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27 January 2025
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.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Earl Cureton Jr., also known as “Black Rob,” 40, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 12, 2024, Cureton sold approximately 54 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant while on the 2400 block of Collis Avenue in Huntington. Cureton admitted to the transaction and to arranging it beforehand with the confidential informant.
Cureton further admitted to selling approximately 18.6 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $1,300 on November 9, 2023, and approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $380 on December 7, 2023, each time to a confidential informant in the area of the 2400 block of Collis Avenue.
On November 26, 2024, Cureton traveled by Greyhound bus from Michigan to Cincinnati, Ohio, and then by rideshare vehicle from Cincinnati to Huntington. Cureton admitted that he possessed a suitcase while traveling that contained approximately 5.08 kilograms of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of the rideshare vehicle in which Cureton was a passenger in the 900 block of 7th Avenue in Huntington, and arrested Cureton on a warrant for the current offense. Officers seized the suitcase containing the methamphetamine and approximately $4,566 on Cureton’s person. Cureton admitted that the cash was proceeds from selling methamphetamine.
Cureton is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney is prosecuting 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-117.
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Dallas Police Officer Charged with Selling Stolen Duty WeaponsRead the Press Release
A police sergeant who sold stolen service weapons has been indicted on federal gun charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Thomas Michael Fry, 52, was indicted Wednesday with three counts of possession and sale of a stolen firearm.
“Police officers have a sacred duty to uphold the rule of law. Instead, this sergeant betrayed his department – and his community – by allegedly pawning stolen firearms,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not hesitate to pursue charges against law enforcement officers who fail to live up to their oaths.”
According to the indictment, at least three 9mm Sig Sauer pistols were stolen from a Dallas Police Department substation.
Sgt. Fry, a Dallas Police Officer, then allegedly pawned the firearms through a pawn shop in Oklahoma.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Sgt. Fry is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted of the federal charges, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Sgt. Fry has also been charged by the state with three counts of theft of a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua D. Detzky and Marty Basu are prosecuting the case.
Criminal Complaint Charges Baltimore City Man with Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland filed a federal criminal complaint charging Dazhon Darien, 32, of Baltimore, with sexual exploitation of a child and receiving child sexual abuse material.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the complaint with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, investigators obtained search warrants for Darien’s phones and online accounts which contained child sexual abuse material. Additionally, the affidavit further describes how Darien used CashApp to pay a minor victim to send videos of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Darien paid the victim for the videos between December 2023 and March 2024. The affidavit also shows that Darien received other child-sexual-abuse-material files, including some that depicted prepubescent minors.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by a criminal complaint is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Darien faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years or a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child. Additionally, Darien could receive a mandatory minimum sentence of five years or a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the Baltimore FBI Field Office and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Goo and Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. Click the “Resources” tab on the left of the page for more information about Internet safety education.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Chief Engineer of Vessel Guilty of Obstruction and Violating Ship Pollution Prevention Laws Sentenced to 3 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that FEI WANG “WANG,” age 38, pled guilty on January 24, 2025 to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and for obstructing proceedings, and was sentenced during the same proceeding to 3 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release and payment of a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
WANG, a Chinese national, was the Chief Engineer of the M/V ASL Singapore, a Chinese-owned bulk carrier registered in Liberia and engaged in trade in the United States. The ASL Singapore arrived in New Orleans on February 26, 2024. The U.S. Coast Guard conducted an inspection, which included review of the vessel’s Oil Record Books. In his plea, WANG acknowledged presenting these books to the Coast Guard knowing they contained fraudulent entries and omitted information about discharging oily bilge water directly overboard before arriving in the United States. The falsified logs were intended to conceal the fact that since at least October 2023, when WANG boarded the vessel, the crew had dumped oily bilge water overboard directly from the bilge holding tank and was not complying with international treaties regulating oil pollution from ships.
According to court documents and statements, the crew used a portable pump and flexible hose—a so-called “magic pipe”—to dispose of oily bilge water in violation of MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships), and without the use of the appropriate pollution prevention equipment and monitoring. This was done prior to WANG boarding the vessel and continued while he was Chief Engineer, in charge of all engine room operations. The vessel’s Oily Water Separator was never properly used during WANG’s time as Chief Engineer.
“Today's sentencing highlights the commitment of the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) to hold individuals accountable for violations of MARPOL, particularly in cases involving the discharge of oily waste,” stated Damon J. Youmans, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Coast Guard Investigative Service, Gulf Field Office. “CGIS will continue to collaborate with our partners from the Department of Justice's Environmental Crimes Division, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and the United States Coast Guard, Sector New Orleans to enforce environmental laws and investigate these offenses.”
The Coast Guard Investigative Service and the EPA Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit, and G. Dall Kammer, Chief of the General Crimes Unit, are prosecuting the case.
Central Georgian Pleads Guilty to Illegally Building MachinegunsRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A technical college student who described himself as a “machinist” and was building machineguns and silencers using a 3D printer out of his Lizella, Georgia, bedroom pleaded guilty to manufacturing a machinegun.
Jaden Michael-William Pope, 20, of Lizella, pleaded guilty to one count of manufacture of an unregistered machinegun before U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell on Jan. 27. Pope faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been scheduled for May 13. There is no parole in the federal system.
“3-D printed machineguns and silencers pose a significant threat to the safety of our communities by increasing the access of illegally manufactured rapid-fire weapons to potentially dangerous individuals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Shanelle Booker. “I applaud our local and federal law enforcement partners for shutting down this clandestine machinegun manufacturing operation.”
"The collaboration between ATF and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office showcases our unwavering commitment to confronting the illegal production of firearms, especially those created through advanced methods like 3D printing,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “These weapons are designed to evade detection and accountability, posing an undeniable threat to public safety. Together, we are ensuring such dangers are swiftly and decisively addressed."
According to the stipulation of fact and other statements referenced in court, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office was investigating Pope in Sept. 2023, for stealing firearms out of vehicles at night. He was arrested and admitted to stealing from cars. Investigators found photos on Pope’s cell phone of personally manufactured firearms and firearm silencers as well as screenshots from a website called Yeggi, which offers 3D-printed templates of AR-15 full auto sears. A confidential source (CS) notified law enforcement that Pope was a machinist who was manufacturing firearms, including silencers, in his bedroom and that he had watched Pope shoot a firearm with a manufactured silencer that significantly diminished the sound.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) was contacted to further the investigation. Agents found photos Pope posted on Facebook of personally manufactured firearms, including a Glock handgun with a “switch,” which is a device that allows the semi-automatic firearm to fire full-automatic with a single trigger pull. On his Facebook profile, Pope described himself as a “machinist” and a student at a local technical college. Agents executed a search warrant at Pope’s home on Dec. 12, 2023, and found four 3D printers, three computers, two machineguns, nine silencers and a short-barreled rifle. Agents also found a stolen .45 caliber pistol.
Along with the 3D printers and weapons seized, agents found additional evidence that Pope manufactured the machineguns, silencers and the short-barreled rifle. Agents found diagrams and instructions for building the firearms, notes related to their production, scrap parts, and failed 3D prints and residue. Agents analyzed the computers used with the 3D printers and found “g-codes” which is the computer programming code used to 3D print the machineguns, silencers and the short-barreled rifle. While searching the electronic devices, agents found methamphetamine hidden within a USB device.
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 of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place; setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by ATF and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to over 24 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child and Destruction of EvidenceRead the Press Release
A man who attempted to solicit a minor to engage in prostitution was sentenced on January 24, 2025, to 292 months in federal prison.
Joshua Johnson, age 50, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the sentence after an August 7, 2024, jury verdict finding him guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a child and destruction of evidence. The evidence at trial showed that, in December 2023, Johnson responded to an ad on a website for prostitution. He exchanged text messages with a person who stated that she was 13 years old; she actually was an undercover law enforcement officer. Johnson sent messages describing sex acts he could perform with the minor, and he traveled to Hiawatha, Iowa, to meet with her. After meeting with officers, Johnson wiped his cell phone.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 292 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Hiawatha Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 24-38.
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Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids Man who distributed over 1,100 fentanyl pills was sentenced on January 24, 2025, to five years in federal prison.
Deon Hicks, Jr., age 31, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 21, 2024, guilty plea to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
Information at sentencing showed that on four separate occasions between December 2023 and January 2024, law enforcement officers conducted an undercover operation and purchased over 1,100 fentanyl pills from Hicks.
Hicks was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court C.J. William. Hicks was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Hicks is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and investigated by the Johnson County Drug Task Force and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. The Johnson County Drug Task Force consists of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa City Police Department, the Coralville Police Department, the North Liberty Police Department, the University of Iowa Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-46.
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Career Felon Caught with Fentanyl, Firearm Sentenced to 17 YearsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Augusta man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Ryan Partridge, 35, to 204 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release.
According to court records, in July 2023, Partridge was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by officers from the Augusta Police Department. During a search of the vehicle, investigators recovered a backpack with approximately 125 grams of fentanyl and a 9mm pistol inside, and Partridge admitted to investigators that the backpack and its contents belonged to him. At the time of the stop, Partridge, a career criminal with 12 prior convictions including two drug felonies, was on probation for a 2019 conviction for aggravated trafficking of fentanyl. He also had a pending arrest warrant for failing to report a change of address.
The FBI and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case with assistance from the Augusta Police Department.
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Camden Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $51,000 Through PPP, EIDL Loan FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Camden man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to wire fraud.
According to court records, in 2020 and 2021, Yani Stancioff, 29, exploited the COVID19 pandemic by submitting fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds. Stancioff submitted three fraudulent applications and obtained $51,666. On his EIDL application, he claimed to be the sole proprietor of a non-existent agricultural business. On his PPP applications, Stancioff falsely claimed to be the sole proprietor of a marketing business with gross income of approximately $107,000. As part of the false PPP applications, Stancioff filed falsified IRS documents.
Stancioff faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act: The Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who suffered economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act made Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding available to business owners negatively affected by the COVID19 pandemic. EIDL proceeds were funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and disbursed by the U.S. Treasury. EIDLs could only be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that could have been paid had the COVID19 disaster not occurred.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP): The PPP was a COVID-19 pandemic relief program administered by the SBA that provided forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP permitted participating third-party lenders to approve and disburse SBA-backed PPP loans to cover payroll, fixed debts, utilities, rent/mortgage, accounts payable and other bills incurred by qualifying businesses during, and resulting from, the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the SBA.
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Boston Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to drug conspiracy charges.
Avery Lewis, a/k/a “Wave,” 32, of Dorchester pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2025 to two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for May 13, 2025.
Lewis was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation of H-Block beginning in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. Over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation.
According to the charging documents, the H-Block street gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H-Block. Current members of H-Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.
Lewis was a long-time H-Block gang member and daily street-level dealer with a regular roster of customers. Over the course of the investigation, Lewis sold cocaine to an undercover officer on several occasions and coordinated other drug trafficking criminal activities with H-Block gang members.
Lewis’ criminal history includes a 2017 cocaine conviction for possessing 86 bags of cocaine inside his apartment as well as a 2013 conviction for unlawfully possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
Lewis is the first defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. 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; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ahoskie Gang Member “Woo” Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison After Conviction for Firearm and Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – An Ahoskie gang member was sentenced to 100 months in prison and five years of supervised release, after authorities found drugs and a firearm in his home. On September 30, 2024, Rodney Lamont Evans, a.k.a. “Woo,” pled guilty to the charges.
“This case is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our local, state, and federal partners,” said Hertford County Sheriff Dexter Hayes. “Their relentless efforts to investigate, prosecute, and bring to justice those who threaten the safety of our citizens reflect our shared commitment to a safer community.”
According to court documents and other information presented in court, authorities in Ahoskie received information on August 8, 2022, that Evans, 47, a member of the Bloods gang, was distributing narcotics out of his home on McGlohon Street. On that date, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Evans’s residence. Upon their arrival, Evans fled through a window and attempted to hide on the roof but was soon found. Inside Evans’s home, authorities discovered nearly 360 grams of cocaine, over 5 grams of crack, over 1,700 grams of marijuana, a firearm, ammunition, multiple digital scales, and drug packaging materials. The investigation also revealed that Evans had previously participated in the sale of homemade machinegun conversion devices, or “switches,” with a fellow member of the Bloods.
Evans was previously convicted of indecent liberties with a child and multiple charges of possession with intent to sell cocaine in North Carolina.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); the Down East Drug and Violent Crime Task Force; and the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney's Lori Warlick and Sarah Nokes prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-CR-23-BO-RN.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Public Lands Violations
Matthew K. Burden, 44, of West Yellowstone Montana, was sentenced to seven days incarnation, $1,550 in fines and court costs, and two years of unsupervised probation, the terms of which include a ban from entering Yellowstone National Park during that time. Mr. Burden pled guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and operating a motor vehicle without due care considering wildlife, traffic, weather, road conditions, lighting, and road character. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted the crime and U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Jan. 23, 2025, in Mammoth.
Drug Trafficking
Gregorio Guerra, 33, of Melbeta, Nebraska, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, on Feb. 9, 2024, Guerra was stopped near Cheyenne, where 470 grams of methamphetamine and related drug paraphernalia were found in his vehicle. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) worked with the Nebraska Western Intelligence Narcotics Group (WING) in the investigation and determined Guerra was a methamphetamine distributor in the Scottsbluff, Nebraska area. Guerra was indicted on May 16, 2024, pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2024, and U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Jan. 21, in Cheyenne. DCI, WING, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and the Cheyenne Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00063
Eddie Meliton Martinez, 55, of Fort Garland, Colorado, was sentenced to 87 months with four years of supervised release to follow, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. According to court documents
the defendant was identified by the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) as a source of supply for drugs being redistributed in Casper. From about Jan.1, 2023, to Sept. 13, 2023, Martinez, located in the Denver, Colorado area, was participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine with other individuals in Casper. Martinez was indicted on May 16, 2024, pleaded guilty on Nov. 1, 2024, and U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Jan. 21, in Cheyenne. DCI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie R. Morrison prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00069
Bobbi King aka Bobbi Arnold, 58, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, in May of 2024, agents with DCI were monitoring King’s house for potential drug trafficking. Through the investigation, they gathered enough probable cause for a search warrant. In addition to the drugs seized in her truck and residence, King admitted to distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl to several people in Cheyenne. King was indicted on Sept. 18, 2024, pleaded guilty on Nov. 8, 2024, and U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Jan. 24, in Cheyenne. DCI investigated the crime. Case No. 24-00063
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include: Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
25 January 2025
Newark Man Charged with Firearm and Narcotics OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark man has been charged with firearm and narcotics offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Khalif Irving, 25, of Newark, New Jersey, was charged in a three-count complaint with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court on January 24, 2025, and was ordered detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Irving, a/k/a “Kah Kah,” has been advertising narcotics for sale on social media and posting photos depicting firearms. On January 23, 2025, Irving stowed a loaded firearm in a utility box affixed to the side of a building at the Janice Kromer Village apartments. Minutes later, law enforcement recovered the firearm, arrested Irving, and recovered suspected narcotics from Irving’s person.
The offense of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon charged in Count One of the Complaint carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. The offense of possession with intent to distribute narcotics charged in Count Two of the Complaint carries a maximum penalty of 20 year’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1 million. The offense of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charged in Count Thee of the Complaint carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, which must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents and task force officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks Jr., the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, and the North Bergen Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert Farley with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the DEA, the DHS/HSI, the USMS, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Thompson of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Michael Thomas, Assistant Federal Public Defender
irving.complaint.pdfMan who Stole Guns, Other Items from Farm and Home Store Sentenced to 77 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a St. Francois County man who stole firearms and other items from a farm and home store in Potosi, Missouri to 77 months in prison.
Judge Autrey also ordered Gregory Snyder, 46, to pay $11,484 in restitution for the stolen items.
On Sept. 19, 2021, Snyder hid in the store, emerging after closing time. He stole power tools, camping gear and 13 guns, including eight rifles and five shotguns. Snyder took the guns and some of the other stolen goods to a river in eastern Washington County. He returned early the next morning for more, but by then, Potosi Police Department officers had spotted evidence of the burglary. They stopped and questioned Snyder, who no longer had the stolen goods in his car. They arrested Snyder later that day.
Snyder, of Bismarck, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in August to theft of firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer and possession of body armor by a violent felon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Potosi Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Nino Przulj prosecuted the case.
Two of the shotguns have been recovered. Anyone with information about the rest of the stolen firearms is asked to contact the ATF at 314-768-3120 or online at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips or the Potosi Police at 573-438-5468.
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.
24 January 2025
Yuba County Man Charged with Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Ignacio Valencia, 33, of Plumas Lake, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Valencia was found in possession of a loaded, Glock model 20, 10 mm caliber handgun as well as a magazine containing 25 rounds of 10 mm ammunition. Valencia is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition after being convicted of four felonies: possession of a controlled substance for sale, being a felon in possession of a firearm, evading a peace officer in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property, and being a felon or addict in possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Elk Grove Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Vanek is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Valencia faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Woman pleads guilty to human smuggling conspiracy resulting in 16 deathsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – On Jan. 21, Yaquelin Dominguez-Nieves, 26, of Sebring, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court in Miami to conspiring to smuggle aliens into the United States.
According to court documents and information presented during the case’s detention hearing, around November 2022, Dominguez-Nieves, who entered the United States illegally, collected at least $11,500 from the migrants’ family members in South Florida with the promise to smuggle the migrants from Cuba into the United States. Dominguez-Nieves transferred the money she collected to her co-conspirator located in Cuba. Then, Dominguez-Nieves’s co-conspirator loaded approximately 18 migrants onto a small fishing vessel with no life jackets and with a captain who, according to the two survivors, did not appear to know how to operate the vessel. The vessel sank roughly 30 miles into its journey to the United States, killing all but two migrants aboard. Many of the 16 victims were young children and teenagers, including children ranging from nine months to seven years old, as well as two 16-year-olds. Four of the migrants’ bodies were recovered at sea, and their cause of death was ruled drowning.
A sentencing hearing is set for April 11, at 11:00 a.m. in Miami. Dominguez-Nieves faces up to life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael S. Davis for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Margelot U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Region, made the announcement.
CGIS, Southeast Region, investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West, U.S. Border Patrol (BP) Miami Sector, Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office and Highlands County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller is prosecuting the case.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20223.
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Woman Sentenced to 20 Years for Killing Sister-in-LawRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa woman was sentenced today for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Alexis Danielle Flanner, 26, to 240 months followed by five years of supervised release.
In July 2022, Tulsa Police officers were dispatched for shots fired. Upon arrival, officers found Estrella Mendoza, deceased from a gunshot wound. Officers watched security footage that showed Flanner and Estrella enter the store together. After the pair left the store, Estrella was seen crawling away from Flanner before she collapsed. Flanner was seen fleeing the scene.
A witness stated that he tried to help Estrella. Before going unconscious, Estrella said that Flanner shot her. Officers went to Flanner’s residence, where they found the vehicle she left in that had fresh blood splatter and the firearm used.
Flanner told officers that she was mad at her sister-in-law, Estrella because she would not return her marijuana grinder.
Flanner is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Jolly and Valeria Luster prosecuted the case.
Woman Charged with Discharging Firearm During Assault of United States Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Teresa Youngblut, 21, and who is believed to be from Washington state, has been charged by criminal complaint with one count of using a deadly weapon while assaulting a United States Border Patrol agent, and one count of using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to that assault. Her initial court appearance has not yet been scheduled.
According to the charging affidavit, during the afternoon of January 20, 2025, a United States Border Patrol agent initiated a traffic stop of a Toyota Prius on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont. The car was occupied by Youngblut and a man who was a citizen of Germany and whose immigration status was in question. Youngblut and her companion had come to the attention of law enforcement a few days earlier when a hotel employee in Lyndonville expressed concern about them being dressed in tactical clothing and protective gear, while also being armed. Law enforcement also observed the couple in the Prius earlier on January 20 at a Walmart parking lot in Newport, Vermont. At that time, the German man was seen wrapping unidentifiable objects with aluminum foil while seated in the vehicle.
According to the affidavit, during the January 20 vehicle stop, both Youngblut and her companion were armed. During the stop, Youngblut fired her handgun without warning toward at least one of the Border Patrol Agents while outside the vehicle. Her German companion also tried to draw a firearm, and at least one Border Patrol Agent fired his service weapon. The exchange of gunfire resulted in Border Patrol Agent David Maland sustaining fatal injuries. Youngblut and her companion were also shot. The German man was pronounced dead at the scene, and Youngblut was taken to the hospital for medical care.
The investigation into this incident is ongoing. It is being led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with substantial assistance from the Vermont State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, the Newport, Vermont, Police Department, and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher stated: “The events leading to this prosecution tragically demonstrate how the men and women of law enforcement regularly put their lives on the line as they try to keep our communities and our country safe. The United States Attorney’s Office is deeply grateful for those with the courage to do such dangerous work. We intend to honor them, and the memory of Border Patrol Agent Maland, by performing our prosecutorial duties so that justice may be done.” Drescher also commended the investigative collaboration demonstrated by the FBI, Vermont State Police, ATF, and the other agencies involved.
Craig Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albany Field Office, stated: “Agent Maland bravely served his country as a member of the United States Air Force. He continued that service when he answered the call to protect and serve as a law enforcement officer, making him a shining example of service over self. This arrest proves the FBI, together with our partners, will work diligently to ensure any individual who uses a firearm to assault such a public servant will be brought to justice.”
“The senseless and tragic killing of a United States Border Patrol agent is a stark reminder of the immense sacrifices law enforcement officers make to protect our nation,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF Boston Field Division. “ATF stands resolute with our partners to bring justice to the individual responsible. Our deepest condolences go out to the agent’s family, colleagues, and all who are grieving this profound loss.”
Chief United States Border Patrol Agent Robert Garcia stated: “We appreciate all our law enforcement partners' response to this tragic event as we continue our mission of protecting this nation’s border and ensuring public safety.”
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations and that Youngblut is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Youngblut faces a maximum prison sentence of life and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years if convicted of the charges in the complaint. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher. Youngblut is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.