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24 January 2025
Glen Burnie Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Multi-State Dogfighting ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Mario Damon Flythe, 50, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, to six months in federal prison and six months of home detention – followed by three years of supervised release; a $10,000 fine, and an additional $2,800 in a forfeiture money judgment, for his involvement in a multi-state dogfighting conspiracy.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office- Criminal and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dillard, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General; Defense Criminal Investigative Service – Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Clinton Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for Maryland; and Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Chief.
Flythe is affiliated with the same dogfighting enterprise as co-defendant Frederick Douglass Moorfield, Jr. The defendant also operated a kennel under the name “Razor Sharp Kennels,” and used his home to keep, train, and breed dogs for dogfighting for several years.
A review of Flythe’s cellphone records uncovered numerous message exchanges connected to dogfighting — primarily over the instant-messaging applications WhatsApp and Telegram — with members of a group known as the “DMV Board.” In addition to arranging dog fights and wagers, Flythe and the DMV Board discussed the breeding and training of fighting dogs, procuring supplies for the maintenance and feeding of fighting dogs, and law enforcement criminally prosecuting dogfighters. Additionally, Flythe and others discussed indictments of other members of the DMV Board and speculated about the identity of a potential “snitch.”
Flythe’s instant messages also revealed several exchanges arranging or “hooking” dogfights. During these conversations, Flythe identified the weight and sex of the dog he wanted to sponsor in a fight. Other dogfighters then proposed a fight against their own dog or matched Flythe with another contact who had a dog in the same weight class. The dogfighters then agreed on wagers and set a date for the fight, usually six to eight weeks after arranging the match. In addition to stating the winner’s fee for each fight, dogfighters agreed on forfeit or “fit” payments if a dogfighter backed out prior to the fight.
After hooking a fight, Flythe trained his dogs in a process known as a “keep.” Flythe’s typical keep schedule for a dog involved physical training — using treadmills, weighted collars, and other accessories — a diet plan, and steroids. Flythe obtained steroids and other veterinary drugs through various contacts in his dogfighting network instead of obtaining legitimate veterinary prescriptions.
When Flythe sponsored a dog, the fight only ended after a dog died or if the owner forfeited the match by the dog quitting the fight or the owner picking up the dog. Several times between 2019 and 2023, Flythe received monetary payments through CashApp in connection with dogfighting activities. Flythe also sent money to dogfighting contacts related to the dogfighting enterprise.
On September 6, 2023, during a search of Flythe’s home, investigators recovered a total of seven pit-bull type dogs from the premises. Authorities found four dogs chained to posts or poles in fenced-in cages in the property’s backyard, and three dogs in large metal cages in the basement. Flythe acknowledged that he bred and/or trained dogs for the purposes of sponsoring them for dogfights.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI; U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Marshals Service; Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County Animal Control; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their valuable assistance in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Throwing Methamphetamine into Federal Prison YardRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Garrett Scott Wheelen, 33, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to possessing more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on May 1, 2024, Wheelen arrived at the Federal Correctional Institution Mendota wearing a facemask, baseball cap, and hoodie to conceal his identity. In broad daylight, Wheelen ran to the prison fence and tossed four packages into the prison’s recreation yard. He was quickly apprehended after attempting to flee. The packages contained more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine. Wheelen was on supervised release from a prior federal felony charge at the time.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mendota Police Department, and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Dhruv M. Sharma are prosecuting the case.
Wheelen is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins. Wheelen faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison, and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
Fort Bliss Soldier Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A former soldier stationed at Fort Bliss was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 100 months in prison for sexual abuse of a minor.
According to court documents, Carlos Humberto Richard Walsh, 23, of Washington, was involved in a romantic relationship with a minor under 16 years old from approximately Oct. 1, 2022 to approximately Jan. 24, 2023. Walsh, who was an Army specialist at the time, was subjected to barracks inspections, through which his command reported finding the minor victim in Walsh’s vehicle, along with several of the victim’s personal items in Walsh’s barracks room. The minor victim admitted to federal and local law enforcement that she had been living with Walsh in the Barracks and had engaged in sexual intercourse there on several occasions. Walsh was arrested May 25, 2023 and has remained in federal custody.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the El Paso Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Valenzuela prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.justice.gov/psc.
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Former Government Contractor Convicted of Defrauding FEMA and Georgia-Based Litigation Funding CompanyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Following an eight-day trial, Tiffany Brown was found guilty by a jury of defrauding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) in connection with a nearly $156 million contract she was awarded to provide self-heating meals to the residents of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and for fraudulently obtaining $700,000 in litigation advances from the Litigation Funding Group of Georgia (“LFG”) by falsely claiming that she had settled with a logistics company who failed to deliver the meals to FEMA.
“Brown resorted to extraordinary lengths to defraud FEMA during a critical period when individuals were in desperate need of food resources during the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Maria,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our Office, along with our law enforcement partners, will remain vigilant in pursuing and prosecuting individuals who exploit the devastation caused by natural disasters as an opportunity to commit fraud.”
“We will continue to investigate and support the prosecution of fraudsters who target vulnerable populations for their own gains,” said DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D.
“Brown greedily deceived the federal government during a natural disaster to enrich herself,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI and our partners will aggressively pursue any person who seeks to defraud the government, especially during times of tragedy.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges and other information presented in court: On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Puerto Rico. In its wake, FEMA issued a solicitation for 40 million self-heating meals per week to deliver to the island. Meals requiring a microwave or an external heating source, such as for boiling water, were unacceptable. FEMA issued the meal solicitation because it had exhausted its existing supply of self-heating meals from its own warehouses, primary vendors, and federal agency partners in responding to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma— both Category 4 hurricanes that impacted broad swaths of Texas, Louisiana, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
On September 28, 2017, Brown submitted a proposal to FEMA falsely representing that her Georgia-based company, Tribute Contracting LLC, could provide the necessary self-heating meals. In doing so, Brown misrepresented that Tribute: (a) could deliver 10 million meals per day utilizing 210 trucks; (b) would provide 300,000 meals prepositioned; and (c) had partnered with C.H. Robinson, a major shipping and logistics broker, to meet FEMA’s delivery requirements.
But Tribute was incapable of delivering 10 million meals, never prepositioned any meals, and did not have the claimed partnership. A FEMA contacting officer spoke with Brown after receiving Tribute’s proposal. The contracting officer knew that U.S.-based manufacturers could not produce the number of meals that Brown claimed in her proposal. In response, Brown falsely represented that she was procuring the self-heating meals from Action Meals, a Canadian manufacturer. Brown sent FEMA a doctored image of an Action Meals package with a fraudulent expiration date.
Based on her conversation with the contracting officer, Brown submitted a revised proposal falsely representing that she had firm confirmation from her “core suppliers for 30 million self-heating meals in 30 days” and that she could begin delivering one million meals a day beginning on October 7, 2017.
On October 3, 2017, FEMA awarded Tribute and Brown a $155,982,000 contract requiring the delivery of 30 million self-heating meals between October 7 and October 23, 2017. FEMA had to confirm that Tribute’s proposed meal was “technically acceptable” before approving the delivery. FEMA approved Brown’s proposal in part because it understood that Brown would deliver self-heating meals manufactured by Action Meals. Unbeknownst to FEMA, Brown had not secured a supplier when she was awarded the FEMA contract. After being awarded the contract, Brown repeatedly mispresented to FEMA the status of her suppliers and timing of deliveries.
On October 19, 2017, FEMA terminated its contract with Brown and Tribute. Before doing so, however, FEMA paid Brown $255,000 based on her submission of fraudulent invoices and bills of ladings claiming that she had successfully delivered 50,000 self-heating meals. Brown in fact had delivered 50,000 non-compliant, dehydrated meals. After FEMA terminated the contract, Brown continued making false representations to FEMA. For example, Brown submitted fraudulent invoices in December 2017 and June 2019 claiming to have purchased tens of thousands of dollars of heaters.
In March 2019, Brown falsely represented to LFG that she had a tentative $5 million settlement with a logistics company, Total Quality Logistics (“TQL”). Brown claimed that TQL was willing to settle with her because it failed to timely deliver meals to FEMA, which she claimed was the reason FEMA terminated her contract. In truth, TQL obtained a default judgment against Brown for unpaid deliveries.
To secure the fraudulent litigation financing, Brown provided LFG with a mix of actual and fabricated documents. For instance, she provided the real FEMA contract, but a fraudulent tentative settlement agreement, and fabricated emails between TQL’s general counsel and “Jerry Rosenstein,” Tribute’s purported in-house counsel. Brown further perpetrated the fraud by using her attorney to create the illusion that she was a successful government contractor who was negotiating directly with TQL. Brown later falsely claimed she settled with TQL for $6.5 million, which she evidenced by an agreement that TQL’s CEO supposedly signed. The scheme unraveled when TQL did not pay the $6.5 million, and Brown’s attorney received an email from a “James Wilson,” who was supposedly an in-house attorney at TQL. “James Wilson” wrote that he was willing to release the settlement funds in exchange for $500,000. Investigators later determined that Brown was responsible for creating the fake “Jerry Rosenstein” and “James Wilson” personas.
Tiffany Brown, 45, of Atlanta, Georgia is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. Brown was found guilty by a federal jury on January 17, 2025, of 11 counts of major disaster fraud, 17 counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government money, and three counts of money laundering.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Office of Chief Counsel.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and Jessica C. Morris are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former CEO of Startup Software Company Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for his scheme to willfully fail to pay more than $14 million in payroll taxes owed to the IRS and failing to file and pay his personal taxes, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announce.
Andrew Park, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 30 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. She also ordered Park to pay $639,821.78 in restitution, the amount of tax and interest not repaid at the time of sentencing, to the United States. She also ordered Park pay a fine of $15,000. In July 2024, Park pleaded guilty to willful failure to pay over payroll taxes and willful failure to file a tax return.
Park was the co-founder and CEO of a startup technology company. Park was responsible for all financial matters related to the company, including for filing the company’s quarterly payroll tax returns and collecting and paying over Social Security, Medicare and income taxes withheld from the employees’ wages to the IRS, as well as the matching Social Security and Medicare taxes the company owed. Park was also responsible for collecting and paying over state and local taxes to those respective governments.
From the company’s founding in 2014 through the third quarter of 2021, Park withheld federal, state and local taxes from the wages of the company’s employees but did not pay them over to the IRS and state and local tax authorities as required by law. He also did not pay over the portion of the payroll taxes that the company owed. Park did so even though a payroll service company that he hired to process the employees’ payroll notified him hundreds of times that the taxes were due, and four employees of the company complained that the Social Security Administration reported no withholdings had been paid over by the company on their behalf.
From 2013 through 2020, Park also did not file individual tax returns as required by law, despite the fact that he paid himself a salary of approximately $250,000 each year.
In total, Park caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $14.7 million.
“For many years, the defendant took elaborate steps to defraud the IRS by not filing or paying his personal income taxes and by using his employees’ payroll taxes as free capital to grow his business. Then, when matters got out of hand, he falsely told his investors that his company was tax compliant to secure the funds to try to make the problem disappear,” said Acting United States Attorney Jay McCormack. “The substantial sentence imposed by the court reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct and his disregard for our nation’s tax laws and sends a message to deter other would-be tax fraudsters who might seek to enrich themselves at the expense of honest taxpayers.”
“Yesterday’s sentencing of Andrew Park is a strong reminder that payment of individual and business taxes is an obligation, not a choice,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “When Andrew Park made the decision not to pay taxes for himself and his business, he also made the decision to cheat his employees and other honest taxpayers. Investigations of employment tax fraud is a priority for Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation as our system of taxation depends on everybody paying their fair share.”
IRS-Criminal Investigation led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and Assistant Chief Eric Powers of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
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Former CEO of Startup Software Company Sentenced for Payroll Tax Fraud CrimesRead the Press Release
A New Hampshire man was sentenced yesterday to two-and-a-half years in prison for willfully failing to pay more than $14 million in payroll taxes and not filing personal tax returns.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Andrew Park, 49, of Bedford, was the co-founder and CEO of a startup technology company. Park was responsible for all financial matters related to the company, including for filing the company’s quarterly employment tax returns and collecting and paying over Social Security, Medicare and income taxes withheld from the employees’ wages to the IRS, as well as the matching Social Security and Medicare taxes the company owed.
From the company’s founding in 2014 through the third quarter of 2021, Park withheld federal taxes from the wages of the company’s employees but did not pay them over as required by law. He also did not pay over the portion of the employment taxes that the company owed. Park willfully failed to do so even though a payroll service company that he hired to process the employees’ payroll regularly notified him that the taxes were due, and in more than one instance was notified by an employee that the amount paid to Social Security listed on her W-2 did not match what was reported by the Social Security Administration.
From 2013 through 2020, Park also did not file individual tax returns as required by law, despite the fact that he paid himself a salary of approximately $250,000 each year.
In total, Park caused a tax loss to the IRS exceeding $14 million.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty for the District of New Hampshire ordered Park to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $639,821.78 in restitution to the United States and a fine of $15,000.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney John J. McCormack for the District of New Hampshire made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant Chief Eric Powers of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hunter for the District of New Hampshire prosecuted the case.
Florida Resident Charged in Scheme to Submit Fraudulent Asylum ApplicationsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Carlos Adolfo Haeckermann Cardenas on charges of aiding and abetting false statements on asylum applications.
According to an indictment filed Nov. 13, 2024, and unsealed Jan. 23, 2025, Haeckermann, 62, of Doral, Florida, held himself out to provide individuals with assistance in applying for immigration documents and benefits, including asylum. Between 2019 and 2021, Haeckermann submitted or assisted in the submission of more than 100 asylum applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and charged his clients, including some who resided in the Northern District of California, thousands of dollars to help them apply for asylum.
The indictment further alleges that it was Haeckermann’s practice to draft his clients’ personal statements, which frequently included stories of political persecution that formed the basis for the asylum claims. In so doing, Haeckermann allegedly included false and embellished details that were intended to substantiate his clients’ asylum claims and increase the chances that his clients would be granted asylum.
It was Haeckermann’s practice to send completed applications back to his clients for them to sign and submit rather than to list himself as a third-party preparer and to submit the applications himself. At times, the indictment says, Haeckermann solicited his clients for additional payments in exchange for falsified documents that Haeckermann told his clients were necessary to support their asylum claims.
Haeckermann made his initial appearance in San Francisco on Jan. 22, 2025. He is next scheduled to appear in federal court on Mar. 26, 2025, before the Hon. Vince Chhabria, U.S. District Judge.
United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Criminal Fraud Investigations Branch Chief Jeff Rusinek made the announcement.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment on each count, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000 on each count. Any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only upon consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Parker is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DSS and USCIS, with significant assistance from USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate.
Haeckermann Indictment
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Robert Rahrle, age 34, formerly of Florida and now residing in the Northern District of New York, pled guilty Wednesday to tax evasion and wire fraud. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, and Harry Chavis, Jr. Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement.
As part his guilty plea, Rahrle admitted that from 2017 through 2024, he ran a fraudulent online gift basket website called iCare Gifting Solutions LLC. iCare purported to cater to families of incarcerated individuals, promising to send care packages into prisons. iCare charged hundreds of customers approximately $50 per gift basket but never sent the gift packages.
In addition to defrauding iCare’s customers, Rahrle evaded his federal taxes. He self-prepared and filed tax returns for tax years 2017 and 2018 that falsely reported business losses and failed to report hundreds of thousands of dollars of gross receipts.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2025. Rahrle faces up to five years in federal prison on the tax evasion charge and up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge, along with a post-imprisonment term of supervised release of up to three years. He also could be fined up to $250,000 or an alternative fine based on his gain or the victims’ losses, owes restitution to the IRS of approximately $175,000 and restitution to the victims of his fraud, and will be required to forfeit a money judgment of $2 million to the United States. A federal district court judge will determine Rahrle’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by IRS-CI, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Criminal Investigation Division of the U.S. Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian.
Five Defendants Sentenced in Options Trading SchemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Milan Patel has been sentenced to prison in connection with a years-long market manipulation scheme in which he and his co-conspirators conceived, drafted, and disseminated false rumors about publicly traded companies and then profitably traded on these rumors by purchasing and selling mainly short-term call options.
“The defendants used their financial acumen to manipulate the securities markets by releasing false information about publicly traded companies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute all forms of securities fraud.”
“These sentencings should serve as a reminder to anyone attempting to tilt the balance of financial markets in their direction using insider trading, investigating this illegal behavior is a top priority of the FBI and you will be held accountable,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges and other information presented in court: Between approximately October 2017 and January 2020, Milan Patel, Bart Ross, Mark Melnick, Anthony Salandra, and Charles Parrino conspired to trade securities—primarily short-term call options—in large, publicly traded companies based on materially false rumors about those companies that they generated and disseminated. These materially false rumors were intended to increase the price of the securities (both the underlying stock and options).
Call options are essentially a contract that gives the options’ holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy shares of the underlying stock at a set price per share—the option’s strike price—on or before a set future date (the option’s expiration date). Generally, the holder of a call option benefits when the price of the underlying stock increases. Short-term call options are ones that generally expire within a week.
Ross, Salandra, and Parrino, were formerly registered brokers with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and were responsible for drafting some of the fraudulent rumors. The conspirators would often refine a proposed rumor by exchanging drafts among themselves using the Trillian instant messaging application.
Melnick was a day trader and T3 Live Senior Trading Strategist who often provided technical evaluations on whether a particular false rumor would be successful. These rumors were carefully crafted to: (a) appear plausible enough to other market participants to move the price of the underlying security; and (b) move the price of the security in a particular direction—namely move the stock or option price up—so that Patel and the other conspirators could profitably trade on the rumors.
Patel was responsible for disseminating the rumor via Trillian to multiple accounts, which would in turn result in the false rumor being distributed over one or more market subscription services, including Trade The News, TradeXchange, and Benzinga, as well as various Twitter accounts.
Before Patel disseminated the rumor, the co-conspirators would acquire a position in the publicly traded company that was the subject of the rumor. The co-conspirators purchased short-term call options often mere seconds before Patel disseminated the rumor. The conspirators often purchased short-term call options because the price of such options is more sensitive than the price of the underlying stock. The conspirators profited from their scheme by selling the options (or other securities) after they increased in price. They would then sell off their positions shortly after the rumor was disseminated and the price of the option or underlying stock had increased.
In total, the defendants executed more than 500 trades and made $2,651,320 in profits as a result of their fraudulent scheme.
U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May sentenced the defendants in the case as follows:
•Milan Patel, 49, of Cumming, Georgia, was sentenced on January 23, 2025, to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Patel was convicted on August 20, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
•Charles Parrino, 59, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced on January 17, 2025, to one year and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Parrino was convicted on September 27, 2022, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud.
•Mark Melnick, 44, of Marlboro, New Jersey, was sentenced on December 18, 2024, to three years’ probation with the first six months to be served on home confinement. He was also ordered to pay a $4,000 fine. Melnick was convicted on September 21, 2021, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud.
•Anthony Salandra, 60, of Delray Beach, Florida, was sentenced on December 5, 2024, to three years’ probation with the first six months to be served on home confinement. Salandra was convicted on April 11, 2022, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud.
•Bart Ross, 60, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced on September 7, 2022, to three years’ probation. Ross was convicted on December 18, 2020, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex R. Sistla prosecuted the case.
The SEC is investigating potential civil violations of the U.S. securities laws relating to above-described scheme. In connection with its investigation, the SEC filed separate civil enforcement actions against Patel, Parrino, Melnick, Salandra, and Ross in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Fifth Defendant in San Antonio Firearm Burglary Crew Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison as the final defendant in a case involving a five-man burglary crew.
According to court documents, Victor Valenciana aka Vick, 30, and his four co-conspirators targeted and burglarized Ford pickup trucks in the parking lots of retail locations, malls and restaurants. Together they stole firearms, high-value items and occasionally the vehicles themselves. To evade law enforcement detection, the individuals would rent vehicles and use them to travel to the burglary locations. Additionally, they would steal license plates from similar-looking vehicles and install the stolen license plates on the rental vehicles. In all, the group stole and sold more than 100 firearms from vehicles in the San Antonio area between July 2021 until January 2022.
On Oct. 5, 2022, Valenciana, Alejandro Arias, 26, Richard Hernandez aka Panek, 26, Andrew Blue Riojas, 26, and Aureliano Villareal aka AJ, 28, all from San Antonio, were charged in a 17-count indictment, which included on count of conspiracy to receive and possess stolen firearms and multiple counts of felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. Valenciana was arrested Nov. 17, 2022 and has remained in federal custody. He pleaded guilty Aug. 14, 2024, to the conspiracy charge and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
“These five criminals will spend a combined 53 years in federal prison for their activity thanks to the investigative work and partnerships of our outstanding federal and local law enforcement agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I continue to ask residents to ensure that, if you must leave a firearm in your vehicle, you do so safely and properly. Thieves continue to target specific vehicles and can successfully break in and escape in a matter of seconds.”
“This sentence serves as notice to would be offenders that ATF is committed to breaking the cycle of firearms trafficking no matter how it occurs,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Houston Division. “The vast majority of firearms stolen from vehicles, end up being used as crime guns. We encourage gun owners to practice safe storage of firearms and to remember that your vehicle is not a safe. ATF will continue to leverage every resource that we have to see to it that each offender is held to account for their criminal behavior.”
“Criminal networks that steal firearms and high-value items not only jeopardize public safety, but also fuel illegal activity across our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division. “These defendants were part of a poly-criminal organization that targeted vehicles to steal firearms, which were then sold and trafficked, some recovered in Mexico, posing a serious threat to public safety. This sentencing underscores HSI’s commitment to dismantling these criminal networks and protecting the American public.”
“We sincerely thank our federal partners for their vital support in cracking down on vehicle burglars targeting firearms,” said Chief William McManus for the San Antonio Police Department. “Their collaboration is making our community safer.”
Valenciana and his co-conspirators received a combined 639 months in federal prison. Arias was sentenced to 150 months on Jan. 16; Hernandez was sentenced to 78 months in prison Dec. 19, 2024; Riojas was sentenced to 151 months Aug. 15, 2024; and Villareal was sentenced to 140 months July 16, 2024.
ATF, HSI and SAPD investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Nowinski prosecuted the case.
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Fentanyl Death in Indian Country Leads to Lawton Man's Conviction for Fentanyl Distribution and Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted BREON MONTE BELLAMY, 36, of Lawton, Oklahoma, of distribution of fentanyl and drug conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On September 4, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Superseding Indictment against Bellamy, charging him with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and drug conspiracy resulting in death. On January 16, 2025, after a four-day trial, a federal jury found Bellamy guilty on the lesser-included offenses of distribution of fentanyl and drug conspiracy. Evidence presented at trial indicated that on August 21, 2023, Bellamy sold fentanyl to Reecy Bench, 22, at a casino in Lawton, Oklahoma. Bench then gave a portion of the fentanyl to Joanie Wilson, 38, while still at the casino. The federal investigation suggested that some of this fentanyl was then distributed to another Stephens County resident who died of fentanyl and methamphetamine toxicity on August 23, 2023. Both Bench and Wilson have previously pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.
At sentencing, Bellamy faces up to 60 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000.
This case is in federal court, in part, because Bench is a member of the Choctaw Nation, and a portion of the crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lawton Police Department, and demonstrates the importance of the DEA’s “One Pill Can Kill” campaign. More information about “One Pill Can Kill” can be found at https://www.dea.gov/onepill. Further information about the danger associated with fentanyl distribution and use can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16O7TkhFH9k.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Joynes are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Feeding our Future Defendant Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for His Role in $250 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A Bloomington man has been sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $47,920,514.
“The defendant committed a brazen fraud that shamelessly stole taxpayer money intended to feed children during a global pandemic. He lined his pockets, here and abroad, with millions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kirkpatrick. “As the Court found, he doubled down on his crimes by obstructing justice. This significant sentence should serve as a clear warning to anyone who would seek to exploit and defraud government programs. You will be held accountable.”
As proven at trial, Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff, 34, and his co-defendants devised and carried out a multi-million fraud scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program. As the chief executive officer of Afrique Hospitality Group, Shariff obtained, misappropriated, and laundered millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to children. Their scheme was accomplished by exploiting changes in the nutrition program intended to ensure underserved children received adequate nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shariff and his co-defendants created and submitted fraudulent meal count sheets purporting to document the number of children and meals served at each site and false invoices purporting to document the purchase of food to be served to children at the sites. The conspirators also submitted fake attendance rosters purporting to list the names and ages of the children receiving meals at the sites each day. These rosters were fabricated and created using fake names.
The Federal Child Nutrition Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is a federally funded program designed to provide free meals to children in need. The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service administers the program throughout the nation by distributing federal funds to state governments. In Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) administers and oversees the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Meals funded by the Federal Child Nutrition Program are served by “sites.” Each site participating in the program must be sponsored by an authorized sponsoring organization. Sponsors must submit an application to MDE for each site. Sponsors are also responsible for monitoring each of their sites and preparing reimbursement claims for their sites. The USDA then provides MDE federal reimbursement funds on a per-meal basis. MDE provides those funds to the sponsoring agency who, in turn, pays the reimbursements to the sites under its sponsorship. The sponsoring agency retains 10 to 15 percent of the funds as an administrative fee.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the USDA waived some of the standard requirements for participation in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Among other things, the USDA allowed for-profit restaurants to participate in the program, and it allowed for off-site food distribution to children outside of educational programs.
Following a seven-week trial in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel in June 2024, Shariff was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of money laundering. In handing down the sentence today, Judge Brasel commented that Shariff’s conduct showed a “staggering lack of respect for the law,” and that taxpayers were “outraged by the brazenness of the crime.”
The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Minnesota Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, and Daniel W. Bobier prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Federal Jury Convicts Former OSBI Investigator of Sexual Abuse of A MinorRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Jordan Francis Toyne, 36, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of three counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country.
The jury trial began with testimony on January 21, 2025, and concluded on January 23, 2025, with the guilty verdicts.
During the trial, the United States presented evidence that Toyne sexually assaulted a minor over a period of time beginning in the Summer of 2020 until 2023, when the victim reached 16 years of age. The United States also presented evidence that Toyne sexually abused another minor in 2021.
At the time of the assaults, Toyne served as an investigator with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit. Toyne resigned from his post prior to the completion of an internal investigation conducted by the OSBI. The victims were unrelated to Toyne’s official duties with the OSBI. However, the United States presented evidence Toyne used his specialized knowledge as a Child Crimes Investigator to groom the victims and evade detection of his crimes.
The guilty verdicts were the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Owasso Police Department, together with cooperation and special assistance from OSBI.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma prosecuted the case because the victim is a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe and the crimes occurred in Pittsburg County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report. The sentencing will be scheduled following completion of the report. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Paladino and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Eleven Members of Bronx “Washside” Gang Sentenced for Murder, Attempted Murder, Assault, Racketeering, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the sentencing of YAUREL CENTENO, a/k/a “Flex,” the last of 11 defendants to be sentenced in a case involving members of a street gang known as “WashSide” or “Wash” in the Bronx, New York. CENTENO was sentenced to 24 years in prison for crimes relating to his membership in WashSide, including the murder of 20-year-old Tyrone Almodovar on June 26, 2020, and the gunpoint robbery of a pawnshop on June 27, 2020. CENTENO also participated in a crime spree in 2020 comprised of dozens of other robberies and larcenies stretching across more than 10 states between Maine and Alabama. CENTENO previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering on February 2, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “The WashSide gang terrorized neighborhoods in the Bronx and beyond by killing, shooting, slashing, and robbing people. Together with our law enforcement partners, we have now held WashSide’s members accountable not only for the murder of Tyrone Almodovar, a senseless killing, but for countless other crimes committed by the gang all across the country. We will not let violent gangs continue to endanger the welfare of New Yorkers.”
According to the Superseding Indictment and Informations, public court filings, and statements made in court:
From at least 2015 to 2022, the members of “WashSide” or “Wash,” a criminal enterprise based in the Bronx, New York, committed multiple acts of violence against members of rival street gangs and others. To make money for the gang, protect the gang’s territory, and promote the gang’s standing, members of WashSide engaged in, among other things, armed robberies and carjackings, drug trafficking, wire fraud, and violence, including murder, attempted murder, and assaults with dangerous weapons. The members of WashSide also travelled outside New York City and New York State, robbing and stealing from stores across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Southeast, principally during the height of the pandemic in 2020. For years, WashSide engaged in disputes with rival crews in the Bronx, which resulted in numerous acts of violence. Among their violent crimes were the following offenses.
On June 26, 2020, following a car chase, Boss Terrell, a/k/a “Sauce,” Centeno, Lydell Seymore, a/k/a “Bugout,” and Darrell Spencer, a/k/a “Rell,” shot and killed Tyrone Almodovar.
On June 27, 2020, CENTENO, Isaiah Thomas, a/k/a “Zay,” a/k/a “Chicago,” Jacob Baker, and Tyshawn Brogdon, a/k/a “Shawn,” participated in the gunpoint robbery of a pawnshop, in which multiple victims were struck with a firearm or had a firearm held up to their heads.
On July 29, 2020, TERRELL shot at rival gang members.
On August 18, 2020, CENTENO robbed an electronics store, cutting open the hand of an employee who attempted to resist him.
On June 13, 2021, Noel Carr, a/k/a “Noey,” participated in the assault of a rival gang member who was slashed with a knife.
On September 17, 2021, BROGDON and BAKER committed an armed carjacking at an auto shop, crashing the stolen car almost immediately as an employee was dragged alongside it.
On August 21, 2021, THOMAS, BAKER, and Antwan Mosley, a/k/a “Ant,” committed a drive-by shooting that targeted rival gang members but injured two innocent teenage bystanders.
On December 30, 2021, SEYMORE and Mamadou Diallo, a/k/a “Haji,” a/k/a “Aladje,” committed another armed carjacking, seizing a car at gunpoint from a driver whom they also stripped of much of his clothing in the middle of winter.
On August 19, 2022, BAKER and Rasheed Chapman, a/k/a “Ra,” committed another shooting that similarly resulted in an innocent bystander being struck in the chest.
* * *
A chart containing the names of the defendants, the charges they were convicted of, and the sentences they received is set forth below.
Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney L. Heavey and Thomas John Wright are in charge of the prosecution.
DefendantAgeConvictionsSentenceBoss Terrell,
a/k/a “Sauce”
23Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering and Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering22 YearsYAUREL CENTENO,
a/k/a “Flex”
23Racketeering Conspiracy and Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering24 YearsLydell Seymore,
a/k/a “Bugout”
20Racketeering Conspiracy and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Goods20 YearsDarrell Spencer,
a/k/a “Rell”
26Racketeering Conspiracy16 YearsIsaiah Thomas,
a/k/a “Zay,”
a/k/a “Chicago”
25Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering, Use of a Firearm for a Crime of Violence16 YearsJacob Baker20Racketeering Conspiracy and Use of a Firearm for a Crime of Violence200 MonthsTyshawn Brogdon,
a/k/a “Shawn”
21Racketeering Conspiracy and Use of a Firearm for Carjacking and Robbery100 MonthsRasheed Chapman,
a/k/a “Ra”
20Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering and Use of a Firearm for a Crime of Violence150 MonthsMamadou Diallo,
a/k/a “Haji,”
a/k/a “Aladje”
24Racketeering Conspiracy7 YearsAntwan Mosley,
a/k/a “Ant”
22Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering and Use of a Firearm for a Crime of Violence10 YearsNoel Carr,
a/k/a “Noey,”
23Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering and Aggravated Identity Theft70 MonthsDelaware Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Federal Prison for Second Conviction Involving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Melvin Janvier, 37, of Newark, Delaware was sentenced on January 23, 2025, to 135 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”), announced Shannon T. Hanson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware. Following his time in prison, he will spend 15 years on federal supervised release. U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika pronounced the sentence.
According to court documents, the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Unit, with the assistance of State of Delaware Probation and Parole, arrested Janvier after an FBI Child Exploitation Task Force investigation indicated Janvier was in possession of and sending CSAM from Janvier’s cellphone through the Internet in July 2021.
Law enforcement later found over 2,000 files containing CSAM on Janvier’s phone. The files found on the device included images and videos of prepubescent minors, to include infants and toddlers, and materials portraying bondage and bestiality. Janvier had previously been convicted in 2016 in the State of Delaware for possession of and dealing in CSAM and served four years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Hanson stated, “Our office is committed to protecting children and prosecuting those engaged in the sexual exploitation of minors through the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. I wish to thank the FBI and our Delaware law enforcement partners who tirelessly pursed this case.”
"There is nothing that can excuse Melvin Janvier’s sick behavior. Every one of the more than 2,000 images he possessed re-victimizes a child," said FBI Baltimore SAC William J. DelBagno. "FBI Baltimore’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force is committed to putting predators like Janvier behind bars where they can no longer hurt others."
The FBI Baltimore Field Office, with the assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office and the State of Delaware Probation and Parole, investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel S. Frey and Briana Knox prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 22-CR-78-MN.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice, 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.
Cushing Man Sentenced to Serve Five Years in Federal Prison after Firearm and Stolen Truck, Log Splitter, and Other Items are Found on PropertyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – JIM BOB STORY, 49, of Cushing, has been sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction and receiving and concealing stolen property, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On April 3, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Indictment against Story, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and receiving and concealing stolen property. According to public record, on February 21, 2024, officers with the Sac and Fox Nation Tribal Police Department received information that a stolen vehicle was being kept on Story’s property. After executing a search warrant, authorities recovered a rifle and ammunition, as well as other items previously reported as being stolen out of Cushing including a welder and a log splitter.
Public record further reflects that Story has a lengthy criminal history that includes felony convictions for second-degree burglary in case number CF-2003-82 and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in case number CF-2002-204, both in Payne County District Court, and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Lincoln County District Court case number CF-2004-195.
This case is in federal court because Story is a member of the Sac and Fox Nation and these crimes took place on land held in trust for the Sac and Fox Nation.
At the sentencing hearing on January 15, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Story to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing her sentence, Judge Dishman noted Story’s extensive criminal history and the need to deter Story from future crimes.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sac and Fox Nation Tribal Police Department, and the Cushing Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Corporation and Former Chief Executive Officer Plead Guilty to Health Care Fraud and Tax ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that KBWB Operations LLC, which did business as Atrium Health and Senior Living (KBWB-Atrium), and former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Member Kevin Breslin of KBWB-Atrium, both pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of tax conspiracy related to the operation of numerous skilled nursing facilities.
“Americans rely on skilled nursing facilities to care for themselves, family members and other loved ones, and the operators of these institutions must live up to their obligations and the law,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners to help ensure the safety and dignity of our must vulnerable citizens.”
Breslin, 58, of Hoboken, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on Dec. 17, 2024. KBWB-Atrium pleaded guilty in the same court on Jan. 21. Breslin is one of six owners of KBWB-Atrium. KBWB-Atrium’s corporate headquarters was located in Little Falls, New Jersey, and its Midwest corporate office was located in Appleton, Wisconsin. KBWB-Atrium operated and owned nursing facilities in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
On Feb. 1, 2023, a Wisconsin grand jury returned a 12-count indictment against defendants Breslin and KBWB-Atrium (collectively the defendants) charging health care fraud and tax conspiracy, among other charges. According to court documents, from approximately Jan. 1, 2015, to in or about September 2018, KBWB-Atrium operated and owned 23 skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin, and Breslin was responsible for overseeing all of KBWB-Atrium’s operations. The primary source of income for the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities was federal Medicare and Medicaid funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
According to court documents, the defendants’ alleged health care fraud scheme involved unlawfully diverting CMS funds intended for the operation, management, maintenance, and care of the residents of the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities for other purposes and personal expenses. The defendants allegedly prioritized distributions and guaranteed payments to KBWB-Atrium’s owners regardless of KBWB-Atrium’s financial situation. The defendants’ alleged actions resulted in failing to meet the required federal regulations governing skilled nursing facilities, including not operating the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin skilled nursing facilities in a manner that would enhance residents’ quality of life. According to court documents, the defendants also knew that vendors were not being paid for extended periods of time or some were not paid at all for their services. Additionally, defendants allegedly failed to pay third-party administrators monies deducted from KBWB-Atrium employees’ paychecks for insurance premiums and 401(k) plan contributions.
As a part of the tax conspiracy alleged in court documents, Breslin, acting on behalf of KBWB-Atrium, directed that income taxes and employment taxes withheld from KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin employees’ paychecks not be paid over to the IRS. This caused employees to prepare tax returns listing those withholdings as having been paid to the IRS, which was false.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on May 7 before U.S. District Judge William M. Conleyfor the Western District of Wisconsin. Breslin faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for the health care fraud count and five years in prison for the conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States count, along with a period of supervised release. Both defendants face restitution and other monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence of each defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Healthcare fraud affects every American,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “My office was proud to partner with the Justice Department’s Civil Division to help prosecute these individuals who harmed seniors and exploited our health care benefits programs for personal gain.”
“This guilty plea demonstrates our unwavering commitment to holding individuals accountable who exploit vulnerable populations and defraud the healthcare system for personal gain,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Breslin’s actions not only eroded public trust but endangered the well-being of patients who rely on our health care system. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to investigate and bring to justice those who abuse positions of trust.”
“The guilty pleas of Kevin Breslin and KBWB Operations LLC serve as a reminder that healthcare fraud is not only a direct violation of patient care, but also an attack on the financial systems that underpin public and private trust,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI and its law enforcement partners remain dedicated to investigating and prosecuting individuals and businesses who seek to exploit public and private institutions for personal gain.”
“HHS-OIG is dedicated to protecting Medicare and Medicaid funds and ensuring that health care providers uphold their responsibility to serve vulnerable populations with integrity,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The actions of those involved in this scheme erode the trust placed in our nation’s health care system, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who misuse public funds for personal gain.”
“Employers placing profit over upholding their legal fiduciary responsibilities when managing health benefit plans will not be tolerated,” said Regional Director Ruben R. Chapa of the Employee Benefits Security Administration in Chicago. “The Employee Benefits Security Administration remains committed to ensuring that those who knowingly break the law are held fully accountable.”
The IRS-CI Chicago Field Office; HHS-OIG – Office of Investigations, Milwaukee Field Office; U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, New York and Chicago Regional Offices; FBI Milwaukee Field Office; and the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin, visit its website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdwi.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples.
United States District Court Judge Annemarie Carney Axon sentenced Curtoine Lamar Jackson, 35, of Bessemer, to 64 months in prison. Jackson previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On December 30, 2023, Jackson possessed a Taurus 9mm pistol. Jackson is prohibited from having a firearm because of multiple previous felony convictions.
Jackson was convicted on March 15, 2012, in the Circuit Court of the Bessemer Division of Jefferson County, Alabama, of the offenses of Robbery, First Degree; Burglary, First Degree; and Robbery, First Degree. He was convicted in the same court on or about December 4, 2017, of the Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance.
FBI and Bessemer Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Lee Gilmer prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Prison for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for illegal possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
United States District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Robert Daneil Terry, 47, of Gadsden, to 45 months in prison. In October, Terry pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Terry is prohibited from having a firearm because of multiple previous felony convictions.
According to the plea agreement, on March 26, 2022, a Gadsden Police Officer responded to a disturbance at a business in Gadsden. Upon arrival, the officer observed a vehicle quickly exiting the parking lot. The officer tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Terry led the officer on a high-speed chase. The chase ended after Terry lost control of the vehicle and wrecked in a ditch. Terry exited the vehicle and was taken into custody. The officer recovered a Taurus 9mm handgun.
On June 5, 2022, a Gadsden Police officer observed Terry standing outside of a Waffle House and, knowing he had outstanding warrants, approached him. Terry was taken into custody. The officer recovered a different Taurus 9mm handgun from the rear waistband of his pants.
ATF investigated the case along with the Gadsden Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Camp prosecuted the case.
Columbia Man Indicted on Sex Trafficking and Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges Involving 11 VictimsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 22-count indictment against defendant Leon-Bobby Jones-Hubbard, 31, of Columbia, charging him with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; two counts of sex trafficking of a minor; nine counts of production and attempted production of child sexual abuse materials; nine counts of coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual conduct; and one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material.
The indictment alleges that from at least June 2023 to present, Jones-Hubbard used social media platforms including Facebook to target, recruit, and exploit 10 minor victims who ranged from 5 to 16 years old and were located in Arkansas, Michigan, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Texas. The indictment further alleges the defendant paid money through Cash App, PayPal, and Meta Pay to induce and entice minors into illegal sexual conduct, including sex trafficking and the production of child sexual abuse material.
An adult with a severe developmental disorder was also targeted and exploited, according to the indictment, by Jones-Hubbard using an intermediary to coerce the victim into sex acts through physical restraint, physical force, and violence in exchange for money.
Jones-Hubbard faces a penalty of up to life in prison. He also faces mandatory minimum penalties of 15 years, 10 years, and five years in prison on various counts charged. He faces fines of up to $250,0o0 per count, a special assessment of $5,000 per count, mandatory restitution payable to any victims who suffered loss in connection with criminal conduct, court-ordered supervision of life to follow any term of imprisonment, and federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
Jones-Hubbard was arraigned in federal court on Jan. 23 and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Paige J. Gossett on Jan. 28 at 2:30 p.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and E. Elizabeth Major are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Columbia County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, FL – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced William Ervin Daniels (45, Lake City) to 20 years in federal prison for distributing child sex abuse material. He pleaded guilty on September 24, 2024.
According to court documents, on November 16, 2023, Daniels distributed two videos containing child sex abuse material (CSAM) in a group called “Da Litl Kidz Gc” on a social media application. He identified his name and phone number in his account profile on the app. Daniels was also listed as an administrator for the group to which he distributed the videos. Moreover, his phone contained a cache of thousands of videos and images of CSAM. During the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Daniels had abused a minor in his care on at least two occasions.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Milliron.
This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.
Colombian Narco Trafficker Sentenced to 78 Months for Conspiring to Import Thousands of Kilos of Cocaine into the U.S.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Aldemar Soto-Charry, 64, a highly ranked member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 78 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute thousands of kilos of cocaine for importation into the United States. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. for the District of Columbia, DEA Special Agent in Charge Eugene L. Crouch of the DEA Andean Division, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Veltri of the FBI’s Miami Field Office.
Soto-Charry, aka “El Ingeniero” (“the Engineer”), pleaded guilty on October 11, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine for importation into the United States and aiding and abetting in the same. As part of the plea agreement, Soto-Charry acknowledged he was accountable for engaging in a conspiracy on behalf of the FARC to transport over 1,000 kilos of cocaine on a regular basis to a Mexican cartel, ultimately knowing that the cocaine would be transported into the United States.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Soto-Charry to serve four years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in 2018 the DEA commenced a targeted operation against large-scale drug traffickers in Colombia, including those connected to the FARC. In July 2018, the DEA learned that Soto-Charry had claimed that FARC leadership was exploring opportunities to launder proceeds of drug sales, including through the purchase of real estate in Panama. The DEA enlisted confidential sources (CS) to meet with Soto-Charry and his co-conspirators.
In October 2018, Soto-Charry was introduced to the CSs, one who posed as an individual with business connections in Panama and the other as a facilitator for large-scale drug transactions with the Mexican Gulf Cartel, which sought thousands of kilograms of cocaine for exportation abroad, including the United States. Soto-Charry detailed the FARC’s illicit business ventures, including laundering $10 million of cocaine proceeds through the construction of a medical clinic in Panama. Soto-Charry said he could organize drug deals using cocaine that was being processed at FARC-controlled cocaine laboratories in the jungles of Colombia. During a later meeting, Soto-Charry said the FARC could provide up to 2,000 kilograms of cocaine every few weeks.
Between October 3, 2018, and July 25, 2019, the CSs regularly met with Soto-Charry and his co-conspirators to discuss the details of a potential deal for significant quantities of cocaine. During the meetings, Soto-Charry discussed FARC-related drug trafficking activities, cocaine pricing, cocaine purity, drug trafficking routes out of Colombia, and other logistical matters related to large-scale cocaine sales. As part of these discussions, Soto-Charry’s co-conspirators ultimately helped deliver a five-kilogram sample of cocaine and discussed how to transport it to the United States.
Soto-Charry was arrested in Colombia on August 8, 2019, at the request of the United States, and extradited to the United States on August 8, 2024. In his plea agreement, he accepted responsibility for conspiring to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of cocaine. He has been in custody since the date of his arrest in Colombia.
His co-defendant Mauricio Mazabel-Soto was sentenced to 73 months in prison. Co-defendant Alfredo Molina-Cutiva received a sentence of 70 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI. The Colombian Attorney General’s Office, specifically the Dirección Especializada contra el Narcotráfico and Dirección de Asuntos Internacionales, also provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Soto-Charry. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ernesto J. Alvarado of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section. Valuable assistance was also provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin L. Rosenberg, who indicted and previously handled the case.
19cr233
Clinton County Man Indicted for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kyle Grey, age 35, of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, was indicted on January 23, 2025, on four charges of production of child pornography.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Grey produced child pornography three times on or about October 9, 2024, and once on October 29, 2024.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting 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.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each offense is 30 years of imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Casper man sentenced to 10 years for transportation of a minor for sexRead the Press Release
James Warren Martin, 38, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, with a lifetime of supervised release, for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. This sentence is to run concurrently with his 37-to-45-year sentence imposed in Wyoming’s Seventh Judicial District state court for his victimization of the same minor. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Jan. 23, in Casper.
According to court documents, the defendant was brought to the attention of law enforcement in October of 2022 when the minor victim’s family member and guardian reported to the Casper Police Department that a male, identified as James Warren Martin, was grooming the girl. Detectives began investigating Martin. Then, on Nov. 16, 2022, Martin picked up the girl from school and fled the state with her. An Amber Alert was issued in Wyoming. Investigators determined that Martin and the minor victim may have been in Arizona. An Amber Alert was also issued in Arizona.
A deputy with the La Paz County (Ariz.) Sheriff’s Office located Martin and the minor victim in Arizona. Law enforcement arrested Martin and rescued the girl. Electronic evidence showed Martin intended to take the girl to Mexico. Evidence also proved Martin had sexual intercourse with the girl after taking her from Wyoming. Martin was interviewed and ultimately confessed to having sexual intercourse with the girl numerous times in Natrona County, Wyoming in the years before taking her to Arizona.
Martin was indicted on Jan. 11, 2023, and entered federal custody on July 15, 2024. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, 2024.
The Casper Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and La Paz County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the federal crime. The Natrona County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the accompanying state crimes.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the 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.
Case No. 23-CR-00005
Career Offender from Fort Dodge Sentenced to Federal Prison for 16 YearsRead the Press Release
A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it was sentenced on January 23, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City.
Jordan Taylor, 35, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, pled guilty on April 11, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. Taylor had been convicted of two prior drug trafficking offenses which made him a career offender.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on multiple occasions in August 2023, Taylor distributed methamphetamine to an individual working with law enforcement. In September 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at a hotel in Fort Dodge where Taylor was staying. During the execution of the search warrant on the room, law enforcement found Taylor in the bathroom attempting to flush methamphetamine down the toilet. In the room, law enforcement seized about one pound of pure methamphetamine, along with psilocin mushrooms, pharmaceutical tablets, over $1,100 in cash, and drug distribution paraphernalia. Further investigation showed Taylor was responsible for the possession and distribution of approximately three pounds of methamphetamine.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Taylor was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment and must serve a five-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Taylor remains in U.S. Marshals custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa DCI Laboratory, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and the Fort Dodge Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3041.
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California Man Sentenced to 87 Months for Role in $50 Million Wire and Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A California man was sentenced on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, to 87 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas for his role in a $50 million internet-enabled fraud scheme, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.
Allen Giltman, 59, of Irvine, California, previously pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to a two-count Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between 2012 and October 2020, Giltman and others engaged in an internet-based financial fraud scheme, which generally involved the creation of fraudulent websites to solicit funds from investors. At times, the fraudulent websites were designed to closely resemble websites being operated by actual, well-known, and publicly reputable financial institutions; at other times, the fraudulent websites were designed to resemble legitimate-seeming financial institutions that did not exist.
Victims of the fraud scheme typically discovered the fraudulent websites via internet searches. The fraudulent websites advertised various types of investment opportunities, most prominently the purchase of certificates of deposit, or CDs. The fraudulent websites advertised higher than average rates of return on the CDs to lure potential victims.
The fraudulent websites used a variety of means to appear legitimate and to gain and maintain the trust of prospective investors, including by (a) displaying the actual names and logos of real financial institutions; (b) purporting that the institutions were members of and/or regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, or New York Stock Exchange; (c) claiming that deposits made to the institutions associated with the fraudulent websites were FDIC insured; and (d) using FINRA and/or FDIC member identification numbers issued to real financial institutions and real FINRA broker-dealers.
After discovering one of the fraudulent websites, victims would contact an individual via telephone or email as directed on the sites. As alleged in the Information, this individual was Giltman. During his communications with victims of the fraud scheme, Giltman impersonated real FINRA broker-dealers by using their names and FINRA CRD numbers. Giltman would then provide the victims with applications and wiring instructions for the purchase of a CD. The funds wired by the victims would then be moved to various domestic and international bank accounts, including accounts in Russia, the Republic of Georgia, Hong Kong, and Turkey. None of the victims received a CD after wiring the funds.
To date, law enforcement has identified at least 150 fraudulent websites created as part of the scheme. At least 70 victims of the fraud scheme nationwide, including in New Jersey, collectively transmitted funds that they believed to be investments in the aggregate amount of at least approximately $50 million.
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In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Giltman to 3 years of supervised release and ordered forfeiture of numerous assets seized from Giltman at the time of his arrest in 2020.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) previously filed a civil complaint against Giltman based on the same conduct.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark. He also thanked the SEC for the assistance provided by its Enforcement Division.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
25-020 ###
Defense counsel:
Nina Marino, Esq. and Jennifer Lieser, Esq, Beverly Hills, California
Bridgeport Man Charged with Narcotics Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that DARREN EBRON, also known as “D,” 32, of Bridgeport, was arrested yesterday on a criminal complaint charging him with narcotics distribution offenses.
Ebron appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement identified Ebron as a distributor of various controlled substances in and around Bridgeport. Between August 2024 and January 2025, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl from Ebron, intercepted numerous calls and text messages through a court-authorized wiretap during which Ebron coordinated the sale of fentanyl and crack cocaine to others, and observed Ebron conducting narcotics transactions.
The complaint charges Ebron with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of four years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Stratford Police Department. The Task Force is composed of personnel from the FBI, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
Beloit Man Sentenced to 5 ½ Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jerry Tate, 52, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 ½ years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and for possessing 50 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine intended for distribution. Tate pleaded guilty to these charges on October 28, 2024.
From September 2022 through May 2023, Tate traveled to La Crosse County, Wisconsin, where he stayed at various hotels for days at a time. During that time, he sold methamphetamine and fentanyl to a confidential informant (CI). Over the course of five controlled purchases, Tate sold the CI over 33 grams of fentanyl and over 13 grams of methamphetamine. On May 5, 2023, law enforcement arrested Tate and searched the hotel room where he was staying in Onalaska, Wisconsin. Law enforcement found over 100 grams of fentanyl and methamphetamine, items for drug distribution, and over $1,500 in U.S. currency. Following Tate’s arrest for trafficking fentanyl, he was out on bond for state charges and was arrested again for continuing to traffic fentanyl.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson found that a lengthy sentence was warranted given the duration of Tate’s fentanyl trafficking and fentanyl’s known toxicity. Judge Peterson also noted that the quantity Tate was dealing went beyond just supporting his own substance abuse, and that Tate’s criminal history demonstrated a potential to reoffend.
The charges against Tate were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse, Campbell, and Onalaska Police Departments, as well as the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Bartlesville Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Killing Dewey CoupleRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Lucas Anthony Walker, 22, for two counts of Second Degree Murder in Indian County. Judge Russell ordered Walked to serve 420 months for each count, followed by five years of supervised release.
In January 2023, Washington County Sheriff’s deputies began investigating the disappearance of Deborah and Larry Dutton. After searching the Dutton’s home, deputies found Deborah and Larry deceased in a shallow grave in the backyard. Walker confessed to shooting and stabbing Deborah and stabbing Larry to death.
Walker is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston prosecuted the case.
Anderson Felon Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm Following Drunk Driving CrashRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— Jonathon Jerald Ashley Jr., 30, of Anderson, Indiana, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on October 22, 2023, an Anderson Police Department officer was called to a vehicle crash in the vicinity of 20th and Noble Streets. The officer arrived to find a heavily intoxicated Jonathon Ashley walking away from the accident.
During a search of Ashley’s person, officers located a loaded Glock handgun in his front right pocket. At the time of arrest, Ashley had been previously convicted of domestic battery, resisting law enforcement, invasion of privacy, dealing in a narcotic drug, and pointing a firearm. His felony convictions prohibit him from ever legally possessing a firearm again.
“This defendant has repeatedly demonstrated his utter disregard for the law or the safety of others, including those closest to him,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Many illegally armed perpetrators of gun violence in the home and in the community have a prior history of domestic violence. That’s why our office is working together with the FBI, through the LEATH initiative, to protect the public from these offenders and save lives.”
“This dangerous combination of impaired driving and illegal possession of a firearm had the potential to lead to devastating consequences and this sentence underscores the seriousness of the defendant’s actions,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who show such reckless disregard for the law and the safety of others will be held accountable.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Anderson Police Department and investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.
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24-Year-Old Sentenced to 21+ Years for Soliciting Sexual Photos from 8-Year-OldRead the Press Release
A 24-year-old who solicited sexually explicit photos from an eight-year-old online was sentenced to more than 21 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Geovanny Davila Cisneros, of Las Vegas, was indicted in January 2024 and pleaded guilty in April 2024 to enticement of a child. He was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 262 months in federal prison followed by 25 years of supervised release. The defendant will also have to register as a sex offender.
According to plea papers, Mr. Cisneros admitted he used text messaging and social media to communicate with an 8-year-old girl. He told her she had a nice body and asked her to send him sexually explicit photos.
The U.S. Secret Service’s Dallas Field Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Special Investigations Unit conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Secret Service’s Las Vegas Field Office and the Las Vegas Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case.
22 locals arrested in multi-count money laundering and narcotics indictmentsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 29 people are now in custody for money laundering and drug trafficking criminal violations following a major law enforcement operation in Houston and other areas in the United States, announced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
The coordinated law enforcement effort spanned multiple jurisdictions and states to include Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina and other parts of Texas.
Those arrested in the Houston area have begun to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray.
The charges contained in four different indictments allege crimes occurred between April 2022 and October 2024.
Houston grand juries returned the indictments in October and November 2024. They allege the individuals engaged in a multi-national trade-based money laundering network operating in the United States and in international markets. Criminal organizations including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) allegedly used the network to launder illicit funds through the purchase and sale of cellular telephones.
Francisco Jaramillo-Valdovinos aka Chico Jaramillo, allegedly a top CJNG commander, is one of those charged. He is considered a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts or any of the other fugitives in the case is asked to contact the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at 713-693-3000.
The arrests are the culmination of a 21-month Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation Noch. During the investigation, law enforcement allegedly seized multi-hundred kilograms of cocaine, heroin, meth, marijuana and alprazolam as well as millions of dollars in drug proceeds.
As part of the arrests, authorities also seized 85 kilograms of meth, 10 kilograms of cocaine, 17 firearms, $481,000 from a bank account and approximately $566,000 of bulk cash.
If convicted, many charged with drug trafficking offenses face up to life in federal prison and could pay millions in fines. Those charged with money laundering offenses face up to 20 years in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation along with police departments in Houston and Galveston with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and local police departments and sheriffs’ offices throughout the country.
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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman, Sherin Daniel and Leo J. Leo III are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
12 Indicted in Multi-Million Dollar Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 12-count indictment alleging conspiracy, wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering against 12 individuals for defrauding multiple victims in a nationwide scheme.
The indictment alleges that the defendants listed below were involved in a business email compromise scheme that defrauded the victims out of millions of dollars. These types of fraud target both companies and individuals.
- Demani Jawara Bosket, 50, of Saluda
- Nkem Ajoku 55, of Pflugerville, Texas
- Walter Clayron Ruff Jr., 51, of Gaston
- Tanya Lawshawn Bosket, 51, of Saluda
- Jahbir Rolando Fowle, 45, of Charlotte, North Carolina
- Anthony Jerome Savage, 46, of Charlotte, North Carolina
- Micheal Raymond Bevans-Silva, 38, of Savannah, Georgia
- Carlise Raymion Roland, 32, of Jacksonville, Florida
- Daniel Alexander Edwards, 51, of Jacksonville, Florida
- Danny Heard II, 41, of Jacksonville, Florida
- Raymone Tyshay Scott Sr., 48, of Jacksonville, Florida
- Jamian Joshaun Butler, 45, of Jacksonville, Florida
The perpetrators of these types of frauds typically employ the use of “spoofed” emails that appear to be the genuine email address of a legitimate business or banking institution. In reality, the email address is a slight variation of the true email address, and the victim is instead communicating with perpetuators of the scheme.
The indictment alleges that the defendants accessed the victims’ computer systems to monitor email communications for potential financial transactions and bank transfers. The defendants used this information to identify the victims’ points of contact, financial accounts, communications, and business practices. The defendants then used spoofed emails to impersonate internal personnel, business partners, vendors, or other interested parties. The defendants would then initiate payments or direct financial transfers to bank accounts they controlled. The defendants then shared and intermixed the stolen funds between their own bank accounts, before sending a portion of the money out of the country. The defendants are alleged to have victimized multiple individuals and businesses, including construction companies, private equity firms, title companies, and law firms in South Carolina, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Japan.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment and fines of $1,000,000. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 4, 2025, at 10 a.m. before the Honorable Paige J. Gossett.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lothrop Morris and T. DeWayne Pearson are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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23 January 2025
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to ‘Swatting’ Scheme that Took over Ring Doorbell Cameras to Livestream Police ResponseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to participating in a one-week nationwide “swatting” spree that gained access to Ring home security door cameras, placed bogus emergency phone calls designed to elicit an armed police response, then livestreamed the events on social media, sometimes while taunting responding police officers in communities such as West Covina and Oxnard.
Kya Christian Nelson, 23, of Racine, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and two counts of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information.
Nelson, who is doing time in a Kentucky state prison after being convicted in an unrelated case, has been in federal custody since August 2024.
“Swatting puts innocent lives in danger,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that individuals who engage in this dangerous conduct will be held accountable through federal prosecutions.”
“The defendant’s malicious actions traumatized his victims and put their lives – and the lives of responding officers – at risk," said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Swatting hoaxes drain crucial law enforcement resources at the expense of taxpayers and diverts police officers from responding to actual crisis situations. This case is a good reminder for security doorbell users that it's important to practice strict cyber hygiene by using difficult passwords and by employing two-factor authentication.”
According to his plea agreement, from November 7, 2020, to November 13, 2020, Nelson and co-conspirators gained access to home security door cameras sold by Ring LLC, a Santa Monica-based home security technology company. Nelson acquired without authorization the username and password information for Yahoo! email accounts belonging to victims throughout the United States.
The conspirators then determined whether the owner of each compromised Yahoo! account also had a Ring account using the same email address and password that could control associated internet-connected Ring doorbell camera devices. Using that information, they identified and gathered additional information about their victims.
Then, the conspirators placed false emergency reports or telephone calls to local law enforcement in the areas where the victims lived. These reports or calls were intended to elicit an emergency police response to the victim’s residence. The conspirators then accessed without authorization the victims’ Ring devices and transmitted the audio and video from those devices on social media during the police response. They also taunted responding police officers and victims through the Ring devices during several of the incidents.
For example, on November 8, 2020, Nelson and a co-conspirator accessed without authorization Yahoo! and Ring accounts belonging to a victim in West Covina. A hoax telephone call was placed to the West Covina Police Department purporting to originate from the victim’s residence and posing as a minor child reporting her parents drinking and shooting guns inside the residence. The caller claimed that her parents had multiple firearms and had fired approximately seven gunshots inside the house. Based on this hoax call, West Covina Police Department officers made an emergency response to the house and cleared the residents from the home at gunpoint.
During the police response, Nelson accessed the Ring doorbell camera located at the West Covina residence and used it to verbally threaten and taunt the police officers who responded to the reported incident.
In another incident, on November 11, 2020, Nelson illegally possessed the Yahoo! and Ring login credentials of a victim living in Oxnard. Nelson then used those credentials to access the victim’s Ring account. Nelson or a co-conspirator made a hoax call to the Oxnard Police Department purporting to be coming from inside the victim’s home.
The caller told the police that they were a child whose father was wielding a handgun inside the residence. Nelson made a second hoax call to Oxnard Police to report hearing shots fired at the victim’s residence. Based on these hoax calls, Oxnard Police officers made an emergency response to the house and cleared the residents from the home at gunpoint.
Nelson accessed the Ring doorbell camera located at the Oxnard residence and used it to threaten and taunt the police officers who had responded to the reported incident.
United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt scheduled a May 1 sentencing hearing, at which time Nelson will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.
One of Nelson’s indicted co-conspirators, James Thomas Andrew McCarty, 22, of Kayenta, Arizona, was sentenced in June 2024 to seven years in federal prison both for his role in this case, and on additional charges in the District of Arizona. In connection with the Ring swatting incidents, McCarty pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy as Nelson.
McCarty further admitted to illegally accessing a victim’s Ring camera in Florida and making a call to the North Port Florida Police Department, in which he purported to be the victim’s husband who had just killed her, was holding a hostage, and had rigged explosives at the residence. McCarty then livestreamed the law enforcement response and posted a message on social media taking credit for the swatting incident and stating that he thought it was amusing.
The FBI investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Khaldoun Shobaki of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad announced that on January 16, 2025, U.S. District Judge Joseph Stadtmueller accepted the guilty plea of Vikram Naik to one count of filing a false individual income tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1).
On October 8, 2024, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Naik with three counts of filing false tax returns. According to the indictment and plea agreement, Naik willfully made and subscribed, under penalties of perjury, individual income tax returns (Forms 1040) for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019. Naik had federal income tax withholding amounts that were substantially less than what he reported on each of the returns he filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and, as a result, he had taxable income and total tax owed greater than he reported.
According to the plea agreement, Naik was an information technology consultant in Germantown, Wisconsin, who owned and operated Naik Consulting, Inc (NCI) since 2015. Naik provided IT consulting services to some clients who treated him as an employee, paid him wages, and provided annual Forms W-2. Other clients treated Naik as a contractor and paid NCI for Naik's consulting work. Naik was NCI’s only employee, and he issued himself a Form W-2 from NCI.
From 2016 through 2019, Naik inflated the federal tax withholdings on his Forms 1040. He falsely reported on Forms W-2 from his company, NCI, that it had withheld federal income tax from his wages in the amounts of $60,000 in 2017, $61,500 in 2018, and $146,000 in 2019. NCI never actually withheld and paid over to the IRS any federal income taxes from Naik’s wages. He did the same with some of his consulting clients in tax years 2018 and 2019, as well as his wife’s employer in 2018, inflating the federal income tax withheld. Due to the false withholding, his Forms 1040 claimed that he did not owe any taxes and instead was entitled to sizable refunds for each of those years. Naik’s false statements caused a tax loss of approximately $277,257.
“Individuals and businesses who willfully avoid our tax laws and file false returns cause harm to every American taxpayer,” stated U.S. Attorney Haanstad. “I commend the hard work and collaboration of everyone involved in investigating and prosecuting this case.”
“Federal income tax compliance is equally shared among all Americans,” said Jason Bushey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Attempting to defraud the government with elaborate federal tax withholding schemes is unlawful. Mr. Naik’s plea serves as an important reminder that as the 2025 filing season begins, IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to bringing to justice those who shirk their federal income tax responsibilities.”
Sentencing is scheduled for March 21, 2025, at 8:30 a.m., before Judge Stadtmueller. At sentencing, Naik faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces a term of supervised release after completing any period of imprisonment.
The IRS, Criminal Investigation Division, investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney John P. Scully is prosecuting.
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Wichita men indicted for trafficking methRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging three Kansas men with crimes related to drug trafficking.
According to court documents, Patrick M. Kornelson, 49, Cameron Rigsby, 38, and Tyler Devaney, 42, all of Wichita are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. The defendants are accused of allegedly conspiring to traffic methamphetamine.
Kornelson is also charged with one count of using and maintaining drug premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
The federal grand jury also indicted Rigsby on one count of using or maintaining drug premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and 11 counts of use of a telephone to facilitate drug trafficking.
Devaney is additionally charged with one count of using or maintaining drug premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, on court of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Deb Barnett is prosecuting the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Leopoldo Lopez-Lopez, 41, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Zane Tilcock, 20, of Wichita was indicted on three counts of bank robbery and three counts of brandish and use of firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, Junction City Police Department, and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kari Burks is prosecuting the case.
Emily Wise, 18, of Wichita was indicted on one count of bank robbery. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Wichita Police Department, Junction City Police Department, and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kari Burks is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Wichita man pleads guilty to child pornography distributionRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to distributing child sexual abuse materials over the internet.
According to court documents, Sebastian Grattan, 28, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
Grattan admits to creating an account on a messaging app and using it to distribute child sex abuse materials in November 2023.
The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), Wichita Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
###West Wareham Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A West Wareham man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Joshua Roe, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled for April 17, 2025. In January 2025, Roe was charged by Information. He was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the same offenses in September 2024 and has remained in federal custody since.
On Sept. 6, 2024, during a search of Roe’s home, approximately 11 electronic devices belonging to Roe were recovered. While on site, a forensic examination was conducted on at least one device, which revealed images and videos depicting CSAM. At a later date, further forensic examinations of the seized devices were conducted and CSAM was found on seven of those devices, including deleted CSAM files.
The receipt charge provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, supervised release of no less than five years and a maximum of life and a $250,000 fine. The possession charge provides for up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations; and Chief Walter Correia of the Wareham Police Department made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
United States Attorney Announces Appointment of First Assistant U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – United States Attorney Leah B. Foley has announced that Katherine Ferguson has been appointed to serve as First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. Ms. Ferguson, a career prosecutor, has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for more than a decade.
“Ms. Ferguson’s leadership, dedication, and prosecutorial excellence have earned her widespread respect within our office and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Foley. “Her deep understanding of federal law enforcement and her commitment to upholding the rule of law make her an invaluable asset. I am confident that she will bring the same integrity and vision to her new role as First Assistant U.S. Attorney as she has throughout her career.”
Ms. Ferguson has served as Deputy Chief of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit for the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2017 and Lead Task Force Attorney for the District’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force since 2021. As Deputy Chief of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit, Ms. Ferguson was responsible for overseeing federal narcotics and money laundering investigations and prosecutions. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney for 15 years, she has extensive experience working collaboratively with other federal, state and local partners to dismantle multi-jurisdictional and international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Ferguson served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. There, she handled over 600 cases in Boston Municipal Court from arraignment to disposition and oversaw the prosecution of child abuse and narcotics offenses in Superior Court. From 2006-2007, Ms. Ferguson served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sandra L. Lynch with the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ms. Ferguson graduated from Princeton University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics with Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa. While at Princeton, Ms. Ferguson earned Certificates in Political Economy and French Language & Culture. She also received a Masters in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was an Executive Editor for the Harvard Law Review.
Two Tucson Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Travel to the Middle East to Fight for ISISRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Ahmed Mahad Mohamed, 27, and Abdi Yemeni Hussein, 26, both citizens of Somalia who were living in Tucson at the time of the offense, were sentenced last week by Chief United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps. Mohamed was sentenced to 132 months in prison and Hussein was sentenced to 96 months in prison, followed by lifetime terms of supervised release. Chief Judge Zipps also ordered that both defendants be removed from the United States to Somalia following their sentences of imprisonment. Mohamed and Hussein pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), on August 1, 2024.
From late 2018 or early 2019 until their arrest on July 26, 2019, Mohamed and Hussein conspired with each other to travel to Egypt for the purpose of fighting for ISIS in the Sinai Peninsula.
Beginning in at least August 2018, Mohamed sought out other ISIS supporters online, stating that he wanted to travel to ISIS-controlled territory to become “the beheading guy” and martyr himself. Mohamed also stated that his only dream was to go to Syria, join ISIS, and “fight jihad,” and he indicated that his friend, Hussein, also desired to travel to ISIS territory abroad. Mohamed and Hussein met in person in 2019 to discuss their plans. Mohamed reiterated that his goal was to fight for ISIS abroad. Hussein told Mohamed that they would either reach ISIS territory “or we go to jail,” and suggested attacking the White House if they were prevented from traveling.
By June 2019, the defendants began making travel arrangements to join ISIS. They both sold their cars and purchased plane tickets from Tucson to Cairo. On the morning of July 26, 2019, the defendants checked in for their flight at the Tucson International Airport, went through security screening, and walked to the departure gate. Mohamed was carrying approximately $10,000 that he and Hussein planned to use for travel expenses and to buy firearms. Once in Egypt, the defendants intended to smuggle themselves into the ISIS-controlled area of the Sinai Peninsula so they could work under the direction and control of ISIS. Before Mohamed and Hussein could board their flight, the FBI arrested them.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-2162-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-008_Mohamed# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Two North Korean nationals and three facilitators indicted for multi-year fraudulent remote information technology worker scheme that generated revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaRead the Press Release
Action is latest disruption of U.S.-based “Laptop Farms” that deceive U.S. companies into hiring DPRK nationals
Note: View the indictment here.
MIAMI – The Justice Department today announced the indictment of North Korean nationals Jin Sung-Il (진성일) and Pak Jin-Song (박진성), Mexican national Pedro Ernesto Alonso De Los Reyes, and U.S. nationals Erick Ntekereze Prince and Emanuel Ashtor for a fraudulent scheme to obtain remote information technology (IT) work with U.S. companies that generated revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea).
“This indictment reflects the Southern District of Florida’s commitment to disrupting North Korea’s attempts to generate revenue through intricate schemes that victimize U.S. companies and threaten our national security,” said Michael S. Davis, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “In the United States, we do not tolerate the targeting and defrauding of American companies in aid of sanctioned regimes.”
“The DPRK continues its efforts to evade sanctions to fund the regime’s priorities,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Miami Field Office. “The FBI and our partners at the Departments of State and Treasury, as well as the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida will continue to identify and disrupt these schemes and make every effort to thwart North Korea’s efforts to victimize U.S. companies and bring in fraudulent gains.”
“The Department of Justice remains committed to disrupting North Korea’s cyber-enabled sanctions-evading schemes, which seek to trick U.S. companies into funding the North Korean regime’s priorities, including its weapons programs,” said Supervisory Official Devin DeBacker of the Justice Department's National Security Division. “Our commitment includes the vigorous pursuit of both the North Korean actors and those providing them with material support. It also includes standing side-by-side with U.S. companies to not only disrupt ongoing victimization, but also to help them independently detect and prevent such schemes in the future.”
“FBI investigation has uncovered a years-long plot to install North Korean IT workers as remote employees to generate revenue for the DPRK regime and evade sanctions,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “The indictments announced today should highlight to all American companies the risk posed by the North Korean government. As always, the FBI is available to assist victims of the DPRK. Please reach out to your local FBI field office should you have any questions or concerns.”
According to the indictment, over the course of their scheme, from approximately April 2018 through August 2024, the defendants and their unindicted co-conspirators obtained work from at least sixty-four U.S. companies. Payments from ten of those companies generated at least $866,255 in revenue, most of which the defendants then laundered through a Chinese bank account. As part of this prosecution, the FBI arrested Ntekereze and Ashtor and executed a search of Ashtor’s residence in North Carolina, where he previously operated a “laptop farm” that hosted victim company-provided laptops to deceive companies into thinking they had hired U.S.-located workers. Alonso was arrested in the Netherlands on Jan. 10, pursuant to an arrest warrant from the United States.
The DPRK has dispatched thousands of skilled IT workers to live abroad, primarily in China and Russia, with the aim of deceiving U.S. and other businesses worldwide into hiring them as freelance IT workers to generate revenue for the regime. DPRK IT worker schemes involve the use of pseudonymous email, social media, payment platform and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the United States and elsewhere. As described in a May 2022 tri-seal public service advisory released by the FBI, and State and Treasury Departments, such IT workers have been known individually earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction programs.
According to the indictment, the defendants used forged and stolen identity documents, including U.S. passports containing the stolen personally identifiable information of a U.S. person, to conceal the true identities of Jin, Pak, and other North Korean co-conspirators, so that these North Korean nationals could circumvent sanctions and other laws to obtain employment with U.S. companies. Ntekereze and Ashtor received laptops from U.S. company employers at their residences, downloading and installing remote access software on them, without authorization, to facilitate IT worker access and to perpetuate the deception of U.S. companies. The defendants further conspired to launder payments for the remote IT work through a variety of accounts designed to promote the scheme and conceal its proceeds.
All five defendants are charged with conspiracy to cause damage to a protected computer, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to transfer false identification documents. Jin and Pak are charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence of each defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Under the Department-wide “DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative,” launched in March 2024 by the National Security Division and the FBI’s Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions, Department prosecutors and agents are prioritizing the identification and shuttering of U.S.-based “laptop farms” – locations hosting laptops provided by victim U.S. companies to individuals they believed were legitimate U.S.-based freelance IT workers – and the investigation and prosecution of individuals hosting them. Today’s announcement follows successful actions taken by the Department in October 2023, May 2024, August 2024, and December 2024, which targeted similar and related conduct.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Stratton and Sean Cronin for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia, Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was also provided by Tracy Varghese and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
The FBI, in conjunction with the State and Treasury Departments, issued a May 2022 advisory to alert the international community, private sector, and public about the North Korea IT worker threat. Updated guidance was issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and in May 2024 by the FBI, which include indicators to watch for that are consistent with the North Korea IT worker fraud and the use of U.S.-based laptop farms. Today, the FBI issued additional guidance regarding extortion and theft of sensitive company data by North Korean IT workers, along with recommended mitigations.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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 25-cr-20021.
###
Two North Korean Nationals and Three Facilitators Indicted for Multi-Year Fraudulent Remote Information Technology Worker Scheme that Generated Revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaRead the Press Release
Note: View the indictment here.
The Justice Department today announced the indictment of North Korean nationals Jin Sung-Il (진성일) and Pak Jin-Song (박진성), Mexican national Pedro Ernesto Alonso De Los Reyes, and U.S. nationals Erick Ntekereze Prince and Emanuel Ashtor for a fraudulent scheme to obtain remote information technology (IT) work with U.S. companies that generated revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea).
“The Department of Justice remains committed to disrupting North Korea’s cyber-enabled sanctions-evading schemes, which seek to trick U.S. companies into funding the North Korean regime’s priorities, including its weapons programs,” said Supervisory Official Devin DeBacker of the Justice Department's National Security Division. “Our commitment includes the vigorous pursuit of both the North Korean actors and those providing them with material support. It also includes standing side-by-side with U.S. companies to not only disrupt ongoing victimization, but also to help them independently detect and prevent such schemes in the future.”
“FBI investigation has uncovered a years-long plot to install North Korean IT workers as remote employees to generate revenue for the DPRK regime and evade sanctions,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “The indictments announced today should highlight to all American companies the risk posed by the North Korean government. As always, the FBI is available to assist victims of the DPRK. Please reach out to your local FBI field office should you have any questions or concerns.”
According to the indictment, over the course of their scheme, from approximately April 2018 through August 2024, the defendants and their unindicted co-conspirators obtained work from at least sixty-four U.S. companies. Payments from ten of those companies generated at least $866,255 in revenue, most of which the defendants then laundered through a Chinese bank account. As part of this prosecution, the FBI arrested Ntekereze and Ashtor and executed a search of Ashtor’s residence in North Carolina, where he previously operated a “laptop farm” that hosted victim company-provided laptops to deceive companies into thinking they had hired U.S.-located workers. Alonso was arrested in the Netherlands on Jan. 10, pursuant to an arrest warrant from the United States.
The DPRK has dispatched thousands of skilled IT workers to live abroad, primarily in China and Russia, with the aim of deceiving U.S. and other businesses worldwide into hiring them as freelance IT workers to generate revenue for the regime. DPRK IT worker schemes involve the use of pseudonymous email, social media, payment platform and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the United States and elsewhere. As described in a May 2022 tri-seal public service advisory released by the FBI, and State and Treasury Departments, such IT workers have been known individually earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction programs.
According to the indictment, the defendants used forged and stolen identity documents, including U.S. passports containing the stolen personally identifiable information of a U.S. person, to conceal the true identities of Jin, Pak, and other North Korean co-conspirators, so that these North Korean nationals could circumvent sanctions and other laws to obtain employment with U.S. companies. Ntekereze and Ashtor received laptops from U.S. company employers at their residences, downloading and installing remote access software on them, without authorization, to facilitate IT worker access and to perpetuate the deception of U.S. companies. The defendants further conspired to launder payments for the remote IT work through a variety of accounts designed to promote the scheme and conceal its proceeds.
All five defendants are charged with conspiracy to cause damage to a protected computer, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to transfer false identification documents. Jin and Pak are charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence of each defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Under the Department-wide “DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative,” launched in March 2024 by the National Security Division and the FBI’s Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions, Department prosecutors and agents are prioritizing the identification and shuttering of U.S.-based “laptop farms” – locations hosting laptops provided by victim U.S. companies to individuals they believed were legitimate U.S.-based freelance IT workers – and the investigation and prosecution of individuals hosting them. Today’s announcement follows successful actions taken by the Department in October 2023, May 2024, August 2024, and December 2024, which targeted similar and related conduct.
The FBI Miami Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Stratton and Sean Cronin for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia, Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was also provided by Tracy Varghese and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
The FBI, in conjunction with the State and Treasury Departments, issued a May 2022 advisory to alert the international community, private sector, and public about the North Korea IT worker threat. Updated guidance was issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and in May 2024 by the FBI, which include indicators to watch for that are consistent with the North Korea IT worker fraud and the use of U.S.-based laptop farms. Today, the FBI issued additional guidance regarding extortion and theft of sensitive company data by North Korean IT workers, along with recommended mitigations.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Kodiak residents indicted for drug trafficking related to 2022 fatal fentanyl overdoseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment this week charging three Kodiak residents with drug trafficking crimes in Alaska, including distributing fentanyl which resulted in a fatal overdose.
According to court documents, between February 2022 and July 2023, Ashley Katelnikoff, 37 and Gerry Pugal, 37, allegedly conspired together to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.
Court documents further allege that on or about Aug. 25-26, 2022, Katelnikoff distributed fentanyl as part of the conspiracy, which resulted in the death of a victim.
The indictment also alleges that between Nov. 21-29, 2022, Pugal and Kalani Coyle, 32, attempted to possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of a fentanyl mixture and over 50 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.
Katelnikoff is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Pugal is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and one count attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Coyle is charged with one count of attempted possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. The defendants will make their initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, Katelnikoff and Pugal face between 20 years to life in prison, and Coyle faces 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge David Reames of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Division Office made the announcement.
The DEA Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office, with significant assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Anchorage Domicile, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office, Alaska State Troopers and the Kodiak Police Department, are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alana Weber, Chris Schroeder and Stephan Collins are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Stamford Hotel to Make Significant Changes to Comply with the ADARead the Press Release
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has entered into a settlement agreement with Stamford Hotel Propco, LLC and MJ Hotels of Stamford, LLC, owner and manager of Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa (“Stamford Marriott”), located in Stamford, to resolve allegations that the hotel was not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).
The settlement agreement, which resolves an ADA complaint filed by an individual with a disability alleging that the Stamford Marriott was not accessible for individuals with physical disabilities, requires the hotel to make a suite accessible for individuals with mobility disabilities, make 14 additional rooms accessible for individuals with hearing disabilities, and make numerous changes in other accessible rooms to bring them into compliance with the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design. The hotel will also add accessible dining surfaces to its lobby restaurants and make changes in the restrooms located on the lobby, lower level, and mezzanine to make them more accessible. It will also make changes to its parking garage, including by adding signs and access aisles to accessible parking spaces and adjusting several curb ramps so that they are accessible.
The Stamford Marriott is in the process of making the changes required by the settlement agreement and will continue to make improvements over the next 30 months.
Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including hotels and inns, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.
Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-696-3000.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart C. Dearing.
Springfield Felon Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Timothy S. Brandkamp, 64, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Brandkamp was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On March 13, 2024, Brandkamp pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Brandkamp admitted he was in possession of a Taurus 9mm pistol and approximately 12 rounds of ammunition from Oct. 14 to 20, 2022.
Brandkamp was arrested on Oct. 14, 2022, for violating the conditions of his supervised release in an unrelated federal case. While he was incarcerated, he contacted a relative and asked her to remove items from his residence that a “felon was not supposed to have.” That relative contacted the authorities. U.S. Probation and Parole officers located the loaded firearm under a bedspread in the bedroom of Brandkamp’s residence.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who is convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Brandkamp has a federal felony conviction for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, for which he was on supervised release at the time of the offense after serving 13 years in federal prison. Brandkamp also has two prior felony convictions for selling methamphetamine, as well as prior felony convictions for possessing methamphetamine, selling an imitation controlled substance, and assault.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony M. Brown. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Spokane Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – On January 22, 2025, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Johnathan Freeman Hunt, 56, of Spokane, Washington, to 12 years in federal prison for Receipt of Child Pornography. Judge Dimke also imposed 10 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Hunt came to the attention of law enforcement agents in July 2022, when Hunt distributed several child pornography files to another person via the internet.
On November 30, 2022, federal agents executed a search warrant at Hunt’s Spokane residence and seized several electronic devices. Forensic analysis of these devices revealed 11,149 files of child sexual abuse material involving children younger than 12 years old.
In an interview with law enforcement, Hunt admitted to downloading child sexual abuse material and making that material available to others using peer-to-peer software. Hunt was previously convicted of Third-Degree Child Molestation in 2017.
“Protecting children from harm remains a priority in my office and is critical to building a safe and strong Eastern Washington community,” stated U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. “I am deeply grateful for the prosecutors and investigators who take on these difficult cases and hold individuals accountable who use technology to exploit our children.”
“The sentence handed down today reflects the severity of the crime and underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting children from exploitation,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “The defendant's actions of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material are not only illegal, but they also perpetuate the suffering of innocent victims. Our commitment to protecting children remains steadfast, and we will continue to work relentlessly to ensure those responsible face the full weight of the law."
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick.
Case 2:23-cr-00096-MKD
Shelby County Man Sentenced to 270 Months in Federal Prison for Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Shelby County man was sentenced on January 14, 2025 to 270 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents, on January 2, 2024, law enforcement pursued a vehicle in a high-speed chase through Harlan and Avoca, including on Interstate 80. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Sean Patrick Gifford, 41. On January 31, 2024, Gifford engaged in a second high-speed chase with law enforcement and was in possession of over 190 grams of methamphetamine and $29,845. Evidence located during a forensic search of Gifford’s cell phone corroborated his drug trafficking activities and linked him to the distribution of 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Gifford will be required to serve a five-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. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and Iowa State Patrol.
Serial Rapist Pleads Guilty to Three Stranger Sexual AttacksRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jose Angel Gomez, 42, formerly of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty to one count of first degree sexual abuse while armed, one count of first degree sexual abuse, one count of attempt first degree sexual abuse, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon for three rapes between July and October 2018 involving three different victims who were strangers to him, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The defendant faces a period of incarceration of between 25 ½ and 35 years as part of the plea agreement if accepted by the Honorable Todd Edelman of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. Judge Edelman scheduled sentencing for April 4, 2025.
The defendant admitted to the following facts related to each crime. On July 15, 2018, the 22-year-old victim returned home from a night out at approximately 2:40 AM. Shortly thereafter, she heard a knock at her basement door. Shortly after the victim opened the door, the defendant, Jose Gomez, grabbed and forced her to the ground. He brandished a knife and forcibly penetrated the victim’s vulva with his penis. Unable to obtain an erection, the defendant put his mouth on the victim’s vulva and ordered her to be quiet. The defendant cut the victim’s left cheek with the knife. Ultimately, the victim escaped to the safety of her home after kicking the defendant. She ran up the stairs where she called 911.
On September 7, 2018, at approximately 11:40 PM, the defendant, Jose Gomez, followed his second victim, who was 37 years old at the time, as she walked from the Fort Totten Metro station to the nearby 7-11 at 5210 3rd Street, Northeast. He followed the victim into the 7-11. He then followed her after she left the 7-11. Once in the area of the 100 block of Farragut Street, Northeast, a wooded access road for Metro, the defendant grabbed the victim, pulled her into a wooded area, brandished a knife, and ordered her to take off her pants. With a knife to her throat and one hand around her neck, the defendant removed the victim’s pants and forcibly penetrated her vulva with his penis. The defendant told the victim, “Shut up, b*tch, and have sex with me!” During the rape, the victim’s phone rang numerous times. The victim told the defendant it was her brother who would come looking for her if she did not answer. The defendant jumped up and fled giving victim the opportunity to get away and flag down police.
On October 21, 2018, at approximately 6:30 AM, the defendant’s third victim was waiting at the corner of 7th and Longfellow Streets, Northwest for an Uber to work. It was early and the area was largely deserted. As the victim waited alone, the defendant, Jose Gomez, approached and asked her if she was ok and what she was doing. The victim told him she was waiting for an Uber. The defendant continued to speak to the victim, who told him to leave her alone. The defendant continued to linger in the area. As the victim continued to stand on the corner and saw on the Uber App that that her car was getting further away, she began to feel unsafe and started to walk back towards her apartment building. The defendant followed her. The victim told him to stop. The defendant grabbed her by the throat and squeezed. The victim could not breath. The defendant began saying vulgar things. He dragged the victim into the alley, forced her to the ground, and removed her pants. He put his mouth on her vulva, penetrated her vulva with his finger and objects including a pen and keys, and penetrated her vulva with his penis. Every time the victim tried to move the defendant squeezed her neck. When the victim began to cry, the defendant told her to “shut the f*ck up.” Once the defendant ejaculated, he got up and while laughing stated, “I will see you around!” The defendant then fled on foot.
These violent sexual assaults were solved with a combination of DNA and other evidence. Once identified, Gomez was arrested in Louisville, Kentucky on June 7, 2023 and transported by law enforcement to Washington, D.C. The defendant has been incarcerated ever since.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, including the Sexual Assault Unit and the Cold Case Unit of the Sexual Assault Unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti, Sharon Donovan, and Amy Zubrensky.
This case was brought as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative. In February 2018, the U.S. Attorney created the Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative, designed to work with law enforcement partners to reinvestigate, solve and bring charges in previously-unsolved cases of sexual assault of adults and juveniles. The Cold Case Initiative works with the Metropolitan Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the United States Marshal’s Service, and state and local law enforcement agencies in the DMV area and nationwide.
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San Joaquin County Man Pleads Guilty for his Role in Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jagninder Singh Boparai, 48, of Manteca, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Boparai conspired with Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr., 45, of Dublin, and Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, 51, of Tracy, to murder Victim 2. In February 2023, Boparai met with a person he believed to be a hitman at a Starbucks in Manteca. Unbeknownst to Boparai and his co-defendants throughout their interactions, the hitman was a confidential informant working for the FBI. Boparai told the supposed hitman that the first job involved the assault of Victim 1, and once he proved his trustworthiness, he would be given another job. The following day, Boparai met the confidential informant again and offered to pay $6,000 for the assault of Victim 1. In March 2023, in the presence of Birla and another individual, Boparai met with the confidential informant, and Boparai gave the confidential informant $1,000 as a down payment for the assault. According to court documents, after more time had passed, the confidential informant showed Boparai a staged photo of Victim 1 lying on the ground covered in bruises, dirt, and blood to indicate the assault had occurred. Boparai said he liked the photo and told the confidential informant that he had two other “jobs,” one of which involved robbing a business, and the other involved making a person “disappear.”
According to court documents, in March 2023, Boparai met with the confidential informant to pay the confidential informant $10,000 as a down payment for the murder of Victim 2. Sandhu provided Victim 2’s address, and Boparai instructed the confidential informant that Victim 2 must disappear without any evidence remaining. Boparai then made two calls to Birla asking for Victim 2’s Facebook profile. Boparai subsequently received a Facebook profile picture of Victim 2, which he showed to the confidential informant. On March 24, 2023, Sandhu and Birla met with the confidential informant in a parking lot in Manteca. Sandhu and Birla claimed that Boparai was out of town, but Boparai was observed by surveillance remaining in a car in the same parking lot. Sandhu and Birla instructed the confidential informant to kill Victim 2 and take Victim 2’s remains to Mexico in a suitcase.
All three defendants were arrested on March 31, 2023, and are currently in federal custody.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Ceres Police Department, the Dublin Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lathrop Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the San Joaquin County Probation Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Stockton Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Boparai is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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 remaining two defendants are scheduled for a further status conference on April 10, 2025. If convicted, they each face the same penalties as Boparai. As to these two co-defendants, the charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rhode Island Woman Convicted in International Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A woman who created a local business to launder millions of dollars of funds fraudulently obtained from scam victims was convicted today by a federal jury for money laundering conspiracy and multiple counts of money laundering, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Jennifer O. Djan, 32, a Ghanian national residing in Pawtucket, RI, registered a business and opened multiple business bank accounts, which she then used to launder fraud proceeds, much of which made its way to individuals in the Republic of Ghana. Ms. Djan is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2025. The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for approximately four-and-one-half hours that followed six days of testimony.
“By laundering money for a ring of scammers, this defendant played a critical role in helping fraudsters bilk innocent victims across the United States out of their hard-earned savings to enrich herself and her co-conspirators overseas,” remarked U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. “I am pleased that a federal jury had no problem seeing through her attempt at deception, and that today she faces the richly deserved conviction.”
“Jennifer Djan not only conspired with others who blatantly defrauded unsuspecting victims across the country who were looking for companionship and hoping for a better financial future, she tried to conceal her criminal cash flow by laundering millions of dollars through multiple bank accounts here in the U.S. and in Ghana,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI and our partners are grateful to the jury for its service and swift verdict that will hopefully put this financial fraudster permanently out of business.”
The government’s evidence showed that, beginning in September 2020, Djan registered a supposed “logistics” business based out of a Pawtucket apartment she shared with several family members. Almost immediately, Djan began establishing multiple business checking accounts tied to her purported business, and then used those bank accounts to receive proceeds sent directly from fraud victims, and other proceeds sent to her by other members of the conspiracy.
Despite having no infrastructure to provide logistics services and apparently having no legitimate business, the evidence presented to the jury showed that large sums of money flowed into these accounts. The evidence also established that funds flowing into Djan’s business accounts were often moved out of those accounts within days, at times transferred directly to another co-conspirator’s account in the U.S. or Ghana. Additionally, the evidence showed that Djan travelled back and forth between the United States and Ghana for months at a time, both bringing fraud proceeds with her and withdrawing them from accounts while she was overseas. While in Ghana, she also directed another individual to retrieve checks for her in the United States and to deposit them into her accounts.
In November 2022, Djan’s residence was searched pursuant to a federal search warrant. No business records were located and no evidence that Djan was operating a legitimate business was found.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and John P. McAdams.
Djan was ordered detained following the return of the jury’s verdict. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The matter was investigated by the FBI’s Complex Financial Crimes Task Force, with assistance from the North Providence Police Department.
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