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27 January 2025
Tyler County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Martin Thomas Anderson, age 36, of Sistersville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 151 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Anderson, also known as “Martin McNeil,” was selling methamphetamine in Marshall and Wetzel Counties. Two traffic stops recovered more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, a stolen firearm, cash, and drug paraphernalia from Anderson. Anderson has prior drug, firearms, and escape convictions.
Anderson will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Two Memphis Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of MachinegunsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Jermaine Brown, 19, and Alvin McGee, 23, both of Memphis, have each been sentenced to federal prison for possession of a machinegun. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren, announced the sentences today.
According to the information presented in court, on July 10, 2023, Memphis Police Department officers observed Brown and McGee driving in a stolen Hyundai Sonata through the Kensington Manor apartment complex and attempted to stop the vehicle. When the vehicle reached a dead end, the driver, Jermaine Brown, and front passenger, Alvin McGee, both jumped out of the moving vehicle, which crashed into a dumpster. Brown had a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an attached Machinegun Conversion Device (commonly referred to as a “switch”) that was loaded with 17 rounds. Brown threw the machinegun after a short foot pursuit. McGee had a Radical Firearms AR-15 style .223 caliber rifle with approximately 60 rounds and a “drop-in auto sear,” which turns the rifle into a machinegun, and he also fled from the police. Officers apprehended McGee quickly.
Brown and McGee were indicted in December 2023 for possession of machineguns.
On July 12, 2024, Brown pled guilty before Senior United States District Judge Jon Phipps McCalla and was sentenced on November 8, 2024 to 27 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
On October 18, 2024, McGee pled guilty before Judge McCalla and was sentenced on January 24, 2025 to 41 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Fondren thanked the law enforcement partners who assisted in this case.
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Two Lancaster Men Sentenced on Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Lopez, age 41, and Michael Torres, age 43, both of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, were sentenced on January 23, 2025, by United States District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson on money laundering charges. Lopez received a sentence of one year and one day in prison and Torres was sentenced to six months in prison. Both defendants were ordered to serve one year on supervised release following completion of their prison terms.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Lopez owned C&D Motorsports, a car dealership located in Lancaster, where Torres was employed as a salesperson. Agents with the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) began investigating C&D Motorsports and Lopez in 2019 after receiving reports that C&D Motorsports catered to known drug traffickers who were known to have purchased vehicles from the dealership, and that the dealership had not been filing currency transaction reports for cash sales in excess of $10,000, as required by federal law.
IRS-CI conducted an undercover operation during which agents purported to be a drug trafficker and his girlfriend. The undercover agents met with Torres and Lopez at C&D Motorsports on October 16, 2019, and discussed purchasing a vehicle using cash from drug trafficking and ensuring that the vehicle would be put in the girlfriend’s name and that the drug trafficker’s name would be omitted from paperwork filed in connection with the sale. On December 11, 2019, the undercover agents returned to C&D Motorsports to meet with both Torres and Lopez to complete a cash purchase of a vehicle, which Lopez and Torres caused to be titled in a third party’s name. A federal grand jury returned an indictment in February 2022, charging Lopez and Torres with conspiring to commit money laundering involving proceeds represented to have been from drug trafficking.
Following a four-day trial in February 2024, a jury found both Lopez and Torres guilty of conspiring together to accept more than $33,000 in cash proceeds that were represented to be from the sale of cocaine, and to conceal the nature, source, ownership, and control of those proceeds by having the vehicle titled in a third party’s name.
“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to unraveling complex financial transactions and money laundering schemes where individuals attempt to conceal the true source of their money,” stated Amy MacNeely, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Haugsby and Joseph Terz prosecuted the case.
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Two Brooklyn Park Men Plead Guilty to Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Two Brooklyn Park men have pleaded guilty in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine throughout central and northern Minnesota, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, on June 22, 2024, a Minnesota State Patrol trooper initiated the traffic stop of a white Ford Expedition on Highway 10 in Royalton, Minnesota. As the trooper approached the vehicle, he noticed several indications of drug trafficking activity including a single screwdriver, flashlight, black electric tape, loose panels and molding around the radio and center console, and a marijuana pipe, as well as a marijuana blunt roach and flakes all over the center console. The driver, Dillon Peter-Cody Clemens, 38, and his passenger, Jacob Seth Cobb, 30, both had revoked driver’s licenses. Clemens and Cobb claimed to be on their way to Motley, Minnesota, to purchase a motorcycle but could not provide the name or street address of the seller. The trooper deployed his K9 to search the vehicle, and the K9 alerted to the driver’s side door seam. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed what appeared to be a one-pound package of methamphetamine. Clemens and Cobb were subsequently arrested.
Clemens and Cobb were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Clemens pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Katherine M. Menendez to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Cobb also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine before Judge Menendez on January 21, 2025. Their sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota State Patrol and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Syngen Kanassatega is prosecuting the case.
Suburban Chicago Businessman Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago businessman has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in mortgage and vehicle loans and using stolen identities to secure credit from financial institutions.
YALE SCHIFF fraudulently obtained mortgage loans, vehicle loans, lines of credit, and credit cards by making false statements to financial institutions regarding his employment, income, and encumbrances on the collateral he pledged for the loans. After obtaining the loans, Schiff filed false documents with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, causing the fraudulent release of the liens. Schiff then pocketed the loan proceeds, causing losses to the lenders. Schiff used the same mortgaged properties for multiple loans, each time fraudulently removing the lien and keeping the proceeds.
Schiff used various false and stolen identities to carry out his fraud scheme. Schiff bought vehicles under the false identities and fraudulently removed liens on the cars before selling them for a profit. He also opened bank accounts and lines of credit using the false identities and other aliases, funding the accounts with advances from other fraudulently obtained lines of credit and credit cards. In one instance, Schiff used a credit card issued in the name of an elderly woman whom he knew was in a memory care facility at the time, and in another instance he used a credit card issued in the name of a friend who had passed away.
Schiff, 50, of Riverwoods, Ill., pleaded guilty in 2023 to a federal bank fraud charge. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland on Jan. 16, 2025, ordered Schiff to pay $2,955,954 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
“Defendant, over the course of at least 13 years, engaged in a calculated, sustained, prolonged, multi-faceted scheme to defraud multiple financial institutions, individual buyers of property, and individuals whose identity he used,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri H. Mecklenburg argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant’s conduct was prolonged, willful, and widespread.”
Schiff’s brother, JASON SCHIFF, of Lincolnwood, Ill., and a business associate, DAVID IZSAK, of Chicago, were also charged as part of the federal investigation. Jason Schiff pleaded guilty to causing a false report and statement to be made to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Jason Schiff was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay $306,610 in restitution. A jury convicted Izsak on ten counts of financial institution fraud. Izsak is awaiting sentencing.
St. Lucie County company and woman sentenced for conspiring to harbor aliens by means of employmentRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 24, Martinez Builders Supply, d/b/a East Coast Trust (ECT) and Kelly Yanira Del Valle, 43, of Fort Pierce, Florida, were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiring to harbor aliens by means of employment in August and October 2024. Del Valle also pleaded guilty for filing false tax returns and aiding the filing of false tax returns.
ECT was sentenced to two years of probation, to include the implementation of a corporate compliance program, ordered to forfeit $450,000 to the United States and ordered to pay a $100,000 fine. Del Valle was sentenced to 13 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, ordered to forfeit $100,000 to the United States and to pay $100,146 in restitution to the IRS.
From June 2018 through August 2021, Del Valle, who was employed by ECT at the time, along with several of ECT’s officers and employees, conspired to harbor migrants by means of employment. In June 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) law enforcement agents conducted an audit of ECT. The audit revealed that dozens of ECT’s employees were migrants, who were not authorized to work in the United States. To conceal, harbor, and shield the undocumented migrants from HSI, Del Valle and several of ECT’s officers and employees, transferred the undocumented migrants from ECT’s payroll to the payroll of two shell companies. The undocumented migrants continued to work at ECT while purportedly being employed and paid by the shell companies. ECT paid Del Valle a fee for each undocumented migrant that she transferred from ECT’s to the shell companies’ payroll.
Between June 2018 and July 2021, ECT, through its agents and employees, transferred money to bank accounts operated by Del Valle in the name of the shell companies for the express purpose of paying the undocumented migrants who worked at ECT.
On Aug. 6, 2021, HSI law enforcement agents discovered 28 undocumented migrants working at ECT’s headquarters in St. Lucie County.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael S. Davis for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
The HSI Fort Pierce Field Office and IRS CI Miami Filed Office investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, and Fort Pierce Police Department (FPPD). Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 24-cr-14019 and 24-cr-14035.
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Shenandoah Man Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Shenandoah, Virginia man pled guilty today to wire fraud for stealing over $200,000 from his former employer.
Vernon Fisher, 66, pled guilty today to two counts of wire fraud. At sentencing, Fisher faces up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, from approximately 2017 and continuing through 2021, Fisher was employed by ‘Victim Company,’ a plastics company located in Elkton, Virginia. Fisher served as an accountant and controller and his responsibilities included filing taxes, running payroll, managing cash, bank deposits, and paying company bills on behalf of Victim Company.
Fisher admitted to engaging in a multi-year scheme to steal from and defraud Victim Company by linking his personal bank accounts to the Victim Company bank accounts. Through a series of over 300 financial transactions, Fisher funneled over $200,000 of company money to his own accounts and used it for personal expenses at Neiman Marcus, Kay Jewelers, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and other high-end retailers.
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan is prosecuting the case.
Sapulpa Couple Sentenced for Their Role in Abusing Three-Week-Old BabyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Jeannie Rene Romero, 25, for Child Abuse and Child Neglect in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Jeannie to serve 60 months, followed by five years of supervised release.
In October 2022, Jeannie was taking care of her three-week-old baby. While changing the baby's diaper, Jeannie admittedly used unreasonable force, breaking the baby’s femur in half. She failed to seek medical attention for more than 48 hours. Doctors noted that the baby had additional injuries consistent with abuse.
In June, Judge Hill sentenced Jeannie’s husband, Jacob Alejandro Romero, 24, for Child Neglect in Indian County. Jacob was at work when the abuse occurred. However, the infant's injury was noticeable, and he failed to seek help. Judge Hill ordered Jacob to serve 24 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
The baby and its sibling were removed from the home and placed in the care of the family members. Jeannie and the baby are citizens of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
Jeannie will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. Jacob was previously released on bond and taken into custody following his sentencing in June.
The FBI and Sapulpa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Ihler prosecuted the case.
San Antonio Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Dozens of Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for one count of possession of a machinegun.
According to court documents, Aden Ethan Cantu aka Glock Mayne, 21, unlawfully possessed multiple machinegun conversion devices, also known as switches. In total, Cantu was held accountable for the unlawful possession of 94 switches and other machinegun conversion devices, which he had been trafficking throughout the San Antonio community. Cantu was arrested Dec. 15, 2023 and has remained in federal custody. He pleaded guilty to the charge Sept. 25, 2024.
“The possession of a machinegun conversion device is illegal,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas, “These devices are very often paired with stolen firearms and used in other criminal endeavors, and this sentence reinforces the message that trafficking these devices will not be tolerated in our community.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case.
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Richmond Heights Hotel Manager Sentenced to 39 Months in Prison for Financial FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced the former assistant general manager of a Richmond Heights, Missouri hotel to 39 months in prison for committing multiple frauds and ordered her to repay $226,882.
From March to October of 2023, Angelique Patterson, 40, manipulated the hotel’s reservation system to alter the records of customers who had paid using cash or credit cards. Patterson retroactively changed those reservations to falsely show that the customers had used the hotel’s loyalty rewards system “points” for their stay. She then added her own credit or debit card information into the system and had the customers’ payments “refunded” to her.
On Oct. 4, 2023, although not on duty, Patterson tried to use the hotel's desk computer and a coworker's credentials to fraudulently refund herself an additional $61,998.
Patterson also used hotel customers’ credit card information from August through September of 2021 to make fake charges via the entertainment company she owned, Angel Entertains LLC. She obtained or tried to obtain $109,000 that way.
Patterson pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in September to five counts of wire fraud.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwen Carroll and Cort VanOstran prosecuted the case.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death.
Curtis Cummings, age 39, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Cummings was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2023. He was found guilty following a three-day jury trial on November 7, 2024.
The conviction arose from a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl operating in Rapid City, South Dakota. Cummings and his wife, Katey McGruder, obtained large amounts of fentanyl from a source in Colorado on a weekly basis. They would bring the fentanyl back to their Rapid City home where it was further distributed by Christina Sanchez and other conspirators. On April 26, 2022, Cummings and McGruder provided fentanyl to Sanchez, who provided the fentanyl to Wyatt Nygaard. Nygaard then provided the fentanyl to the victim who overdosed and died in the parking lot of a convenience store within minutes of ingesting the fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET). UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Dilges and Edward Tarbay prosecuted the case. Nygaard was previously sentenced to over 23 years in federal prison. McGruder and Sanchez were previously sentenced to 20 years each of federal imprisonment.
Cummings was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing.
Raleigh County Woman and Man Plead Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Heather Danielle Dunbar, 37, of Terry, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine. Dunbar admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia. A co-defendant, David Anthony Lacy, 52, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense in a separate case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 17, 2023, Dunbar sold 1 ounce of methamphetamine in exchange for $320 to a confidential informant at the residence of co-conspirator Tilford Joe Bradley Jr. in Beckley. Dunbar admitted to the transaction and further admitted to additional drug transactions. On October 23, 2023, Dunbar sold 25.94 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $320. On December 26, 2023, Dunbar sold approximately 2.3 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $325. Each time, Dunbar sold the controlled substances to a confidential informant.
On June 28, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bradley’s residence, where Dunbar was staying. Officers seized 38 grams of fentanyl, 6 grams of cocaine, multiple digital scales, a money counter, a large quantity of small plastic bags, and a blender containing white residue. Dunbar admitted that she intended to help Bradley distribute the seized controlled substances in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
Dunbar further admitted to working with Bradley to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and crack in and around the Southern District of West Virginia during the months of April and May 2024. On April 9, 2024, Bradley called Dunbar and they discussed weighing $600 worth of drugs for an individual waiting to purchase them. On May 3, 2024, Dunbar and Bradley discussed selling $100 worth of cocaine to an individual. Dunbar admitted that she now knows that law enforcement intercepted her phone calls with Bradley.
Lacy received cocaine base, also known as “crack,” from Bradley and redistributed it in and around the Southern District of West Virginia throughout the month of April 2024. Lacy admitted that he called Bradley using his cell phone to discuss and arrange drug transactions. On April 24, 2024, Lacy called Bradley and asked for about 3.5 grams of crack, and told Bradley that he needed to discuss buying fentanyl from Bradley to redistribute. Lacy admitted that he now knows that law enforcement officers intercepted those phone calls.
Dunbar is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine. Lacy is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Bradley, 47, of Beckley, pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and awaits sentencing. Dunbar, Lacy and Bradley are among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. Dunbar, Lacy and Bradley are also among 10 defendants who have pleaded guilty. The charges against the other defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell is prosecuting the cases.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:24-cr-90 (Dunbar) and 5:25-cr-1 (Lacy).
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Pikeville Man Sentenced to 33 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Pikeville, Ky., man, Samuel C. Atkins, 52, was sentenced on Friday, by U.S. District Chief Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 396 months, for possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fluorofentanyl, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on January 3, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located Atkins, who was wanted on two outstanding state arrest warrants, at a residence in Richmond. During a search of the residence, law enforcement located sixteen firearms and quantities of methamphetamine and fluorofentanyl in Atkins’s bedroom. Atkins, who had several prior felony convictions, later admitted to obtaining some of these firearms through his drug trafficking. Atkins was taken into custody and lodged at the Madison County Detention Center.
A few days later, detention center employees responded to Atkins’s cell, where four other inmates had suffered non-fatal overdoses. A subsequent search of Atkins’s cell revealed multiple baggies containing approximately two and a half ounces of fentanyl and/or fluorofentanyl. Atkins later admitted to concealing the drugs, bringing them into the detention center after his arrest on January 3, and distributing them to the other inmates.
Under federal law, Atkins must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Atkins’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Jeremy Honaker, Acting U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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Philadelphia Woman Sentenced to over Three Years in Prison for Stabbing on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Philadelphia woman was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for stabbing a man in the Pearl River community of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Reservation.
According to court documents, Telinah Kowi Tek Farve, 24, stabbed a man at a tribal home in the Pearl River Community in March of 2023. Farve was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023, and pled guilty in April of 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), a nationwide initiative that was launched in 2001 and works to reduce violent crime and gun violence. It’s a collaboration between federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement, prosecutors, and community leaders. PSN is coordinated by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the 94 federal judicial districts throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhood, please visit www.psn.gov.
Philadelphia Mental Health Clinic and Its Psychiatrist Owner Agree to Pay $900,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Lawsuit for Alleged Medicaid FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Dr. Ghodrat Pirooz Sholevar and his company, Nueva Vida Multicultural/Multilingual Behavioral Health, Inc., have agreed to pay $900,000 to resolve allegations in the United States’ Amended Complaint that they fraudulently billed Medicaid for medication management appointments for children and other patients that were too short pursuant to applicable regulations. The government alleges that the visits violated rules promulgated by Community Behavioral Health, the local Medicaid program administrator, and the False Claims Act.
Sholevar and Nueva Vida operated three mental health clinics in Northeast Philadelphia and provided psychiatry services under the Medicaid program to adults and children. Among other mental health services, Sholevar provided medication management appointments for his patients. A medication management appointment or “med check” is required to prescribe, and monitor the effects of, certain drugs for mental health conditions. During a med check, a doctor typically obtains a patient’s relevant history, examines his mental status, assesses his response to the medication, and adjusts any prescriptions or treatment plans if necessary. Medication management appointments are required to be at least 15 minutes in length to be fully reimbursable and documentation of the actual time in clock hours that services were provided is a condition of payment for Medicaid services rendered to patients in Philadelphia.
In an amended complaint filed on May 7, 2024, the United States contends that, from January 15, 2009, through March 31, 2017, Nueva Vida regularly submitted false bills for medication management appointments performed by Sholevar because these visits were not at least 15 minutes long and instead were likely substantially shorter. Nueva Vida also regularly billed for more medication management appointments than could be completed in a single workday if each appointment were 15 minutes long as required. Nueva Vida billed Medicaid for whole single “units” of medication management, thereby falsely representing that each patient had been seen for the required 15 minutes. The government alleges that, despite conducting appointments that were much shorter than 15 minutes, Sholevar falsely recorded start and end times in patients’ files that made it appear that the patients were seen for a full 15 minutes. These false “clock times” included overlapping times where Sholevar was purportedly seeing two or three patients during the same 15-minute window, and at two different clinic locations.
The United States further contends that the defendants knew or recklessly disregarded the Medicaid rules regarding the timing of medication management visits. The defendants’ fee schedules for services to Medicaid patients specified that the medication management visit was 15 minutes per “unit” of service billed. The defendants were notified in an audit as early as 2004 that medication management visits ranging from six to twelve minutes were too short. The Medicaid program administrator also regularly recouped payments from the defendants for medication management visits that did not include start and end times, or where there was evidence that the appointment was less than 15-minutes long. But the defendants continued providing too-short appointments and failing to document clock times in treatment records, even after these issues were repeatedly brought to their attention. Nueva Vida ceased operating mental health clinics in 2018.
“The defendants allegedly overbilled the Medicaid program at the expense of low-income Philadelphians, including children, who were seeking mental health services,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “These individuals deserved full and appropriate health care services, including careful management of psychiatric drugs that can have dangerous side effects. We will hold accountable those who bill Medicaid but fail to provide the full service, because this not only defrauds the government, but deprives vulnerable individuals of care.”
“Medicaid provides important mental health services to adults and children,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The defendants’ actions defrauded the Medicaid program and may have resulted in patients not receiving the full services they deserve. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate allegations of Medicaid fraud and ensure proper services are provided to patients.”
This settlement resolved a lawsuit that the United States filed under the False Claims Act in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The government’s resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. For the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the investigation and settlement were handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Lindgren and Gregory in den Berken and auditor George Niedzwicki.
The case is captioned United States v. Nueva Vida Multicultural/Multilingual Behavioral Health, Inc. and Ghodrat Pirooz Sholevar, M.D., Civ. No. 24-1451 (E.D. Pa.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Enticing A MinorRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, man was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for his conviction of online enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Louis Goldenberg, 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an information charging him with one count of attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In August 2023, Goldenberg began interacting on a messaging application with an undercover agent, who was posing as a middle-aged woman with a 12-year-old niece. From August through September 2023, Goldenberg messaged the undercover, continuously expressing interest in having sexual contact with the minor. During one of the conversations, Goldenberg indicated a specific hotel in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey where he wanted to have sex with the minor. On September 18, 2023, Goldenberg traveled from Pennsylvania to the Mt. Laurel hotel, where he had a reservation for that evening. When Goldenberg arrived, he was arrested by law enforcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge O’Hearn sentenced Goldenberg to five years of supervised release and ordered him to register as a sex offender.
Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents and task force officers with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the leadership of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Mount Laurel Police Department.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Defense counsel: Rocco C. Cipparone, Jr., Esq.
Owners of Florida labor-staffing companies sentenced for tax and immigration fraud and money launderingRead the Press Release
Defendants prosecuted as part of Operation RoomKey
MIAMI – Two Ukrainian nationals who were extradited from the Kingdom of Thailand to the United States in September 2024 were sentenced today on charges related to labor-staffing companies they operated in Florida. Oleg Oliynyk and Oleksandr Yurchyk were each sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Oliynyk, Yurchyk and others owned and operated a series of labor-staffing companies in South Florida — including Paradise Choice LLC, Paradise Choice Cleaning LLC, Tropical City Services LLC and Tropical City Group LLC — from at least April 2008 and August 2021. Through these staffing companies, Oliynyk, Yurchyk and co-defendants Oleksandr Morgunov, Mykhaylo Chugay and Volodymyr Ogorodnychuk facilitated the employment of non-resident aliens in the hospitality industry who were not authorized to work in the United States and helped evade the assessment and collection of more than $25 million of federal income and employment taxes.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez ordered Oliynyk and Yurchyk to each serve three years of supervised release, pay $10,863,233.05 in restitution to the United States and to forfeit $11 million.
Oliynyk and Yurchyk are the latest defendants sentenced as part of Operation RoomKey, a joint criminal investigation initiative led by the Tax Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Co-defendant Chugay, was convicted at trial in June 2022, and was sentenced in August 2022 to more than 24 years in prison. Co-defendants Morgunov and Ogorodnychuk each pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 96 months in prison and 48 months in prison, respectively.
In March 2022, Mikus Berzins, former City of Key West Police Officer Igor Kasyanenko, Roman Riabov and Andrejs Kozlovs each pleaded guilty to their crimes in the operation of the labor staffing company, Phoenix ADB Services Inc. (Phoenix ADB), which, according to court records, facilitated the employment of aliens without work authorization.
In May 2022, the court sentenced Igor Kasyanenko and Riabov to 22 months and 18 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the tax and immigration conspiracy. The court also sentenced Berzins and Kozlovs to 28 months and 12 months in prison, respectively, for knowingly hiring ten or more aliens who were not authorized to work in the United States. Later, in September 2023, Nataliya Vasylivna Kasyanenko, a former housekeeping manager at a large Key West hotel, was sentenced for participating in the tax and immigration conspiracy related to the operation of Phoenix ADB.
Batyr Myatiev, the owner and operator of two labor staffing companies, AmeriHos LLC and Golden Sands Management LLC, pleaded guilty in March 2023 and was sentenced in June 2023 to 32 months in prison. According to court records, Myatiev’s labor staffing companies caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $3.5 million and facilitated the employment of aliens without work authorization.
In July 2023, Eka Samadashvili and Davit Pavliashvili, were sentenced for their respective roles in the operation of several labor staffing companies, including PSEB Services JD Inc., Paradise Hospitality Solutions LLC, Paradise Hospitality Group LLC, Paradise Hospitality Inc. and HBSM Corp. According to court records, these labor staffing companies caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $8.4 million and facilitated the employment of non-resident aliens in hotels, bars and restaurants in Key West and elsewhere who were not authorized to work in the United States.
Finally, in March 2024, Petr Sutka was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in operating a series of labor staffing companies — including PSEB Specialty Service Inc., Perfect Service Excellent Benefits Services Inc., Starline Hospitality Inc., Norbert Janitorial Service Inc., E.S.F. Services Inc. and Expert Services F.S. Inc. — which, according to court records, caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $3.5 million and facilitated the employment of aliens without work authorization. In April 2024, Sutka’s co-defendants, Zdenek Strnad and Vasil Khatiashvili, were each sentenced to more than three years, respectively, for their roles in the tax and immigration conspiracy.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael S. Davis for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Chris Clark of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty, and Trial Attorneys Jessica A. Kraft, Matthew C. Hicks, and Wilson Rae Stamm of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 21-cr-10009.
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Owners of Florida Labor-Staffing Companies Sentenced for Tax and Immigration Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Two Ukrainian nationals who were extradited from Thailand to the United States in September 2024 were sentenced today on charges related to labor-staffing companies they operated in Florida. Oleg Oliynyk and Oleksandr Yurchyk were each sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Oliynyk, Yurchyk and others owned and operated a series of labor-staffing companies in South Florida — including Paradise Choice LLC, Paradise Choice Cleaning LLC, Tropical City Services LLC and Tropical City Group LLC — from at least April 2008 and August 2021. Through these staffing companies, Oliynyk, Yurchyk and co-defendants Oleksandr Morgunov, Mykhaylo Chugay and Volodymyr Ogorodnychuk facilitated the employment of non-resident aliens in the hospitality industry who were not authorized to work in the United States and helped evade the assessment and collection of more than $25 million of federal income and employment taxes.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez ordered Oliynyk and Yurchyk to each serve three years of supervised release, pay $10,863,233.05 in restitution to the United States and to forfeit $11 million.
Oliynyk and Yurchyk are the latest defendants sentenced as part of Operation RoomKey, a joint criminal investigation initiative led by the Tax Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Co-defendant Chugay, was convicted at trial in June 2022, and was sentenced in August 2022 to more than 24 years in prison. Co-defendants Morgunov and Ogorodnychuk each pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 96 months in prison and 48 months in prison, respectively.
In March 2022, Mikus Berzins, former City of Key West Police Officer Igor Kasyanenko, Roman Riabov and Andrejs Kozlovs each pleaded guilty to their crimes in the operation of the labor staffing company, Phoenix ADB Services Inc. (Phoenix ADB), which, according to court records, facilitated the employment of aliens without work authorization.
In May 2022, the court sentenced Igor Kasyanenko and Riabov to 22 months and 18 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the tax and immigration conspiracy. The court also sentenced Berzins and Kozlovs to 28 months and 12 months in prison, respectively, for knowingly hiring ten or more aliens who were not authorized to work in the United States. Later, in September 2023, Nataliya Vasylivna Kasyanenko, a former housekeeping manager at a large Key West hotel, was sentenced for participating in the tax and immigration conspiracy related to the operation of Phoenix ADB.
Batyr Myatiev, the owner and operator of two labor staffing companies, AmeriHos LLC and Golden Sands Management LLC, pleaded guilty in March 2023 and was sentenced in June 2023 to 32 months in prison. According to court records, Myatiev’s labor staffing companies caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $3.5 million and facilitated the employment of aliens without work authorization.
In July 2023, Eka Samadashvili and Davit Pavliashvili were sentenced for their respective roles in the operation of several labor staffing companies, including PSEB Services JD Inc., Paradise Hospitality Solutions LLC, Paradise Hospitality Group LLC, Paradise Hospitality Inc. and HBSM Corp. According to court records, these labor staffing companies caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $8.4 million and facilitated the employment of non-resident aliens in hotels, bars and restaurants in Key West and elsewhere who were not authorized to work in the United States.
Finally, in March 2024, Petr Sutka was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in operating a series of labor staffing companies — including PSEB Specialty Service Inc., Perfect Service Excellent Benefits Services Inc., Starline Hospitality Inc., Norbert Janitorial Service Inc., E.S.F. Services Inc. and Expert Services F.S. Inc. — which, according to court records, caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $3.5 million and facilitated the employment of aliens without work authorization. In April 2024, Sutka’s co-defendants, Zdenek Strnad and Vasil Khatiashvili, were each sentenced to more than three years, respectively, for their roles in the tax and immigration conspiracy.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Michael S. Davis for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
HSI and IRS-CI are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Oliynyk and Yurchyk. The United States also thanks the Embassy of the United States in Thailand - Regional Security Office and Thai law enforcement partners including the Royal Thai Police and Office of the Attorney General for their valuable assistance.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorneys Jessica A. Kraft, Matthew C. Hicks and Wilson Rae Stamm of the Tax Division and Senior Litigation Counsel Chris Clark for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Owensboro Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Online EnticementRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – An Owensboro, Kentucky, man was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for attempted online enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police made the announcement.
According to court documents, Corey James Jarboe, 30, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempted online enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Jarboe used the internet to communicate with an undercover law enforcement officer who he believed to be a 14-year-old female, and, during those conversations, he knowingly attempted to entice the minor to engage in criminal sexual activity by making plans to meet in person for sexual contact.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by HSI Bowling Green 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 was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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North Dakota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for 15 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Tampering with a WitnessRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Bismarck, North Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Tampering with a Witness. The sentencing took place on January 24, 2025.
Henry Damon Smith, Jr., 41, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release on the firearm charge, and three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on the tampering charge. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently. Smith was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Smith was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 4, 2024.
The case stemmed from a Rapid City Police Department officer finding Smith with a firearm in Rapid City. Smith is federally prohibited from owning and possessing firearms because he has previous felony convictions, including crimes of domestic violence and assault on law enforcement. After being arrested, Smith attempted to avoid the charges by convincing a witness to claim responsibility for the firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Smith was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Nigerian Man Extradited to the U.S. After Being Indicted for Sextortion Scheme that Caused Death of S.C. TeenRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal (luh-wall), 24, of Osun State, Nigeria, has been extradited to the United States from Nigeria to face prosecution in a partially unsealed indictment for the sextortion of a South Carolina minor, which led to the victim’s death.
This investigation was launched after Gavin Guffey, a 17-year-old from Rock Hill, died by suicide in July 2022 after being victimized by Lawal’s scheme. Lawal allegedly posed as a young woman on social media and coerced the teen into sending compromising photos. He then extorted and sent harassing messages to the teen threatening to leak the photos and ruin his reputation unless the teen sent him money. Lawal later did the same to members of his family.
The five-count federal indictment charges Lawal with child exploitation resulting in death, the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, coercion and enticement of a minor, cyberstalking resulting in death, interstate threats with intent to extort, and aiding/abetting. In addition to victimizing the teen in every count, the indictment alleges Lawal targeted the minor victim’s family in the stalking and extortion charges.
Lawal faces up to life in prison, and mandatory minimum prison sentences on multiple counts. The child exploitation resulting in death count carries a mandatory 30-year sentence. He also faces mandatory restitution, where the court may order Lawal to pay for losses incurred by the family as a result of his scheme.
The indictment was returned by a federal Grand Jury in South Carolina in October 2023. On Jan. 24, following extradition proceedings in Nigeria, agents with the FBI Columbia Field Office took custody of Lawal in Lagos, Nigeria and executed the removal with assistance from Nigerian law enforcement.
“We will not allow predators who target our children to hide behind a keyboard or across the ocean. Today we honor Gavin’s life and continue our fight against sextortion by holding this defendant accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Adair Ford Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “This investigation and extradition are the result of tremendous law enforcement coordination both in the United States and Nigeria. We’re grateful to the many agencies who helped make this day possible.”
“This indictment represents the culmination of countless hours of dedicated work done by our investigators both here and abroad,” said Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “The defendant’s alleged actions are reprehensible resulting in the tragic loss of a young man’s life. We remain steadfast in our commitment to holding criminals accountable, especially those who target our children and endanger their lives, no matter where they are.”
U.S. Attorney Boroughs and SAC Jensen thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and U.S. State Department for their help in facilitating the arrest and extradition of Lawal.
Nigerian law enforcement provided critical assistance in the identification, investigation, arrest, and extradition of Lawal. U.S. Attorney Boroughs and SAC Jensen extend their appreciation and thanks to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Attorney General’s Office – Ministry of Justice, and all other involved Nigerian authorities for their important partnership in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following website: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
If someone you know is being victimized by sextortion, please report to local law enforcement and to the FBI. Learn more about sextortion and find resources for parents, caregivers, and teachers.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the FBI's Violent Crimes Against Children Section and International Operations Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the York County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels, Lothrop Morris, and Michael Shedd are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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New Jersey man pleads guilty to conspiracy charge related to videos depicting monkey torture & mutilationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati today to conspiracy related to his involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing “animal crush” videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
According to court documents, Giancarlo Morelli, of Wharton, conspired with others to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys. The conspirators used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera.
According to a statement of facts signed by Morelli, the videos in question included depictions of monkeys having their genitals burned and cut off.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made today’s announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam C. Cullman of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Oakley for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
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New Jersey Return Preparer Charged with Preparing False Tax Returns and Obstructing the IRSRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed last week charging a New Jersey return preparer with preparing and filing 55 false income tax returns on behalf of clients and obstructing the IRS.
According to the indictment, from at least 2018 through 2023, Christopher Demba, of Hillsborough, owned and operated Demba & Associates CPA LLC, a return preparation business. Demba allegedly prepared returns for clients that claimed false deductions, credit carryforwards or fraudulently recategorized income to claim expenses that would otherwise be disallowed. The indictment further alleges that Demba obstructed the IRS by providing false working papers to IRS personnel in an attempt to justify some of the claims made on returns he prepared for clients.
If convicted, Demba faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. 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 made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Mark McDonald and Alexis Hughes of the Tax Division 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.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to Al ShabaabRead the Press Release
Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that KARREM NASR, a/k/a “Ghareeb Al-Muhajir,” pled guilty to attempting to provide material support to al Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization before U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres.
U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “Karrem Nasr devoted himself to waging violent jihad against America and its allies. Inspired by the evil terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Nasr, a U.S. citizen, traveled from Egypt to Kenya in an effort to join al Shabaab so that he could execute his jihadist mission of creating death and destruction. Now, instead of perpetrating a deadly attack in the name of a foreign terrorist group, Nasr resides in federal prison. I thank the career prosecutors of my office and our law enforcement partners for their extraordinary work in disrupting this plan and bringing a terrorist to justice.”
According to the allegations in the court filings and statements made in Court:
NASR is a 24-year-old U.S. citizen who moved from New Jersey to Egypt in or about July 2023. Starting in at least in or about November 2023, NASR repeatedly expressed his desire and plans to join al Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization that has attacked Americans and American allies around the world, and wage jihad, including in communications with an FBI confidential source (the “CS”), who was posing as a facilitator for terrorist organizations.[1]
In communications exchanged with the CS and postings that NASR made online, NASR stated that he had been thinking about engaging in jihad for a long time, and he was particularly motivated to become a jihadi by the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. For example, in communications with the CS, NASR stated that the number one enemy was “evil America,” which he called the “head of the snake.” In social media posts, NASR warned that “Jihad” was “coming soon to a US location near you,” posting airplane, bomb, and fire emojis:
In further communications with the CS, NASR expressed his intent to join al Shabaab to receive military training and engage in jihad, that he was prepared to kill and be killed, and that he specifically aspired to be a martyr for the jihadist cause. For example, NASR stated “I would like to become a martyr in the sake of Allah. . . . I think in coming years, inshallah we are going to see here big events in Egypt and the other Arab countries. Inshallah if this happens; I will come back to Egypt, inshallah to help the Muslims in Egypt in their struggle to establish here in Egypt.”
Beyond his online postings and communications with the CS, NASR took specific and targeted steps in his effort to join and receive military training from al Shabaab. Among other things, NASR made flight and lodging reservations for travel to Kenya, where he planned to meet members of al Shabaab for further travel to Somalia to join and train with the terrorist group. In addition, the day before his flight, NASR told the CS that he planned to delete data from his cellphone and computer to ensure that if he were detained, law enforcement would not be able to recover evidence of his jihadist activities from those devices. On December 14, 2023, as planned, NASR flew from Egypt to Kenya, where he then planned to transit into Somalia to join and train with al Shabaab. Later that day, NASR was taken into custody by Kenyan authorities. On December 28, 2023, NASR arrived in the U.S.
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NASR, 24, of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, pled guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. NASR is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Torres on June 30, 2025.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”)’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department. Ms. Sassoon also thanked the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations, including the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and the Joint Terrorism Task Force-Kenya, for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Kimberly J. Ravener, and Stephen Ritchin are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the Counterterrorism Section.
[1] Communications referenced herein are described in substance and in part.
Morrisville, Vermont Man Sentenced to 18 Months of Incarceration in Firearm Possession CaseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on January 23, 2025, Jordan Phelps, 36, of Morrisville, Vermont was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to 18 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. Phelps previously pleaded guilty to being an unlawful user of controlled substances, specifically cocaine base, in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on March 11, 2024, Jordan Phelps called the Morristown Police Department on four occasions and threatened to go to the home of a sworn member of law enforcement. The threatening phone calls were recorded, and law enforcement investigated Phelps. The investigation demonstrated that Phelps sought to go to the officer’s home in response to what Phelps considered was unlawful surveillance of his activities. On March 13, 2024, law enforcement executed a state search warrant at Phelps’ residence that led to the seizure of a loaded Marlin Model 336 .30-30 Caliber Rifle from Phelps’ bedroom. Further investigation into Phelps revealed that he was an unlawful user of controlled substances.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Morristown Police Department, the Stowe Police Department, the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department, and the Vermont State Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Stendig. Phelps was represented by Chandler Matson, Esq.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Missouri Man Admits Transporting Minor for SexRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Missouri man has pleaded guilty and admitted transporting a minor across state lines for sex.
Scott M. Arnold-Micke, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of a minor to engage in a criminal sex act. He admitted in his plea agreement that in 2021, he took the 17-year-old victim to Chicago, where they used drugs and engaged in sexual acts. Arnold-Micke met the victim that summer they used drugs on an almost daily basis after Arnold-Micke moved from Sullivan, Missouri to Rolla, Missouri.
Arnold-Micke is scheduled to be sentenced April 30. Both the U.S. Attorney’s office and Arnold-Micke’s lawyers have agreed to recommend 230 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Rolla Police Department, and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Michigan Man Charged with Drug Distribution and Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Michigan man has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a conspiracy to import and sell illegal pharmaceuticals, including opioids, and to fund the operation of the scheme by fraudulently obtaining a Covid pandemic relief loan.
Donald Nchamukong, 37, was charged by Information with conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, to commit loan fraud and to distribute controlled substances. Nchamukong will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on a date to be scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging documents, starting in 2019 and continuing to 2022, Nchamukong and a co-conspirator, Doyal Kalita, conspired to distribute drugs to persons in the United States over the internet and using call centers in India. Nchamukong allegedly used shell companies, including a purported dietary supplements company and an auto parts supplier, and associated bank and merchant accounts to process sales of illegal foreign drugs, including the Schedule IV opioid, tramadol. Nchamukong and Kalita also received shipments of tramadol from India and reshipped the drug to customers across the United States, including in Massachusetts. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Nchamukong and Kalita allegedly fraudulently obtained a $200,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan to fund their illegal drug scheme.
Kalita was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating the online drug distribution scheme and a technical support fraud scheme and related money laundering.
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the monetary gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Fernando P. McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New York, Small Business Administration and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial, and Cyber Fraud Unit, is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, pleasehttps://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
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.
Martin Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Funds from a Tribal OrganizationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Martin, South Dakota, woman convicted of Larceny. The sentencing took place on January 24, 2025.
Madonna Peterson, age 59, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $150,000 in restitution to Wild Horse Butte Community Development Corporation (WHB).
Peterson was indicted on one count of Larceny and one count of Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization by a federal grand jury in February 2023. She pleaded guilty on September 30, 2024.
Between 2014 and July 2021, while employed as the Chief Financial Officer for the Wild Horse Butte Community Development Corporation, Peterson wrote herself checks she was not entitled to and submitted fraudulent reimbursement requests to WHB for travel that she did not take and for supplies that she did not purchase. Peterson then used the stolen funds for personal gain, including gambling at various casinos.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Peterson was ordered to self-surrender on February 18, 2025, to begin serving her prison term.
Lycoming County Man Sentenced on Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann sentenced James Michael Barr, age 69, of Cogan Station, Pennsylvania, to a time-served sentence plus 2 years of probation including 10 months of home confinement for failing to pay employment taxes owed by his construction company.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Barr pleaded guilty in July 2024, to failing to account for and pay over employment taxes owed by Barr Construction from 2017 through 2020. During that time period, in addition to a normal paycheck from which taxes were withheld, Barr also paid his employees in cash and did not withhold federal taxes from the cash payroll or remit taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service.
“Employers have a responsibility to their employees to withhold the proper amount of taxes and pay those taxes over to the IRS,” said Amy MacNeely, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
The sentence also imposed a $5,000 fine on Barr and required him to make restitution to the I.R.S. in the amount of $337,000 plus civil penalties.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.
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Louisville Man Sentenced to over 20 Years in Federal Prison for Carjacking Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – Today, a Louisville man was sentenced to 20 years and 5 months in federal prison for a carjacking which resulted in the death of teenage motorist.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, and Shelby County Sheriff Mark Moore made the announcement.
According to court documents, Michael Dewitt, 31, was sentenced to 20 years and 5 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for carjacking resulting in death. Dewitt committed a carjacking at gunpoint on March 1, 2021, and stole a 2011 Ford F350 from its owner in Simpsonville, Kentucky. During the immediate flight from the carjacking, and while still in possession of the stolen truck, Dewitt collided with a vehicle on Dixie Highway in Louisville, causing the death of a minor victim. Dewitt had controlled substances in his system at the time.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI Louisville Field Office, the Louisville Metro Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Bonar and Mac Shannon prosecuted this 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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Lexington Man Sentenced for Trafficking in Fentanyl and CarfentanilRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Eugene Laron Fishback, 32, was sentenced on Monday, by U.S. District Chief Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 40 years in prison, for five counts of drug trafficking.
In June 2024, following a four-day trial and approximately 90 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Fishback guilty of conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 10 grams or more of carfentanil. Fishback was also convicted of two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and carfentanil, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to testimony at trial, between July 1, 2022 and December 7, 2023, Fishback conspired with others to distribute fentanyl and carfentanil. On October 11, 2023, Fishback and his girlfriend, Tedi Hawkins, were evicted from their Lexington apartment. During a court ordered eviction, Fayette County Constables and members of the Lexington Police Department found plastic bags in the apartment, which contained over 7,000 fentanyl tablets, and four semi-automatic pistols, ammunition, and large capacity clips. Fishback and Hawkins later relocated to another apartment complex and came under DEA and Lexington Police Department investigation.
A federal search warrant was executed on the new residence, in December 2023. Execution of that warrant resulted in the seizure of more than 1,000 additional fentanyl tablets and a quantity of carfentanil. Fishback was later arrested from his vehicle, which contained another 1,000 fentanyl tablets and more than 10 grams of carfentanil.
After Hawkins had entered a guilty plea, Fishback attempted to convince her to withdraw that guilty plea, during a recorded jail call.
At the time of his indictment on these federal charges, Fishback had four pending state felony indictments in Fayette County. Additionally, Fishback has a number of prior felony convictions.
Under federal law, Fishback must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon Fishback’s release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by DEA, KSP, and Lexington Police Department, with assistance from the Fayette County Constable’s Office Third District. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roger West and Brittany Baker are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Lexington Man Sentenced for Fraudulently Obtaining COVID Relief Loans and COVID Relief Rental AssistanceRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Vonnie McDaniels, 35, was sentenced on Friday, by Chief U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, to 96 months, for wire fraud and other charges related to COVID relief programs.
Specifically, McDaniels was convicted in September 2024 of four counts of wire fraud, for fraudulently applying for three Small Business Administration (SBA) COVID-19 relief loans and for fraudulently applying to the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government’s (LFUCG) federally funded Housing Stabilization Program (HSP), a tenant rent relief program; two counts of aggravated identity theft for submitting tenant rent relief applications, pretending to be his tenants; six counts of money laundering; and two counts of committing an offense while on conditions of release.
According to the evidence at trial, McDaniels submitted a materially false application to the SBA, to obtain an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EDIL), for one business, fraudulently obtaining a $100,000 loan. The Defendant also submitted three materially false Payment Protection Program (PPP) applications, for the same business and for another business that was no longer in operation at the time of the pandemic. Two of the three PPP applications were eventually funded, and McDaniels obtained $93,231. McDaniels also inflated numbers on his applications to increase the loan amount and uploaded fraudulent tax documents to support his numbers. In 2020, he obtained a total of $193,231 in disaster relief funds from the SBA. The theft was discovered by law enforcement when preparing for an earlier trial, in June 2021, when McDaniels was previously convicted of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
McDaniels used the SBA loan proceeds to pay off personal credit cards and loans, free up home equity lines of credit, purchase a new property in South Carolina, and pay his unlawfully obtained mortgage, which had been the subject of his June 2021 bank fraud trial.
In 2021, McDaniels also submitted a materially false application to LFUCG’s HSP for tenant rent relief for two properties. McDaniels uploaded fraudulent leases, vastly inflating the monthly rent amount and pretended to be his two tenants when he submitted the tenant portions of the application. McDaniels solicited personal identifying information from his tenants, told his tenants about the rent relief program, and informed his tenants that they did not qualify. Then, he fraudulently obtained $45,000 in COVID rental relief assistance, while he continued to make his tenants pay their monthly rent. He committed these offenses while subject to conditions of release, following his prior conviction.
Under federal law, McDaniels 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. McDaniels was also ordered to pay $262,017.43 in restitution.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Kathy Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Inspector General, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Dunn-Pirio and Andrea Mattingly Williams are representing the United States in the case.
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Lancaster County Brothers Plead Guilty to Vape Shop Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Marterrious Tyresse Hannah, 22, and Jaimon Tywan Hannah, 22, both of Lancaster County, have pleaded guilty to their involvement in an armed robbery of a local vape shop. Marterrious pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an armed robbery, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during an armed robbery. Jaimon pleaded guilty to the armed robbery of the vape shop.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on July 31, 2023, Marterrious Hannah and Jaimon Hannah, twin brothers, arranged to visit a vape shop to purchase a handgun from the store clerk, an individual they knew. At the time of sale, Jaimon brandished a handgun and proceeded to rob the clerk. While the Hannah brothers were inside the store, two other men entered through the open front door and assisted with robbery. The robbers stole a safe that contained money, cash from the store clerk, and vape products from the store. At least two defendants were armed as seen on surveillance video. The defendants also stole the firearm they had come to purchase from the store clerk. The firearm was later recovered in North Carolina during the commission of a violent crime.
Both defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and face a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and five years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the defendants after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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Kucoin Pleads Guilty to Unlicensed Money Transmission Charge and Agrees to Pay Penalties Totaling Nearly $300 MillionRead the Press Release
Danielle Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PEKEN GLOBAL LIMITED (“PEKEN”), a Seychelles-based entity that, since at least September 2019, has operated KuCoin, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, pled guilty today to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. KuCoin flouted U.S. anti-money laundering laws by failing to implement effective anti-money laundering (“AML”) and know-your-customer (“KYC”) programs designed to prevent KuCoin from being used for money laundering and terrorist financing, failing to report suspicious transactions, and failing to register with the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”). In connection with today’s guilty plea, PEKEN agreed to pay monetary penalties totaling more than $297 million. PEKEN further agreed that KuCoin will exit the U.S. market for at least the next two years, and that two of KuCoin’s founders, Chun Gan, a/k/a “Michael,” and Ke Tang, a/k/a “Eric,” who were indicted along with Peken in March 2024, will no longer have any role in KuCoin’s management or operations.
U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “For years, KuCoin avoided implementing required anti-money laundering policies designed to identify criminal actors and prevent illicit transactions. As a result, KuCoin was used to facilitate billions of dollars’ worth of suspicious transactions and to transmit potentially criminal proceeds, including proceeds from darknet markets and malware, ransomware, and fraud schemes. Today’s guilty plea and penalties show the cost of refusing to follow these laws and allowing unlawful activity to continue.”
According to admissions and court documents, KuCoin was founded in or about September 2017. Since its founding in 2017, KuCoin has become one of the largest global cryptocurrency exchange platforms, with more than 30 million customers and billions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency in daily trading volume. Between in or about September 2017 and in or about March 2024, the date of the Indictment, KuCoin served approximately 1.5 million registered users who were located in the U.S., and earned at least approximately $184.5 million in fees from those U.S. registered users.
KuCoin’s exchange platform allows registered users to place orders for spot trades in cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others, and orders for derivative products, including futures contracts, tied to the value of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. As a result of its operation of this business, KuCoin has, at all relevant times, been a money transmitting business required to register with FinCEN and reported suspicious transactions. As a money transmitting business, KuCoin was required to comply with applicable Bank Secrecy Act provisions requiring maintenance of an adequate AML program, including conducting KYC processes. AML and KYC programs ensure that financial institutions, such as KuCoin, do not become havens for money laundering and other criminal actors.
Despite these obligations and its substantial presence in the U.S. market, KuCoin failed to implement an adequate KYC program. Indeed, until at least July 2023, KuCoin did not require customers to provide any identifying information. KuCoin employees repeatedly stated on public social media sites that KYC was not mandatory on KuCoin, including in response to posts from customers who had identified themselves as being in the U.S. It was only in August 2023 that KuCoin adopted a mandatory KYC program for new customers and existing customers who wanted to continue to actively participate in KuCoin’s services. However, KuCoin did not impose this necessary KYC process on existing customers that wanted to continue to use KuCoin’s services only to withdraw or close positions, which it was required to do. KuCoin also never registered with FinCEN as a money transmitting business or filed any required suspicious activity reports.
As a result of KuCoin’s failure to maintain the required AML and KYC programs, KuCoin was used to transmit billions in suspicious transactions and potentially criminal proceeds, including proceeds from darknet markets and malware, ransomware, and fraud schemes.
Today the department also agreed to defer prosecution against KuCoin’s two indicted co-founders, Gan and Tang, for a period of two years.
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In addition to the guilty plea, PEKEN, a Seychelles-based entity, also agreed to criminally forfeit $184.5 million and pay a criminal fine of approximately $112.9 million. Additionally, Gan and Tang have each agreed to forfeit approximately $2.7 million in funds received as a result of KuCoin’s operations in the U.S.
Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding investigative work of the El Dorado Task Force in the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations and assistance provided by HSI Pretoria, South Africa.
This matter is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance & Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Deininger and David R. Felton are in charge of the prosecution.
Joplin Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Kidnapping That Resulted in Torture, Death of VictimRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the torture and death of the victim, as well as another conspiracy to kidnap a woman who was rescued from his attack at a Neosho, Mo., hotel room.
Freddie Lewis Tilton, also known as “Ol’ Boy,” 52, of Joplin, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to life in federal prison without parole.
Tilton pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2023, to his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the torture and death of the victim, as well as two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. The court sentenced Tilton to one term of life in prison and two terms of 10 years in prison, to be served concurrently, in this case.
In a separate case involving a second victim, Tilton was found guilty at trial on Sept. 17, 2024, of one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, one count of kidnapping, and one count of stalking. The court sentenced Tilton to two terms of 30 years in prison and one term of 10 years in prison, to be served concurrently to the sentence in the first case, for a total sentence of life in prison.
Tilton pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to kidnap the victim, identified as “M.H.,” in July 2020. Tilton is among six defendants who pleaded guilty and have been sentenced in this case. James B. Gibson, also known as “Gibby,” 42, of Neosho, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole. Lawrence William Vaughan, also known as “Scary Larry,” 53, of Neosho, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison without parole. Amy Kay Thomas, 41, of Webb City, Mo., was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Carla Jo Ward, 50, of Joplin, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Russell Eugene Hurtt, also known as “Uncle,” 53, of Greenwood, Mo., was sentenced to seven years in federal prison without parole.
Tilton offered Ward and Vaughan $5,000 each to locate and secure M.H. for him. Ward picked up M.H., whom she knew was being sought by Tilton, and took him to Vaughan’s residence.
Tilton, Thomas, and Gibson arrived at Vaughan’s residence in the early morning hours of July 15, 2020. They bound M.H.’s hands with handcuffs, and duct tape was placed around his mouth and other parts of his body. Gibson, Thomas, and others assaulted M.H. for a period of time. M.H. was cut, beaten, and shot at. Gibson burned M.H. with a blowtorch. Tilton fatally shot M.H. in the head. Thomas and others cleaned up the blood and damage created during the assault and shooting of M.H. They wrapped M.H.’s body in plastic wrap and Thomas, Tilton, and Gibson transported it to Hurtt’s property.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hurtt’s property on July 28, 2020, based on information that a deceased body was located on the acreage. When officers attempted to contact the occupants of the residence, Tilton fired multiple shots from inside the residence at the officers. Tilton was apprehended.
Officers found M.H.’s body on the property. Officers searched the residence and found a Rigarmi .25-caliber pistol, an Ithaca .22-caliber rifle, a Remington .22-caliber rifle without a serial number, a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a Taurus 9mm handgun without a serial number.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tilton has two prior felony convictions for burglary, two prior felony convictions for larceny of an automobile, and prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of a controlled substance, burglary of an automobile, possession of a chemical with intent to manufacture, receiving stolen property, unlawful use of a weapon, theft and tampering.
In a separate case that involved another kidnapping a few days after M.H.’s death, before Tilton was apprehended by law enforcement, Tilton and co-defendant Alvin Dale Boyer, 39, of Rogers, Arkansas, conspired to kidnap the second victim, identified in court documents as “S.T.” Boyer also was found guilty at trial on Sept. 17, 2024, of his role in the kidnapping conspiracy and one count of kidnapping and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 25, 2025.
An employee at Boonslick Lodge in Neosho called police at approximately 11:46 p.m. on July 19, 2020, to report that a woman was being choked and dragged into a room. A police officer knocked on the door of the room, and S.T., bloody and injured, opened the door and ran out of the room. Tilton jumped out the back window and escaped.
Boyer had rented a room at the motel and invited S.T. to the motel to spend time with him. Unknown to S.T., Boyer had rented the motel room for Tilton and Tilton was waiting in the room for her. S.T. had an ex parte order of protection against Tilton. When S.T. entered the room, she was assaulted by Tilton. S.T. was observed on video surveillance struggling to get out of the room, but she was dragged back in by Tilton. Tilton struck S.T. repeatedly with a firearm and his fist. Tilton attempted to shoot S.T., but the gun jammed. S.T. was assaulted inside the room by Tilton for more than eight minutes before law enforcement arrived.
Tilton escaped out of a window of the motel room with a handgun. Tilton attempted to climb down a vertical rain gutter, but fell to the ground as the guttering broke then ran away.
Officers searched the motel room and found numerous indications that a violent, physical assault had taken place inside the room. In addition to blood on the room floor and door, officers found a chair with rope and zip ties attached, more nylon rope and zip ties, duct tape, a pair of pliers, a blowtorch and lighter fluid, a butane torch, drop cloths, plastic gloves, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and a Kimber .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle.
S.T. was transported to a hospital for treatment of her injuries.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. They were investigated by the FBI, Newton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Neosho, Mo., Police Department.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Federal Prison for Armed Carjacking of U.S. Postal Service TruckRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— Robert Powell, 23, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 79 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to robbery of mail.
According to court documents, on the morning of June 15, 2022, a United States Postal Service worker was in a Postal truck delivering mail at an apartment complex in Avon. At approximately 10:15 a.m., Powell approached the postal worker on foot, wearing a mask over his face and displaying a firearm. Powell ordered the carjacking victim to get out of the truck and leave her belongings inside.
Powell stole the truck and drove it out of the apartment complex at a high rate of speed for about a mile before pulling over to meet with another person waiting in a Mazda 6 sedan. Another letter carrier in the area saw the victim’s mail truck speed by and noticed that something was amiss. The second letter carrier followed the stolen truck and saw Powell and the other individual take mail and parcels from the postal truck and put them in the Mazda. The pair noticed the second mail truck and fled the scene, leaving the stolen postal vehicle behind as the second carrier called 911.
As the investigation continued, U.S. Postal Inspectors located Powell’s Facebook account, “Syko Bob.” On this account, Powell regularly solicited bank account information from other users, in furtherance of a type of fraud called card cracking, even going as far as attempting to recruit a USPS mail carrier into his scheme. Card cracking is deceptive practice where scammers convince individuals to share their bank account information, so the scammer can use their account to deposit fraudulent checks or other financial instruments. Scammers obtain these stolen checks by either stealing mail (as Powell did in this case) or purchasing stolen checks from other criminals. The scammer then alters the stolen checks, deposits them into the other individual’s account, and withdraws the funds as quickly as possible, sometimes splitting the profit with the account holder.
“This criminal chose to threaten the life of a letter carrier at gun point, engaging in gun violence to facilitate the fraud scheme he perpetrated against countless victims. Fortunately, the letter carrier was not physically harmed, but the lasting trauma he inflicted is palpable,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Letter carriers should not have to live in fear of gun violence simply for doing their jobs. Americans should not have to fear that their important financial documents will be stolen and exploited by fraudsters who wreak financial havoc. The serious federal prison sentence in this case demonstrates that there will be serious consequences for violence against public servants and fraud against the public. I commend the Postal Inspection Service, the Avon Police Department, and our federal prosecutor for their commitment to seeking justice for letter carriers and the public who depend upon them.”
“As postal inspectors, we are committed to ensuring the safety of USPS employees and the sanctity and security of the mail. Thanks to the hard work of our inspectors and the Avon Police Department, Mr. Powell can no longer threaten these,” said Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins. “I would also like to extend my appreciation to AUSA Massa for ensuring justice was served in this case.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Avon Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Massa, who prosecuted this case.
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Illinois Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Enticing a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivitiesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – An Illinois man was sentenced on Friday, January 17, 2025, to 35 years in federal prison for enticement and attempted enticement of a minor and for committing an offense while a registered sex offender.
According to public court documents, in 2020, Anthony Alan Anderson, 40, while serving in the United States Air Force, was convicted via general court martial of two counts of attempting to commit a lewd act with a person he believed to be a child who had not attained the age of 16 years old. As a result of that conviction, Anderson was required to register as a sex offender in his state of residence. Anderson moved to Illinois in 2022.
From May to November 2023, Anderson, from his residence in Illinois, used text messaging and social-media applications to communicate with a 14-year-old child from Ottumwa, Iowa. During their communications, Anderson convinced the child to produce and send him child pornography. In September 2023, Anderson traveled from his home in Illinois to Ottumwa, where he picked the child up from her residence and took her to a hotel. There, he and the child engaged in sex acts. Anderson also captured child sexual abuse material of the child while in the hotel.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Anderson will be required to serve a ten‑year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Ottumwa Police Department with assistance from the Illinois State Police.
The case was 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.
Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Tyson Davis Sr., 45, of Huntington, was sentenced today to seven years and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl and violating supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 14, 2023, Davis sold approximately 2.93 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant while in a parked vehicle in Huntington. Davis admitted to the transaction. Investigators conducted three additional controlled buys with Davis using the confidential informant, on June 8, August 3 and October 24, 2023. Davis sold a total of 24.057 grams of substances containing fentanyl to the confidential informant during the four transactions.
Laboratory analysis of the drugs determined that the substances sold by Davis on June 8 and June 14, 2023, were at least 58 percent pure fentanyl, and the substance sold by Davis on August 3, 2023, was at least 46 percent pure fentanyl. According to investigators, the fentanyl they seize typically ranges from 0.5 percent to 7 percent pure fentanyl.
Davis has a long criminal history that includes multiple convictions for drug and firearms-related offenses. At the time of this offense, Davis was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his May 17, 2021 conviction for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Today’s sentence includes two years and six months in prison for committing a crime while on supervised release.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-23.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Alonzo Dewayne Harden, 31, of Huntington, was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 17, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in Huntington in which Harden was a passenger. Harden exited the vehicle and fled on foot before he was apprehended by officers. While fleeing, Harden tossed a loaded Glock Model 22 .40-caliber pistol with an extended magazine to the ground. Officers recovered the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Harden knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for malicious assault and use or presentment of a firearm during the commission of a felony in Cabell County Circuit Court on August 26, 2021.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department, the Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-116.
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Harford County Man Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft and Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Victor Ojo, 30, of Belcamp, Maryland, to 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Victor Ojo received the sentence for aggravated identity theft and his role in an attempted bank-fraud scheme that had an intended loss amount of $1.5 million. Additionally, Victor Ojo admitted to participating in a fraudulent scheme to obtain $28,350 in unemployment insurance benefits. So, Judge Rubin ordered Victor Ojo to forfeit $20,014.03 and to pay $78,350 in restitution.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Andrew McKay, Special Agent in Charge of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s (TIGTA) Mid-Atlantic Field Division, and Scott Moffit, Special Agent in Charge of TIGTA’s Cybercrime Investigations Division.
According to his guilty plea, from April 2016 through at least August 2019, Victor Ojo conspired with Damilola Ojo, Jamelia Thompson, Raissa Kaossele, and others, to commit bank fraud using the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Modernized Internet Employer Identification Number (MODIEIN) system. The MODIEIN is the IRS system that allows users to register for a unique Employer Identification Number (EIN). It requires users to enter the valid name and Social Security Number of a real living person to obtain an EIN for a business.
The defendant and his co-conspirators created and used various EINs to carry out the scheme. They obtained many of the EINs from the IRS using stolen Personally Identifiable Information. These EINs, in conjunction with fraudulently obtained state business certificates, allowed the co-conspirators to open bank accounts at various financial institutions to deposit stolen and/or altered checks and to receive fraudulently obtained wire transfers and other funds. Many of the wire transfers were the result of Business Email Compromises. Once obtained, the co-conspirators rapidly withdrew the proceeds, transferring them to other bank accounts.
Victor Ojo and his co-conspirators victimized individuals through identity theft, businesses through financial account compromise, and banks through misdirecting wire transfers and making fraudulent transactions. After Victor Ojo’s arrest, law enforcement discovered evidence linking him to fraudulent activity. Law enforcement found numerous financial documents; a jacket, shirt, and hat that they saw Victor Ojo wearing in bank-surveillance footage while interacting with the fraudulent accounts; and a $14,000 check with someone else’s name on it. They also found passports in other people’s names and a Colorado ID with authentication features in someone else’s name.
In the plea agreement, Victor Ojo admitted that he engaged in additional fraudulent activities prior to his arrest for bank-fraud conspiracy. Specifically, Victor Ojo and co-conspirators fraudulently obtained $28,350 in unemployment insurance benefits from the State of California using a victim’s identification.
Around August 1, 2021, the California Employment Development Department (EDD) issued a Bank of America debit card in that victim’s name to an address in Lanham, Maryland. The card was linked to a Bank of America account that the EDD deposited a total of $28,350 in unemployment insurance benefits into.
The EDD made the first deposit on August 8, 2021. On August 10, 11, 24, and 25, Victor Ojo used the card to withdraw thousands of dollars from various ATMs in Harford County, Maryland. Victor Ojo was also captured on surveillance cameras making the withdrawals on August 10, 11, and 25.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the TIGTA for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph L. Wenner, Paul Riley, and John D’Amico who prosecuted the federal case. He also recognized Joanna B.N. Huber, Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist, for her assistance.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States After Being DeportedRead the Press Release
A man who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced January 24, 2025, to one year in federal prison.
Pablo Perez-Chavez, age 24, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and residing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 29, 2024, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry into the United States after having been deported following a conviction for an aggravated felony.
At the guilty plea, Perez-Chavez admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Perez-Chavez was convicted in January 2023 in the Northern District of Iowa of possession of a firearm by an alien, served 10 months’ imprisonment and placed on a three-year term of supervised release before being deported in May 2023. On July 15, 2024, immigration officials learned Perez-Chavez had illegally returned to the United States after Perez-Chavez reported to the Linn County Jail to serve a state OWI sentence. Perez-Chavez was also charged with violating the terms of his supervised release by reentering the United States without permission.
Perez-Chavez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Perez-Chavez was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Perez-Chavez was also sentenced to four months’ imprisonment to be served consecutively for violating the terms of his supervised release on his prior firearm conviction. There is no parole in the federal system.
Perez-Chavez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-67.
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Greenfield Man Sentenced to 15 Months’ Imprisonment for Paying Healthcare KickbacksRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that, on January 24, 2025, Mohammed Kazim Ali was sentenced to 15 months’ incarceration for paying healthcare kickbacks in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. Ali was also ordered to pay over $2.2 million in restitution to Medicaid and Medicare as well as a $75,000 fine.
Ali and his co-defendant, Justin Hanson, owned a Milwaukee-area clinical laboratory called Noah Associates. According to court records, beginning in 2017, Ali and Hanson engaged in a three-year-long scheme to pay kickbacks to the owner of a Milwaukee substance use treatment clinic in exchange for referrals of Medicaid and Medicare patients for urine drug testing performed by Noah Associates. Ali and Hanson paid over $400,000 in kickbacks to procure the tests. The tests, however, were not ordered by any physician and were not medically necessary for the treatment of patients. After one physician learned that his credentials were being used without his authorization to order the tests, the physician told Ali to stop. Ali nonetheless continued to have Noah Associates accept and bill the government for tests falsely ordered under that physician’s credentials for months. As a result of the scheme, Medicaid and Medicare paid Noah Associates over $2.2 million for the unnecessary tests. Ali personally received over $800,000 from Noah Associates during the scheme.
At sentencing, United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller emphasized the seriousness of Ali’s crime, including Ali’s manipulation and breach of trust of the Medicaid and Medicare programs to receive millions of dollars that were not truly earned. Judge Stadtmueller further noted that Ali knew that his conduct was criminal yet still engaged in a long-running, creative fraud scheme—a decision that Judge Stadtmueller criticized as “beyond belief.”
In addition to his sentence, Ali will also be excluded from participation in the Medicaid and Medicare programs and has shut down Noah Associates. His co-defendant, Hanson, has also pleaded guilty for paying healthcare kickbacks and will be sentenced on March 21, 2025.
“Paying kickbacks for patient referrals is illegal because, as this case demonstrates, kickbacks result in Medicaid and Medicare paying for unnecessary services,” said United States Attorney Haanstad. “Rather than bill the government for tests that patients actually needed, Ali abused the Medicaid and Medicare programs for ill-gotten gains. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prevent frauds against Medicaid and Medicare.”
“This sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating individuals like Mr. Ali who erode the public’s trust in our healthcare systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those responsible for healthcare fraud are exposed and brought to justice. The safety and well-being of Wisconsin residents remains our highest priority.”
“Individuals and medical providers who accept kickbacks in exchange for the referral of patients covered under a Federal health care program place personal profit ahead of patient care, which can ultimately lead to the delivery of costly, medically unnecessary services,” said Mario M. Pinto, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Chicago Region. “Our agency is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring those who violate laws intended to protect patients, and our Federal health care programs, to justice.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Carter and Julie Stewart handled the prosecution.
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Fort Pierce man sentenced to 20 years for production of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 23, U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg sentenced Blaine Korbin Hulten, to 20 years imprisonment, followed by 25 years of supervised release for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court records, Hulten, 24, of Fort Pierce, Fla., admitted to having sex with a 13-year-old minor and a 16-year-old minor, and to recording the sex act with the 16-year-old victim. Corroborating his confession, his social media records contained conversations with both minor victims, as well as evidence that Hulten was aware both victims were under the age of 18. Social media records also showed that Hulten distributed the recording of his 16-year-old victim using the social media platform.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael S. Davis for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office, and John Budensiek, Martin County Sheriff, made the announcement.
HSI Fort Pierce and Martin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hudock prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-14027.
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Former Professional Basketball Player Sentenced for Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Monday sentenced a former professional basketball player to five years of probation, 200 hours of community service and $308,354 in restitution for pandemic loan fraud.
Lorenzo Gordon, now 41, fraudulently applied for two loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and three from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program in 2020. Both programs were intended to help businesses and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gordon fraudulently applied for loans in the name of three companies: Logo Fitness LLC, Elite 50 Basketball Training LLC and Elite Health and Fitness Company LLC. Gordon received $107,074 in PPP loans and $165,700 in EIDL loans and advances. The restitution total includes fees and interest.
Gordon “took advantage of these programs for his personal gain despite suffering no such economic injury,” harming “those who truly needed those funds,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke wrote in a sentencing memo.
Gordon pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of theft of government money.
The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke prosecuted the case.
Former Post Office Employee Pleads Guilty to Mail TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former United States Postal Service (USPS) employee pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to theft of mail and theft of government funds.
Michael Murray, 37, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail matter by an employee and one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Feb. 3, 2026. Murray was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024.
From around September 2022 through July 2023, Murray worked as a USPS postal clerk at the Beach Street Post Office in Revere and the Melrose Post Office. From around April 2023 through July 2023, Murray used his official position to steal the contents of hundreds of pieces of mail entrusted to him, including gift cards, cash and checks totaling approximately $3,422. During the same time period, Murray stole and fraudulently negotiated USPS money orders by generating them for postal customers for his own use totaling approximately $5,131.
The charge of theft of mail by employee provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of theft of government funds valuing over $1,000 provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao, Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Former Deputy Sheriff and DEA Task Force Officer Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Narcotics, Defrauding the United States, and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger today sentenced James Darrell Hickox (38, Callahan) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for multiple federal offenses including conspiring to distribute narcotics, conspiring to defraud the United States, and tax evasion. The court also ordered Hickox to forfeit or abandon the money, firearms, and ammunition involved in these offenses. Hickox pleaded guilty on May 15, 2024.
According to court documents, while employed as a deputy with the Nassau County Sheriff’s and designated Task Force Officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Hickox and a co-conspirator engaged in extensive corrupt activity from 2017 - 2023. These acts included the theft of money and illegal drugs that were seized as evidence during criminal investigations; providing illegal drugs (including fentanyl and cocaine) to others to distribute on his behalf; and hiding from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) more than $420,000 in cash he had received because of his criminal activities. Hickox and his co-conspirator stole more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana from evidence and provided the drugs to others to sell on their behalf. They had covered up the theft by submitting falsified paperwork showing that the marijuana had been destroyed. Similarly, they stole a kilogram of cocaine from evidence and then gave it to a drug dealer to sell for them.
When Hickox’s residence was searched pursuant to a federal search warrant on March 10, 2023, agents found approximately 263 grams of a powder containing fentanyl, as well as cocaine. Hickox intended to distribute these substances. Agents also found a rifle that Hickox had illegally modified to function as a machinegun, as well as four additional firearms that had been seized during law enforcement investigations and should have been in evidence or lawfully destroyed. Hickox had drilled out and obliterated the serial number of one of these firearms. The agents also located more than $195,000 in cash proceeds from Hickox’s illicit activities. A search of Hickox’s workspace at the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office revealed another 260 pills containing methamphetamine.
“Law enforcement officers who operate as though they are above the law betray the badge and the citizens they swore to protect," said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Kristin Rehler. “This case exemplifies the FBI's commitment to holding public servants accountable if they violate the very laws they promised to uphold.”
“He betrayed the oath he took to become a police officer and lost his career. He also let down his co-workers and our community,” said Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper. “Its law enforcement officers who do stupid things like this that erodes the confidence and trust in our profession by our citizens. His poor judgement and criminal behavior should not reflect negatively on all the good men and women at NCSO who go out every day and do it the right way to keep our citizens safe.”
“As a sworn law enforcement officer, Hickox took an oath to uphold the law,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Instead, he turned his back on that oath and profited from the very crimes he was tasked with investigating. We commend our fellow law enforcement partners for their great work coming together to put a stop to this illegal betrayal of public trust. We will continue to investigate allegations of public corruption and follow the money to prosecute any individuals that abuse their position of trust for personal gain.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton. The United States Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, and United States Customs and Border Protection wish to thank the Florida Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office for their cooperation during this investigation.
Final Two Defendants Plead Guilty to Roles in Charleston Methamphetamine Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, Kirt Ray King, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and Anthony Michael Mowery, 48, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. King and Mowery admitted to their roles in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine in the Charleston area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about January 2024 to in or about May 2024, King and Mowery conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Charleston and within the Southern District of West Virginia.
King and Mowery are scheduled to be sentenced on April 21, 2025. King faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $10,000,000 fine. Mowery faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine.
King and Mowery are among four defendants indicted in the case. Co-defendant Michael Dale Cain, 49, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty on November 6, 2024, and co-defendant John Wayne Harkless, 46, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024, each to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Cain and Harkless await sentencing.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-95.
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Federal Law Enforcement Seizes $4 Million in Property and Proceeds from Texas Woman for Smuggling and Distributing Unapproved Animal DrugsRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.-- Nicole Randall, 37, of Cedar Park, Texas pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to one year of probation for introducing an adulterated drug into interstate commerce.
According to court documents, between February 2020 and May 2022, Randall used fake names to smuggle GS-441524, a drug that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human or animal consumption, into the United States disguised as facial masks, pet shampoo, beauty products, and cosmetics.
Despite having no veterinary or prescriber licenses, Randall and others used the Facebook group "FIP Warriors 5.0" to defraud and mislead customers by diagnosing their cats and kittens with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a viral disease affecting cats, and prescribing GS-441524 for the animals' consumption.
In August 2021, an agent joined FIP Warriors 5.0 and submitted photographs of a cat. The healthy cat, recently examined by a licensed veterinarian, was misdiagnosed with FIP and prescribed GS-441524. Randall then instructed payment for the unapproved drugs using Paypal, Zelle, or CashApp without mentioning cat medicine, vials, pills, or brand names in the payment note.
In July 2022, agents executed a federal search warrant at Randall's residence in Cedar Park, Texas and seized approximately 30 boxes of glass vials containing the adulterated drug. Investigators discovered that between July 2020 and June 2022, Randall distributed 58,460 liquid vials and 236,836 pills of GS-441524.
On June 4, 2024, Randall was charged by criminal information with introducing an adulterated drug into interstate commerce.
Randall's scheme was highly profitable. As part of the plea agreement, Randall agreed to forfeit four real properties, ten financial accounts, and a Tesla, worth roughly $4 million combined and traceable to her proceeds from smuggling and distributing the unapproved drugs.
This case was investigated by the FDA. It was prosecuted by John C. Brassell and Katherine C. de Villiers, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Eight Defendants Arrested on Federal Grand Jury Indictment Alleging Large-Scale Smuggling Scheme from China through L.A.-Area PortsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal law enforcement has arrested eight defendants charged in an indictment alleging a conspiracy among logistic companies’ executives, warehouse owners and truck drivers to smuggle hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of counterfeit and other illegal goods from China into the United States via the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the Justice Department announced today.
The 15-count indictment, returned last month and unsealed Friday, charges nine defendants with conspiracy, smuggling and breaking customs seals. The defendants allegedly took containers flagged for off-site secondary inspection, unloaded the contraband, then stuffed the targeted containers with filler cargo to deceive customs officials and evade law enforcement.
During the investigation into this group, investigators seized more than $130 million in contraband, and the organization is believed to be responsible for smuggling at least $200 million worth of goods. According to the indictment, a search of one warehouse used by the group led to the seizure in June 2024 of $20 million worth of counterfeit items including shoes, perfume, luxury handbags, apparel and watches.
Seven defendants were arrested Friday, an eighth was taken into custody Saturday evening, and one defendant is a fugitive. The seven arrested last week were arraigned Friday in United States District Court, where each pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. A trial date was scheduled for March 18. The eighth defendant, who was arrested on unrelated state charges, is expected to be arraigned in federal court in the coming days.
“Secure seaports and borders are critical to our national security,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “The smuggling of huge amounts of contraband from China through our nation’s largest port hurts American businesses and consumers. The charges and arrests here demonstrate our commitment to enforce our customs laws and keep the American public safe.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles and its partners are committed to enforcing customs laws and practices, facilitating legitimate trade, and protecting the integrity of the nation’s supply chain,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “The $1.3 billion dollars’ worth of contraband seized during the investigation into this type of scheme illuminates how complex smuggling schemes try to exploit our legitimate trade practices and the American consumer.”
The 15-count indictment details a conspiracy to coordinate the shipment of large quantities of contraband from China to the United States through the Port of Los Angeles from at least August 2023 to June 2024. The defendants charged are:
- Weijun Zheng, 57, a.k.a. “Sonic,” of Diamond Bar, the lone fugitive in the case, who controls several logistics companies operating in the Los Angeles area;
- Hexi Wang, 32, of El Monte, who manages K&P International Logistics LLC, a City of Industry-based company that hires commercial truckers to transport shipping containers from the Port of Los Angeles;
- Jin “Mark” Liu, 42, of Irvine, the owner of K&P International Logistics LLC and who managed the finances of one of the warehouses where contraband was unloaded and issued payments to truck drivers who transported smuggled goods;
- Dong “Liam” Lin, 31, of Hacienda Heights, who – along with Zheng – controlled and operated one of the contraband warehouses;
- Marck Anthony Gomez, 49, of West Covina, the owner and operator of Fannum Trucks LLC, a West Covina-based company that coordinated the movement of shipping containers from the Port of Los Angeles, including large shipments of contraband smuggled into the United States from China;
- Andy Estuardo Castillo Perez, 32, of Apple Valley, a driver for M4 Transportation Inc., a Carson-based company that transports shipping containers from the Port of Los Angeles;
- Jesse James Rosales, 41, of Apple Valley, who coordinated truckers from the ports to warehouses;
- Daniel Acosta Hoffman, 41, of Hacienda Heights, worked with Rosales to bring cargo containers from the Port of Los Angeles to warehouses; and
- Galvin Biao Liufu, 33, of Ontario, directed and managed truck drivers to bring the contraband into the warehouses.
According to the indictment, Zheng, Wang, Liu and others maintained and operated warehouses to store, conceal and sell large amounts of contraband goods that were illegally imported into the United States from China. When the contraband containers were selected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for inspection, the defendants hired commercial truck drivers to transport the containers from the Port of Los Angeles to locations that the conspirators controlled, including warehouses in the City of Industry that were controlled or managed by Zheng, Wang and others.
At these locations, co-conspirators broke the security seals on the shipping containers and removed the contraband from inside. Then, they affixed counterfeit security seals onto the containers to conceal that cargo had been removed from them. Zheng, Wang and others then directed co-conspirators to transport the containers – after they had been emptied of much of their original cargo and re-secured with counterfeit seals – to CBP-authorized locations for the remaining cargo to be presented to customs officials for inspection.
Zheng, Wang, Liu and others paid fees to co-conspirators, including Gomez and Castillo Perez, that were substantially above normal trucking fees to transport the contraband shipping containers.
To date, law enforcement has seized more than $1.3 billion worth of counterfeit goods associated with this and similar seal-swapping schemes.
“It was a team of CBP agriculture specialists assigned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport who in 2023, during a routine examination of a container made the initial discovery,” said Cheryl Davies, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. “This case attests to their unwavering vigilance, upmost professionalism, and keen focus in protecting the integrity of lawful trade, a key component of our critical national security mission.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each conspiracy count, up to 10 years in federal prison for each count of breaking customs seals, and up to 20 years in prison for each smuggling count.
Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Coast Guard Investigative Services are investigating this matter.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Assistant United States Attorneys Colin S. Scott and Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this matter.
Edward R. Martin, Jr. Appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of ColumbiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - On January 20, 2025, just minutes after Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, Edward R. Martin, Jr. was appointed and sworn in as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
“I want to thank President Donald Trump for trusting me to help him re-establish law and order in Washington, D.C.,” said U.S. Attorney Martin “It is the honor of my lifetime to accept his nomination as Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. I pledge to work as hard as he does for America, even though no one outworks him. I want to thank my wife and family for carrying me to this day, and I pray to the Lord Jesus Christ for the continued wisdom and courage I have always found in Him.”
Martin was raised in rural New Jersey before attending high school in Jersey City. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a degree in English and a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. After college, he served as a Thomas Watson Fellow in Indonesia and spent two years as a Rotary Scholar in Rome while studying at the Gregorian Pontifical University from which he earned a Bachelor of Philosophy.
Following his studies overseas, Martin moved to St. Louis, Missouri where he earned degrees in law and ethics from St. Louis University. Immediately after law school, Martin became the Human Rights Office Director for the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis where he supervised legal clinics for low-income St. Louisans. He served as a judicial clerk to Hon. Pasco M. Bowman, II of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and later worked as an associate with Bryan Cave LLP in their Washington D.C. and St. Louis offices.
For the past two decades, Martin has maintained his own law practice while engaging in public service, including serving as Chairman of the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners, Chief of Staff to Missouri Governor Matt Blunt, and in senior positions at the Eagle Forum Education and Legal Defense Fund, including succeeding the late Phyllis Schlafly as President. Martin was Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party, member of the Republican National Committee, and previously ran for elected office in Missouri.
Martin and his wife, an internal medicine physician specializing in geriatrics, have four children.