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15 January 2025
Sequoyah County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Ray Amundson, age 38, of Roland, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The Indictment alleged that on June 1, 2023, Amundson knowingly and intentionally possessed a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, with the intent to distribute it.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Amundson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Buchno-Factor, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 30 years in prison to be followed by a life-term of supervised release, and ordered to pay $29,000 in restitution, for sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Buchno-Factor had a prior conviction relating to abusive sexual contact with a minor. While on parole, parole agents seized cellphones from Buchno-Factor, and he admitted that he used encrypted messaging and social media. A further parole search found child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cellphones, and images of a minor girl in a foreign country, as well as messages asking for images of the minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additional investigation established that Buchno-Factor was distributing CSAM, including images of the minor victim.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Rock Hill Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing from EmployerRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Christina Stevens Gregory, 71, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Gregory defrauded her employer, Industrial Test Systems, Inc, of approximately $3.3 million over a span of 20 years from 2004 to 2023. Gregory utilized her position as an accountant for Industrial Test Systems to deposit checks that were payable to Industrial Test Systems into her personal bank account.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Gregory to 24 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, Gregory was ordered to pay Industrial Test Systems a remaining balance of $2,256,900.44 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is prosecuting the case.
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Previously Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 180 Months for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Raymon Edward Dandridge, 40, of Harwood, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison in connection with distributing videos depicting the violent rape of toddlers. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves of the District of Columbia and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Dandridge pleaded guilty on April 10, 2024, to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the 180-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered Dandridge to serve 25 years of supervised release and pay restitution of $9,000.
Dandridge previously was convicted in August 2022 in Anne Arundel County for possessing child pornography, and, as a result, was required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, on April 22, 2023, an undercover FBI Washington Field Office Task Force officer was monitoring a social media platform known to law enforcement as a place that people use to meet others who have an interest in incest, taboo, and child sex abuse material (CSAM). That day, the undercover officer received a private message from Raymon Dandridge using the screen name, “D4ALL.”
During the chat with the undercover officer, in a private “secret” forum, Dandridge sent a video depicting an adult male forcibly raping a crying toddler. Two days later, on April 24, 2023, they discussed meeting up so that Dandridge could sexually abuse the undercover officer’s purported 8-year-old daughter. Dandridge also sent the undercover officer more than 20 videos depicting toddlers and infants being sexually abused by adult men. Dandridge later sent another 20 videos depicting prepubescent children, some as young as infants, being sexually abused by adults.
On April 27, 2023, Dandridge agreed via text message to meet the undercover agent and his purported daughter to abuse the girl at a residence in Washington D.C.
Dandridge was arrested on April 28, 2023, when he arrived at the agreed-on meeting place. The FBI forensically analyzed Dandridge’s two cellular phones; one of them contained 3,400 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, while the other had an additional 100 images of child pornography.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in cooperation with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Shinskie and Caroline Burrell and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Larson.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
23cr168
Phoenix, Arizona man sentenced to more than eight years for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine using the U.S. Postal ServiceRead the Press Release
Lorenzo Antonio Santillan-Solis, 28, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 100 months in prison with three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Jan. 9 in Cheyenne.
According to court documents, in November 2022, law enforcement became aware of narcotics from the Phoenix area being sold from an address in Powell, Wyoming. This address was associated with an individual later identified as Santillan-Solis’s known co-conspirator. On March 15, 2023, in Casper, the United States Postal Inspection Service intercepted a parcel sent to the Powell address. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the parcel where they located approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills (weighing over 1 kilogram) and over 1 pound of methamphetamine. On that same day, the known co-conspirator contacted the post office inquiring about the package. Through their investigation, agents tracked correspondence and fingerprints back to Santillan-Solis.
Santillan-Solis was indicted on May 16, 2024. He was arrested on May 20, in Phoenix, and made an initial appearance in Casper on June 28, before U.S. Magistrate Judge R. Michael Shickich. Santillan-Solis pleaded guilty on Oct. 18, 2024.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Morrison prosecuted the case.
Case No. 24-CR-00068
Philadelphia Resident Sentenced on Gun Trafficking ConvictionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kenneth Locke, age 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 10 months in jail for conspiring with others to unlawfully obtain firearms from a licensed dealer by making false statements, also known as “straw purchasing” firearms.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
In previously pleading guilty, Locke admitted that he entered into an agreement with Rylan Peterson, a native of Kingston, New York, and a former Marine then living in North Carolina, to acquire six semi-automatic handguns on behalf of Oryin McLeod and others residing in Kingston. After McLeod paid Locke through Peterson, Locke purchased the firearms in December 2022 from a licensed dealer in North Carolina, falsely representing at the time of the purchase that he was acquiring the firearms for himself. Peterson later transported the firearms from North Carolina to New York where he provided them to McLeod and others. McLeod was subsequently arrested for unlawful possession of two of the firearms acquired through the straw purchasing scheme.
Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also imposed a 3-year term of post-incarceration supervised release. McLeod was previously sentenced to 34 months in prison for his role in unlawfully acquiring the firearms. Peterson is set to be sentenced on March 26, 2025.
ATF and the Kingston Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin C. Segovia prosecuted the case.
Owner of Foreign Currency Trading Firm Pleads Guilty to Running a Ponzi-SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Henry Abdo, 47, of Lebanon, pled guilty in federal court to orchestrating an over $6 million investment fraud (Ponzi) scheme run through his company, Titanium Capital LLC (“Titanium”). According to court records, Abdo’s company, Titanium, purported to operate a sophisticated foreign-exchange platform that guaranteed fixed returns for investors. In reality, Titanium had no such platform, and Abdo used investor funds to pay off earlier investors and finance his personal lifestyle.
Beginning in July 2014, Abdo falsely claimed that Titanium was a “zero-risk” investment fund that generated profits from fees on foreign currency transactions. Abdo further deceived investors by claiming Titanium was part of a multibillion-dollar holding company, had developed proprietary software, and was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In addition to fraudulent investment claims, court records reveal that Abdo attempted to bolster his credibility by falsely associating himself with various charitable and educational organizations. None of these claims were true.
Court documents indicate that Abdo solicited investments through in-person meetings, emails, video conferences, and phone calls. Abdo directed potential investors to websites and promotional materials that falsely depicted Titanium as a legitimate enterprise. In truth, Titanium operated as a classic Ponzi scheme, using funds from new investors to pay earlier investors while diverting large sums of money for Abdo’s personal use, including international travel and other expenses.
After soliciting millions from over 200 investors, Abdo’s scheme unraveled. Many victims were financially devastated. Several victims reported losing retirement accounts and personal savings that they had relied on for basic living expenses, such as food and medication.
On Jan. 13, 2025, during a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas, Abdo pled guilty to wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Abdo faces up to 20 years in prison. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami’s Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Bailyn and Justin Chapman prosecuted this case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-80209.
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Orlando-Area Residents Sentenced to Prison for Using Stolen Mail to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Jamel Williams (26, Altamonte Springs) to four years and six months years in federal prison for conspiracy, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Judge Dalton also sentenced Levar Baker (21, Orlando) to three years and six months in federal prison for the same offenses. Baker and Williams previously pleaded guilty on August 21 and September 17, 2024, respectively.
According to court documents, between March and August 2023, Williams and Baker obtained stolen mail, including checks, altered the payees listed on the checks, and fraudulently negotiated the checks at banks throughout the Middle District of Florida. In total, Williams and Baker defrauded victims out of $307,185.65 as a result of their criminal activities.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara Wick.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 135 Months & Ordered to Pay $81,000 in Restitution to Victims for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Benjamin Baustian, age 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 15, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for transportation of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Baustian to 135 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Baustian will be placed on a 5-year term of supervised release. Baustian was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $81,000.00 to twenty-six identified victims of his crimes and imposed special assessments of $5,000.00 under each of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) and the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act (AVAA).
This investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) began with a “cyber tip” received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding suspicious Internet activity. NCMEC’s resulting report to the NSP indicated that a video file consisting of child pornography involving a 9 to12-year-old female victim was uploaded from Baustian’s residential Internet Protocol (IP) address to Dropbox, a cloud storage service, on May 15, 2023.
On October 3, 2023, NSP served a warrant to search for child pornography at Baustian’s residence in Omaha. Investigators seized Baustian’s electronic devices for forensic examination. An NSP investigator observed approximately 2,110 image files and approximately 299 videos of child pornography involving a prepubescent child, with ages varying from 4 to 12 years of age. The investigator observed approximately 59 image files and approximately 78 videos files constituting child pornography involving a pubescent child from 12 to 15 years of age. Some of the material involved toddlers and bestiality. Two hundred and seventy-five known victims were identified by hash value comparison of the digital files, of whom twenty-six sought restitution. Illegal drugs such as marijuana, mushrooms (psilocyn), cocaine, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products were also seized from Baustian’s residence during the search.
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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Selling Firearms Without a Federal LicenseRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Richard Seawright, 28, of Cleveland, has been sentenced to 33 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster, after he pled guilty to reselling firearms he acquired legally, reselling them without a federal firearms license, and lying on paperwork that he was the actual buyer.
According to court documents, Seawright legally bought more than 50 firearms from around April 17, 2018, to about Dec. 12, 2022, at federally licensed dealers throughout Northeast Ohio. He admitted to lying on federal firearms transaction record forms which he completed and submitted when the firearms were purchased. The forms are a requirement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to inform buyers about the specific restrictions on the receipt and possession of firearms. Each buyer must certify that they do not intend to transfer or sell the firearm. Seawright admitted to making the purchases with the intent to sell them to others who were not legally allowed to buy or own firearms. The practice of acquiring firearms for others who are legally prohibited from buying, owning, or possessing them is known as ‘straw purchasing.’
During the investigation, law enforcement officials discovered that Seawright’s purchases from the licensed firearms dealer, were in fact re-sold to others and found to have been used in multiple acts of violence. Firearms that Seawright purchased were traced to crimes using the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, known as NIBIN. Ballistic cross analysis determined that firearms originally purchased by the defendant had multiple NIBIN connections to other shootings including one that resulted in a homicide.
This case was investigated by ATF-Cleveland and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Kane for the Northern District of Ohio.
Oakton doctor pleads guilty to running pill millRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oakton doctor pled guilty today to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and amphetamines, maintaining drug premises, and false statements relating to health care matters.
According to court documents, David Allingham, 64, was the owner of and sole medically licensed practitioner at Oakton Primacy Care Center (OPCC), an urgent care center. Between at least April 2019 and January 2024, Allingham wrote prescriptions for opioids and amphetamines for numerous patients without properly assessing the individual needs of those patients, which was outside the usual course of professional practice and regulations and without legitimate medical purpose. During that time, Virginia pharmacies filled approximately 7,330 prescriptions for oxycodone prescribed by Allingham, totaling approximately 405,164 pills.
All of Allingham’s patients were instructed to pay out of pocket for office visits at Allingham’s practice, which cost $300-$550 per patient, typically paid via cash, credit card, or Venmo. An extra $700 was required if the patient wanted a doctor’s letter. Allingham required his chronic pain patients to pay for an office visit at least every 21 days, though he allowed a significant number of these “office visits” to be conducted via a phone call to employees who were not medically trained. Allingham authorized renewals of medication without physically examining patients or without medical indication other than the uncorroborated information the patients provided.
Multiple pharmacies investigated Allingham’s opioid prescribing practices and thereafter refused to fill prescriptions for controlled substances issued by Allingham. After a national pharmacy chain informed Allingham that its stores would no longer fill prescriptions written by him, Allingham instructed his employees to phase out all brand pharmacies in favor of “mom and pop” pharmacies to avoid further scrutiny of his patients and so he could continue to prescribe high-dose opioids for them.
Allingham authorized and directed untrained medical staff to issue prescriptions for controlled substances for his patients in his absence and without a proper medical exam. Allingham directed untrained staff to issue his prescriptions for opioids or amphetamines on at least 487 occasions, generating at least $168,000 in proceeds.
Allingham typically required a urine drug screen (UDS) at each in office appointment but failed to act on them in a medically appropriate way. Allingham consistently excused or ignored failed UDSs, which were then withheld from patient files or falsely documented in his medical records. One patient failed 40 drug tests between 2019 and 2023. Allingham’s medical record falsely documented that the patient had tested positive for cocaine in his urine merely from handling currency contaminated with cocaine residue. Allingham nevertheless continued to prescribe oxycodone to the patient.
Allingham also prescribed amphetamines to multiple chronic pain patients to assist them in weight loss in contravention of regulations. Allingham prescribed amphetamines for weight loss purposes regardless of whether the patient was obese. During the conspiracy, Allingham distributed at least 527 prescriptions for amphetamines for this purpose, totaling over 13,500 pills.
Allingham also unlawfully used and directed his employees to use another doctor’s identity without authorization to prescribe medications for himself and his family. Allingham instructed his employees to provide the OPCC phone number for prescriptions purportedly written by that doctor and directed them how to respond if pharmacists called inquiring about the prescriptions, because at that time the doctor was not an employee of OPCC.
Multiple of Allingham’s patients died of drug overdoses within hours, days, or weeks of receiving an oxycodone prescription from Allingham.
In July 2023, law enforcement conducted a search of Allingham’s residence and medical practice. When interviewed by law enforcement, Allingham made false statements regarding his prescribing practices and directed at least one of his employees to delete records of her text message communications with him.
Allingham is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.
The Fairfax County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather D. Call is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-2.
Norfolk drug trafficker sentenced to 19 years in prison after being caught with 17 firearms and 17 kilos of methRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced yesterday to 19 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Eric Joseph McGinnis, 44, had been supplying controlled substances to a co-conspirator since November 2022. On July 28, 2023, law enforcement searched McGinnis’ residence and business, EJM Enterprise, both in Norfolk. Agents seized 17 firearms, including two personally manufactured firearms. Agents also recovered 17 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.2 kilograms of marijuana, 1.5 kilograms of psilocyn, 1.2 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, a half-kilogram of fentanyl mixed with Xylazine and/or para-fluorofentanyl, and hundreds of capsules and tablets of different types of controlled substances, including Oxycodone.
As a previously convicted felon, McGinnis cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
After the searches at his business and residence, McGinnis directed his girlfriend to destroy or conceal evidence that was material to the investigation.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-72.
Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Scheme That Defrauded More Than 400 U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, a Nigerian national pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded elderly and vulnerable consumers across the United States.
According to court documents, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, 36, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Ogbata and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Ogbata and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.
“The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.”
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue transnational criminals wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank the members of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as the Portuguese Judicial Police and Public Prosecution Service of Portugal, for their outstanding contributions to this case.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the USPIS Miami Division. “This guilty plea is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, HSI and USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.”
“Transnational fraud schemes thrive in the shadows, turning illicit gains into a facade of legitimacy, especially those involving seniors or other vulnerable people,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of HSI Arizona. “HSI and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate criminals who steal money sends a clear message: justice will prevail, and those who exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable. We thank all our partners who assisted in this investigation.”
On Jan. 15, Ogbata pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Ogbata is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman on April 14. Ogbata faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
This is the second indicted case related to this international fraud scheme. Six other co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain and Nigeria have previously been convicted and sentenced in connection with this scheme. On Nov. 1, 2023, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Ezennia Peter Neboh, who was extradited from Spain, to 128 months in prison. On Oct. 20, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced another defendant who was also extradited from Spain, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, to 97 months in prison. Three other defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel, Jerry Chucks Ozor and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to prison sentences of 82 months, 87 months and 90 months, respectively, for their roles in the scheme. Lastly, Prince Amos Okey Ezemma was paroled into the United States from Nigeria and was sentenced to 90 months in prison for his role in the scheme.
USPIS, HSI and the Consumer Protection Branch are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, UK National Crime Agency, and authorities from Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
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Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Scheme That Defrauded More Than 400 U.S. VictimsRead the Press Release
Today, a Nigerian national pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded elderly and vulnerable consumers across the United States.
According to court documents, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, 36, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Ogbata and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Ogbata and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue transnational criminals wherever they are located,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank the members of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as the Portuguese Judicial Police and Public Prosecution Service of Portugal, for their outstanding contributions to this case.”
“The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long tradition of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the USPIS Miami Division. “This guilty plea is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, HSI and USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.”
“Transnational fraud schemes thrive in the shadows, turning illicit gains into a facade of legitimacy, especially those involving seniors or other vulnerable people,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of HSI Arizona. “HSI and our law enforcement partners commitment to investigate criminals who steal money sends a clear message: justice will prevail, and those who exploit others for personal gain will be held accountable. We thank all our partners who assisted in this investigation.”
On Jan. 15, Ogbata pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Ogbata is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman on April 14. Ogbata faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
This is the second indicted case related to this international fraud scheme. Six other co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain and Nigeria have previously been convicted and sentenced in connection with this scheme. On Nov. 1, 2023, the Honorable Kathleen M. Williams sentenced Ezennia Peter Neboh, who was extradited from Spain, to 128 months in prison. On Oct. 20, 2023, Judge Williams sentenced another defendant who was also extradited from Spain, Kennedy Ikponmwosa, to 97 months in prison. Three other defendants who were extradited from the United Kingdom also received prison sentences. Judge Williams sentenced Emmanuel Samuel, Jerry Chucks Ozor and Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham to prison sentences of 82 months, 87 months and 90 months, respectively, for their roles in the scheme. Lastly, Prince Amos Okey Ezemma was paroled into the United States from Nigeria and was sentenced to 90 months in prison for his role in the scheme.
USPIS, HSI and the Consumer Protection Branch are investigating the case.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, UK National Crime Agency, and authorities from Spain and Portugal all provided critical assistance.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Niagara Falls man going to prison for five years on meth chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jevon Flynn, 30, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who handled the case, stated that on March 26, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in Niagara Falls, during which they located Flynn in a bedroom, with his hands near a clothing hamper. A backpack and a pair of pants were found in the clothing hamper. A plastic bag containing suspected methamphetamine was found in the backpack, while two plastic baggies were found in the pants, one contained suspected fentanyl, and the other contained blue-colored pressed pills. Investigators also seized another quantity of suspected methamphetamine and eight grams of suspected crack cocaine.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Making False Statement During Firearm PurchaseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on January 8, 2025, the U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced GERNELL HANKTON (“HANKTON”), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, to 135-months imprisonment. As to Counts 1 and 2 of the indictment against him, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), HANKTON was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment per count, to run concurrently. As to Count 3, charging him with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(6) and 924(a)(2), The Court sentenced HANKTON to a term of imprisonment of 15 months imprisonment which runs consecutive to the 120 months imposed in Counts 1 and 2.
Following imprisonment, HANKTON will also be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 3 years. HANKTON was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $300.
According to court records, on July 20, 2019, HANKTON was involved in a hit and run vehicular accident when he struck an occupied vehicle in the drive-thru of the McDonald’s restaurant located at 2856 Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans. When the victim exited his vehicle, HANKTON and the victim argued. HANKTON then drove away and ran over the victim’s girlfriend’s foot with his truck. HANKTON also struck a security guard who was standing in parking lot.
The victim pursued HANKTON’s truck and called 911. Upon reaching a nearby intersection, HANKTON exited his truck, brandished and fired a .40 caliber firearm approximately seven (7) times at the vehicle occupied by the victim. The victim, however, was not injured.
On August 7, 2019, members of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) located HANKTON’s truck in the 1800 block of Laurel Street. A black firearm was positioned on the floorboard of the truck. HANKTON was observed exiting a nearby residence and was arrested. NOPD obtained a search warrant for HANKTON’s truck, and seized the Glock Model 23, .40 caliber pistol. Ballistic analysis of the firearm and the seven (7) casings recovered from the scene of the shooting confirmed it was the same firearm discharged by HANKTON.
On August 8, 2019, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was notified of an attempted straw purchase of a firearm from the Gurvich Detective Agency, a federal firearms licensee. Gurvich records revealed that HANKTON’s then-girlfriend, purchased a Century Arms, Model C39V2 classic pistol and unsuccessfully attempted to pick up the firearm from Gurvich. Later, HANKTON arrived at Gurvich asking for the pistol on behalf of his girlfriend. HANKTON was instructed to have the original purchaser complete the ATF 4473 form.
Days later, HANKTON returned to Gurvich with an ATF 4473 form that he claimed had been completed by his girlfriend as purchaser of the weapon. HANKTON was informed a second time that only A.S. could receive the firearm because she was the listed purchaser on the ATF 4473 form. Days later, a Gurvich employee contacted HANKTON’s girlfriend. When contacted by a Gurvich employee, HANKTON’s girlfriend admitted that she was not the purchaser of the firearm. Thereafter, HANKTON admitted he was the real purchaser and had made a false statement on the ATF 4473 form to get the pistol. However, HANKTON was not allowed to legally possess, or purchase this weapon since he was a convicted felon
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.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Public Integrity Unit.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 96 Months for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Ladarius Cannon, a Mobile man, has been sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Callie V.S. Granade.
According to court documents, in April 2023, members of the Mobile Police Department responded to a domestic violence call in a neighborhood within Mobile County. The homeowner reported that Cannon was in her home with her adult granddaughter and a firearm. Another occupant of the home witnessed Cannon discharge the firearm at least one time while inside the home. Photographs documented damage to the interior of their home and the investigation led to the collection of three casings within the home. Around the same time as these events, neighbors from a home on the same street called 911 to report that they could see Cannon on their home security camera outside their home. The caller indicated Cannon was at the front door holding a firearm to a female. The preserved footage shows Cannon holding a firearm to a female, at times pressing the firearm to her body. Cannon can be heard saying “don’t run from me.” When the police arrived, they took Cannon into custody and recovered the firearm Cannon possessed near his vehicle. Cannon has been convicted of 8 prior felony offenses, including several violent crimes, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Cannon was on probation for a state offense of shooting into an occupied building at the time of this offense.
At sentencing, Judge Granade imposed a 96-month sentence of incarceration and a 3-year term of supervised release upon Cannon’s discharge from prison. The federal sentence is to run consecutively to a 15-year state probation revocation sentence Cannon is currently serving.
The Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Escaping from CustodyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier has sentenced a Worthington, Minnesota, man convicted of Escape from Custody. The sentencing took place on January 13, 2025.
Ray Rosalez, 41, was sentenced to to 17 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rosalez was indicted for Escape from Custody by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty in November 2024.
In November 2022, Rosalez was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He was sentenced to four years and three months in custody. On January 28, 2024, Rosalez was in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and residing at a residential reentry center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, when he left the facility without permission. On May 30, 2024, members of the Sioux Falls Police Department Violent Crimes Unit located Rosalez in the Sioux Falls area and placed him under arrest.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Beau J. Blouin prosecuted the case.
Rosalez was immediately remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Mexican National Is Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Adrian Arroyo-Trujillo, 32, of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and 24 months in prison for illegal re-entry by a deported alien, to be served concurrently, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, in August 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Union County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into suspected drug trafficking by Trujillo and others. Using a number of investigative methods, including surveillance of Trujillo’s residence, law enforcement suspected that Trujillo was operating a methamphetamine conversion lab in his residence. On at least one occasion, Trujillo received liquid methamphetamine hidden in tires that were delivered to his residence.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on September 12, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle that Trujillo was driving. During a subsequent check of the vehicle, law enforcement found a bookbag that contained 12 identical bags of crystal methamphetamine, totaling 10.89 kilograms, on the rear driver-side floorboard. Officers also found several money order transfer receipts to destinations in Mexico, a customs receipt from Laredo, Texas, four cell phones, and a drug ledger. A forensic analysis of the cellphones revealed messages and photos consistent with drug trafficking activity.
On September 13, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Trujillo’s residence. Inside the residence they found a black Anderson AM-15 multi-caliber rifle, two magazines and ammunition. Law enforcement also found liquid methamphetamine, processed crystal methamphetamine, and other chemicals and items consistent with the operation of a clandestine methamphetamine conversion lab.
Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement also determined that Trujillo was an illegal alien previously deported from the United States.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended the HSI and the Union County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Kent and Kenny Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the cases.
Memphis Man Receives Significant Sentence for Selling Methamphetamine to Undercover ATF AgentsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis man, Richard Collins, 35, has been sentenced to 100 months of imprisonment for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine in Memphis, Tennessee. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
In June 2023, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives began investigating drug distribution by members of the 92 Bishop Blood street gang. On June 13, 2023, ATF Special Agents, acting in an undercover capacity, asked to purchase approximately two ounces of pure methamphetamine from Richard Collins for $500. Collins arranged for the agents to meet him at a location on Jackson Avenue in Memphis the same day. When they arrived, Collins coordinated with another individual to bring the methamphetamine onsite. This individual arrived at Collins’s request moments later and exchanged 63.34 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine for the agreed-upon amount of currency.
Collins was indicted in February 2024, on conspiracy and aiding and abetting distribution of methamphetamine charges. On October 10, 2024, Collins entered a guilty plea to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine.
On January 8, 2025, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Collins to 100 months of incarceration with a four-year period of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The ATF works collaboratively with its state, local, and federal partners to ensure that justice is served on those individuals who repeatedly and intentionally violate the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus S. Watson, ATF-Nashville Field Office. “Organized crime is a huge problem in many cities and none of our law enforcement partners are a stranger to it. We strive hard each day to remain in lockstep with our law enforcement partners and remove these individuals from the communities that we serve.”
This case was investigated by the Memphis Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Nashville laboratory assisted in this investigation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Bryce H. Phillips and Wendy Cornejo who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Member of Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking organization on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In November 2023, millions of doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder with street value estimated to be over $7 million, were seized from a stash location and clandestine laboratory used by organization.
Sebastien Bejin, a/k/a “Bash,” 34, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for May 1, 2025. Bejin was charged in November 2023 along with alleged co-conspirators Emilio Garcia and Deiby Felix. The defendants were later indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023.
In July 2023, an investigation began into an overdose death in Salem, which ultimately led investigators to the drug trafficking organization allegedly led by Benjin, Garcia and Felix.On Nov. 1, 2023, searches were conducted at four locations in Lynn that were identified as locations frequented by Garcia and Bejin. The searches resulted in what is believed to be, one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region. The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy. Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized. During the course of the investigation over 75 kilograms (198 pounds) of fentanyl and methamphetamine were seized, along with multiple additional kilograms of cocaine and dozens of kilograms of cutting agents, including xylazine, that is used to adulterate controlled substances.
Surveillance during the investigation revealed that Garcia and Bejin would travel to the stash location on a daily basis and then bring quantities of suspected controlled substances from the premises to supply lower-level dealers. A search of Felix’s residence resulted in the seizure of more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl and a firearm. A subsequent search of the residence also revealed a clandestine drug laboratory that had been built into a small room in the basement. Multiple industrial pill presses, mixing equipment and other manufacturing paraphernalia and equipment were also recovered.
The charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to do the same, each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Lynn, Lynnfield and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Media Advisory – U.S. Attorney to Announce Arrest of ISIS SympathizerRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr., along with Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Robert DeWitt, and other law enforcement partners will hold a press conference tomorrow to announce the arrest of a Durham man for allegedly attempting to provide material support to ISIS.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office – 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2100, Raleigh, NC 27601
WHEN: Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 2:30 p.m.
Media: please arrive by 2:00 p.m. for set up.
McKeesport Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 216 months of incarceration, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Frank McClellan, 55, on January 14, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, between March 2021 and September 2021, McClellan conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, as well as 280 grams or more of cocaine base.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, McKeesport Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Penn Hills Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of McClellan.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Man Who Pistol Whipped Victim and Fled from Officers Sentenced to 12 YearsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Jeremiah Jermaine Debnam, a 30-year-old resident of Raleigh has been sentenced to 154 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after shooting and pistol-whipping a victim in a shopping center parking lot. Debnam pled guilty on October 28, 2024.
“Raleigh is one of the safest large cities in America and we aim to keep it that way,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We have a team of prosecutors dedicated to driving down gun violence in this city, meeting consistently with law enforcement to keep violent shooters off our streets and engaging with community groups to get resources for victims.”
According to court documents and other information reviewed, on July 5, 2023, officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded to a call regarding a shooting in the parking lot of a shopping center on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh. Upon arrival, officers found the victim lying on the ground with two gunshot wounds. The victim identified his assailant as a man who went by the street name “Oosie,” later identified as Debnam.
Law enforcement learned that Debnam and the victim had engaged in a verbal confrontation. During this confrontation, Debnam struck the victim with a firearm multiple times before shooting him twice. After the shooting, Debnam fled the scene. Officers collected several shell casings near the area where the victim was found as part of their investigation.
On July 6, 2023, law enforcement received information from a confidential source indicating that Debnam was a passenger in a vehicle traveling on New Bern Avenue in Raleigh. RPD officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. As it came to a stop, Debnam jumped out and fled on foot. Officers pursued him and saw him discard a gun as he was fleeing. Debnam discarded the gun while fleeing. He was apprehended shortly thereafter, and officers later found a stolen, loaded 9mm pistol in the woods near where he was arrested. A search of Debnam’s person revealed less than one gram of fentanyl concealed in a dollar bill. Following his processing at the Wake County Detention Center, an additional amount of crack cocaine was discovered on him, which he had attempted to hide.
A forensic analysis determined that both the firearm seized from Debnam on July 6, 2023, and the shell casings collected from the shooting scene on July 5, 2023, were fired from the same weapon. A federal search warrant was then obtained for Debnam’s DNA, leading to the discovery that his DNA was found on the firearm and in the magazine.
At the time of his arrest, Debnam was found to have prior felony convictions. He was on supervised release after being convicted in federal court in 2018 for conspiracy to possess a quantity of cocaine base (crack) with intent to distribute and aiding and abetting. Debnam was released from federal prison on January 18, 2023, and arrested again on March 14, 2023, for possessing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine by RPD. He was released on a state bond. The investigation revealed that Debnam has a criminal history dating back to 2010, including convictions for drug offenses, assaults, larcenies, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:23-CR-00259-FL and 5:18-CR-49-3FL.
Local meth dealer sent to prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 45-year-old Corpus Christi man has been sentenced to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute meth in Corpus Christi, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jose Humberto Morales pleaded guilty Oct. 24, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Morales to serve 130 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered additional evidence of Morales’ lengthy criminal history dating back to 1996 and including more than 10 state convictions for burglary. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the serious and recidivist nature of his criminal behavior.
On May 5, 2023, law enforcement observed Morales, an identified gang member they knew to have active arrest warrants, on the street outside a residence in Corpus Christi. They arrested him on those warrants and was found to have three separate baggies containing meth.
He possessed a total of over 50 grams of meth.
Morales was later recorded on a jail call admitted the meth was intended for distribution.
Morales will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations and Corpus Christi Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Tony Torres Perez, age 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced January 15, 2025, in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Perez to 188 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Perez is released from prison, he will begin a 8-year term of supervised release.
On May 17, 2022, Perez was arrested in Hastings for reckless driving on a motorcycle. The officer observed Perez with a fanny pack that he tried to hide. Inside the fanny pack was marijuana, meth, a scale, and drug paraphernalia.
This case was investigated by the Grand Island Police Department.
Lexington Gang Member Returned to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —Jake Rupert, 40, of Lexington, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to walkaway escape from a federal residential re-entry facility.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on the morning of March 5, 2024, Rupert walked away, without permission, from a federal halfway house in Columbia. In January 2024, Rupert transitioned to the halfway house from the Federal Bureau of Prisons to finish the last six months of the 96-month custodial sentence he received in 2017, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department located Rupert, a known gang member, inside a residence in Gaston on May 27, 2024. Rupert was taken into custody to serve the remainder of his original sentence and was also charged federally with escape.
Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Rupert to 24 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey D. Haynes prosecuted the case.
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Lexington Attorney Arrested and Charged for Allegedly Embezzling at Least $2.5 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An attorney working as a bookkeeper for three Massachusetts companies has been arrested and charged with embezzling at least $2.5 million from the companies.
David Smerling, 74, of Lexington, was charged by complaint with wire fraud. He was arrested yesterday and released on conditions.
According to court documents, between January 2016 and May 2020, Smerling allegedly embezzled from the companies by transferring funds from the companies’ bank accounts to accounts in his name. To conceal his scheme, Smerling allegedly transferred some funds through an intermediary account owned by one of the victims before transferring funds to his accounts. The complaint also alleges that Smerling caused bank statements to be mailed to his home address, rather than the victims’ addresses, to further hide his conduct.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lewiston Man Sentenced to 4+ Years for Armed Robbery of Saco Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for interference with commerce by robbery.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Max Gbetibouo, 51, to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. While sentencing Gbetibouo, the judge noted that as an Ivory Coast National, he would likely face deportation following incarceration. Gbetibouo was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim. He pleaded guilty on August 13, 2024.
According to court records, in September 2021, Gbetibouo entered a Saco convenience store brandishing a weapon and demanded money from the register. The store clerk complied, and Gbetibouo fled the store on foot. The robbery was captured on surveillance video.
The Saco Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Portland Police Department investigated the case.
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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
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Lead defendants in prolific human smuggling and money laundering network sentenced in Joint Task Force Alpha investigationRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A Texas woman and her fiancé have been sentenced for their roles as leaders of a human smuggling organization that conspired to illegally transport, harbor and conceal from law enforcement hundreds of undocumented individuals in the United States and laundering the proceeds.
Erminia Serrano Piedra aka Irma or Boss Lady, 33, and Oscar Angel Monroy Alcibar aka Pelon, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport and move illegal aliens, including placing the aliens’ lives in jeopardy, and conspiracy to launder money Jan. 4 and 9, 2024, respectively.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal ordered Monroy Alcibar to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release Jan. 15. The court sentenced Serrano Piedra Jan. 13 to 121 months in federal prison also immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Both will also be ordered to pay large money judgments as part of their pleas - $438,119 for Monroy Alcibar and $942,537 for Serrano Piedra.
The also entered orders of criminal forfeiture of two properties belonging to one or both that were purchased with the illicit proceeds of human smuggling, recently estimated to have the value of approximately $2.275 million and $515,000.
“The two defendants sentenced in this case were leaders of a human smuggling operation that endangered vulnerable migrants for profit,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Since I directed the formation of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) in 2021, the Justice Department has combatted the threats posed by dangerous human smuggling networks where they originate and operate. Since then, the Justice Department has made over 345 domestic and international arrests and secured 290 convictions.”
“Confining individuals, including minors, in coffin-like spaces with no room to move or breathe, reveals this organization’s complete disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. “Those who profit from such human suffering will face justice, and their ill-gotten gains will be stripped away to ensure that crime does not pay.”
“The defendants exploited vulnerable migrants by leading a scheme to unlawfully transport them across the U.S. border, using dangerous methods that risked the migrants’ lives in order to evade detection,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Because of illegal operations like this one, more than three years ago we launched JTFA to combat the most prolific and harmful human smuggling organizations. The sentences and forfeitures announced today underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to working with its JTFA partners to disrupt and dismantle smuggling networks that callously endanger human life for profit.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that those involved in human smuggling will be identified and held accountable for their actions,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D. of Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). “DHS-OIG is grateful for our continued partnership with our law enforcement partners as we continue to fight corruption along the Southern Border.”
According to court documents, Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar were the leaders of the human smuggling organization. Those smuggled were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia and elsewhere and they or their families paid members of the organization to help them travel illegally to and within the United States.
Serrano Piedra’s role included directing the organization’s operations, recruiting members, ordering payments to be made related to the organization’s operation and instructing members to be lookouts for law enforcement.
Monroy Alcibar coordinated the smuggling of undocumented individuals and movement of financial proceeds for the organization. Serrano Piedra, Monroy Alcibar and their co-conspirators derived substantial profits from the proceeds of this illicit activity.
The organization used drivers to pick up undocumented individuals near the U.S.-Mexico border and transport them further into the interior of the United States, often harboring them at stash houses along the way in locations such as Laredo and Austin. The organization’s drivers used various dangerous methods to transport undocumented individuals, including hiding them in suitcases placed in pickup trucks, cramming them in the back of tractor-trailers, covered beds of pickup trucks, repurposed water tankers and wooden crates strapped to flatbed trailers. The methods the organization used to transport undocumented individuals placed their lives in danger as they were frequently held in contained spaces with little ventilation, which became overheated and made it difficult to breathe, and they were driven at high speeds with no vehicle restraints in the back of trucks and tankers.
Members of this organization commonly referred to the undocumented individuals as “boxes,” “packages,” or “pieces.” Typically, the fee paid to the organization was approximately $8,000 with $3,000 paid up front to smugglers in Mexico and the remainder paid once the undocumented individuals entered the United States.
Further, these defendants haves admitted in court documents that they conspired to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling and the unlawful harboring and transportation of undocumented individuals. The leaders recruited and utilized straw persons to accept human smuggling proceeds in the straw persons’ bank accounts and then transferred these proceeds to the leaders under the pretense of work payments. They also established incorporated businesses and opened business accounts in order to transfer the human smuggling proceeds.
In addition, the two leaders recruited individuals in the construction industry who accepted human smuggling proceeds in the form of cash in exchange for checks from the recruited individuals’ business bank accounts. Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar have admitted in court documents they made significant money from their involvement in human smuggling. Moreover, Serrano Piedra admitted she was and she was going to continue doing this for a lifetime and was not planning to retire.
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is at the forefront of combating human smuggling on a global scale,” said HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This week, these two defendants were sentenced for their involvement in this heinous crime. Fighting transnational human smuggling remains one of our top priorities. Our special agents work tirelessly alongside international law enforcement partners and task forces to dismantle criminal networks that commoditize human lives. HSI will continue to utilize every available resource to bring those responsible to justice.”
Including Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar, 14 co-conspirators have been sentenced for their various roles in the human smuggling organization, including some for laundering illicit proceeds. The sentences ranged up to 135 months with money judgments totaling over $2.3 million, forfeiture of interests in real property, including residences located in Bastrop and Elgin. One other co-conspirator still awaits sentencing.
HSI Laredo, along with Border Patrol and DHS-OIG led U.S. investigative efforts on the case. HSI offices in Austin, San Antonio, Waco and Corpus Christi; New Orleans, Louisiana; Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; West Palm Beach, Florida; and HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; along with Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center; U.S. Marshals Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations ; Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture; Police Departments in Laredo, Killeen, Elgin and Round Rock as well as Wiggins, Missouri, and Bogalusa, Louisiana; Webb County Constable’s Office; Webb County District Attorney’s Office; Sheriff’s Offices in Webb, Bastrop and Caldwell County; Harrison, George and Stone County, Mississippi, and Mobile County, Alabama; Jefferson Parish and Washington Parish, Louisiana; Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Louisiana State Police provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney and JTFA detailee Jennifer Day is prosecuting the case along with Human Rights and Special Prosecutions (HRSP) Section Trial Attorneys Christian Levesque and Angela Buckner, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) Trial Attorney and Deputy Director of JTFA Daria Andryushchenko and MLARS Financial Investigator Kelly O’Mara with substantial assistance from the Department of Justice’s Electronic Surveillance Unit of the Office of Enforcement Operations.
This and related convictions of co-conspirators are the result of the coordinated efforts of JTFA. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established JTFA in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with DHS, to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The initiative was expanded to Colombia and Panama to combat human smuggling in the Darién in June 2024. JTFA comprises detailees from U.S. attorneys’ offices along the southwest border including the Southern District of California, districts of Arizona and New Mexico and the Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions HRSP Section, and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; MLARS; Office of Enforcement Operations; Office of International Affairs; and the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in 34513 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling; more than 29051 U.S. convictions; more than 240 defendants sentenced, including 186 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Laredo man given max sentence for possessing over 47,000 child pornography images, including some of minor relativesRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 31-year-old man has been sentenced for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual assault material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Kristopher Santos pleaded guilty March 28, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now sentenced Santos to 360 months and 240 months for the sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 360- month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including the history of the case and vast collection of child pornography Santos possessed. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the severity of his actions in producing CSAM as well as the sheer volume of images he possessed. Santos was further ordered to pay $126,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Santos will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“This defendant is a textbook child predator,” said Hamdani. “He is the reason parents lose sleep at night, wondering if their kids are safe when not with them. He was a trusted family member, who violated that trust when he both abused and utilized the minors to create child pornography images of his own. Parents can sleep better tonight knowing there is one less child predator on the streets.”
"Today's sentencing marks a significant victory in our relentless pursuit of justice for the innocent victims of child exploitation. This 30-year sentence sends a clear message that those who prey on the most vulnerable members of our society will be held accountable for their heinous crimes,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “HSI remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting children and dismantling the networks that perpetuate these atrocities. We will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to ensure that justice is served and that no child suffers in silence."
Authorities identified Santos in 2019 when conducting a peer-to-peer network undercover investigation. It revealed Santos was sharing CSAM online.
On April 12, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home and discovered and seized several electronic devices. Authorities also discovered a trunk full of sex toys and children’s underwear.
Santos acknowledged he was sexually attracted to children, viewing the child pornography and that the trunk belonged to him. He also admitted to touching two minor relatives inappropriately and taking naked pictures of the children exposing themselves.
Law enforcement ultimately identified a total of 47,729 images and 7,667 videos containing child pornography on the seized electronic devices.
Santos will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Webb County Sheriff’s office conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.
Justice Department Sues to Shut Down Florida Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today filed a civil injunction suit in federal court in Tampa, Florida, to enjoin Darryl J. Madison, Malik F. Eugene, Yvette Madison, Marlesa J. Brown and Madison & Sons Enterprises — doing business as Madison Tax Services — from owning or operating a tax return preparation business and preparing tax returns for others.
The complaint alleges that Darryl Madison operated and prepared returns through Madison Tax Services. The complaint alleges that Madison and his contractors — Eugene, Yvette Madison and Brown — prepared and filed tax returns that falsely reduced their customers’ taxable income and improperly increased their customers’ refunds through a variety of schemes, including inflating real estate expenses, falsifying charitable donation deductions, fabricating or inflating business losses and falsely claiming residential energy credits to which their customers were not entitled.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.
In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Madison Complaint.pdfJustice Department Secures Agreement with the Orange County, California, District Attorney’s Office to Enhance and Sustain Reforms on Custodial InformantsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Orange County, California, District Attorney on the use of custodial informants at the Orange County jails in California. The agreement resolves the department’s civil investigation finding that custodial informant activity by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) from 2007 through 2016 with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) violated criminal defendants’ right to counsel under the Sixth Amendment and right to due process of law under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Under the agreement, the District Attorney agrees to continue implementing reforms to protect against misuse of custodial informants at the Orange County jails and to disclose to criminal defendants exculpatory evidence about custodial informants, in accordance with constitutional guarantees to a fair trial and right to counsel. Specifically, the District Attorney agrees to maintain changes to OCDA policies, training, document and information systems and internal audits, as well as to engage with representatives of the Orange County criminal justice system on additional improvements. The department will also have full and direct access to independently validate that the reforms have taken hold at OCDA and are achieving their intended results.
“Under the Sixth Amendment, law enforcement cannot use custodial informants as their agents to elicit incriminating statements from defendants represented by counsel,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We commend the District Attorney and his staff for initiating corrective action at OCDA to comply with constitutional requirements. The District Attorney’s proactive efforts, together with today’s agreement, will not only protect the constitutional rights of individual defendants; they will also help restore the public’s confidence in the fundamental fairness of the criminal justice system in Orange County.”
The out-of-court agreement is the result of extensive cooperation from the District Attorney and members of OCDA following the release of the department’s investigative findings in October 2022. The agreement is also the result of systemic improvements initiated by the District Attorney, including suspending the use of custodial informants without his express, prior approval in 2016.
The department opened its investigation into OCDA and OCSD in 2016. The evidence uncovered by the department revealed that custodial informants in the Orange County Jail system acted as agents of law enforcement to elicit incriminating statements from defendants represented by counsel and that, for years, Orange County sheriff deputies maintained and concealed systems to track, manage and reward those custodial informants. The evidence also revealed that Orange County prosecutors failed to seek out and disclose exculpatory information regarding custodial informants to defense counsel.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section conducted the investigation pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12601. The statute prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The department’s negotiations with the Orange County Sheriff on remedial measures at OCSD are ongoing.
Since January 2021, the division has opened 12 investigations into law enforcement agencies. The section is enforcing 15 agreements with law enforcement agencies and two post-judgment orders. The department also reached a court enforceable agreement with Louisville and Minneapolis to resolve its findings. Both are pending review by the court.
The department’s investigative findings from October 2022 can be found here.
Information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Finds Conditions in Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in South Carolina Violate the ConstitutionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today its findings that conditions of confinement at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center (the Jail) in Columbia, South Carolina, violate the Eighth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The department’s report details the findings of a comprehensive investigation of the Jail, which is funded and operated by Richland County through an Administrator and Director. The Jail currently houses approximately 965 people.
The department concluded that the county and Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center violate the constitutional rights of people incarcerated at the Jail. Specifically, the department found that the Jail fails to provide reasonable safety and to protect incarcerated people from serious harm and death by physical violence from other incarcerated people, including assaults with weapons, assaults by multiple people on single victims and sexual assaults.
“Incarceration in our nation’s jails should not expose a person to severe and pervasive violence like that in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Most people in the jail have not been convicted of any crime — they are awaiting hearings or trial dates. They have a right to be free of violence, threats and sexual assault. The Jail has a constitutional duty to protect people in its care from the horrific violations we uncovered here. We hope Richland County and the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center will respond to our findings by working with the Justice Department to implement much-needed reforms.”
“The conditions inside the Richland County jail are a matter of life and death. Individuals accused of crimes in Richland County should not face a death sentence before they ever see a court room,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “By addressing the remedial measures outlined in our findings, we believe this can change. We hope to work with Richland County and the detention center to make it a safer place for both detainees and staff.”
Systemic problems that have persisted at the Jail for years engender severe violence and avoidable harm. There were at least 60 stabbings in the Jail in 2023. Gangs prey on incarcerated people. Weapons, drugs and contraband cell phones are commonplace and facilitate gang control and violence in the Jail. Inadequate staffing, a deteriorating facility and systemic security lapses, such as deficient prisoner supervision, inadequate internal investigations and lax contraband prevention, yield an ongoing failure to protect incarcerated people from violence. Jail leadership knows about these conditions, and others detailed in the report, which fall far below the constitutional minimum.
The department conducted its investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), which authorizes the Attorney General to file a lawsuit in federal court seeking court-ordered remedies to eliminate a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct. The department provided Richland County and the Jail with written notice of the supporting facts for its conclusions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the alleged violations. The department is committed to working with the county and Jail toward a cooperative solution.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section conducted this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. The findings announced today are the result of the department’s civil investigation and are separate from any criminal cases brought by the Justice Department.
The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize unconstitutional conditions and violations of federal law in correctional and juvenile justice facilities. It opened new investigations into prisons and jails in Tennessee, California, South Carolina and juvenile justice facilities across Kentucky. The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons, Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities, the Georgia Department of Corrections and San Luis Obispo County, California, Jail. The division entered into agreements, including consent decrees, covering the Fulton County, Georgia, Jail, Cumberland County, New Jersey, Jail, the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey, the Broad River Road Complex in South Carolina, the Manson Youth Institution in Connecticut and the Massachusetts Department of Correction. The division is also litigating matters related to the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men and the incarceration of people beyond their release dates in Louisiana prisons.
For more information about the Civil Rights Division and its Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. You can also report civil rights violations by completing the complaint form available at civilrights.justice.gov/. To provide information related to the department’s investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, please call 1-888-473-3201 or email the department at [email protected].
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Read the Findings Report of Investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center here.
Justice Department Finds Conditions in Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in South Carolina Violate the ConstitutionRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today its findings that conditions of confinement at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center (the Jail) in Columbia, South Carolina, violate the Eighth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The department’s report details the findings of a comprehensive investigation of the Jail, which is funded and operated by Richland County through an Administrator and Director. The Jail currently houses approximately 965 people.
The department concluded that the county and Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center violate the constitutional rights of people incarcerated at the Jail. Specifically, the department found that the Jail fails to provide reasonable safety and to protect incarcerated people from serious harm and death by physical violence from other incarcerated people, including assaults with weapons, assaults by multiple people on single victims and sexual assaults.
“Incarceration in our nation’s jails should not expose a person to severe and pervasive violence like that in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Most people in the jail have not been convicted of any crime — they are awaiting hearings or trial dates. They have a right to be free of violence, threats and sexual assault. The Jail has a constitutional duty to protect people in its care from the horrific violations we uncovered here. We hope Richland County and the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center will respond to our findings by working with the Justice Department to implement much-needed reforms.”
“The conditions inside the Richland County jail are a matter of life and death. Individuals accused of crimes in Richland County should not face a death sentence before they ever see a court room,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs for the District of South Carolina. “By addressing the remedial measures outlined in our findings, we believe this can change. We hope to work with Richland County and the detention center to make it a safer place for both detainees and staff.”
Systemic problems that have persisted at the Jail for years engender severe violence and avoidable harm. There were at least 60 stabbings in the Jail in 2023. Gangs prey on incarcerated people. Weapons, drugs and contraband cell phones are commonplace and facilitate gang control and violence in the Jail. Inadequate staffing, a deteriorating facility and systemic security lapses, such as deficient prisoner supervision, inadequate internal investigations and lax contraband prevention, yield an ongoing failure to protect incarcerated people from violence. Jail leadership knows about these conditions, and others detailed in the report, which fall far below the constitutional minimum.
The department conducted its investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), which authorizes the Attorney General to file a lawsuit in federal court seeking court-ordered remedies to eliminate a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct. The department provided Richland County and the Jail with written notice of the supporting facts for its conclusions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address the alleged violations. The department is committed to working with the county and Jail toward a cooperative solution.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section conducted this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina. The findings announced today are the result of the department’s civil investigation and are separate from any criminal cases brought by the Justice Department.
The Civil Rights Division continues to prioritize unconstitutional conditions and violations of federal law in correctional and juvenile justice facilities. It opened new investigations into prisons and jails in Tennessee, California, South Carolina and juvenile justice facilities across Kentucky. The division also issued findings in its investigations of Mississippi prisons, Texas juvenile justice system’s facilities, the Georgia Department of Corrections and San Luis Obispo County, California, Jail. The division entered into agreements, including consent decrees, covering the Fulton County, Georgia, Jail, Cumberland County, New Jersey, Jail, the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey, the Broad River Road Complex in South Carolina, the Manson Youth Institution in Connecticut and the Massachusetts Department of Correction. The division is also litigating matters related to the constitutionality of conditions in Alabama’s prisons for men and the incarceration of people beyond their release dates in Louisiana prisons.
For more information about the Civil Rights Division and its Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. You can also report civil rights violations by completing the complaint form available at civilrights.justice.gov/. To provide information related to the department’s investigation of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, please call 1-888-473-3201 or email the department at [email protected].
Justice Department Files Voting Rights Suit Against Fayette County, TennesseeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Fayette County, Tennessee, alleging that the Board of County Commissioners violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act when it adopted a redistricting plan that denies the county's Black voters an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, alleges that during the 2021 redistricting cycle, the County Commission deliberately rejected multiple districting plans that would have combined Black communities in districts that would allow Black voters to elect representatives of their choice. In doing so, the Commission disregarded the guidelines and recommendations of its own redistricting committee and the advice of the attorney it hired specifically to guide it through the redistricting process.
“The right to vote is sacred and is the foundation for our ability to exercise all other civil rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Black voters should have the equal opportunity to elect their candidates of choice, but the redistricting map adopted by Fayette County did not provide that opportunity. The Justice Department is committed to enforcement of the Voting Rights Act and ensuring all eligible citizens have an equal opportunity to choose their elected officials. Our democracy works best when all communities have a fair and equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.”
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, and Black voters in Fayette County deserve the same opportunity as anyone else to elect leaders who represent their voices,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee. “Our office is committed to ensuring fairness and equality in the electoral process.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section, working with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Civil Rights Acts and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
More information about voting and elections is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
Jury Convicts Portageville Man of Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Portageville, Mo., man has been convicted in a jury trial of trafficking methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms.
Michael C. Patton, 36, was found guilty on Tuesday, Jan. 14, of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms.
Patton was a passenger in a Ford sedan that was stopped by Springfield police officers on May 12, 2021. When officers searched the vehicle, they found a backpack in the front passenger floorboard that contained a loaded Beretta firearm, along with a plastic bag that contained 344 grams of pure methamphetamine and Patton’s Missouri identification. Officers also found a small black backpack in the backseat floorboard that contained a loaded revolver.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Patton has prior felony convictions for stealing, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell.
Under federal statutes, Patton is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo., deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before returning guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes, ending a trial that began Monday, Jan. 13.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver and Jessica R. Eatmon. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
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.
Johnstown Woman Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Heroin, Fentanyl and Other NarcoticsRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Jessica Wilson, 39, pleaded guilty to Count One of two separate Superseding Indictments before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on January 14, 2025.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around January 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Wilson conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute quantities of heroin, cocaine base in the form commonly known as crack, and methamphetamine. Wilson was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that she distributed to others. Further, from in and around April 2024 to June 2024, Wilson conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute quantities of mixtures and substances containing fentanyl and crack cocaine.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for May 8, 2025. At each count, the law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Arnold P. Bernard Jr. are prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Wilson. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Indictment Charges 7 Hartford Gang Members with Murder & Racketeering OffensesRead the Press Release
Seven alleged members of a violent Hartford gang have been charged in a federal indictment accusing them of a years-long interstate RICO conspiracy involving multiple murders, attempted murder, gun trafficking, extortion, arson, drug trafficking, and other crimes.
The announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Sharmese L. Walcott, State’s Attorney for the Hartford Judicial District; Hartford Police Chief Kenny A. Howell; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The 15-count indictment, which was returned by a grand jury in Hartford on January 8, 2025, charges
ANGEL RIVERA, a.k.a. “Rico,” a.k.a. “Slatt,” 24
RAQUAN KNIGHT, a.k.a. “RQ,”21
PAUL DOWNER, a.k.a. “Luap Benji,” 28
MEKHI THOMPSON, a.k.a. “Midnight,”24
PAUL CLARKE, a.k.a. “Tommy Bunz,” 30
TYSHON WALKER, a.k.a. “Pone Gwapoo,”26
JOSHUA CRUZ, a.k.a. “Hop-out Curly,” 24Clarke and Walker were arrested on January 9, 2025, and were ordered detained. Rivera, Knight, Thompson, and Cruz were previously detained in state custody on related charges, and Downer was previously detained in state custody for unrelated offenses.
The indictment alleges that the Hoodstar Gzz gang, which since it was formed in 2010 has referred to itself by a variety of names, including “Hoodstars,” “Hoodstarz,” “Hoodstar Gzz,” and “Gz,” generally operates between Capen, Westland, Enfield, and Main Streets in Hartford. The gang has distributed narcotics and engaged in multiple violent acts against rival gang members and innocent citizens; trafficked narcotics in Vermont and moved firearms from Vermont to Connecticut; utilized stolen vehicles in furtherance of the gang’s affairs and burned vehicles that were used in the commission of crimes; and recorded and distributed rap music to promote the gang’s criminal activity.
Among the violent acts committed by the defendants, the indictment alleges that:
- On April 16, 2019, Thompson attempted to murder members of a rival gang, which resulted in gunshot wounds to individuals with the initials T.J., G.C., and J.H. in Hartford.
- On January 22, 2021, Downer shot R.F. in the femoral artery for failure to pay a drug debt in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.
- On April 10, 2021, Rivera, Knight, Cruz, and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates shot and killed Jamari Preston, a member of the rival Ave gang and wounded J.O. in Hartford.
- On January 18, 2022, Rivera, Walker, and Cruz and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates shot at A.G., a.k.a. “Watts,” and shot and injured J.O. in Hartford.
- On January 18, 2022, Rivera, Walker, Cruz, and other Hoodstar Gzz members and associates shot and killed Kendall Fair, a.k.a. “Swerve,” and shot and injured J.W. in Hartford.
- On June 19, 2022, Knight shot E.A. in Hartford.
- On August 1, 2022, Rivera and other members and associates of the Hoodstar Gzz gang shot and killed Brian Evans and shot and injured D.G. and J.M. in Hartford.
- On September 14, 2022, Thompson and Rivera got into a confrontation with Devante Gardner over a rental car Thompson failed to return. Thompson then shot and killed Gardner.
- On October 27, 2022, Thompson and Rivera were involved in a car accident with a black Nissan sedan. Thompson and Rivera fled the scene. The Nissan followed them for approximately 1.6 miles. Thompson then exited the vehicle and shot and killed the driver of the Nissan, Manuel Rodriguez.
“We allege that members of the Hoodstar Gzz have engaged in murder and numerous other violent acts against both rival gang members and innocent civilians, and their criminal activity extended to northern Vermont, where they trafficked drugs and acquired firearms, some of which they transported back to Connecticut,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “This case is a clear demonstration of our commitment to relentlessly pursue and dismantle organizations that threaten the peace and security of our communities. The effort to connect these violent acts and bring these individuals to justice has been a collaborative one, and I want to thank the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies involved for their dedication to make our communities, both here in Connecticut and in Vermont, safer.”
This indictment – which is the first RICO indictment since the launch of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Hartford in April 2024 – alleges that the defendants engaged in numerous violent acts, including shooting at suspected rival gang members and shooting and killing a motorist with whom two of the defendants got into a car accident,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Violent gangs like the Hoodstars terrorize local communities and threaten safety across Hartford. Today’s announcement demonstrates that the VCI is already making an impact in Hartford, through the deployment of Criminal Division resources, in close coordination with our partners, to target the specific drivers of violent crime and hold gang members accountable for their crimes.”
“The Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have endeavored to partner on crime reduction strategies to benefit the community, law enforcement, and improve case outcomes,” said Hartford State’s Attorney Walcott. “There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into building these cases and it takes a team of people all rowing the same direction. These arrests are a clear sign of our commitment to making a significant impact on gun violence in and around the Hartford community, and we will continue to work, tirelessly, to bring to justice those responsible.”
“For more than two years, the FBI and its law enforcement partners have worked tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle the Hoodstarz organization,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Fuller. “This violent criminal organization has been responsible for wreaking havoc in the Hartford area and its takedown is a positive step forward in the never-ending quest to keep our community safe. Let this be a firm message that the FBI and its local, state, and federal partners will remain relentless in the fight to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent criminal organizations.”
“Criminal gangs terrorize communities, leaving violence and destruction in their wake,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Krol. “These individuals have been charged with crimes ranging from firearms possession to murder and, if convicted, will face serious federal prison time. HSI works with our state, local, and federal partners to dismantle criminal gangs like the Hoodstar Gzzs and help communities reclaim their safety and their streets.”
The indictment charges Rivera, Knight, Downer, Thompson, Clarke, Walker, and Cruz with one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, an offense that ordinarily carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. If the defendants are convicted of a special sentencing factor, they face a maximum term of imprisonment of life. These defendants are also charged with conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, which carries a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years’ imprisonment.
The indictment also charges Rivera and Thompson with murder in violation of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering (“VCAR”) statute. This offense carries a mandatory term of imprisonment of life, or death if the government seeks the death penalty in this matter. Both defendants are also charged with using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least 10 years of imprisonment, and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, or death if the government seeks the death penalty in this matter.
Finally, the indictment charges Cruz and Walker with possessing a machine gun during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least 30 years of imprisonment, and illegal possession of a machine gun, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Hartford, and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) programs.
The VCI surges law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups that are threatening the safety and security of communities in the cities across the nation. The VCI utilizes prosecutors from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section – the nation’s foremost experts in racketeering prosecutions – to work alongside prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, as well as dedicated investigative agents, analysts, and forensic experts from FBI, ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
PSN brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, HSI, ATF, the Hartford Police Department, the East Hartford Police Department, the Windsor Police Department, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, the Connecticut Department of Correction, the St. Johnsbury (Vt.) Police Department, the Northfield (Vt.) Police Department, and the Vermont State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington, John T. Pierpont, Jr., and Shan Patel from the District of Connecticut, and Trial Attorneys Jeremy Franker and Christopher Usher from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont.
Hiram Man Indicted for Possessing Enough Fentanyl to Kill up to 500,000 IndividualsRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Darrlin Vernard Warner, also known as “Juice,” has been arraigned on federal charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
“Warner was allegedly trafficking a substantial amount of fentanyl and methamphetamine, posing an immense threat to the safety of residents of Paulding and Douglas Counties,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to ravage communities throughout northern Georgia. Our Office is especially proud of the impact that our federal, state, and local law enforcement made in this investigation.”
“Fentanyl poisonings and other dangerous drugs are taking a terrible toll on Georgia,” said FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Sean Burke. “Disrupting the manufacturers and distributers of this poison remains a high priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners.”
“This indictment highlights the significant threat that fentanyl and methamphetamine pose to our communities,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The seizure of enough fentanyl to potentially kill 500,000 people underscores the deadly scale of this crisis. The collaborative efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement continue to be crucial in protecting our citizens and dismantling drug trafficking networks.”
“We are proud to stand united with our state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies in operations like this,” remarked Paulding County Sheriff Ashley Henson. “This interagency collaboration has enabled us to effectively eliminate a substantial amount of deadly fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine from the streets of Paulding County. As the new Sheriff, I will relentlessly work to ensure that these dangerous substances are kept away from our children and residents.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the indictment, information provided in court, and other publicly available information: In October and November 2024, law enforcement found during the course of their investigation evidence that Darrlin Warner allegedly conspired to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in the region of Paulding and Douglas Counties. On November 13, 2024, federal, state, and local agencies executed a federal search warrant on Warner’s home and vehicle, recovering approximately one kilogram (2.2. pounds) of fentanyl, approximately one pound of methamphetamine, five firearms, and approximately $177,000 in cash, as well as other suspected controlled substances.
Two milligrams of illicit fentanyl can be a lethal dose, and the approximate one kilogram of fentanyl recovered from Warner is enough to potentially kill as many as 500,000 people.
Darrlin Vernard Warner, aka “Juice,” 39, of Hiram, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Walter E. Johnson on January 14, 2025. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 10, 2024.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Cartersville Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation - Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, with valuable assistance provided by Paulding County Fire/Rescue and Metro Ambulance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III and Thomas M. Forsyth, III are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strategic Initiative focused on combatting the fentanyl crisis in northwest Georgia. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Anyone with information about drug sales/trafficking in their area can report it to the GBI at1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or DEA’s Atlanta Division Office at (404) 893-7000. Online tips can be submitted at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.
The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia encourages parents and children to learn about the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs at the following websites: www.justthinktwice.gov, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.operationprevention.com/, www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov, and www.dea.gov/onepill.
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.
Hino Motors, a Toyota Subsidiary, Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay over $1.6B to Resolve Emissions Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FBI, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and State of California today reached criminal and multiple civil resolutions, valued at over $1.6 billion, with Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino Motors), Hino Motors Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. and Hino Motors Sales U.S.A., Inc. (collectively, Hino) for violations related to the submission of false and fraudulent engine emission testing and fuel consumption data to regulators and the illicit smuggling of engines into the United States. These resolutions are subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
This unlawful conduct allowed Hino, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, to improperly secure approvals to import and sell, and cause to be imported and sold, more than 110,000 diesel engines in the United States from 2010 to 2022. These engines were primarily installed in heavy-duty trucks manufactured and sold by Hino nationwide.
“Today, Hino Motors, a subsidiary of Toyota, agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a criminal conspiracy to mislead regulators and consumers that violated federal environmental laws and endangered public health,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “No company is above the law. I am grateful to our federal and state partners for their work to hold Hino accountable for its criminal misconduct.”
“Hino knew the requirements that engines must meet to be certified to operate in the United States, yet it falsified data for years to skirt regulations,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Hino’s actions led to vast amounts of excess air pollution and were an egregious violation of our nation’s environmental, consumer protection and import laws. Today’s plea agreement and civil settlements, on behalf of myriad federal entities, mark the Justice Department’s commitment to protecting our environment and holding companies accountable for corporate wrongdoing.”
“Corporate crimes such as these endanger the health and well-being of innocent Americans, as well as the environment in which we all live,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “My office is committed to aggressively seeking justice when corporate actors violate air quality standards and place our community at risk in order to increase their sales.”
“Hino Motors engaged in a years-long scheme to alter and fabricate emissions data in order to get a leg up over its competitors and boost their bottom-line,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “To further this fraudulent scheme, Hino violated laws and regulations intended to protect American’s health and the environment. The FBI is committed to working with our partners across the U.S. government to ensure that corporate bad actors who purposefully violate the law are held accountable for their criminal actions.”
“Providing false information to federal agencies subverts regulations designed to protect the public and reduce costs for consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to work closely with its partners to hold accountable companies that prioritize profit over complying with the law.”
“EPA and the American consumer rely on true and accurate data from engine manufacturers to protect our nation’s air quality. Hino’s actions directly undermined EPA’s program to protect the public from air pollution,” said Acting EPA Administrator Jane Nishida. “Today’s criminal charges and civil settlement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to hold companies like Hino Motors, Ltd. accountable for knowingly violating environmental laws and regulations that protect public health and the environment.”
“CBP works with partner government agencies to prioritize the enforcement of environmental laws and is driving meaningful change in trade practices,” said Executive Assistant Commissioner AnnMarie Highsmith of CBP’s Office of Trade. “This settlement is an example of CBP’s role in enforcing laws that facilitate legitimate trade and protect the American economy, creating a level playing field for American businesses and ensuring that consumers have access to fair, safe products.”
“Misleading federal regulators is a brazen crime that is reflected in the size and scope of today’s settlement agreement which holds Hino Motors accountable for their wrongdoing,” said Inspector General Eric J. Soskin of DOT. “The judicial actions taken today demonstrate the ongoing commitment of DOT-OIG to work with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to investigate improper and illegal conduct of automotive corporations that submit false fuel consumption values.”
“Hino knowingly took unlawful advantage of California’s incentives designed to accelerate the adoption of clean transportation technologies, which safeguard the health and safety of Californians from pollution,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to hold manufacturers like Hino accountable for breaking California’s laws. I want to thank our federal and state partners for their collective work on reaching this critical settlement.”
Global Resolution Details
As part of the global resolutions, Hino Motors, Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a multi-year criminal conspiracy. The plea agreement, which is subject to approval by the court, requires it to pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million, serve a five-year term of probation — during which it will be prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has manufactured into the United States — and implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure. Hino Motors, Ltd. has also agreed to entry of a forfeiture money judgment against it in the amount of $1.087 billion. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Hino’s future payments towards its civil settlement obligations, as well future payments as part of a civil class action settlement brought by private plaintiffs, will be credited towards its criminal forfeiture money judgment obligation.
In separate civil resolutions of environmental, customs and fuel economy claims by the federal government and the State of California, Hino will pay a civil penalty of $525 million based on its demonstrated financial condition. The global resolution includes the second largest criminal fine and fourth largest civil penalty in the history of EPA’s mobile source program.
Other provisions of the civil agreement include:
- A mitigation program, valued at $155 million, to offset excess air emissions from the violations by replacing marine and locomotive engines, and installing locomotive idle reduction technology systems, throughout 49 states (excluding California), including the reduction of over 41,000 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions;
- A recall program, valued at $144.2 million, to modify violative engines in 2017-2019 heavy-duty trucks so they comply with U.S. and California emissions laws;
- $123.6 million to fund mitigation projects and enforcement costs in California; and
- $30.3 million to resolve California False Claims Act claims.
EPA discovered Hino’s noncompliance as a result of conducting confirmatory testing of Hino’s engines. On Jan. 10, EPA voided engine approvals, called “certificates of conformity,” for Hino’s 2010-2019 diesel engines for heavy-duty trucks and nonroad equipment. This is the largest voiding action ever taken by EPA, reflecting the egregiousness of the conduct and the flagrant disregard for EPA’s certification program. That program is designed to provide a level playing field for vehicle and engine manufacturers seeking to do business in the United States.
Conduct Admitted to by Hino Motors, Ltd.
As part of its plea agreement, Hino Motors, Ltd. admits that between 2010 and 2019, it submitted and caused to be submitted false applications for engine certification approvals. Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers regularly altered emission test data, conducted tests improperly and fabricated data without conducting any underlying tests. Hino Motors, Ltd. further admits that it submitted fraudulent carbon dioxide emissions test data, which resulted in false fuel consumption values being calculated for its engines. Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers also failed to disclose software functions that could adversely affect engines’ emission control systems. As a result of the fraud, Hino Motors, Ltd. imported and sold over 105,000 non-conforming engines between 2010 and 2022.
Emissions Reductions
EPA estimates that Hino’s engines emitted levels of NOx, particulate matter, carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O) above the regulatory limits. Hino’s recall is designed to bring model year 2017-2019 truck engines into compliance with emissions standards. Its mitigation projects around the country will fully offset the lifetime excess emissions of all violative engines. These mitigation projects include:
- Replacing more than 35 older, dirtier marine and locomotive engines with engines certified to the strictest EPA diesel emission standards, and
- Installing idle reduction technology in over 135 locomotives.
The mitigation projects will reduce emissions by at least 41,941 tons of NOx, 376 tons of particulate matter, 6,199 tons of CO2, and 135 tons of N2O. The NOx reductions alone are estimated to be equivalent to removing over 110,000 heavy-duty trucks from operation.
NOx and particulate matter are associated with serious health effects, including asthma attacks, respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular issues, which can lead to lung damage and premature death. CO2 and N2O are climate-impacting greenhouse gases, which can also endanger public health and welfare.
The Clean Air Act requires vehicle and engine manufacturers to submit testing data showing that their products meet air pollution emission standards in order to obtain certifications from EPA and California. As part of the certification process, manufacturers must conduct emission testing and submit test data demonstrating compliance with standards. Manufacturers must also disclose software functions that could affect engines’ emission controls. Further, motor vehicle engines must comply with emissions requirements to be lawfully imported into the United States. NHTSA regulations require that manufacturers like Hino provide fuel consumption values for each model year because these standards are designed to conserve fuel and increase efficiency.
The charges in the criminal information filed against Hino Motors, Ltd. are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. A plea hearing date has not yet been set. Future case updates will be listed at www.justice.gov/enrd/environmental-crime-victim-assistance/current-case-information-crime-victims. Individuals can contact the Justice Department regarding victim rights and services or the status of this case at (833) 676-181 or at [email protected]; please mention or put in the subject line: 198-01902. The Justice Department uses the Victim Notification System (VNS) to provide victims with case information and updates related to this case. If you believe you are a victim of the conduct described in the plea agreement and criminal information, please visit www.justice.gov/enrd/case/hino-motors-ltd.
The proposed global civil settlement consent decree is subject to a 30-day comment period and final court approval. More information on the consent decree and the process for submitting comments is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. This settlement agreement is part of a coordinated group of settlements resolved by the United States against Hino by EPA, NHTSA, CBP, and California with resolved False Claims Act and other state-only claims on behalf of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Attorney General.
Special agents of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID)’s Ann Arbor Field Office and FBI’s Detroit Field Office are investigating the criminal case.
Senior Trial Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the criminal case, with support from EPA’s Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel. The Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, CBP’s Office of Chief Counsel and Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel-Detroit, DOT-OIG and NHTSA provided assistance.
Senior Counsel David Laufman Weigert and Senior Attorney Alexandra Sherertz with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and Senior Legal Advisor Meetu Kaul and Attorney-Advisors Kayla Steinberg and Ian Altendorfer with EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Air Enforcement Division are handling the civil settlements. Engineers with EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality and OECA provided critical assistance.
CARB played an active and supportive role throughout the development and pursuit of the civil case and settlement negotiations by EPA and ENRD. Trial Attorneys Marilee Miller and Paulina Stamatelos with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are handling NHTSA-related claims. Assistant Chief Counsel Karen Hiyama and Attorney Jason W. Williams with CBP’s Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel-Detroit are handling CBP-related claims.
Hino Motors Ltd Criminal Information.pdfHino Motors Ltd Plea Agreement.pdfHino Motors, a Toyota Subsidiary, Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay over $1.6B to Resolve Emissions Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), FBI, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and State of California today reached criminal and multiple civil resolutions, valued at over $1.6 billion, with Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino Motors), Hino Motors Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. and Hino Motors Sales U.S.A., Inc. (collectively, Hino) for violations related to the submission of false and fraudulent engine emission testing and fuel consumption data to regulators and the illicit smuggling of engines into the United States. These resolutions are subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
This unlawful conduct allowed Hino, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation, to improperly secure approvals to import and sell, and cause to be imported and sold, more than 110,000 diesel engines in the United States from 2010 to 2022. These engines were primarily installed in heavy-duty trucks manufactured and sold by Hino nationwide.
“Today, Hino Motors, a subsidiary of Toyota, agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a criminal conspiracy to mislead regulators and consumers that violated federal environmental laws and endangered public health,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “No company is above the law. I am grateful to our federal and state partners for their work to hold Hino accountable for its criminal misconduct.”
“Hino knew the requirements that engines must meet to be certified to operate in the United States, yet it falsified data for years to skirt regulations,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Hino’s actions led to vast amounts of excess air pollution and were an egregious violation of our nation’s environmental, consumer protection and import laws. Today’s plea agreement and civil settlements, on behalf of myriad federal entities, mark the Justice Department’s commitment to protecting our environment and holding companies accountable for corporate wrongdoing.”
“Corporate crimes such as these endanger the health and well-being of innocent Americans, as well as the environment in which we all live,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. “My office is committed to aggressively seeking justice when corporate actors violate air quality standards and place our community at risk in order to increase their sales.”
“Hino Motors engaged in a years-long scheme to alter and fabricate emissions data in order to get a leg up over its competitors and boost their bottom-line,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “To further this fraudulent scheme, Hino violated laws and regulations intended to protect American’s health and the environment. The FBI is committed to working with our partners across the U.S. government to ensure that corporate bad actors who purposefully violate the law are held accountable for their criminal actions.”
“Providing false information to federal agencies subverts regulations designed to protect the public and reduce costs for consumers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to work closely with its partners to hold accountable companies that prioritize profit over complying with the law.”
“EPA and the American consumer rely on true and accurate data from engine manufacturers to protect our nation’s air quality. Hino’s actions directly undermined EPA’s program to protect the public from air pollution,” said Acting EPA Administrator Jane Nishida. “Today’s criminal charges and civil settlement demonstrates EPA’s commitment to hold companies like Hino Motors, Ltd. accountable for knowingly violating environmental laws and regulations that protect public health and the environment.”
“CBP works with partner government agencies to prioritize the enforcement of environmental laws and is driving meaningful change in trade practices,” said Executive Assistant Commissioner AnnMarie Highsmith of CBP’s Office of Trade. “This settlement is an example of CBP’s role in enforcing laws that facilitate legitimate trade and protect the American economy, creating a level playing field for American businesses and ensuring that consumers have access to fair, safe products.”
“Misleading federal regulators is a brazen crime that is reflected in the size and scope of today’s settlement agreement which holds Hino Motors accountable for their wrongdoing,” said Inspector General Eric J. Soskin of DOT. “The judicial actions taken today demonstrate the ongoing commitment of DOT-OIG to work with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to investigate improper and illegal conduct of automotive corporations that submit false fuel consumption values.”
“Hino knowingly took unlawful advantage of California’s incentives designed to accelerate the adoption of clean transportation technologies, which safeguard the health and safety of Californians from pollution,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to hold manufacturers like Hino accountable for breaking California’s laws. I want to thank our federal and state partners for their collective work on reaching this critical settlement.”
Global Resolution Details
As part of the global resolutions, Hino Motors, Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a multi-year criminal conspiracy. The plea agreement, which is subject to approval by the court, requires it to pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million, serve a five-year term of probation — during which it will be prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has manufactured into the United States — and implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure. Hino Motors, Ltd. has also agreed to entry of a forfeiture money judgment against it in the amount of $1.087 billion. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Hino’s future payments towards its civil settlement obligations, as well future payments as part of a civil class action settlement brought by private plaintiffs, will be credited towards its criminal forfeiture money judgment obligation.
In separate civil resolutions of environmental, customs and fuel economy claims by the federal government and the State of California, Hino will pay a civil penalty of $525 million based on its demonstrated financial condition. The global resolution includes the second largest criminal fine and fourth largest civil penalty in the history of EPA’s mobile source program.
Other provisions of the civil agreement include:
- A mitigation program, valued at $155 million, to offset excess air emissions from the violations by replacing marine and locomotive engines, and installing locomotive idle reduction technology systems, throughout 49 states (excluding California), including the reduction of over 41,000 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions;
- A recall program, valued at $144.2 million, to modify violative engines in 2017-2019 heavy-duty trucks so they comply with U.S. and California emissions laws;
- $123.6 million to fund mitigation projects and enforcement costs in California; and
- $30.3 million to resolve California False Claims Act claims.
EPA discovered Hino’s noncompliance as a result of conducting confirmatory testing of Hino’s engines. On Jan. 10, EPA voided engine approvals, called “certificates of conformity,” for Hino’s 2010-2019 diesel engines for heavy-duty trucks and nonroad equipment. This is the largest voiding action ever taken by EPA, reflecting the egregiousness of the conduct and the flagrant disregard for EPA’s certification program. That program is designed to provide a level playing field for vehicle and engine manufacturers seeking to do business in the United States.
Conduct Admitted to by Hino Motors, Ltd.
As part of its plea agreement, Hino Motors, Ltd. admits that between 2010 and 2019, it submitted and caused to be submitted false applications for engine certification approvals. Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers regularly altered emission test data, conducted tests improperly and fabricated data without conducting any underlying tests. Hino Motors, Ltd. further admits that it submitted fraudulent carbon dioxide emissions test data, which resulted in false fuel consumption values being calculated for its engines. Hino Motors, Ltd. engineers also failed to disclose software functions that could adversely affect engines’ emission control systems. As a result of the fraud, Hino Motors, Ltd. imported and sold over 105,000 non-conforming engines between 2010 and 2022.
Emissions Reductions
EPA estimates that Hino’s engines emitted levels of NOx, particulate matter, carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrous oxide (N2O) above the regulatory limits. Hino’s recall is designed to bring model year 2017-2019 truck engines into compliance with emissions standards. Its mitigation projects around the country will fully offset the lifetime excess emissions of all violative engines. These mitigation projects include:
- Replacing more than 35 older, dirtier marine and locomotive engines with engines certified to the strictest EPA diesel emission standards, and
- Installing idle reduction technology in over 135 locomotives.
The mitigation projects will reduce emissions by at least 41,941 tons of NOx, 376 tons of particulate matter, 6,199 tons of CO2, and 135 tons of N2O. The NOx reductions alone are estimated to be equivalent to removing over 110,000 heavy-duty trucks from operation.
NOx and particulate matter are associated with serious health effects, including asthma attacks, respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular issues, which can lead to lung damage and premature death. CO2 and N2O are climate-impacting greenhouse gases, which can also endanger public health and welfare.
The Clean Air Act requires vehicle and engine manufacturers to submit testing data showing that their products meet air pollution emission standards in order to obtain certifications from EPA and California. As part of the certification process, manufacturers must conduct emission testing and submit test data demonstrating compliance with standards. Manufacturers must also disclose software functions that could affect engines’ emission controls. Further, motor vehicle engines must comply with emissions requirements to be lawfully imported into the United States. NHTSA regulations require that manufacturers like Hino provide fuel consumption values for each model year because these standards are designed to conserve fuel and increase efficiency.
The charges in the criminal information filed against Hino Motors, Ltd. are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. A plea hearing date has not yet been set. Future case updates will be listed at www.justice.gov/enrd/environmental-crime-victim-assistance/current-case-information-crime-victims. Individuals can contact the Justice Department regarding victim rights and services or the status of this case at (833) 676-181 or at [email protected]; please mention or put in the subject line: 198-01902. The Justice Department uses the Victim Notification System (VNS) to provide victims with case information and updates related to this case. If you believe you are a victim of the conduct described in the plea agreement and criminal information, please visit www.justice.gov/enrd/case/hino-motors-ltd.
The proposed global civil settlement consent decree is subject to a 30-day comment period and final court approval. More information on the consent decree and the process for submitting comments is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees. This settlement agreement is part of a coordinated group of settlements resolved by the United States against Hino by EPA, NHTSA, CBP, and California with resolved False Claims Act and other state-only claims on behalf of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Attorney General.
Special agents of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID)’s Ann Arbor Field Office and FBI’s Detroit Field Office are investigating the criminal case.
Senior Trial Attorney Banumathi Rangarajan of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind for the Eastern District of Michigan are prosecuting the criminal case, with support from EPA’s Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel. The Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, CBP’s Office of Chief Counsel and Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel-Detroit, DOT-OIG and NHTSA provided assistance.
Senior Counsel David Laufman Weigert and Senior Attorney Alexandra Sherertz with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Gentner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and Senior Legal Advisor Meetu Kaul and Attorney-Advisors Kayla Steinberg and Ian Altendorfer with EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Air Enforcement Division are handling the civil settlements. Engineers with EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality and OECA provided critical assistance.
CARB played an active and supportive role throughout the development and pursuit of the civil case and settlement negotiations by EPA and ENRD. Trial Attorneys Marilee Miller and Paulina Stamatelos with the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are handling NHTSA-related claims. Assistant Chief Counsel Karen Hiyama and Attorney Jason W. Williams with CBP’s Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel-Detroit are handling CBP-related claims.
Hino Motors Ltd Criminal Information.pdf Hino Motors Ltd Plea Agreement.pdfHeart Butte man admits sexually abusing two girls on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS — A Heart Butte man accused of sexually abusing children on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to charges on Jan. 14, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Bradley Joseph Guardipee, 26, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and commission of a sex offense by a registered sex offender. Guardipee faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years to life of supervised release on the aggravated sexual abuse charges and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, consecutive to any sentence imposed on the aggravated sexual abuse charges, for the commission of a sexual offense by a registered sex offender.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for May 28. Guardipee was detained pending further proceedings.
In a plea agreement, the parties agreed that a specific disposition of between 20 years and 30 years in prison is appropriate in this case.
The government alleged in court documents that in July 2024, Jane Doe 3 disclosed that she was sexually assaulted by Guardipee in 2022, when she was 11 and was in a residence alone with Guardipee. Doe 3 was taking a nap when Guardipee sexually assaulted her. Doe 3 reported that she knew at least four other girls who were sexually abused by Guardipee. Forensic interviews followed and six girls disclosed some kind of abusive touching by Guardipee.
The government also alleged that Jane Doe 1 reported being sexually abused by the defendant since she was about three years old. She reported in March 2024, when she was 12 years old, that Guardipee sexually abused her while she was in a vehicle with him. At the time of the March 2024 assault on Doe 1, Guardipee was required to register as a sex offender. Guardipee was required to register after being convicted by a guilty plea in May 2023 to sexual assault in state District Court in Cascade County.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and the FBI conducted the investigation.
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Guatemala Resident Ordered Removed from U.S. After Pleading Guilty to Illegal Reentry ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Guatemala pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served and ordered removed from the United States, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Josue Raul Ascon-Morales, 26.
According to information presented to the Court, Ascon-Morales was previously removed from the United States in March 2008. On September 1, 2024, the Moon Township Police Department encountered Ascon-Morales in the Western District of Pennsylvania secondary to a traffic stop. Law enforcement determined that Ascon-Morales was unlawfully present in the United States, and he was taken into custody by immigration authorities on October 22, 2024. He admitted to unlawfully entering the United States in April 2018, and was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 19, 2024.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ascon-Morales.
Grand jury charges Dayton man with 12 armed robberiesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton man was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with committing 12 separate armed robberies last month throughout southwest Ohio.
Timothy Farr, 43, was originally arrested in December 2024 after being charged by criminal complaint for committing eight of the robberies.
The 24-count indictment includes 12 counts of interfering with commerce by threats or violence (punishable by up to 20 years in prison) and 12 counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence (punishable by at least seven years and up to life in prison).
The indictment says Farr allegedly brandished a firearm at local gas stations, convenience stores and drive thru stores, demanding cash and cigarettes.
During the robberies, it is alleged Farr often wore a dark jacket, pants and shoes, as well as gray two-tone style gloves and a black balaclava mask covering part of his face. In some instances, Farr also allegedly wore an N-95 style mask. Farr allegedly brandished a black firearm.
Farr is accused of committing armed robberies on:
- Dec. 3, 2024, at Sunoco gas station on Wayne Avenue in Dayton,
- Dec. 4, 2024, at Marathon gas station on Linden Avenue in Riverside,
- Dec. 6, 2024, at Ray’s Xenia Avenue Market on Xenia Avenue in Dayton,
- Dec. 7, 2024, at Free Pike Drive-Thru on Free Pike in Dayton,
- Dec. 8, 2024, at Sunoco gas station on Selma Road in Springfield,
- *Dec. 8, 2024, at Family Dollar on Salem Avenue in Trotwood,
- Dec. 10, 2024, at Mini Mart on N. Main Street in Dayton,
- Dec. 11, 2024, at Marathon gas station on E. Fifth Street in Dayton,
- *Dec. 12, 2024, at White Oak Deli on Cheviot Road in Green Township,
- *Dec. 14, 2024, at Family Dollar on West Main Street in Springfield,
- Dec. 15, 2024, at Sammy’s Drive-thru store on Woodman Drive in Riverside, and
- *Dec. 15, 2024, at United Dairy Farmers on Vine Street in Cincinnati.
*Robberies added at indictment
During the investigation, law enforcement was able to identify a vehicle of interest using the Flock Safety Camera System and identified a 2011 red Ford Taurus linked to armed robbery locations.
When Dayton police officers initiated a traffic stop of the red Taurus on Dec. 16, 2024, Farr was allegedly in the front passenger seat wearing the outfit described in the armed robberies, had an N-95 style mask on the floorboard and gray two-tone gloves in his pocket. Farr also allegedly had a 9mm pistol in his waistband.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott; Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal; Green Township Police Chief James Vetter; Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge; Trotwood Police Chief Erik Wilson; and Riverside Police Chief Frank Robinson announced the charges filed yesterday afternoon. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Anyone with information regarding these incidents should contact ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477). Individuals may also email [email protected], or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. Tips may also be submitted to ATF using the ReportIt® app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com.
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Grand Jury Charges Hunting Guide and Company with Wildlife ViolationsRead the Press Release
A grand jury in Seattle returned an indictment today charging a Washington man and his company with conspiracy and for violating the Lacey Act by transporting birds that had been hunted in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).
The indictment alleges that, from August 2022 to January 2023, Branden Trager, 46, of Brush Prairie, Washington, and his guiding company, Mayhem Services LLC, guided three hunting parties in Canada to hunt waterfowl when Trager was not permitted under Canadian law to do so.
According to the indictment, Trager and Mayhem Services took hunters across the U.S.-Canadian border near Blaine, Washington. The hunts targeted the harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus), a small sea duck with a habitat ranging from Alaska to California. Hunters prize the harlequin as a trophy and as part of a challenge to hunt 41 North American waterfowl species. Washington closed harlequin hunting for the 2022-2023 season, but limited hunting remained open in British Columbia.
The indictment alleges that the hunters paid Trager thousands of dollars to guide them in Canada, and Trager falsely told Canadian and Homeland Security authorities that he was hunting with friends. Trager allegedly conspired with a Canadian taxidermist to have the hunted birds shipped back to the United States in violation of the Lacey Act.
The Lacey Act is the nation’s oldest wildlife trafficking law. It prohibits, among other things, transporting wildlife that had been illegally taken under federal, state, tribal or foreign law. The MBTA is a U.S. law that implemented treaties with Canada and other nations to ensure sustainable populations of migratory birds. The MBTA imposed regulations on bird hunting, such as limits on the quantity and hunting methods allowed to take migratory birds.
An initial appearance hearing in federal court is scheduled for Jan. 23. The maximum penalty for both the conspiracy and Lacey Act charges is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the economic gain or loss.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and Deputy Assistant Director Keith Toomey of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)’s Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.
The USFWS’ Office of Law Enforcement led the investigation along with Homeland Security Investigations, British Columbia Conservation Officer Service and Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Sarah Brown of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Global Cryptocurrency Exchange BitMEX Fined $100 Million for Violating Bank Secrecy ActRead the Press Release
Matthew Podolsky, Attorney for the United States, Acting under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, announced that HDR GLOBAL TRADING LTD., a/k/a “BITMEX”, was sentenced today to a fine of $100 million for violating the Bank Secrecy Act by willfully failing to establish, implement, and maintain an adequate anti-money laundering (“AML”) and know-your-customer (“KYC”) program.
Attorney for the United States Matthew Podolsky said: “Anti-money laundering and know-your-customer rules protect Americans from fraud, combat money laundering, and prevent the financing of terrorist activity. It is critical that all financial institutions, including cryptocurrency exchanges, comply with these rules to protect our country’s economy and national security. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that companies that willfully violate these rules and refuse to implement AML/KYC programs will face consequences.”
According to the allegations in the Information and other filings and statements made in court:
Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed founded BITMEX in or about 2014, and Gregory Dwyer became BITMEX’s first employee in 2015 and later its Head of Business Development. BITMEX, which has long serviced and solicited business from U.S. traders and operated through U.S. offices, was required to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and to establish and maintain an adequate AML program. AML programs ensure that financial institutions, such as BITMEX, are not exploited for illicit purposes and serve to protect the integrity of the U.S. financial system and national security more broadly.
BITMEX and its executives knew that because BITMEX served U.S. customers, it was required to implement an AML program that included a KYC component but chose to flaunt those requirements, requiring only that customers provide an email address to use BITMEX’s services. Indeed, senior executives each knew that customers residing in the U.S. continued to access BITMEX’s trading platform through at least in or about 2018, and that BITMEX policies nominally in place to prevent such trading were toothless or easily overridden to serve BITMEX’s bottom line goal of obtaining revenue through the U.S. market without regard to U.S. criminal laws. Corporate executives took affirmative steps purportedly designed to exempt BITMEX from the application of U.S. laws like AML and KYC requirements, despite knowing of BITMEX’s obligation to implement such programs by operating in the U.S. As part of BITMEX’s willful evasion of U.S. AML laws, the company lied to a bank about the purpose and nature of a subsidiary to allow BITMEX to pump millions of dollars through the U.S. financial system.
Hayes, Delo, and Reed, BITMEX’s three founders and top executives, and Dwyer, another top executive, all previously entered guilty pleas for violating the Bank Secrecy Act and were sentenced in 2022. The corporation entered a guilty plea on July 10, 2024, and was sentenced today.
* * *
In addition to the fine, BITMEX was sentenced to two years’ probation.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Money Laundering Investigation Squad.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance & Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Greenwood and Thane Rehn are in charge of the prosecution.
Glassport Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Glassport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on January 14, 2025, to a charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Rashee Beasley, 33, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Beasley, who has been convicted of multiple felony offenses, was found in possession of a loaded and stolen firearm on October 27, 2022. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Monroeville Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Beasley.
Former spouse of deceased U.S. Army veteran pleads guilty to fraud for improperly claiming military benefitsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The divorced spouse of a deceased U.S. Army veteran awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to fraudulently claiming her ex-husband’s benefits.
Miranda Rachel Briggs, a/k/a “Miranda Rachel Fisher,”34, of Rincon, Georgia, pled guilty to Wire Fraud, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The guilty plea subjects Briggs to a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial financial penalties and restitution.
“Programs that financially benefit surviving family members of deceased veterans are designed to provide a safety net to those survivors,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “This guilty plea demonstrates the tenacity of investigators and prosecutors in dismantling this scheme.”
The guilty plea outlines key events that began in November 2015 when Briggs married G.B., a U.S. Army veteran, keeping her maiden name “Fisher.” Less than a year later, Briggs filed for divorce. Two weeks after the divorce was final, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs granted G.B.’s request to remove Briggs as a recipient of G.B.’s benefits.
Briggs filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in January 2018, certifying that she and G.B. were divorced. After G.B. died about two weeks later, Briggs filed for VA benefits, falsely claiming to be G.B.’s surviving spouse. In April 2018 she also claimed to be G.B.’s spouse when applying for benefits from the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
As a result of those false claims, Briggs received approximately $49,000 for medical care, and approximately $80,000 in benefits from the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Program.
After the VA’s initial decision to deny her claim to G.B.’s VA survivor benefits, Briggs submitted additional paperwork claiming she and G.B. were married until his death in 2018. Based on this claim, the VA granted her the benefits. She then filed a petition in Chatham County Superior Court, changing her name from Miranda Rachel Fisher to Miranda Rachel Briggs. In April 2021, Briggs was named administrator of G.B.’s estate after claiming in Chatham County Probate Court to be G.B.’s surviving spouse.
In March 2023, the Chatham County Probate Court removed Briggs as administrator after finding she was divorced from G.B. at the time of his death and not eligible to act as an administrator of his estate.
U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood will schedule a sentencing hearing for Briggs after completion of a pre-sentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
“This guilty plea holds the defendant accountable for defrauding vital VA programs that provide monetary benefits for survivors of service members and veterans,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the VA OIG Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out fraudulent activity and seek the prosecution of those who would compromise the integrity of VA’s programs and services.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Z. Spitulnik and Patricia G. Rhodes.
Foreign national sentenced for racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Romanian national convicted of plotting to traffic hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from the United States in a scheme that also included money laundering, arms trafficking, and an attempt to assassinate rival gang members, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Marius Lazar, 51, of Bucharest, Romania, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on January 15, 2025.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Lazar was a “founding member” of his local chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, a transnational outlaw motorcycle gang that was founded in the United States and is now active on six continents. Through his relationship with a fellow Hells Angels member from New Zealand, Lazar joined a conspiracy to purchase more than 400 kilograms of cocaine from a person in the United States, who the conspirators believed was a powerful drug trafficker but who was actually an undercover agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As part of his negotiations for the cocaine purchase, Lazar also solicited the undercover agent to kill two members of a rival motorcycle club in Romania, and offered to supply the undercover with rifles, grenades, armored vehicles, and other military-grade equipment that Lazar understood would be used against police officers in the United States. Members of the conspiracy sent nearly $1 million to the United States, via bank wires and Bitcoin transfers, as payment for the drugs and murders.
On November 17, 2023, a federal jury in Beaumont convicted Lazar of conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Co-defendants Murray Michael Matthews and Marc Patrick Johnson remain fugitives.
The DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations investigated the case, with significant assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Rapp for the Eastern District of Texas, Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor Mulroe, formerly of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and currently for the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Columbia, and VCRS Trial Attorney Jared Engelking prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Romania to secure the arrest and extradition of Lazar.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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