting and Fentanyl Trafficking, Member of ‘21st and Vietnam’ Crew Sentenced to 161 MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Briyon Shuford, 30, of Washington D.C., was sentenced on January 31, 2025 to 161 months in prison for his participation in a daylight drive-by shooting – while he served as a DC Violence Interrupter -- that seriously injured four people. Shuford also was sentenced for his participation in a violent, armed group of drug dealers known as the “21st and Vietnam” crew. The crew distributed significant quantities of crack cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, PCP, and n-n-dimethylpentylone (“boot”) in the area of 21st Street and Maryland Ave. NE.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Washington Division, Special Agent in Charge Troy Springer of the National Capital Region of the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Shuford, aka “Breezy,” pleaded guilty on October 31, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and aggravated assault while armed. In addition to the 161-month prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Shuford to serve five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, the 21st and Vietnam crew used an apartment building on the 1900 block of I Street, NE, as a base of operations. The crew ran an open-air drug market around the building and sold narcotics outside on apartment grounds as well as on the first-floor hallway of the building. The sales of crack cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, PCP, and n-n-dimethylpentylone (“boot”) occurred on a near daily basis between at least June 2023 through May 2024 when the crew members were arrested.
On the morning of April 19, 2024, Shuford arrived at the apartment building to meet co-defendant Trevon Palmer. The pair departed in Shuford’s own vehicle and then exchanged it for a stolen Infiniti sedan. Shuford drove the stolen Infiniti to the 1200 block of Mt. Olivet Road NE, Washington, D.C. The men – both armed with firearms –hunted for members of a rival crew. After finding what they believed to be appropriate targets, both Shuford and Palmer opened fire from the vehicle, shooting indiscriminately into the parking lot of the Circle 7 Food and Grocery Mart without regard for innocent bystanders or passing cars. Shuford almost lost control of the vehicle as he opened fire. Shuford and Palmer’s shots injured four individuals.
Shuford was an equal participant in the 21st and Vietnam crew’s drug activities. He drove co-defendant Damien Jenkins to make a sizable drug sale during which Jenkins sold more than 80 grams of fentanyl. During that sale, Shuford remained nearby in his car, conducting another narcotics sale.
On May 15, 2024, law enforcement arrested Shuford and searched his residence. Law enforcement officers recovered distribution quantities of suspected marijuana, packaging supplies, a Glock 30 firearm, and $12,637 in cash.
This case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division Office, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Solomon Eppel.
Briyon Shuford uploaded photos to the internet in 2023 of himself carrying firearms.
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Columbus man sentenced to 17 years in prison for 4 armed robberies of postal carriersRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 204 months in prison for four armed robberies of Postal carriers.
Thierno S. Bah, 22, of Columbus, used firearms and robbed postal carriers of their U.S. Postal Service keys on four occasions between December 2022 and May 2023. He was arrested in August 2023.
“Seventeen years in federal prison is a serious consequence in line with the seriousness of this type of violent crime. We have held numerous individuals accountable in the Southern District of Ohio in recent years for their crimes against United States Postal Service carriers who are simply doing their jobs. As a result of our focused efforts and the vigorous investigations by our federal law enforcement partners, we’ve seen a decrease in new assaults,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.
Bah, who is also known as “Wopo” and “Wopoonese,” worked with others to steal service keys, which are then used to steal mail from USPS receptacles (a process known as “fishing”). Individuals then “cook” the mail by washing personal and business checks and other financial instruments to reflect new payees and new payment amounts. Bah and others would then recruit third parties to deposit the newly washed checks in their own accounts and split the profit.
The thefts occurred in Central Ohio on:
- Dec. 29, 2022
- Jan. 3, 2023 (two separate robberies on this date)
- May 11, 2023
Bah pleaded guilty in November 2023 and admitted to using a handgun to rob a postal carrier in German Village on Dec. 29, 2022. Bah pointed the handgun at the victim’s stomach and demanded his vehicle and service keys.
On Jan. 3, 2023, Bah pushed a postal carrier into her mail truck while she was sorting mail in the back of the truck on East Columbus Street. He then pushed a gun into the victim’s side before stealing her keys.
Later that day, Bah committed another armed postal robbery, this time in Whitehall. Bah approached the victim and pushed the handgun into her stomach before stealing her personal car keys and the USPS service keys.
On May 11, 2023, Bah robbed a Postal worker at the Post Office Retail Store on West Broad Street. Bah approached the victim while she was outside on a break. Bah asked the victim for her keys, and when she asked, “What keys?” he pistol-whipped her in the head with his handgun. Bah forcibly accompanied the victim into the post office to retrieve her service keys.
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; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler; and Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.
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Buchanan Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Buchanan, Virginia, man, who exposed the genitals of a minor female during a party at his residence and took pictures of the victim on his cellphone, pled guilty last week to related federal charges.
Christopher Buono, 45, pled guilty to one count of child sexual exploitation and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, in January 2024 a party was hosted the defendant’s home in Buchanan, Virginia. At one point in the evening, Buono and a minor female, who was approximately six-years-old at the time, went to Buono’s game room, and either the minor victim or Buono pulled down her pants and underwear, exposing her genitals.
Buono then used his cellphone to take sexually explicit photographs of the minor victim. Later that night, Buono used a messaging application to send one of these photos to another individual with a sexual interest in minors.
At sentencing, Buono faces a maximum of forty years in federal prison.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee announced the guilty plea.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security with assistance from the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 211 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Demarlo Brown, age 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 211 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Brown to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the proceeds from his drug trafficking crimes, as well as firearms and ammunition seized by law enforcement, be forfeited.
This case was the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in East Baton Rouge Parish and surrounding areas.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea,from March through September 2019, Brown operated a drug distribution organization in the Baton Rouge area where he and others distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. When law enforcement raided his home and other locations associated with Brown, they seized over 27 ounces of methamphetamine, 2.7 ounces of heroin, and 1.6 ounces of fentanyl. Two firearms and 38 rounds of ammunition were also seized from Brown that he illegally possessed to protect himself, his drugs, and his cash proceeds from drug sales. In total, six firearms and 168 rounds of ammunition were seized in the raids.
Brown was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing the firearms and ammunition. In April 2024, prior to possessing the two firearms and ammunition, he was convicted in the 19th Judicial District Court of armed robbery and was sentenced to 10 years at hard labor.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Baton Rouge City Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton, III and Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Atlanta Man Sentenced to Prison for Bank Fraud Conspiracy, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Illegally Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – An Atlanta, Georgia man was sentenced to 57 months in prison for bank fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, Jamontez Jaquavious Cofield, 24, was arrested by an Alabama State Trooper in April 2024 following a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in north Baldwin County. During the traffic stop, Cofield admitted that he had marijuana and a loaded 5.7x28mm caliber pistol in the car, which the Trooper seized. Cofield also admitted that he was not supposed to possess a firearm because he had prior felony convictions. In 2018, Cofield was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony assault in LaGrange, Georgia. Those convictions made Cofield’s possession of the pistol illegal under federal law.
The Trooper searched Cofield’s vehicle, locating 38 stolen business checks with a total face value of $43,482, which had been made payable to various businesses in the Atlanta area. The checks bore the names and personal identifying information of various identity-theft victims who did not authorize Cofield to possess the checks, which had been stolen from the mail. Cofield admitted that he had been provided the stolen checks by a coconspirator he met on social media and communicated with via Snapchat. Cofield was transporting the stolen checks to sell to an individual at a meeting location in downtown Mobile. Agents searched Cofield’s cell phone and found numerous messages, photos, and videos regarding Cofield’s involvement in counterfeit check fraud, as well as his possession of bulk cash, narcotics, and guns.
In addition to the 57-month prison term, United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose ordered Cofield to serve a five-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered Cofield to pay $100 in special assessments. The court also forfeited Cofield’s gun and related ammunition to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Armored Truck Robber Sentenced to More Than 11 YearsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jorge Serrano Espinoza (20, Clearwater) to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robbery. Espinoza was convicted at trial on September 11, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, on the morning of June 9, 2023, Espinoza, James Battle, and Carlos Keanu Smith met for the purposes of robbing an armored truck. They followed the armored truck along its route from Pinellas County to eastern Hillsborough County before reaching a gas station in Ellenton. Florida Department of Transportation toll records showed the vehicle following seconds behind the targeted armored truck that morning. Surveillance video showed the vehicle also following the armored truck to other locations before conducting the robbery at the gas station in Ellenton. As the driver returned to the armored truck, Battle and Smith approached pointing pistols at the victim, forcing him to the ground. Espinoza served as the lookout. The trio stole more than $150,000 from the armored truck.
Battle was previously sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Smith was previously sentenced to 9 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
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.
Armed Career Criminal Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Ataire Carl Ray (30, Tampa) guilty of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The jury further found that Ray is an Armed Career Criminal after having committed at least three prior serious violent or drug offenses. Ray faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to evidence presented at trial, on April 1, 2022, Ray got into an argument during which he waived around a 9mm firearm with an extended magazine, while making various threats. Officers from the Tampa Police Department were called to the scene and approached Ray, who ran and threw the loaded firearm into a neighboring property, where it was quickly recovered. Ray was apprehended about a block away from where he had thrown the firearm. At the time, Ray had multiple prior felony convicts and therefore is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Kenneth. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.
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.
Arkansas Man Sentenced to More Than 11 years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS – A Hot Springs man was sentenced yesterday to 140 months in Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearings, which took place in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court records, on October 1, 2022, Cedric A. Mitchell, age 37, of Hot Springs, was a passenger in a white passenger vehicle stopped by the Hot Springs Police Department. Mitchell was determined to be on parole with an active Arkansas Search Waiver on file. Mitchell was searched by Officers and located in his right front jacket pocket was 551 grams of Methamphetamine.
On September 13, 2024, Mitchell pleaded guilty to Possession of a more than five hundred grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes made the announcement.
The Hot Springs Police Department Special Investigation Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Daniels prosecuted the case for the United States.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Arkansas Man Sentenced to 14 Years in federal Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
HOT SPRINGS – A Hot Springs man was sentenced yesterday to 170 months in Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm in furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearings, which took place in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court records, on September 13, 2023, Deangelo Michael Lover, age 34, of Hot Springs, sold 24 grams of Methamphetamine to a Confidential Informant. On September 15, 2023, Lover again contacted the Informant to sell additional Methamphetamine. Hot Springs Police Investigators with the Special Investigation Division contacted Arkansas State Police and requested that a traffic stop be conducted on the vehicle occupied by Lover. A traffic stop was conducted, and Lover was arrested on an outstanding warrant. A search of the vehicle yielded 46 grams of Methamphetamine and a handgun.
On September 30, 2024, Lover pleaded guilty to Possession of a more than five grams of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes made the announcement.
The Hot Springs Police Department Special Investigation Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Daniels prosecuted the case for the United States.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Arizona Couple Pleads Guilty to $1.2B Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
An Arizona couple pleaded guilty for causing over $1.2 billion of false and fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare and other health insurance programs for expensive, medically unnecessary wound grafts that were applied to elderly and terminally ill patients.
According to court documents, Alexandra Gehrke, 39, and her husband, Jeffrey King, 46, both of Phoenix, conspired with others to orchestrate the massive scheme. Gehrke ran two companies, Apex Medical LLC and Viking Medical Consultants LLC, that contracted with medically untrained “sales representatives” to locate elderly patients, including hospice patients, who had wounds at any stage and order amniotic wound grafts from a specific graft distributor. Gehrke instructed and financially incentivized the sales representatives to order grafts only in sizes 4x6 centimeters or larger, even if the wound was much smaller, to maximize health insurance reimbursement. Gehrke, through companies she owned and controlled, received over $279 million in illegal kickbacks from the distributor of the grafts in exchange for the orders. Gehrke in turn paid the sales representatives tens of millions of dollars in unlawful kickbacks. Gehrke then referred the patients to a company co-owned by King, which contracted with nurse practitioners to apply the grafts. King’s company fraudulently billed Medicare, TRICARE (the health care program for U.S. service members and their families), CHAMPVA (the health care program for spouses and children of permanently disabled veterans), and commercial insurance plans for the grafts. Gehrke and King, who had no medical training, directed the nurse practitioners to suspend their own medical judgment and apply all grafts ordered by the sales representatives, even when medically unreasonable and unnecessary, which resulted in the application of grafts to infected wounds, wounds that had already healed, and wounds that were not responding to the grafts.
From November 2022 through May 2024, Gehrke, King, and others, through companies they owned, operated, and controlled, submitted $1,212,005,778 in false and fraudulent claims to health insurance plans. This included over $960 million in false and fraudulent claims to the federal health care programs — Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA. The federal and private health care insurers paid $614,990,420 based on the false and fraudulent claims.
In their plea agreements, Gehrke and King agreed to pay restitution in the amounts of $614,990,420 and $605,690,110, respectively. They also agreed collectively to forfeit over $410 million in funds that they obtained from the fraud. To date, the government has seized nearly $100 million in assets that Gehrke and King accumulated from the scheme, including bank account balances exceeding $68 million, four luxury vehicles valued over $980,000, $22 million of life insurance annuities, and jewelry and precious metals.
Gehrke pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2024, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. King pleaded guilty on Jan. 31 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona; Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke of the FBI Atlanta Field Office; Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Director Kelly Mayo of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS); and Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) South Central Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, DCIS, and VA-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Albany County Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Thomas Berrington, age 33, of Colonie, New York, was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for his repeated sexual exploitation of a child announced 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).
As part of his prior guilty plea, Berrington admitted that between June of 2023 and January of 2024, he repeatedly sexually abused a minor female child for the purpose of photographing and video recording the abuse. The victim was eight years old when Berrington’s abuse of her began.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Berrington to a 25-year term of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment. Berrington will also be required to pay a special assessment of $200, an additional special assessment of $5,000, and register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents, and state and local police investigators, including from the New York State Police and Colonie Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
30 January 2025
York County Man Sentenced to 80 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Shontez Andrews, age 35, of York County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on January 28, 2025, to 80 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for the distribution of powder and crack cocaine.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Andrews distributed crack and powder cocaine in York, Pennsylvania on five separate occasions between June 23, 2021 and March 3, 2022. On March 23, 2022, during the execution of a search warrant, law enforcement subsequently recovered additional quantities of crack and powder cocaine in Andrews’s Manchester, Pennsylvania home and a vehicle Andrews used.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), York County Drug Task Force, and the Manchester Regional Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Miovas, Jr. prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Winter Garden Man Who Backed Vehicle into Business and Stole Six Firearms Sentenced to Four YearsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Edward Camacho (20, Winter Garden) to four years and three months in federal prison for theft of a firearm from a federal firearms licensee. Camacho pleaded guilty on September 17, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, on August 18, 2023, Camacho backed a vehicle into the front of a federal firearms licensee business around midnight. After smashing the front door and wall of the business, Camacho entered the business and broke a glass case where multiple firearms were housed. Camacho stole six firearms and then fled in his vehicle.
Camacho was apprehended less than two hours later after a foot pursuit with law enforcement. During the foot chase, Camacho was seen tossing three firearms onto the ground, two of which were confirmed to be stolen from the federal firearms licensee business.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Winter Park Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Alexa McNeff.
This case is part of the 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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Violent Illegal Alien Arrested After Release from Local Jail Despite Federal Arrest WarrantRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – A Mexican citizen who had been in local custody after pleading guilty to assault charges, and then was released from custody by the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office after the sheriff’s office refused to honor a federal arrest warrant, has been arrested and taken into custody by federal law enforcement.
“The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office in Ithaca, NY, a self-described sanctuary city, appears to have failed to honor a valid federal arrest warrant for a criminal alien with an assault conviction,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. “Yesterday, despite the warrant, a defendant with no legal status and a history of violence was released into the community. Federal agents risked their safety and pursued the defendant in unsafe conditions. Today, they were successful in recapturing the defendant. I applaud the U.S. Attorney’s commitment to investigate these circumstances for potential prosecution, and the efforts of the agents who were able to arrest the defendant under wholly avoidable circumstances. The Justice Department will not tolerate actions that endanger law enforcement and make their jobs harder than they already are, as they work to protect us all. We will use every tool at our disposal to prevent sanctuary city policies from impeding and obstructing lawful federal operations designed to make America safe again and end the national crisis arising from four years of failed immigration policy.”
Jesus Romero-Hernandez, 27, was charged in a federal criminal complaint on Jan. 8, 2024, with illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal.
Because Romero-Hernandez was then in the custody of the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office in Ithaca, New York, awaiting resolution of New York State assault charges, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) provided a copy of a federal arrest warrant, signed by a United States Magistrate Judge, to the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.
On January 28, 2025, after Romero-Hernandez’s New York State assault charges were resolved by his plea of guilty to assault in the third degree and a sentence of time-served, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office refused to honor the federal arrest warrant and released Romero-Hernandez before ICE-ERO arrived to pick him up and bring him to federal court in Syracuse to be arraigned on the pending federal criminal complaint.
Today ICE/ERO apprehended Romero-Hernandez with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The charges in the complaint pending against Romero-Hernandez are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York is looking into the circumstances surrounding his release.
Violent Illegal Alien Arrested After Release from Local Jail Despite Federal Arrest WarrantRead the Press Release
A Mexican citizen who had been in local custody after pleading guilty to assault charges, and was released from custody by the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office after the sheriff’s office refused to honor a federal arrest warrant, has been arrested and taken into custody by federal law enforcement.
“The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office in Ithaca, NY, a self-described sanctuary city, appears to have failed to honor a valid federal arrest warrant for a criminal alien with an assault conviction,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. “Yesterday, despite the warrant, a defendant with no legal status and a history of violence was released into the community. Federal agents risked their safety and pursued the defendant in unsafe conditions. Today, they were successful in recapturing the defendant. I applaud the U.S. Attorney’s commitment to investigate these circumstances for potential prosecution, and the efforts of the agents who were able to arrest the defendant under wholly avoidable circumstances. The Justice Department will not tolerate actions that endanger law enforcement and make their jobs harder than they already are, as they work to protect us all. We will use every tool at our disposal to prevent sanctuary city policies from impeding and obstructing lawful federal operations designed to make America safe again and end the national crisis arising from four years of failed immigration policy.”
Jesus Romero-Hernandez, 27, was charged in a federal criminal complaint on Jan. 8, 2024, with illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal.
Because Romero-Hernandez was then in the custody of the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office in Ithaca, New York, awaiting resolution of New York State assault charges, U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) provided a copy of a federal arrest warrant, signed by a U.S. Magistrate Judge, to the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.
On Jan. 28, after Romero-Hernandez’s New York State assault charges were resolved by his plea of guilty to assault in the third degree and a sentence of time-served, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office refused to honor the federal arrest warrant and released Romero-Hernandez before ICE-ERO arrived to pick him up and bring him to federal court in Syracuse to be arraigned on the pending federal criminal complaint.
Today ICE-ERO apprehended Romero-Hernandez with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The charges in the complaint pending against Romero-Hernandez are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York is looking into the circumstances surrounding his release.
Venezuelan Man Charged with Being in the United States Illegally After Having Been Previously Removed by Immigration OfficialsRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Jorge Humberto Moreno Martinez, 34, of Venezuela, has been charged by criminal complaint with being unlawfully present in the United States after having been previously removed by immigration officials.
On January 28, 2025, Moreno appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Moreno be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, Moreno was previously removed from the United States by immigration officials on November 15, 2016, after he completed a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence following his New York felony conviction for burglary in the second degree. At that time, Moreno was advised and acknowledged that due to his criminal history he was prohibited from entering or attempting to enter the United States. Despite that warning, Moreno re-entered the United States and his presence in the country thereafter was in violation of U.S. law.
Court records also state that when agents from the Department of Homeland Security attempted to arrest Moreno at a parking lot in Williston, Vermont, on January 27, 2025, Moreno fled in a vehicle, hitting three law enforcement vehicles before travelling at more than 100 miles per hour on a busy street before he was apprehended. As he drove, items were discarded from Moreno’s vehicle. Law enforcement recovered some of those items, which tested presumptively positive for cocaine base and cocaine.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Moreno is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Moreno faces up to 20 years’ incarceration if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Department of Homeland Security, including its Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI"), Enforcement and Removal Operations (“ERO”), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP”) divisions, with assistance from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”).
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Colin Owyang. Moreno is represented by Brooks McArthur, Esq.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects $17,444,425 in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2024Read the Press Release
SCRANTON – Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus announced today that the Middle District of Pennsylvania collected $17,444,425 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2024. Of this amount, $3,588,583 was collected in criminal actions and $13,855,841 was collected in civil actions.
The Middle District of Pennsylvania also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $5,108,801 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $16,233 was collected in criminal actions and $5,092,567 was collected in civil actions.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working for victims of crime and do what we can to make them whole,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus. “We collect restitution from convicted defendants on behalf of crime victims, we work to forfeit the ill-gotten gains that defendants obtain through illegal means, and we fight to get back money owed to taxpayers in criminal and civil cases. I am proud to say that we have collected millions of dollars over the last year for the taxpayers and for crime victims in our district.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
For example:
- Penn State Health is a multi-hospital system and offers Annual Wellness Visits which are reimbursable through Medicare. In 2023, Penn State Health made a self-disclosure to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office found that between December 1, 2015 and November 30, 2022, Penn State Health submitted claims for Annual Wellness Visits that were not supported by the wellness record. A settlement agreement was entered into in February 2024, in which Penn State health agreed to pay $11,712,336.
- Defendant Jimmy Tran owned and operated a small food market and convenience store, Asia Market, in Harrisburg, PA. The store was approved to participate in SNAP. From January 2017 – August 2020, the defendant traded SNAP benefits in exchange for cash. The total amount of SNAP benefits that were illegally exchanged for cash is $1,843,534.00. The payment of $299,174.60 was due to forfeiture/restoration.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $1,311,135 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2024. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
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