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20 December 2024
Felon Who Shot at FBI Task Force Officer During a Car Theft Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Keith Pharms, a previously convicted felon, also known as “B-Boy,” has been sentenced to federal prison for assaulting a federal task force officer with a firearm during a car theft.
“Pharms is a repeat violent offender who callously threatened the safety of citizens and a law enforcement officer,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Our office is grateful for the exemplary collaborative efforts and sacrificial service of our federal and local law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to especially protect our communities from dangerous criminals.”
“Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer is dangerous and an extreme threat to public safety. Stopping violent criminals, like Pharms, is one of the most important things we can do to protect our communities,” said Sean Burke, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Thankfully, no one—including our Task Force officer—was injured during Pharms’ act of terror. Atlanta is a safer community with him off the streets.”
“This case underscores the importance of collaborative efforts among local, state, and federal agencies to hold violent offenders accountable and protect our neighborhoods from gun violence,” said Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum. “Working with our partners is vital to ensure justice is served and Atlanta remains a safe place for everyone.”
“Gun violence remains a threat to the safety and security of our communities,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Jones. “ATF will remain steadfast in working alongside our partners to disrupt and dismantle violent criminal activity, ensuring that offenders like Pharms are held accountable under the law.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: On February 24, 2022, Pharms, eight days after his release from a state prison in Georgia, used his mother’s car, a Chevrolet SS, to steal a Dodge Charger from a garage in a midtown Atlanta complex. An 18-year-old co-defendant drove the Chevy, while another co-defendant, Jokava Harris, accompanied Pharms to the garage. Harris then used a key programmer to steal the Dodge Charger. The 18-year-old trailed the stolen Dodge Charger in the Chevy with Pharms in the passenger seat acting as an armed escort.
Based on recent activity of stolen cars, an FBI task force officer was surveilling the area when he observed the two vehicles traveling in tandem. The officer then began to follow the vehicles when Pharms fired multiple times out of the window of the Chevy. Despite being fired upon, the officer continued to trail the vehicles. As the officer entered a curve in the road, he realized that Pharms and his co-defendants were waiting to ambush him. More gunshots were fired, striking the officer’s vehicle with a bullet that narrowly missed his headrest.
The stolen Charger and Chevy were later located by Atlanta Police Department officers, however, all three defendants had abandoned the vehicles and fled on foot, eluding arrest. The three defendants were later arrested and Pharms’ co-defendants both pleaded guilty and were sentenced by the Court.
While detained by the U.S. Marshals Service awaiting trial, Pharms possessed contraband cellphones and on one occasion used a cellphone to re-post on social media the name of a witness and a partial copy of a report of the information the witness provided to law enforcement, along with the image of a rat. During his detention, a handcuff key was also found in Pharms’ cell, causing authorities to be concerned that he might try to escape.
Keith Pharms, aka “B-Boy,” 26, of Atlanta, Georgia was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to 15 years, two months, and 10 days in prison followed by three years of supervised release. A federal jury convicted Pharms on September 26, 2024, of assault on a federal officer, carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a contraband cellphone, and possession of an escape tool.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Atlanta Police Department, with valuable assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Plummer and Jessica C. Morris 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.
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.
Federal jury convicts father and son in kidnapping conspiracies attempting to force their daughter/sister to marry in YemenRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal jury has convicted Khaled Abughanem, 52, and Adham Abughanem, 28, both of Lackawanna, NY, of conspiracy to kidnap a person in a foreign country and kidnapping conspiracy, which carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Defendant Khaled Abughanem was also convicted of threatening to retaliate against a victim.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Maeve E. Huggins, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that on September 8, 2021, Khaled Abughanem and Adham Abughanem flew from Buffalo, NY, to Guadalajara, Mexico to kidnap Victim 1, who is the daughter of Khaled and the sister of Adham. Between September 10, 2021, and April 6, 2023, the defendants conspired to transport Victim 1 from the Western District of New York to Cairo, Egypt, and then to Sanaa, Yemen, where they confined Victim 1 for approximately 16 months with the purpose of marrying her to a man not of her choosing. In addition, on March 14, 2023, defendant Khaled Abughanem threatened to “slaughter[]” Victim 1 in retaliation for information given by Victim 1 to a law enforcement officer relating to the commission of a federal offense.
“This verdict brings to an end a difficult time for the victim, who was twice kidnapped by family members, taken to Yemen against her will, held for more than a year, denied freedom of movement and communication, physically assaulted and had her life threatened” stated U.S. Attorney Ross. “These defendants are being held accountable because of the courage of this victim and the unwavering dedication of the investigators and prosecutors on this case.”
“The FBI prioritizes the protection of civil rights and safety of American citizens,” said Matthew Miraglia, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Buffalo Field Office. Today’s verdict is a direct result of the strong investigative work conducted by the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. The FBI values all our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, which are paramount.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service would like to recognize the unshakable courage of the victim in this case as well as the close collaboration between DSS, the Western District of New York U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Lackawanna Police Department,” said DSS Protective Intelligence Investigations Director Greg Anderson.” The Diplomatic Security Service has the largest global presence of any U.S. law enforcement agency and remains committed to ensuring individuals like Adham and Khaled Abughanem who commit heinous criminal acts face justice In the United States.”
The verdict is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, under the direction of Protective Intelligence Investigations Director Greg Anderson.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 17, 2025, before Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., who presided over the trial of the case.
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Extradited Canadian National Sentenced to Life in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Paul Creighton (67, Ontario, Canada) to life in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material and enticement of a minor. Creighton entered a guilty plea on August 19, 2024.
According to the plea agreement and evidence presented at sentencing, between 2012 and 2017, Creighton coerced and enticed minor children throughout the United States, including Florida, Virginia, Georgia, and California to create images and videos of themselves performing sexual acts.
One such victim, a 14-year-old girl living in Osceola County, was coerced by Creighton via social media applications. In April 2017, the victim confided in a friend about the relationship she engaged in with Creighton. The friend notified a high school guidance counselor, who notified the victim’s parents, who then immediately called law enforcement. After being discovered, Creighton advised the victim on what to say to her parents, to reset her phone, reformat her hard drive, and delete messages between them. Creighton later threatened the victim, and told her he would share her images and videos if the victim did not continue to speak to him.
In October 2017, FBI agents seized various electronic devices from Creighton. Agents obtained search warrants and conducted forensic reviews of those devices, which revealed photographs of the minor victim, online searches for the victim and their family, as well as numerous searches for other minor children throughout the United States.
On or about October 24, 2017—at the same time that Creighton was flying to
Washington, DC from Toronto—detectives with the Niagara Regional Police in coordination with the FBI, executed a Canadian search warrant at Creighton’s residence in Ontario. In his home, agents recovered hundreds of images of minor children, including images of child sexual abuse of the minor victims.
Creighton was indicted in 2018 and was taken into custody by Canadian authorities on November 12, 2020. On February 8, 2024, Creighton was extradited to the United States, and has been in custody since that date.
“The life sentence will guarantee no other child falls victim to this man’s horrific abuse,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “Our special agents and analysts work these tough investigations with compassion and commitment to ensure justice is served and the innocent are protected from predators.”
This investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tampa Field Office. Significant assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Niagara Regional Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Creighton to the United States. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Exeter Man on Federal Supervised Release Detained on Multiple ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – An Exeter man, currently serving a term of federal supervised release related to his previous convictions for possession of stolen mail and bank fraud, has been ordered detained on federal charges brough this week after he was allegedly discovered to be in possession of stolen checks, various items used for fishing mail out of mail receptacles, supplies to alter or deface checks, and unlawful possession of ammunition, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Edmilson Rodrigues, 26, is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, possession of stolen mail, and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
It is alleged in charging documents that on December 17, 2024, during a court-authorized search of Rodrigues’ home, law enforcement seized approximately fifty stolen business and personal checks valued at approximately $36,000; hundreds of sheets of blank check paper; a check washing basin and cleaning materials used to deface and alter checks; a laptop and printer; and various items used to fish mail from U.S. Postal Service receptacles, such as mousetraps, glue, and string; and ammunition.
According to court records, Rodrigues was convicted in U.S. District Court in 2019 for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud involving a counterfeit check scheme; and in 2023 for possession of stolen mail that involved possession of nearly 100 stolen and fraudulent checks worth nearly $100,000.
The most recent charges filed against Rodrigues are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Ly T. Chin. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Newport Police Department, Providence Police Department, and Pawtucket Police Department.
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Ethete woman sentenced for distribution of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
Beatrice Irene Willis, 52, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 65 months’ imprisonment with three years’ supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Dec. 19 in Cheyenne.
According to court documents, in October of 2023, the Safe Trails Task Force, led by the FBI, received information that Willis was selling controlled substances from her residence in Ethete. On Jan. 19, agents conducted a controlled buy of two ounces of methamphetamine from Willis. During a follow-up interview, she admitted to regularly distributing controlled substances on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
The Safe Trails Task Force investigates drug trafficking on the Wind River Indian Reservation, and in surrounding communities, with an emphasis on identifying and stopping the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. In addition to the FBI, task force members include the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Riverton Police Department, the Lander Police Department, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
Willis was indicted on May 16 and pleaded guilty on June 25. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted this case.
Case No. 24-CR-00077
East Bay Man Who Claimed His Marijuana Distribution Business Was A “Nonprofit” Sentenced to over Three Years for Pandemic Relief Loan FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A Brentwood man was sentenced yesterday to 37 months in prison for defrauding the United States by obtaining approximately $300,000 in COVID-19 relief funds for his “nonprofit” that was an unlicensed marijuana distribution business. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Rita F. Lin, U.S. District Judge, following defendant’s guilty plea on two counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Thanh Duy Nguyen, 53, ran and was the sole officer of T&A Distribution, an unlicensed interstate marijuana trafficking scheme with grow houses around the Bay Area. Nguyen used T&A Distribution to obtain two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act authorized the SBA to provide EIDL loans to small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the first application, which he submitted in April 2020, Nguyen certified that he was not engaged in any illegal activity as defined by federal law, even though he knew that his marijuana distribution business was illegal under federal law. Nguyen fraudulently claimed that T&A Distribution was a nonprofit in the business of “Antiques/Collectibles,” when its business was marijuana distribution. Nguyen also made other false statements, including about T&A Distribution’s gross revenue and employee count. The true amount of T&A Distribution’s gross revenues in the 12 months before Jan. 31, 2020, was approximately $2.4 million.
On a second EIDL application, which he submitted in June 2020, Nguyen again falsely certified that he was not engaged in any illegal activity as defined by federal law, and misrepresented T&A Distribution as a nonprofit in the business of “Miscellaneous Services.” He also made false statements about the business’s gross revenues, cost of operations, and employee count.
As a result of the falsified applications, Nguyen received approximately $300,000 in EIDL funds. He used a significant amount of the loan funds for his marijuana distribution business and for gambling.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Lin sentenced Nguyen to three years of supervised release and to pay $300,000 in restitution and $300,000 in forfeiture. Nguyen will begin serving his sentence on Feb. 28, 2025.
United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris, and SBA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Special Agent in Charge of the Western Region Weston King made the announcement.
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.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Tartakovsky prosecuted the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DEA and SBA OIG.
Dutch National Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Xiomara Christian, age 37, of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, was sentenced yesterday to 33 months of incarceration following her guilty plea to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.
As part of her guilty plea on October 10, 2024, Christian admitted that from May 2017 to November 2018, she and a co-conspirator laundered drug proceeds from Europe and Australia through bank accounts in the Northern District of New York, intending to conceal the true source of the proceeds, and to make it appear as though the money was legally obtained through legitimate business transactions.
On October 4, 2018, Christian delivered €101,950 ($114,816.09) in drug proceeds to an undercover agent with the National Police of The Netherlands in The Netherlands. On October 5, 2018, an undercover agent with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission picked up $85,000 AUD ($57,843 USD) in drug proceeds from another co-conspirator in Melbourne, Australia. Christian then had the money wired through a bank account in Latham, New York, and sent to bank accounts in Panama.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn also ordered the entry of a money judgment against Christian in the amount of $172,659. Christian faces removal from the United States following service of her term of imprisonment.
The DEA investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer prosecuted the case.
Dr. Donald J. Dinello, D.M.D. Agrees to Pay $120,000 in Civil Penalties for Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG, PA —The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dr. Donald J. Dinello, D.M.D., with practice locations in Harrisburg and Hershey, has agreed to pay the United States $120,000 in civil penalties for allegedly failing to comply with recordkeeping and other requirements of the Controlled Substances Act.
The Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. sections 801 et seq. (CSA), was passed to combat illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances, including prescription medications. The CSA’s recordkeeping and prescribing requirements are to prevent the diversion of controlled substances for illegal purposes. The CSA is enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division, whose mission is to prevent, detect, and investigate the diversion of controlled pharmaceuticals and listed chemicals from legitimate sources while ensuring adequate and uninterrupted supply for legitimate medical, commercial, and scientific needs. Under the CSA, entities registered with the DEA who purchase, distribute, dispense, transfer, or sell controlled substances must comply with prescription, inventory, and other documentation requirements. Regulations promulgated under the CSA require that each DEA registrant, including registered practitioners, maintain complete and accurate records of each substance manufactured, received, sold, delivered, dispensed, or otherwise disposed of by the registrant. These requirements play a vital role in ensuring the appropriate handling, accounting, and distribution of controlled substances. Violations of the record-keeping and prescription requirements subject DEA registrants to civil monetary penalties.
According to the allegations, between January of 2023 and August of 2024, Dr. Dinello failed to use the required DEA form 222 for each distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance, failed to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances dispensed by him at both his registered locations, failed to maintain biennial inventory at both his registered locations, and in one instance, failed to issue a prescription for a Schedule IV controlled substance in the usual course of his professional practice. Dr. Dinello acknowledges he is required to operate in accordance with the statutory and regulatory provisions of the CSA and its implementing regulations.
“Practitioners who register with DEA in order to prescribe and dispense medications that fall under the Controlled Substances Act have an obligation to prescribe appropriately and keep careful records and inventories,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam. “Not fulfilling those obligations makes it difficult or even impossible to be sure those potentially dangerous medications are being dispensed and handled appropriately and are not being diverted. The pursuit of this matter illustrates the continued dedication of our office to protecting the public in MDPA."
“The goal of DEA’s closed system of distribution is to ensure accountability for controlled substances and physicians who fail to maintain proper records of controlled substances create conditions ripe for diversion” said Thomas Hodnett, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Philadelphia Field Division. “The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates its emphasis on combating diversion of controlled substances. The record keeping and other regulations applicable to DEA registrants, including physicians, are the tools by which the DEA deters drug diversion.”
The Settlement Agreement is neither an admission of liability by Dr. Dinello nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
The case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Control Division. The investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney, Tamara J. Haken and the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit within the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
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Des Moines Individuals Charged in Joint State and Federal Investigation of Fentanyl Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a three-count indictment charging five Des Moines individuals with offenses related to fentanyl trafficking.
The following individuals are charged in the Indictment:
· Devonte Darnell Hassell, also known as “Domo”, “Dom”, and “Rose”, 28, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
· Ryan Redmond, also known as “Chiefy”, 31, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 5‑year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
· Kevin Stanley Harris, Jr., also known as “Rylo” and “Big Hands”, 42, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison, as he is alleged to have a prior serious drug felony conviction.
· Adonis Angel Devora, 43, is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
· Ricky Jamall Ellis, 30, is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
These individuals were all arrested on December 18, 2024: four in Des Moines, and one in Houston, Texas. The same day, thirteen federal search warrants were executed, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 610 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 135 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 260 grams of marijuana, as well as 19 firearms and more than $13,000 in U.S. currency.
The charges stem from a months’ long investigation into fentanyl distribution within the Des Moines area.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and FBI Des Moines Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF) are investigating the case, with assistance from the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa State Patrol SWAT, United States Marshals Service, Ames Police Department, West Des Moines Police Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (MINE), Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Story County Sheriff’s Office, Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force (MIDTF), Central Iowa Drug Task Force (CIDTF), Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT), Metro Special Tactics and Response (STAR), the Chicago, Illinois Police Department, and the Houston, Texas Police Department.
This investigation 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Des Moines Individuals Charged in Joint State and Federal Investigation of Fentanyl Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a three-count indictment charging five Des Moines individuals with offenses related to fentanyl trafficking.
The following individuals are charged in the Indictment:
- Devonte Darnell Hassell, also known as “Domo”, “Dom”, and “Rose”, 28, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
- Ryan Redmond, also known as “Chiefy”, 31, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 5‑year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
- Kevin Stanley Harris, Jr., also known as “Rylo” and “Big Hands”, 42, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison, as he is alleged to have a prior serious drug felony conviction.
- Adonis Angel Devora, 43, is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
- Ricky Jamall Ellis, 30, is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
These individuals were all arrested on December 18, 2024: four in Des Moines, and one in Houston, Texas. The same day, thirteen federal search warrants were executed, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 610 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 135 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 260 grams of marijuana, as well as 19 firearms and more than $13,000 in U.S. currency.
The charges stem from a months’ long investigation into fentanyl distribution within the Des Moines area.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and FBI Des Moines Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF) are investigating the case, with assistance from the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa State Patrol SWAT, United States Marshals Service, Ames Police Department, West Des Moines Police Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (MINE), Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Story County Sheriff’s Office, Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force (MIDTF), Central Iowa Drug Task Force (CIDTF), Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT), Metro Special Tactics and Response (STAR), the Chicago, Illinois Police Department, and the Houston, Texas Police Department.
This investigation 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dentist Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Stealing Drugs from Patients and Performing Surgery Without Proper Pain ManagementRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Rochester, Illinois, dentist, Phillip M. Jensen, 64, was sentenced on December 18, 2024, to 15 years in prison for stealing fentanyl from his patients, injecting them with adulterated drugs, and performing surgery without proper pain management. Jenson also was ordered to pay a $200,000 fine.
Jensen previously pleaded guilty to two counts of drug diversion, two counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, one count of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury, and two counts of false statements relating to health care matters in August 2024.
Jensen, who prior to having his license suspended in 2022 had specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery, started stealing fentanyl form his patients as early as December 2019. This conduct first came to light when his staff began noticing patients who were moving, moaning, and otherwise showing signs of pain and distress during surgery.
Jensen admitted that he had stolen at least half of the fentanyl in every vial in the practice. He acknowledged removing the safety caps, withdrawing at least half of the fentanyl in the single-use vials, refilling the vials with saline, and gluing the caps back on to the vials. In a further effort to hide what he had done, Jensen made false entries into his surgical records claiming that he had given quantities of full-strength and unadulterated fentanyl to his patients to control their pain. He further billed both public and private insurance for these surgeries utilizing these same falsified records. In all, Jensen stole more than 40 grams of fentanyl for his personal use through his fraud.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government presented evidence of Jensen’s lengthy history with addiction, his previous efforts at treatment, and his ultimate decision to prey upon his patients by stealing the drugs that were meant to provide them with comfort during their surgeries. The government presented evidence of the elaborate steps Jensen took to disguise his theft and how his theft of this necessary pain medication impacted his patients.
During the hearing, Judge Lawless also heard from several of the more than 99 identified victims of Jensen’s fraud, including the statement of a mother who discussed looking into the face of their child immediately following the surgery as the child cried and stated that they had “felt everything.” The government also presented the statement of a patient that awoke during her surgery. When Jensen realized she was awake, he struck the patient in the head with an instrument and completed the surgery, which involved the extraction of multiple teeth as well as the shaping and smoothing of the bones in her jaw, while she was conscious and lacking pain management.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Lawless rejected Jensen’s argument that he was less culpable than an average drug dealer. She noted that Jensen profited from his crimes. She also stated that while a dealer provides drugs to knowing and willing participants, Jensen provided diluted drugs without the consent or knowledge of his victims. She noted that Jensen was a physician who used his position of trust to hurt others. Judge Lawless concluded by asking, “If you cannot trust your doctor, who can you trust?”
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Jensen in February 2022 charging him with twenty felony counts. He was originally released on bond, but a warrant was issued in July 2024 for violation of the terms and conditions of bond after he stalked and harassed a potential witness in the case. Jensen was detained at that time, and he has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.
Judge Lawless, in imposing the fifteen-year sentence, rejected Jensen’s arguments for a lower drug weight and noted the egregious nature of his conduct. In addition to the $200,000 fine imposed, Judge Lawless also ordered Jensen to repay the government for the costs of the expert witness it had to hire. Jensen also lost his medical license as a result of his conduct.
“This case represents the commitment of the Department of Justice, both in the Central District of Illinois and beyond, to protect and defend the public from those that would prey upon them,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “People are never as vulnerable as when they place their faith in a health care provider to not only treat their condition but to administer anesthesia and pain medicine during that treatment. Jensen abused that faith and hurt others in the process. Because of this prosecution, Jensen will not be permitted to practice medicine again and will be prevented from hurting members of our community in the future.”
“Health care professionals who tamper with patient medications create a risk of harm to patients, and also put at risk the trust that U.S. consumers have in those who provide their medical care,” said Ronne Malham, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice health care professionals who take advantage of their unique medical positions and tamper with patients’ medications.”
“Medical professionals who violate their oaths to ‘do no harm’ must be held accountable,” said Sheila Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration – Chicago Division. “The DEA will continue working to keep Illinois families safe from medical professionals who illegally divert opioid painkillers from legitimate medical supplies.”
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Unit, Springfield Resident Office, which focuses on cases involving pharmaceutical controlled substances diverted from the legal chain of commerce to the illegal drug market, investigated this case in conjunction with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Food and Drug Administration, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
Dayton man charged federally with committing string of armed robberiesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton man appeared in federal court on Dec. 19 on charges alleging he committed at least eight armed robberies in the area this month.
Timothy Farr, 43, allegedly brandished a firearm at local gas stations and drive thru stores, demanding cash and cigarettes.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, from Dec. 3 through Dec. 15, Farr committed multiple armed robberies at area businesses.
Specifically, it is alleged that on Dec. 3, Farr, wearing a dark jacket, pants and shoes, as well as gray two-tone style gloves and a black balaclava mask covering part of his face, entered a Sunoco gas station on Wayne Avenue in Dayton at around 10pm. Farr allegedly brandished a black firearm and demanded cash from both registers. It is alleged Far also demanded several packs of cigarettes and a box of Black and Mild Filter Tips. Farr allegedly brought a green plastic bag with him for the cash and items.
The next day around 11:30pm, Farr allegedly committed an armed robbery at a Marathon gas station on Linden Avenue in Riverside. Farr allegedly wore the same clothing as the first robbery with the addition of an N-95 style mask.
Farr is also accused of committing armed robberies on these dates and locations:
- Dec. 6 at Ray’s Xenia Avenue Market on Xenia Avenue in Dayton
- Dec. 7 at Free Pike Drive-Thru on Free Pike in Dayton
- Dec. 8 at Sunoco gas station on Selma Road in Springfield
- Dec. 10 at Mini Mart on N. Main Street in Dayton
- Dec. 11 at Marathon gas station on E. Fifth Street in Dayton
- Dec. 15 at Sammy’s Drive-thru store on Woodman Drive in Riverside
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, 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, and Riverside Police Chief Frank Robinson announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint 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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Council Bluffs Woman Sentenced to 14 Months & Ordered to Pay over $150,000 in Restitution to Vulnerable Victim of Access Device FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Ashtin D. Schutjer, age 36, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced on December 20, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for access device fraud. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Schutjer to 14 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, Schutjer will be placed on a 3-year term of supervised release. Schutjer was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $151,693.74.00 to Victim 1 as a result of her crimes.
Schutjer began working as a caregiver for an elderly married couple, Victim 1 and Victim 2, in 2014. Defendant was paid via check daily for her services. One of Schutjer's jobs was to run errands for the victims, and Schutjer had access to the victims' First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) debit card and account information. The FNBO card was the only card used by the victims.
The co-branded Chase/Amazon credit card (an access device) was opened under a derivative form of Victim 2’s name at the beginning of 2018. Victim 1 was not listed on the account or as an authorized user of the card. Victim 2 passed away on August 3, 2018. Use of the Chase/Amazon card continued and accelerated after Victim 2’s death. Records show purchases on the Chase/Amazon card include airline tickets (purchased for the defendant and her family), a Microsoft Xbox, Amazon purchases, and restaurant and grocery purchases in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where the defendant resides. Payments on the Chase/Amazon credit card were drawn from the Victim 1’s FNBO checking account. Over a three-year period, 2018 through 2021, over $150,000 was charged to the Chase/Amazon credit card. None of the charges on the Chase/Amazon credit card were incurred by Victim 1.
Schutjer used the Chase/Amazon card to pay for purchases made on her Amazon customer accounts, listing Victim 2’s name as the party to be billed at her own residential address. The order history showed multiple orders placed using the Chase/Amazon card and shipped to the defendant’s home, the victims’ home, and other addresses. Many of the items purchased were children’s clothes and toys. Other items include an Apple laptop, shipped under Victim 1’s name to Schutjer’s home address; Apple AirPods, shipped to defendant’s mother in Florida; and an Apple iPad, shipped to the defendant at her home address.
Victim 1’s FNBO account was entirely depleted because of Schutjer’s crime. In sentencing Schutjer to imprisonment for 14 months, Chief Judge Rossiter told her, “You took away everything this woman (Victim 1) had.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Corcoran Correctional Officer Charged with Conspiring with an Inmate to Assault Another InmateRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against Raquel Mosqueda, 36, of Porterville, California, and Jimmie L. Carter, 44, charging them with conspiring to violate the constitutional rights of another inmate at California State Prison-Corcoran, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Mosqueda was a Correctional Officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Carter was an inmate. According to court documents, on or around April 20, 2022, Mosqueda, while serving as a correctional officer at California State Prison-Corcoran, agreed with Carter to permit Carter to “get rid of” the victim. Mosqueda facilitated an assault of the victim by permitting Carter and other inmates to enter the victim’s cell and assault him. The assault caused bodily injury to the victim.
Mosqueda is additionally charged with depriving the victim of his constitutional right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment, which includes the right to be reasonably protected from the threat of violence by fellow inmates.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Mosqueda and Carter face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge. Mosqueda faces an additional 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the charge of deprivation of constitutional rights. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Convicted felon admits to illegal firearms possessionRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 49-year-old Houston man has been convicted illegally possessing six firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Christopher Curry admitted he was a convicted felon and planned to exchange the guns for marijuana.
At the time of his arrest Oct. 17, authorities found him in possession of six firearms. In his vehicle were a shotgun, a pistol and several semiautomatic rifles.
Curry has three felony convictions to include two drug possessions and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As such, he is prohibited of possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
Senior U.S. District Judge Sim Lake accepted the plea and set sentencing for March 14, 2025. At that time he faces up to 15 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Houston Police Department Northeast Crime Suppression Team and the Department of Public Safety conducted the joint investigation with the assistance of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Crime Gun Strike Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ganz is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 37 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Brian Patrick Werth, 40, of Beltsville, Maryland, to 37 years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for two counts of producing child sexual abuse material.
Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations.
Werth was convicted of coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and engaging with a minor as a registered sex offender. Upon his release from prison, Werth is required to register as a sex offender where he resides, is employed, and where he is a student under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Judge Chuang also ordered Werth to refrain from contact with children under 18 years old, without prior permission, and to submit to computer monitoring.
After a three-day trial, a jury found that from January 2021 through June 2021, Werth communicated with minor females, ages 11 and 15, through internet-based applications WhatsApp and Kik. During these interactions, Werth persuaded, coerced, and enticed the minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct by producing sexually explicit videos of themselves. Additionally, Werth engaged in child sexual abuse as a member of the Maryland Sex Offender Registry for a previous sex offense conviction.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.U.S. Attorney Barron commended Homeland Security Investigations and the Maryland State Police Department for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaShanta Harris who led the prosecution of this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Colorado Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Daniel Lehi, 44, of Towaoc, Colorado, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of assaulting a federal officer.
On April 5, 2024, a Bureau of Indian Affairs Officer responded to the Ute Mountain Ute Casino in Towaoc, Colorado, within the exterior boundaries of the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, on a report of an intoxicated person, later identified as Lehi. Lehi lunged at the officer and struck him in the face. When additional security personnel responded to the incident, Lehi continued to fight until officers were able to subdue him.
United States District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher sentenced Lehi after considering numerous sentencing factors, including the defendant’s history of assaults on law enforcement officers.
“Assault on a law enforcement officer is a serious offense, and this defendant received a serious sentence for his actions,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “I want to acknowledge the BIA officer for deftly handling a challenging situation.”
“This attack on a federal officer simply doing his job is unacceptable. We fully support the officer who is a victim in this case and are steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice in cases involving assaults on law enforcement officers,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “Such acts will not go unanswered, and we will work tirelessly to ensure accountability.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Durango Field Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Franceware handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 1:24-cr-00182-GPG
Colombian National Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Gustavo De Jesus Ramirez-Ramirez (54, Colombia) to 27 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. Ramirez-Ramirez entered a guilty plea on September 16, 2024.
According to court records, Ramirez-Ramirez was arrested on November 11, 2022, in Jacksonville after he rappelled from a hole in the ceiling of a business and then drilled through three adjacent business walls and into a jewelry store. He later pleaded guilty in state court to burglary of a dwelling with damage and burglary of a structure. After his arrest, it was also discovered that Ramirez-Ramirez was present in the United States illegally. Ramirez-Ramirez has two previous deportations, one of which followed a prior conviction for illegal reentry into the United States in October 2014.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and the Jacksonville’s Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.
Clay County Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Anthony Rodriguez, Jr. (32, Orange Park) to 21 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Rodriguez was arrested on July 9, 2024, and ordered detained.
According to court records, on May 11, 2024, Rodriguez shoplifted merchandise from a Wal-Mart in Clay County. Wal-Mart personnel stopped Rodriguez and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) subsequently responded. As the CCSO searched Rodriguez during his arrest, a loaded Glock 43 9mm pistol fell to the ground from Rodriguez’s clothing. At the time of the incident, Rodriguez had seven previous felony convictions, including two convictions involving a firearm and ammunition. As a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
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.
Chinese National Indicted in El Paso, Texas, and Arrested in Las Vegas for Alleged Conspiracy to Sell Equipment Used to Manufacture Counterfeit PillsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas charged a Chinese national with two counts related to alleged distribution of pill press equipment that can be used by criminals to manufacture illegal drugs laced with fentanyl.
Department of Homeland Security agents arrested the defendant, Xaiofei Chen, at a trade show in Las Vegas on Oct. 29. According to the criminal complaint supporting her arrest warrant, Chen sold pill press machines that can be used with molds, stamps or dies mimicking commonly prescribed controlled substances to produce counterfeit pills that appear indistinguishable from legitimate pharmaceutical drugs. Specifically, the criminal complaint alleges that Chen worked for a Chinese-based company that sold die molds and equipment, and that Chen sold pill press equipment and counterfeit die molds to buyers in the United States. The complaint further alleges that Chen avoided Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) disclosure requirements by dismantling equipment and shipping parts in separate packages into the United States. This equipment allegedly included counterfeit dies, including M30 dies meant to mimic a common prescription drug but which are regularly used to make fake opioid pills. The complaint alleges that the packages that Chen sent also were mislabeled to conceal the illegal equipment that they contained.
The Controlled Substances Act prohibits the sale of pill press equipment and counterfeit die molds to individuals who intend to use these machines unlawfully and requires reporting of certain equipment sales. Counterfeit pills made on such equipment can be laced with fentanyl and other dangerous drugs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl and related substances have devastated communities across the United States and fuel the ongoing drug overdose epidemic, which the CDC recently estimated killed approximately 107,000 Americans in 2023. Fentanyl overdose is the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49. In recent years, more than half of counterfeit pills tested have been found to have a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
“The fentanyl epidemic has taken hundreds of thousands of American lives, and this case reflects the department’s unwavering commitment to prosecuting every level of the deadly fentanyl supply chain,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will continue to protect Americans by prosecuting those involved in the unlawful sale of parts and equipment that can be used to manufacture counterfeit pills.”
“The defendant allegedly sold equipment that can be used to make dangerous opioid pills harmful to American families,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “HSI is proud to work with our law enforcement partners to prevent the distribution of equipment commonly used in the manufacture of these destructive drugs.”
A federal court in Nevada ordered Chen, a foreign national, detained pending her trial in El Paso where the indictment was returned on Nov. 20. The indictment charges Chen with one count of conspiracy to distribute and import a tableting machine used to manufacture a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to distribute dies designed to imprint and reproduce the trademark, trade name and other identifying mark and imprint of another. If convicted, Chen faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge would determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI and Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Edward E. Emokpae, Scott B. Dahlquist and Kaitlin Sahni of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura Franco Gregory and Donna S. Miller for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case. Attorneys Colin Trundle and Sarah Williams of the Consumer Protection Branch also provided valuable assistance.
An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chinese National Indicted for Money Laundering Conspiracy Involving Walmart Gift CardsRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jun Wang, age 62, a Chinese national and lawful permanent resident of the United States who has lived in Florida and Texas for most of the past 26 years, has been charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit money laundering. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that between June 2019 and June 2021 Wang received gift cards which had been obtained from victims of wire fraud schemes in the Northern District of New York and elsewhere and that he used the fraudulently obtained gift cards – totaling more than $2 million – at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in Florida and other states to buy other gift cards and thereby disguise the source and nature of the funds obtained from the fraud victims.
The charge filed against Wang carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to twice the value of the allegedly laundered funds, or $4 million in this case, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Wang was arrested several weeks ago at Los Angeles International Airport, and arraigned this week in Binghamton, New York, before Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric, after being transported to the Northern District of New York. Judge Lovric ordered Wang detained pending trial, which is expected to be held sometime in 2025 before Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The FBI is investigating the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tamara B. Thomson and Michael F. Perry.
Captain in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Charged with Murder and Terrorism OffensesRead the Press Release
Note: View the unsealed complaint here.
A complaint was unsealed today charging Mohammad Reza Nouri, 36, of Iran, also known as Muhammad Rida Husayn, Ali Asghar Nuri, and Abu Abbas, an Iranian national and officer in the IRGC, in connection with Nouri’s alleged role in orchestrating the Nov. 7, 2022, murder of American Stephen Troell in Baghdad, Iraq. Nouri was arrested in Iraq in March 2023.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate terrorists and authoritarian regimes targeting and murdering Americans anywhere in the world,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We allege that Mohammad Reza Nouri, an officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, orchestrated the murder of Stephen Troell, an American citizen living in Iraq, carrying out the Iranian Regime’s efforts to take vengeance for the death of Qasim Soleimani. Stephen should still be alive today, and the Justice Department will work relentlessly to ensure accountability for his murder.”
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains determined to target U.S. citizens, and orchestrated a cold-blooded plot to brutally murder Stephen Troell, a Tennessee native working at an English language institute in Iraq,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “According to the allegations, Mohammad Reza Nouri, an IRGC captain, played a key role in planning the attack in which Troell was ambushed as he drove home from work with his wife. Today’s announcement makes clear that the FBI and our partners will not tolerate the IRGC’s ruthless attacks on Americans, here in the United States or overseas, and will hold accountable any who seek to harm our citizens.”
“As alleged, Mohammad Reza Nouri, a Captain in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, orchestrated the murder of American Steven Troell in Iraq,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Kim for the Southern District of New York. “Nouri is alleged to have gathered intelligence on Troell’s daily routine and whereabouts, procured weapons and vehicles, and provided safe harbor to the operatives who carried out the sinister plot to brutally attack Troell in front of his wife. As alleged, the Iranian regime is actively targeting U.S. citizens, such as Troell, living in countries around the world for kidnapping and execution both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the regime and to take vengeance for the death of Qasem Soleimani. This office will not stand by when an American is attacked and murdered in cold blood, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to bring Nouri to justice.”
“As alleged in the complaint, Nouri facilitated Troell’s murder. He gathered information and coordinated with a co-conspirator to procure supplies that operatives relied on during their attack on Troell,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring IRGC operatives, including Nouri’s co-conspirator, to justice for harming Americans.”
According to court documents, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran) is actively targeting nationals of the United States and its allies living in countries around the world for kidnapping and/or execution both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the Iranian regime and to take vengeance for the January 2020 death of then-Commander of the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. The IRGC is an Iranian military and counterintelligence agency under the authority of Iran’s Supreme Leader, comprised of components including an external operations force, the IRGC-QF, and has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State since April 15, 2019. The IRGC has publicly stated its desire to avenge the death of Soleimani, and, among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting U.S. citizens residing in the United States and abroad. In November 2022, the Iranian regime struck in Iraq: a group of operatives working on behalf of the IRGC brutally murdered Stephen Troell, a 45-year-old American living in Baghdad, where he worked at an English language institute, as Troell was driving home with his wife after work.
Nouri is an IRGC Captain who works for the IRGC in Iraq and is involved in the IRGC’s external attack plotting against U.S. citizens and others. Nouri played a key role in the IRGC’s targeting and ultimate murder of Troell, whom Nouri appears to have believed was working as an American or Israeli intelligence officer. Nouri, on behalf of the IRGC, collected critical, highly personal information about Troell to facilitate stalking, attacking, and ultimately killing Troell. Nouri, with the assistance of co-conspirators, developed a source with access to details of Troell’s life and daily routine. With this information, Nouri created intelligence documents for his IRGC associates and a group of operatives recruited to execute the attack, which included Troell’s date of birth, coordinates of his residence, occupation, work schedule, telephone number, wife’s name, and children’s names, among other information. In the weeks leading up to the murder, Nouri coordinated with one of his co-conspirators (CC-1) in the plot targeting Troell to procure some of the means for attacking Troell, including firearms as well as a vehicle for use in the lethal attack on Troell. On the evening of Nov. 7, 2022, the group of recruited operatives carried out the attack. Troell was driving home from work with his wife when heavily armed gunmen in two cars forced the Troells to stop shortly before they reached their residence, blocked any possible escape route, approached Troell on the driver’s side, and, using an assault weapon, shot and killed Troell as his wife witnessed the attack in the passenger seat.
On the day of the murder, Nouri coordinated with CC-1 shortly before and immediately after the attack. Nouri and CC-1 spoke repeatedly in the hours leading up to the attack. Less than a half hour after the attack, Nouri sent CC-1 encrypted messages inquiring about the wellbeing of the operatives tasked with carrying out the hit on Troell, asking, “The guys are fine?” and “They are doing well?” to which CC-1 responded, “One is injured.” As the night went on, CC-1 continued to update Nouri, noting that “two so far” of the operatives on the hit squad — whom Nouri referred to as “our guys” — had gathered safely since the murder, that “the rest are on the way,” and that the injury sustained by one of their confederates was “slight.” In the course of these encrypted messages, Nouri and CC-1 celebrated the events of the day and their success. That night, after the murder, Nouri left Iraq for Iran. Shortly before departing Baghdad, Nouri visited a religious site associated with mourning for Soleimani’s death.
Following the murder, approximately nine of the operatives on the hit squad also left Iraq and entered Iran, where they joined Nouri. In Iran, Nouri arranged housing for the operatives, providing them safe harbor in the aftermath of the murder. Nouri and another IRGC official addressed the operatives during their stay in Iran, offered their blessings to the hit squad, and told them that Troell was purportedly a spy on behalf of America and Israel, that Troell threatened Islam by attracting Iraqi youths to the Jewish religion and spreading it in Iraq, and that Troell therefore deserved to be murdered.
In March 2023, Iraqi authorities arrested Nouri, and he was subsequently convicted by an Iraqi court for his role in Troell’s murder. Nouri remains in custody in Iraq.
Nouri has been charged with conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; conspiring to provide material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; conspiring to take hostages, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; conspiring to murder U.S. nationals outside the United States, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; murdering a U.S. national outside the United States, and faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison; and causing death through the use of a firearm, and faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; Justice Department’s Attaché in Iraq; FBI Legal Attaché office in Iraq; Iraqi authorities; and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, Matthew J.C. Hellman, and Kyle A. Wirshba for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorneys Joshua Champagne and Timothy J. Reardon III of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Brevard County Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years for Distributing Multiple Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Joseph Michael Schneider (58, Cocoa) to 16 years and 8 months in federal prison for possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute them. Schneider pleaded guilty on August 14, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, law enforcement used a confidential source and undercover agent to conduct three controlled purchases of approximately 900 grams of methamphetamine each from Schneider, which took place at his residence. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at that residence, which resulted in the recovery of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine, over 100 grams of cocaine, and a small quantity of a fentanyl analog. In total, Schneider was responsible for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute over 7 kilograms of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Brevard County Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Billings woman who trafficked meth for Washington suppliers sentenced to eight years in prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS — A Billings woman who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine from a Billings residence as part of a multi-state organization supplied by Washington sources was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Anita Mae Ballestersos, 36, pleaded guilty in August to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In court documents, the government alleged that beginning in September 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated a group of meth traffickers, including Ballesteros, in the Billings area and twice purchased meth from Ballesteros in controlled buys. Ballesteros was one of seven defendants involved in a multi-state drug trafficking ring that operated from a residence on Sugar Avenue in Billings. A group of males from Washington brought to Montana pounds of meth that Ballesteros and a co-defendant distributed to their network of dealers. Ballesteros was known to distribute most of the meth from this Washington group and sold in ounce and half-pound quantities. Ballesteros also was obtaining and providing firearms to her Washington sources. A co-defendant described Ballesteros as having enough meth to “keep Billings awake.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The DEA conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Beverly Hills and Ventura County Men Indicted for Allegedly Running NFT Crypto Fraud that Conned Investors Out of More Than $22 MillionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A six-count indictment was unsealed today charging two Southern California men with defrauding investors of more than $22 million in cryptocurrency through a series of digital asset project “rugpulls,” a type of fraud scheme in which the creator of a nonfungible token (NFT) or other digital asset project solicits funds from investors for the project and then abruptly abandons the project and fraudulently retains investors’ funds.
Gabriel Hay, 23, of Beverly Hills, and Gavin Mayo, 23, of Thousand Oaks, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of stalking.
Their arraignments are scheduled for this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“Whenever a new investment trend occurs, scammers are sure to follow,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “My office and our law enforcement partners will continue our efforts to protect consumers and punish wrongdoers involved in crypto fraud.”
“Gabriel Hay and Gavin Mayo allegedly defrauded investors in digital asset projects of tens of millions of dollars and threatened an individual who attempted to expose their roles in these fraudulent schemes,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Fraudsters take advantage of new technologies and financial products to steal investors’ hard-earned money. The department is committed to protecting investors and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to root out fraud involving cryptocurrency and other digital assets and bring offenders to justice.”
“For three years, Hay and Mayo allegedly lied to their investors in order to defraud them out of millions of dollars,” said HSI Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger. “Such technological fraud schemes cost investors millions of dollars every year. Just because such crimes aren’t violent does not mean they are victimless. HSI will continue to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle such cryptocurrency fraud networks.”
According to court documents, from May 2021 to May 2024, Hay and Mayo sponsored several NFT and other digital asset projects and undertook promotional activities in support of those projects. Hay and Mayo allegedly made or caused others to make materially false and misleading statements regarding the digital asset projects being launched and provided false and misleading project “roadmaps” detailing plans for the NFTs or digital asset projects after their launch that the sponsors never intended to fulfill.
For example, the indictment alleges that in promoting the Vault of Gems NFT project, Hay and Mayo falsely claimed that the project would be the “first NFT project to be pegged to a hard asset.” However, instead of pursuing the Vault of Gems project or others as they had represented they would, Hay and Mayo allegedly abandoned the projects after collecting millions in funds from investors.
Hay, Mayo, and others allegedly used these tactics with a variety of other digital asset projects, including Vault of Gems, Faceless, Sinful Souls, Clout Coin, Dirty Dogs, Uncovered, MoonPortal, Squiggles, and Roost Coin. Hay and Mayo also allegedly used a variety of means to conceal their involvement in the fraudulent projects by falsely identifying other individuals or causing other individuals to be falsely identified as owners of the projects.
When one project manager on the Faceless NFT project exposed Hay and Mayo as being behind that project, Hay and Mayo allegedly embarked on a harassment campaign against the project manager, sending or causing the sending of messages to the project manager and his parents for the purpose of intimidating him and his family and causing them great emotional distress.
“Using NFTs to commit fraud not only exploits emerging technology but also erodes trust in the broader digital ecosystem,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The alleged actions of Hay and Mayo, who defrauded investors out of millions over several years, highlight the profound harm these schemes cause. These crimes may not involve violence, but they leave countless victims in their wake. HSI remains dedicated to exposing and dismantling cryptocurrency fraud schemes to protect investors and ensure that technological advancements are used to drive progress, not deception.”
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and wire fraud counts and a maximum penalty of five years on the stalking count.
The HSI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Maxwell K. Coll of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Tian Huang and Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, both members of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), are prosecuting this case.
The NCET was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Within the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that are enabling the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also works to set strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identify areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and lead the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets.
Bank General Counsel Pleads Guilty to Offenses Stemming from $7.4 Million Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
JAMES BLOSE, 56, of Fairfield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to offenses stemming from a decade-long embezzlement scheme at banks where he served as General Counsel and held other high-ranking positions.
The announcement was made by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England; and Brian Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General, Eastern Region.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2013 to January 2022, Blose was an attorney and held high-ranking positions, including General Counsel, at Hudson Valley Bank and Sterling National Bank. From approximately January 2022, when Webster Bank acquired Sterling National Bank, until February 2023, Blose served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Webster Bank.
From approximately 2013 until Webster Bank discovered his scheme and his employment was terminated in February 2023, Blose defrauded his employers (“The Bank”) in various ways. In certain commercial loan transactions where The Bank was the lender, Blose fraudulently retained for himself portions of closing costs, including legal fees. In certain real estate transactions in which The Bank was the seller, Blose retained portions of the sale proceeds for himself. For some of the real estate transactions, Blose created false documents in order to hide his theft from The Bank. Blose also stole from The Bank in other ways.
As part of the scheme, used his attorney trust accounts to make personal expenditures, and to transfer funds to accounts in the names of business entities he created and controlled, and then used those funds for his personal benefit. Through this scheme, Blose stole approximately $7.4 million from his employers.
Blose pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for March 13 in Hartford.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General. Financial crimes investigators from Webster Bank assisted the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Ross Weingarten.
Bank CFO Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
A bank CFO who embezzled more than $800,000 from a small-town bank was sentenced Thursday to nearly three years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Vicki Lee Grisham, the 52-year-old former CEO of First State Bank of Abernathy, Texas, pleaded guilty in July to a felony information charging theft, embezzlement, or misapplication bank a bank officer. She was sentenced in Lubbock on Thursday to 33 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who ordered her to pay $800,755.63 in restitution to the bank’s insurer and to serve five years of supervised release after competing her sentence.
According to court documents, Ms. Grisham was issued a credit card for purchasing business-related items for the bank and was responsible for paying invoices for that credit card.
In March 2023, the bank discovered that she systematically used the credit card for all manner of items and services unrelated to bank business, including vacations, restaurant meals, clothing, college tuition, and even her own personal income taxes. She did not reimburse the bank for any unauthorized charges.
On the day bank management confronted her, Ms. Grisham signed a document admitting she made unauthorized charges for the benefit of herself and her family.
Under the terms of her plea agreement, Ms. Grisham will also be required to consent to an FDIC Order of Prohibition from Further Participation barring any future employment for and participation with any FDIC-insured financial institution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey prosecuted the case.
Attempted Robber Who Shot Elderly Man on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
DURANGO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lovell Cassius Benallie, age 27, of Kirtland, New Mexico, was sentenced to a total of 166 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation. The prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to the plea agreement and information presented at sentencing, on August 24, 2023, Benallie and an associate traveled from New Mexico to the Ute Mountain Ute Casino. After gambling, Benallie went to the nearby Ute Mountain Ute Travel Center and approached an elderly Navajo man preparing to use the laundry facility. In an interaction that lasted about eighteen seconds, Benallie said, “give me all your money” and pointed a 9mm gun at the man. When the man replied, “what money” Benallie aimed and fired the gun at the man’s leg. Benallie fled the scene. The victim was airlifted to Grand Junction for medical treatment and suffered serious and enduring injuries.
Benallie had several prior felony convictions, including a conviction for aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon in Farmington, New Mexico.
“The defendant acted callously and purposelessly,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “Gun violence will not be tolerated on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation and our office reaffirms our intention to vigorously violent crimes on our reservations.”
"This defendant coldly and callously shot a total stranger during an attempted robbery. Any such act of violence on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation gets the full attention of FBI Denver," said Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. "In this case we were assisted by the Farmington, New Mexico, Police Department. We will continue to support the Bureau of Indian Affairs and those who live on the reservation by investigating criminal acts and removing the perpetrators from the community."
United States District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher sentenced the defendant on December 16, 2024.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation office in Durango conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey K. Graves handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 1:23-cr-00383-GPG-JMC-1
Arsonist Who Built and Fired Two Improvised Explosive Missiles Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who had already been convicted of felony arson who illegally built and fired two improvised explosive missiles was sentenced December 5, 2024 to 10 years in federal prison.
Daniel Graben, age 60, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 18, 2024, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Evidence in the case revealed on the morning of February 28, 2022, a resident of rural Plymouth County observed what he thought was a “low flying mortar” over his house. He then heard it explode in the distance. He then saw a second object cruising above his house and heard it also explode in the distance. Another witnesses reported hearing a “very large explosion.” A third person reported an unexplained and unattended grass fire near the intersection of Plymouth County Roads C44 and K18. The fire was more than 1,000 yards away from any roadway or obvious combustible spark. The Akron Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire, and a criminal investigation ensued.
Law enforcement discovered the wreckage of two improvised explosive missiles, connected them to Graben, and searched his Sioux City, Iowa home pursuant to a federal search warrant. In Graben’s townhouse, which was in a populated area of town and near a school, law enforcement found firearms, ammunition, powerful military-grade explosive material, other explosive materials, bomb-making materials (some of which were consistent with the materials found in the missile wreckage), 110 (non-missile) explosive devices (containing black and flash powder), and 14 (non-missile) explosive devices.
In 2008 Graben had been convicted of arson and threatening a crime
with intent to terrorize another in the State Courts of California. In 2012 Graben had been convicted of possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance in the State Courts of Idaho.
Graben was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. He was also ordered to pay a fine. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Graben is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Plymouth County Sherriff’s Office, the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Iowa State Fire Marshall Division, the Sioux City, Police Department, and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-04071.
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Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to over 16 Years of Imprisonment for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Tommie Conner, 49, of Memphis, has been sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the sentence today.
According to evidence presented in court, on March 4, 2021, an officer with the Memphis Police Department observed a Dodge Durango speeding on American Way. The Durango was pulled over and the driver, later identified as Conner, fled. Conner was later located by officers who arrived at the scene. While investigating the offense, officers saw a handgun in plain view in the Durango. Officers obtained a search warrant and recovered a loaded SCCY 9mm pistol.
Conner is a felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms. Specifically, in 1993, Conner pled guilty to two counts of robbery and three counts of aggravated robbery in state court and was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration. In 2005, Conner was convicted in federal court in the Western District of Tennessee for being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 15 years of federal imprisonment after he was determined to be an armed career criminal.
In September 2021, Conner was indicted in the Western District of Tennessee for being a felon in possession of a firearm. In June 2024, a jury found Conner guilty of that offense. It also found that at least three of Conner’s prior offenses occurred on different occasions, as required for him to be sentenced as an armed career criminal under the ACCA (Armed Career Criminal Act).
On December 19, 2024, United States District Court Senior Judge John T. Fowlkes sentenced Conner to 200 months in federal prison with three years of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) Initiative, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our communities safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the (PSN) Gun Task Force, the Memphis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Wagner and Jermal Blanchard who prosecuted this case on behalf of the government and the law enforcement partners who investigated this 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.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years for Possessing Ammunition as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday today sentenced Leon Williams (35, Clearwater) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The court also ordered Williams to forfeit a Taurus firearm, a Sig Sauer firearm, and assorted rounds of ammunition, which were possessed in connection with the offense. Williams pleaded guilty on July 25, 2024.
According to court documents, on January 3, 2024, officers from the Clearwater Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence in Clearwater where Williams resided with his co-defendant, Robert Pugh. The search warrant was obtained after a series of controlled purchases of cocaine from Williams. During the search, two loaded firearms – a Taurus handgun and a Sig Sauer handgun – were found in the residence. Approximately 60 grams of marijuana and 70 grams of cocaine were also found inside, along with digital scales and other paraphernalia for drug distribution. Additional rounds of ammunition were also found in Williams’ bedroom. Williams admitted to ownership of the ammunition found in his bedroom and DNA evidence was later obtained connecting Williams to the Sig Sauer handgun.
Prior to the offense, Williams had been convicted of multiple felonies, including nine convictions for the sale of controlled substances. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
Robert Pugh was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on September 18, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clearwater Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Anchorage man arrested for receiving, distributing, possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was arrested last night at his residence on criminal charges related to his alleged receipt, distribution and possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).
According to court documents, on Aug. 13, 2024, Anthaney O’Connor, 25, reported another individual to law enforcement, who he claimed wanted to commit sexual assaults against minors. He alleged the other individual sent him CSAM and links to applications known to be utilized by individuals seeking sexually explicit materials portraying minors.
Law enforcement searched O’Connor’s phone. Upon review, law enforcement discovered that O’Connor possessed two images of CSAM that the individual allegedly sent him. Law enforcement also discovered information indicating that O’Connor discussed creating virtual reality generated CSAM using a photo someone had surreptitiously taken of a prepubescent boy at a local store. O’Connor allegedly possessed roughly six artificial intelligence (AI)/cartoon drawing/images depicting CSAM, four CSAM images and two videos containing CSAM.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on O’Connor’s residence on Dec. 19, 2024, and agents discovered additional CSAM images and videos on his computer, some of which were AI images/anime depicting prepubescent children. Law enforcement also discovered two electronic storage devices and a computer hard drive hidden in the vents of O’Connor’s bedroom closet. The contents of these devices are pending review.
O’Connor is charged with one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography. If convicted, O’Connor faces up to 20 years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department are investigating this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
UPDATE: This release has been amended to include U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations as an assisting agency.
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An East Idaho Woman and Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Separate Cases for Committing Sex Crimes Involving Minor ChildrenRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate eastern Idaho cases in which the defendants were sentenced to 25 years and 17.5 years in federal prison, respectively, for sex crimes against minor children.
“It is a sad reality that these types of defendants exist in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Fortunately for Idaho, our office’s team of prosecutors and victim advocates does a fantastic job working with dedicated federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement officers to hold these criminals accountable. We will continue to do as much as possible to protect Idaho’s kids and support survivors of abuse.”
Rexanna Marie Johnston, 33, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. She was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victim directly harmed and another $15,000 to five different victims in the images of child sexual abuse material that Johnston possessed.
According to court records, on July 17, 2023, detectives with the Idaho Falls Police Department and the Idaho Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force began an investigation after receiving a report that child sexual abuse material had been uploaded to an online file storage account. Detectives determined that the account belonged to Johnston. Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant on Johnston’s residence and electronic devices. Detectives discovered that Johnston had produced images of child sexual abuse material of an infant that was in her custody. Detectives further recovered online chat communications between Johnston and two other individuals, Nicholas Glen Baker, 37 of Twin Falls, and Dale John Hensel, 54 of Rigby. Baker requested the production of specific child sexual abuse material, which Johnston produced and sent to Baker. Hensel also received images of child sexual abuse material from Johnston.
On September 10, 2024, Baker was sentenced to 288 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the sexual exploitation of a child. On October 1, 2024, Hensel pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, and is awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for February 12, 2025.
“HSI agents have no tolerance for the exploitation of children and will work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice,” said Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI Seattle. “Child sex abuse is one of the most heinous crimes HSI investigates, given the profound and lasting psychological and physical damage it inflicts on victims, and we hope this sentence bring some closure for the victims. We appreciate our law enforcement partners including the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, ICAC Task Force and the Idaho Falls Police Department along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting the case.”
In a separate case, Jonathan Douglas Mohr, 46, of Ammon, was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. Mohr was also ordered to pay $141,500 in restitution to the victims in the images of child sexual abuse material that he distributed and possessed.
According to court records, in September 2023, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Mohr’s residence in Ammon, after a concerned citizen reported they had observed child sexual abuse material on one of Mohr’s electronic devices. During the search warrant, law enforcement recovered a tablet, which contained more than 26,000 images of child sexual abuse material. Communications recovered from the tablet revealed that Mohr was distributing child sexual abuse material to other individuals using the Telegram messaging application.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Johnston to serve a lifetime of supervised release and Mohr to serve ten years of supervised release following their prison sentences. Johnston and Mohr will be required to register as sex offenders as a result of their convictions.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force for their work in both cases and additionally thanked Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls and the Idaho Falls Police Department for their investigation in the Johnston case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted the Johnston case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted the Mohr case.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Alleged Fentanyl Trafficker Extradited from Honduras to Face Charges in San FranciscoRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The government of Honduras extradited Gustavo Erazo, a Honduran national, to the United States this week to appear on charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in the San Francisco Bay Area. The extradition marks the sixth extradition of an alleged drug trafficker from Honduras to the Northern District of California this year.
On Jan. 5, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Erazo, 49, at the time a resident of Oakland, and two other defendants, on charges of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine with the intent to distribute those substances. Erazo was charged in four of the eight counts in the indictment:
CountChargeStatute(s)Statutory Maximum Prison Term1
Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(vi)Life
2
Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(vi)Life
3
Possession with Intent to Distribute 100 Grams or More of Heroin21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(i)40 years
4
Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(ii)40 years
According to a criminal complaint filed before the indictment, Erazo was arrested in November 2022 outside an apartment in Berkeley, Calif. At the time of his arrest, Erazo was carrying a backpack in which he had nearly four pounds of suspected drugs, including almost a kilogram of suspected fentanyl and more than half a pound each of suspected heroin and suspected cocaine. Inside the apartment, law enforcement officers found nearly 21 pounds of suspected drugs, including nearly 15 pounds of suspected fentanyl, more than two pounds of suspected cocaine, and more than one pound of suspected heroin. Officers also found drug manufacturing equipment, two firearms, ammunition, and cash inside the apartment.
According to court documents, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned after Erazo was charged in federal court that he had traveled back to Honduras. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities and the DEA to secure the arrest and extradition of Erazo, who arrived back in the United States on Dec. 19, 2024. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim today for arraignment on the indictment and further proceedings. Erazo is next scheduled to appear in court for a status hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa J. Cisneros on Dec. 23, 2024.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Erazo faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $10,000,000 on Counts 1 and 2, and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 on Counts 3 and 4. He also faces a lifetime term of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment on each count. Any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only upon consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Parker is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessie Chelsea and Linda Love. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department.
Alexandria Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Machine GunRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Kaelin Williams, 27, of Alexandria, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell for illegal possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Williams was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.
Williams was charged in an indictment with one count of illegal possession of a machine gun and he pleaded guilty to the charge on August 21, 2024. On March 1, 2024, a federal search warrant was executed on Williams and his brother’s residence in Alexandria. At the time of the execution of the search warrant, Williams was the sole occupant of the residence and was found with two machine guns, both being Anderson Model AM-15 AR-Type multi-caliber pistols each containing a machine gun conversion device. In addition, law enforcement agents found several additional machine gun conversion devices, often referred to as “Glock switches.” Williams acknowledged to agents that he knew the “Glock switches” were illegal and that they turned a firearm into a machine gun.
The case was investigated by the ATF, Homeland Security Investigations and Alexandria Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner.
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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Acting U.S. Attorney Announces Murder and Terrorism Charges Against IRGC OfficerRead the Press Release
Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States; Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and David Sundberg, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, announced the unsealing of murder and terrorism charges against MOHAMMAD REZA NOURI, a/k/a “Muhammad Rida Husayn ‘Ali Asghar Nuri,” a/k/a “Abu Abbas,” an Iranian national and officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”), in connection with NOURI’s alleged role in orchestrating the November 7, 2022 murder of American Stephen Troell in Baghdad, Iraq. The charges are contained in a Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court. NOURI was arrested in Iraq in March 2023.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “As alleged, Mohammad Reza Nouri, a Captain in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, orchestrated the murder of American Steven Troell in Iraq. Nouri is alleged to have gathered intelligence on Troell’s daily routine and whereabouts, procured weapons and vehicles, and provided safe harbor to the operatives who carried out the sinister plot to brutally attack Troell in front of his wife. As alleged, the Iranian regime is actively targeting U.S. citizens, such as Troell, living in countries around the world for kidnapping and execution both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the regime and to take vengeance for the death of Qasem Soleimani. This Office will not stand by when an American is attacked and murdered in cold blood, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to bring Nouri to justice.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “The Department of Justice will not tolerate terrorists and authoritarian regimes targeting and murdering Americans anywhere in the world. We allege that Mohammad Reza Nouri, an officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, orchestrated the murder of Stephen Troell, an American citizen living in Iraq, carrying out the Iranian Regime’s efforts to take vengeance for the death of Qasim Soleimani. Stephen should still be alive today, and the Justice Department will work relentlessly to ensure accountability for his murder.”
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said: “The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains determined to target U.S. citizens, and orchestrated a cold-blooded plot to brutally murder Stephen Troell, a Tennessee native working at an English language institute in Iraq. According to the allegations, Mohammad Reza Nouri, an IRGC captain, played a key role in planning the attack in which Troell was ambushed as he drove home from work with his wife. Today’s announcement makes clear that the FBI and our partners will not tolerate the IRGC’s ruthless attacks on Americans, here in the U.S. or overseas, and will hold accountable any who seek to harm our citizens.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg said: “As alleged in the complaint, Nouri facilitated Troell's murder. He allegedly gathered information and coordinated with a co-conspirator to procure supplies that operatives relied on during their attack on Troell. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring IRGC operatives, including Nouri's co-conspirator, to justice for harming Americans.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint charging the defendant:[1]
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (“Iran”) is actively targeting nationals of the United States and its allies living in countries around the world for kidnapping and/or execution both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the Iranian regime and to take vengeance for the January 2020 death of then-Commander of the IRGC-Qods Force (“IRGC-QF”), Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. The IRGC is an Iranian military and counterintelligence agency under the authority of Iran’s Supreme Leader, comprised of components including an external operations force, the IRGC-QF, and has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State since April 15, 2019. The IRGC has publicly stated its desire to avenge the death of Soleimani, and, among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting U.S. citizens residing in the United States and abroad. In November 2022, the Iranian regime struck in Iraq: a group of operatives working on behalf of the IRGC brutally murdered Stephen Troell, a 45-year-old American living in Baghdad, where he worked at an English language institute, as Troell was driving home with his wife after work.
NOURI is an IRGC Captain who works for the IRGC in Iraq and is involved in the IRGC’s external attack plotting against U.S. citizens and others. NOURI played a key role in the IRGC’s targeting and ultimate murder of Troell, whom NOURI appears to have believed was working as an American or Israeli intelligence officer. NOURI, on behalf of the IRGC, collected critical, highly personal information about Troell to facilitate stalking, attacking, and ultimately killing Troell. NOURI, with the assistance of co-conspirators, developed a source with access to details of Troell’s life and daily routine. With this information, NOURI created intelligence documents for his IRGC associates and a group of operatives recruited to execute the attack, which included Troell’s date of birth, coordinates of his residence, occupation, work schedule, telephone number, wife’s name, and children’s names, among other information. In the weeks leading up to the murder, NOURI coordinated with one of his co-conspirators (“CC-1”) in the plot targeting Troell to procure some of the means for attacking Troell, including firearms as well as a vehicle for use in the lethal attack on Troell. On the evening of November 7, 2022, the group of recruited operatives carried out the attack. Troell was driving home from work with his wife when heavily armed gunmen in two cars forced the Troells to stop shortly before they reached their residence, blocked any possible escape route, approached Troell on the driver’s side, and, using an assault weapon, shot and killed Troell as his wife witnessed the attack in the passenger seat.
On the day of the murder, NOURI coordinated with CC-1 shortly before and immediately after the attack. NOURI and CC-1 spoke repeatedly in the hours leading up to the attack. Less than a half hour after the attack, NOURI sent CC-1 encrypted messages inquiring about the wellbeing of the operatives tasked with carrying out the hit on Troell, asking, “The guys are fine?” and “They are doing well?” to which CC-1 responded, “One is injured.” As the night went on, CC-1 continued to update NOURI, noting that “two so far” of the operatives on the hit squad — whom NOURI referred to as “our guys” — had gathered safely since the murder, that “the rest are on the way,” and that the injury sustained by one of their confederates was “slight.” In the course of these encrypted messages, NOURI and CC-1 celebrated the events of the day and their success. That night, after the murder, NOURI left Iraq for Iran. Shortly before departing Baghdad, NOURI visited a religious site associated with mourning for Soleimani’s death.
Following the murder, approximately nine of the operatives on the hit squad also left Iraq and entered Iran, where they joined NOURI. In Iran, NOURI arranged housing for the operatives, providing them safe harbor in the aftermath of the murder. NOURI and another IRGC official addressed the operatives during their stay in Iran, offered their blessings to the hit squad, and told them that Troell was purportedly a spy on behalf of America and Israel, that Troell threatened Islam by attracting Iraqi youths to the Jewish religion and spreading it in Iraq, and that Troell therefore deserved to be murdered.
In March 2023, Iraqi authorities arrested NOURI, and he was subsequently convicted by an Iraqi court for his role in Troell’s murder. NOURI remains in custody in Iraq.
* * *
NOURI, 36, of Iran, has been charged with: (i) conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; (ii) providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; (iii) conspiring to provide material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; (iv) providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; (v) conspiring to take hostages, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; (vi) conspiring to murder U.S. nationals outside the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; (vii) murdering a U.S. national outside the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of death or life in prison; and (viii) causing death through the use of a firearm, which carries a maximum penalty of death or life in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be imposed by a judge.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI Washington Field Office, Counterterrorism Division. Mr. Kim also thanked Iraqi authorities for providing invaluable support, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section; the Department’s Office of International Affairs; the Department’s Office of the Justice Attaché in Iraq; the FBI Legal Attaché office in Iraq; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, Matthew J.C. Hellman, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Joshua Champagne and Timothy J. Reardon III of the Counterterrorism Section.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
19 December 2024
Woman Sentenced for Felony Child AbuseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Danielle Cleary, age 29, of Vermont, but recently living in Pender, Nebraska, on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation, was sentenced December 19, 2024, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for child abuse. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Cleary to 33 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Cleary’s release from prison, she will begin a 1-year term of supervised release.
On January 11, 2023, Cleary struck a 3-year-old minor child in the head with a large toy causing severe head trauma to the child. The minor child was life-flighted from the hospital in Pender to Children’s Nebraska in Omaha, where he was treated for his life-threatening injuries. The minor child ultimately recovered and was released from the hospital a month later. Cleary initially denied causing the minor child’s injury, but later admitted to striking the child in the head pleading guilty to negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury.
This case was prosecuted in federal court because the victim was Native American (or Indian) and Cleary is not an Indian, and the offense occurred on a Native American Reservation giving rise to federal jurisdiction.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
West Haven Woman Who Diverted Narcotics from Dying VA Medical Center Patients is SentencedRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TARA SEVERINO, 58, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to two years of probation, the first six months of which Severino must serve in home confinement, for diverting narcotics from veterans under her care while she worked as a nurse at the West Haven VA Medical Center.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Severino was employed as a registered nurse with the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (the “VA”) in West Haven and was assigned to the VA’s Intensive Care Unit (“ICU”) for sick or dying patients. From January to July 2023, Severino ingested fentanyl, hydromorphone, and oxycodone intended for patients in her care.
In some instances, Severino ingested the “waste” of a substance, meaning she administered part of the substance to a patient and ingested the remaining portion not used by the patient. In one instance, Severino repeatedly introduced fentanyl into the system of a braindead patient after claiming she observed him in pain and having a seizure. She introduced fentanyl to this patient approximately 19 times over a nine-day period so that she could divert some for herself.
In other instances, Severino ingested doses of hydromorphone and fentanyl meant for dying veterans. This affected treatment decisions made by other medical staff who believed that the patients had been receiving, and were unresponsive to, their prescribed narcotics.
In another instance, Severino volunteered to care for a patient not formally assigned to her, and diverted pain medication from him before he died.
In order to cover up her crimes, Severino misrepresented in VA medical records and tracking systems that the narcotics been properly administered to the patient or, in the case of excess narcotics, had been properly disposed of.
On June 18, 2024, Severino pleaded guilty to obtaining controlled substances by fraud or subterfuge.
This matter was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, with the assistance of the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the West Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo.
Violent Crime Initiative Leads to Two Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Two men were sentenced this week in federal court in connection to two unrelated firearm offenses, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
Shelby Theriault, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to 24 months in federal prison and 2 years of supervised release. In September 2024, Shelby Theriault pleaded guilty to one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.
According to the plea agreement, on or about January 15, 2024, a shotgun was reported stolen after a good Samaritan had allowed the defendant, a homeless man, to stay in a guest bedroom of their home overnight. On January 20, 2024, Conway Police arrested Theriault on an unrelated theft case, where they discovered that he possessed a sawed-off shotgun. The defendant ultimately admitted to stealing the shotgun, sawing it down, and defacing the serial number. Theriault would have had to register the sawed-off shotgun with the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, which he did not do. Theriault also had multiple warrants for his arrest from Colorado at the time of his arrest in Conway, New Hampshire.
“The defendant not only stole the shotgun from someone who provided him shelter, he sawed the shotgun and obliterated the serial number thus making it harder to detect his crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jane Young. “New Hampshire law enforcement will continue to prosecute those who possess illegal firearms as part of the ongoing effort to make our communities safer.”
“I would first like to commend Patrol Officer Joseph Moore for his work on this investigation, which ultimately allowed the Conway Police Department to remove a stolen firearm from circulation. Experience has shown us that stolen firearms are often utilized in the commission of a crime. I would also like to thank the ATF and the US Attorney's Office, namely Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Scanlon, for their assistance with this case. The relationship we have with all of our Law Enforcement partners across the State of New Hampshire is vital to our mission,” said Chief Christopher Mattei of the Conway Police Department.
Conway Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation.
Michael Brown, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to 24 months in federal prison and 2 years of supervised release. In September 2024, Michael Brown pleaded guilty to one count of prohibited person in possession of ammunition.
According to the plea agreement, on or about November 2, 2023, Nashua Police conducted a motor vehicle stop where Brown was found to be in possession of a magazine, loaded with nine 9mm rounds of ammunition, in his pocket.
“In this case, the defendant, a felon, was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition by virtue of a prior drug conviction in Florida, yet when he was encountered by law enforcement, he possessed a loaded magazine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute felons who illegally possess firearms and ammunition,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young.
“The illegal possession of ammunition by convicted felons poses a significant threat to the safety of our communities,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “This case underscores our unwavering commitment to enforcing federal firearm laws and holding those who violate them accountable. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who endanger public safety are brought to justice.”
Nashua Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Scanlon prosecuted both cases.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Utah Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for $8 Million Credit Card Fraud Scheme, False Statements to BankRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Utah man was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for his role in two criminal schemes, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Timothy Gibson, 48, of Lehi, Utah, previously pleaded guilty in Trenton federal court to Count One of a five-count indictment, which charged him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in a multi-million dollar credit card fraud scheme that occurred in New Jersey; and to a three-count information which charged him with making false statements to a bank as part of a scheme that took place in Utah. Judge Georgette Castner imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The credit card fraud scheme:
Gibson and his conspirators solicited personal information from straw credit card applicants so the members of the conspiracy could submit falsified credit card applications to obtain credit cards. The credit cards were then used to make purchases that generated rewards points from the credit card company. In general, purchases were made on the credit cards and were then cancelled after the rewards points posted but before the credit card payments for the purchases were due. Other “purchases” on the cards were in fact sham transactions run through Gibson’s business’s merchant account.
Gibson and his conspirators solicited straw credit card applicants by offering to purchase credit card offers the applicants received in the mail. They then asked the straw credit card applicants to provide their personal identifying information, and used that information to open numerous credit cards in the names of fictitious businesses created with falsified financial and employment information, straw e-mail addresses, and fake business addresses. Straw cardholders sent Gibson and his conspirators the credit card account information in exchange for payment. Gibson also used his business’s credit card merchant account to charge the fraudulent credit cards for sham purchases that he knew were not legitimate, all in an effort to generate rewards points on those cards. The conspirators added themselves to the credit card accounts as authorized users, and transferred rewards points to accounts they controlled. The conspirators cancelled the points-generating purchases before the credit card payment was due.
The conspiracy involved more than 8,000 fraudulent accounts in the names of more than 1,500 straw cardholders that obtained more than 800 million rewards points, which were worth more than $8 million.
Charges remain pending against Aharon Lev, a/k/a “Aaron Lev,” a/k/a “Aron Lev,” a/k/a “David Gold,” a/k/a “David Monroe,” 37, of Lakewood, New Jersey. The charges against Lev are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The false statements to a bank:
In March 2020, the CARES Act established several new temporary programs and provided for the expansion of others to address the COVID-19 outbreak. One new program was the Small Business Association’s (“SBA”) Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), a loan program designed to provide an incentive for small businesses to keep workers on payroll during the pandemic. Borrowers were required to submit an application form through an SBA-approved entity.
In May 2020, Gibson falsely reported the number of employees and the average monthly payroll of a business with which he was associated in order to obtain a loan through the PPP program, and advised multiple businesses on how they could do the same.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Gibson to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen Philadelphia Division.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
United States and Freeport, NY Police Department Enter into Voluntary Technical Assistance Agreement to Ensure Meaningful Language Access to Police Services for Individuals with Limited English ProficiencyRead the Press Release
Breon Peace, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, announced today that the United States has entered into a Voluntary Technical Assistance Agreement with the Freeport, NY Police Department (FPD). The agreement memorializes a cooperative effort between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FPD to help FPD develop a language access program that will ensure its police services are accessible to individuals who are limited English proficient (LEP).
This agreement is the first Voluntary Technical Assistance Agreement of its kind in the United States under DOJ’s Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative (LELAI). It is the result of a mutual desire to improve FPD’s language access services and not the result of an investigation or complaint against FPD. DOJ commends FPD for taking the initiative to build a complete and effective language access program for its LEP residents.
United States Attorney Peace stated, “It is critically important that law enforcement can communicate effectively with members of the community, regardless of the language that they speak. Working collaboratively with FPD, we will improve public safety for all and hope to replicate this agreement with other law enforcement agencies throughout the Eastern District of New York.”
“The Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative was specifically designed for proactive police departments that recognize the need for accurate and timely communication and are willing to invest in the language access tools and training that ensure that crime victims and witnesses can report, the reliability of evidence, protect the public, and promote community trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to work cooperatively with law enforcement agencies across the country that seek to remove language barriers in policing.”
Launched in December 2022, LELAI is a nationwide effort to help law enforcement agencies address language barriers when they interact with the public. The initiative builds on the Department’s longstanding efforts to enforce Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Safe Streets Act).
Under the two-year voluntary agreement, DOJ will help FPD build its language access program consistent with the parties’ shared goals of promoting officer safety and public safety, helping to further control crime, collecting reliable evidence for prosecution purposes, and fostering even greater community trust. DOJ will also help FPD develop policies, procedures, interpretation and translation protocols, community partnerships, and training, among other things.
LELAI provides technical assistance resources and tools that can help state and local law enforcement provide meaningful language access to individuals with LEP. By affirmatively engaging law enforcement agencies that want to review, update and/or strengthen their language access polices, plans and training, LELAI aims to support relationship-building efforts between law enforcement agencies, community stakeholders and populations with LEP.
Additional information about the EDNY U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights work is available at its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/civil-rights. The Civil Rights Division’s work is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. More information on LELAI is available at www.lep.gov/law-enforcement. Members of the EDNY public may report possible civil rights violations at https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/page/file/1396116/dl?inlineor%20civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
This matter is being handled by Eastern District of New York Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Freismuth, Michael Goldberger, and Dara Olds of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Team.
freeport_pd_agreement.pdf freeport_pd_agreement_translated.pdfUnited States Reaches Agreement with the State of Rhode Island to Resolve Violations of Federal Disability Laws for Children with Disabilities in State CareRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announced today that his office, in collaboration with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (HHS OCR), has entered into a proposed consent decree with the State of Rhode Island to resolve the Department of Justice’s May 2024 findings that Rhode Island’s unnecessary segregation of children with behavioral health disabilities in a psychiatric hospital violates federal civil rights laws . The proposed consent decree filed in U.S. District Court, alongside a civil complaint, requires that the State provide these children with community-based services that will allow them to stay in their own homes and communities while they receive the services they need. Compliance with the decree will be overseen by a court-appointed monitor and a federal judge.
“No child deserves to be isolated indefinitely in a locked psychiatric facility when their condition can be treated at home or in a community setting,” remarked U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. “Our kids, our families, and our communities deserve – and the law demands - better than that. While today’s consent decree will not transform a broken system that has all too often failed children with behavioral disabilities, it marks an important, and an enforceable, step toward getting these kids care, rather than confinement. I commend the state of Rhode Island for doing the right thing by stepping up to resolve this matter, and hope that this reflects an ongoing commitment to meeting the state’s civil rights obligations towards our most vulnerable fellow citizens.”
“A child should grow up surrounded by family and loved ones, not in an institution,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This consent decree will provide children with disabilities the services they need to live and grow at home with the love and support of their families. The American with Disabilities Act’s integration mandate lies at the core of the department’s efforts to safeguard the rights of people with disabilities across the country and we will continue our critical work in this area.”
“Every child – and every person – deserves to access critically needed care, free from discrimination: it’s fair, just, and a legally protected right. Twenty-five years after the Olmstead decision, today’s consent decree follows the HHS Office for Civil Rights’ continued efforts to ensure that people with disabilities have opportunities to live and receive needed services in their communities rather than institutions,” said OCR Director Melanie Fontes Rainer. “We are encouraged by the State of Rhode Island’s commitment to stand with the communities we serve in resolving these issues. OCR will continue to protect and enforce the essential civil rights of every person to live in their homes and communities across the nation.”
The filing of the proposed consent decree in federal court follows a public letter of findings issued by the United States Attorney’s Office and HHS in May 2024 notifying the State of the civil rights laws violations. The complaint filed today alleges that the State failed to ensure that children with disabilities were able to access the intensive in-home and community-based services they need, and failed to facilitate prompt discharges from Bradley Hospital to family homes, resulting in extended and unnecessary hospitalization, or risk of future hospitalization, all in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In Olmstead v. L.C., the U.S. Supreme Court held that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires public entities, in providing services to persons with disabilities, to do so in their homes and communities when appropriate services can reasonably be provided in those settings to individuals who want them.
Under the proposed consent decree, which is subject to court approval, the State has agreed to do the following:
- Help children who are currently hospitalized at Bradley Hospital to transition to family settings and receive services at home, if their needs can be met there and they and their families want them to be at home;
- Provide children and families with service planning and care coordination to improve the likelihood that children recently hospitalized, who have experienced multiple visits to emergency departments can be successful at home;
- Improve access to intensive in-home services, including in-home individual and family therapy, behavioral services, and therapeutic mentoring;
- Address current or future shortages of therapeutic foster care families and community-service providers, including providing payment rates and support, to enable children they serve to return to or remain in family settings;
- Provide prompt mobile crisis interventions to help children avoid entering hospitals; and
- Monitor outcomes and timeliness of services.
The parties have agreed that a court-appointed monitor will monitor the state’s compliance with this five-year consent decree. The State worked cooperatively with the United States to resolve and remedy the federal civil rights violations that were identified and agreed to settle this matter without contested litigation.
This case is being litigated by Assistant United States Attorney Amy R. Romero, with assistance from HHS Equal Opportunity Specialist Erin Walker.
Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD). For more information on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and how it protects individuals with disabilities, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/disability/index.html. For more information about OCR’s Olmstead activities, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/special-topics/community-living-and-olmstead/index.html.
Individuals who believe their civil rights have been violated can file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights at: www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/index.html. Anyone in Rhode Island may also report civil rights violations directly to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/civil-rights-enforcement or 401-709-5000.
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complaint.pdf findings_letter_to_rhode_island_5.13.24.pdf consent_decree.pdfU.S. Attorney's Office Secures Sentencing of Zuni Man for Violent AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to 21 months in federal court for a violent assault that left a fellow tribal member with severe injuries.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on January 25, 2023, Zuni Police Department (ZPD) officers responded to a report of an assault near a road within the Zuni Pueblo. They found the victim, John Doe, lying in the road, bleeding heavily from the head and facial area. Witnesses reported that the assailants had fled the scene in a pick-up truck.
John Doe suffered severe injuries that required hospitalization for several days.
The investigation revealed that the incident began when Christopher Hannaweeke Sr., 49, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, hit the victim's dog with his vehicle. When John Doe confronted Hannaweeke, an altercation ensued. Hannaweeke admitted to striking and kicking John Doe, stating he was "overcome with emotion" due to an ongoing neighborhood feud.
During a subsequent interview, Hannaweeke acknowledged to FBI agents on February 3, 2023, that his conduct "went too far."
Upon his release from prison, Hannaweeke will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
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U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton to Leave Justice DepartmentRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Leigha Simonton will resign from the Department of Justice effective Jan. 19, the office announced today.
“I began my career in this office as a summer intern after my first year of law school,” said Ms. Simonton. “It was love at first sight. Every day after that internship, I was figuring out how to become an Assistant U.S. Attorney here. I got that chance when I was nine months pregnant with my first child—a baby who is now 20 years old. I am so proud to have served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for almost eighteen years and then to have been chosen to lead this district—comprised of 100 counties and over 8 million people—as the United States Attorney. I cannot put into words what this experience has meant to me, and I leave with two decades of incredible memories. There is nothing more important than the work of our outstanding women and men in this office and in North Texas law enforcement, and I will be forever grateful to have been a part of it.”
Nominated by President Joseph R. Biden on Nov. 14, 2022 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Dec. 6, 2022, Ms. Simonton was sworn in as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas on Dec. 10, 2022. (Download a high-res version of her headshot here.)
Under her leadership, the district has fought relentlessly for justice, trying its highest number of cases in over a decade. Ms. Simonton actively supervised several high-profile jury trials, from Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz, the anesthesiologist convicted of injecting heart-stopping drugs into patient IV bags, to Christopher Kirchner, the Slync founder found guilty of defrauding investors out of more than $25 million, to Holly Elkins, the woman convicted of helping her fiancé cyberstalk and ultimately murder his former girlfriend and mother of his child. She also oversaw the charging of a Russian national for using the BitPaymer ransomware variant to attack numerous victims throughout the United States and the sentencing of a Ukrainian national for demanding over $700 million in ransom payments using the REvil ransomware variant. Other notable cases included charges against 14 individuals in the largest case investigated by the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Fraud Task Force to date for allegedly bilking the Paycheck Protection Program and numerous financial institutions out of more than $53 million, charges against a Texas Christian University divinity professor for possessing child pornography, the sentencing of a retired Cook Children’s Hospital Chaplain for producing child pornography, the sentencing of a would-be bomber who idolized the Columbine High school shooters, and the sentencing of another man who set off a bomb in his backyard and plotted to blow up a high school.
During her tenure, Ms. Simonton also oversaw the prosecution of 11 drug traffickers charged in the wake of the juvenile fentanyl overdose scandal, which claimed the lives of four Carrollton-area middle and high schoolers and injured 10 more. In the wake of these tragedies, Ms. Simonton launched the “Protect Our Children Project,” aimed at bringing federal resources to bear on issues affecting schools, including fentanyl use. She hosted a series of webinars for hundreds of North Texas school administrators that covered the dangers of fentanyl, how to respond to an overdose, and how to discourage teens from using the drug. She also visited several area colleges to share the dangers of fentanyl with young adults. And, last summer, along with the other Texas U.S. Attorneys, she met in Austin with the heads of all Texas regional education service centers to provide important information and resources on fentanyl that they could use in Texas public schools.
Ms. Simonton also focused on curbing violent crime in North Texas, and the violent crime rate fell in major North Texas cities during that time. She prioritized prosecution of violent recidivists and launched Operation Take Aim in the summer of 2023 to further target such offenders. And she partnered with the other Texas U.S. Attorneys and the ATF in the summer of 2024 to launch “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative to combat the illegal use of machine gun conversion devices, also known as "switches.” The operation, which included a partnership with CrimeStoppers, raised public awareness of the dangers of switches, generated multiple tips, and resulted in numerous ongoing prosecutions.
The Civil and Appellate Divisions also thrived under Ms. Simonton’s stewardship. Ms. Simonton oversaw the creation and implementation of the district’s new Voluntary Self-Disclosure policy, incentivizing companies to quickly detect, disclose, and remediate suspected misconduct, and negotiated settlements in several self-disclosure cases. For instance, the Civil Division negotiated a $14.2 million settlement with Horizon Medical Center of Denton for potential violations of Medicare regulations and the physician self-referral law and an $18.4 million settlement with Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC (CNS) after CNS self-disclosed that it submitted false claims for payment to the National Nuclear Security Administration related to the Pantex Plant—the nation’s primary facility for the assembly, disassembly, and retrofitting of nuclear weapons. Further, the Civil Division negotiated a $4.5 million settlement with a 3D printing company that allegedly transmitted technical data to China in violation of export control laws and obtained $1.2 million in judgments against two doctors who prescribed hydrocodone to drug-seekers without legitimate medical purpose.
Meanwhile, under her leadership, the Appellate Division persuaded the Fifth Circuit to affirm the life sentence of a Michigan man who stalked, transported, and sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl, convinced the Fifth Circuit that a retrial in the Ruel Hamilton real estate bribery case would not violate double jeopardy, and successfully defended against 19 issues on appeal arising from the Forest Park Medical Center kickback case. The Appellate Division also successfully defended the conviction of four UDF executives who misled investors and the SEC about their investment fund’s performance; the Fifth Circuit upheld the conviction, citing the government’s “avalanche of evidence” proving its case, and the Supreme Court later denied cert, allowing the Fifth Circuit decision to stand.
Ms. Simonton also oversaw the progress of the U.S. v. Rahimi case—charged in the Northern District of Texas—through the Fifth Circuit to the U.S. Supreme Court. She supported the Solicitor General’s efforts seeking certiorari of the Fifth Circuit’s decision invalidating Rahimi’s conviction for using a firearm while under a domestic violence protection order. After the Supreme Court granted cert, she attended the oral argument as a guest of the Solicitor General, and the Supreme Court later decided 8-1 that Rahimi’s statute of conviction was constitutional under the Second Amendment. The Rahimi case originated from the Northern District of Texas’s Domestic Violence Initiative, which targets domestic abusers for federal prosecution and resulted, during Ms. Simonton’s tenure, in cases such as the sentencing of a San Diego man to life in prison for traveling to Texas and killing his boyfriend, and the sentencing of a felon domestic abuser to 10 years in prison for violating his supervised release by attacking his partner. As U.S. Attorney, Ms. Simonton has been an outspoken advocate for domestic violence awareness, partnering with regional and national domestic violence organizations, holding press conferences with the other Texas U.S. Attorneys to honor Texas domestic violence victims, and sharing resources with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices so they can create their own domestic abuser prosecution programs.
Throughout her time in office, Ms. Simonton and her staff actively supported other especially vulnerable communities, including religious communities. She held hate-crime seminars for Jewish and Muslim community leaders and oversaw hate-crimes prosecutions that resulted in the sentencing of a Dallas man to 37 years after he shot five individuals, killing one, at a tire shop because it was a Muslim-owned business, and the sentencing of an Amarillo man for threatening to execute three Jewish rabbis.
Ms. Simonton further attempted to stem the tide of defendants who make their way into the federal system, revitalizing and expanding the district’s Project Safe Neighborhood Re-Entry Night program, which educates individuals on state parole and probation about avoiding behaviors, like drug trafficking and gun possession, that could end up in federal prosecution, and connects them with community resources—like therapy, addiction, and job placement programs—to live productive lives. During her tenure, thousands of such individuals across the district attended these programs, and the vast majority have not reoffended. Further, Ms. Simonton and her staff created events to foster positive relationships between residents of high-crime communities and the law enforcement officers who serve them, such as adopting neighborhood schools, holding book fairs staffed by U.S. Attorney’s Office personnel and law enforcement officers, and having officers read books to preschoolers via the office’s “Pre-K Reading Program.”
After a brief hiatus, Ms. Simonton anticipates likely reentering private practice, and she plans to continue to advocate for domestic-violence victims and to protect children and young adults from the harms of fentanyl and other threats to their health and safety. An Acting U.S. Attorney will be announced at a later date.
Two New Castle Residents Sentenced to Prison for Roles in Puerto Rico-to-Western Pennsylvania Cocaine Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Two residents of New Castle, Pennsylvania, were sentenced in federal court on December 18, 2024, for their convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and related charges, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. The defendants were among 17 individuals from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Puerto Rico; and Youngstown, Ohio, indicted in March 2024 for violating federal narcotics, firearms, and racketeering laws by conspiring to distribute cocaine throughout Western Pennsylvania and Youngstown (read the Indictment news release here).
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentences on Luciano Bratini Rivera, 37, and Markus Hobel, 35, sentencing Rivera to 97 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possessing with intent to distribute and distributing a quantity of cocaine on two separate dates, and Hobel to 72 months of prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to information presented to the Court, Rivera knowingly conspired with the leader of the drug trafficking organization, Daniel Feliciano, to receive kilograms of cocaine from a source of supply in Puerto Rico and distribute smaller quantities of that cocaine to multiple co-conspirators in order to maximize profits. Those co-conspirators, who included Hobel, then distributed the cocaine in New Castle, Ellwood City, and elsewhere in Lawrence County. At least five kilograms of cocaine was attributable to Rivera, who also stored drug proceeds on Feliciano’s behalf— including more than $11,000 seized from Rivera’s residence upon his arrest in March 2024—and drove to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with drug proceeds to exchange for additional kilograms of cocaine on multiple occasions in late 2023 and early 2024, during which Rivera retrieved a total of at least six kilograms of cocaine.
At least 100 grams of cocaine was attributable to Hobel, whom Feliciano also described and utilized as his bodyguard to protect his drug product, profits, and person. This included Hobel’s knowing and unlawful carrying and possession of a pistol and rifle during and in relation to and in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy, such as patrolling the premises of and otherwise standing guard with one or more firearms at Feliciano’s residence.
Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Task Force, and United States Postal Inspection Service, as well as the New Castle Police Department, Ellwood City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and United States Department of Agriculture, for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rivera and Hobel.
Lawrence County is one of six Western Pennsylvania counties officially designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. The county received its HIDTA designation in July 2022, allowing it to receive dedicated federal resources to coordinate federal, state, and local governments in fighting drug trafficking and abuse.
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.
Two Houston Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Burglarizing Pharmacies in Southern Illinois, MissouriRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A district court judge sentenced two Houston, Texas, men to federal prison for burglarizing pharmacies of controlled substances in Casey, Illinois, and Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
McKindley V. Allen, 32, and DaLeon J. Fontennet, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary involving controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and attempted burglary involving controlled substances.
Both defendants were sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment.
“Damaging and burglarizing locally-owned pharmacies that provide vital healthcare services impair rural communities, and leave residents and employees without reliable support,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The defendants were only concerned with lining their own pockets with controlled substances and drug proceeds and had no regard for the destruction left for the communities to clean up.”
According to court documents, Allen and Fontennet unlawfully entered a pharmacy in Casey with intent to steal controlled substances in December 2023 by using a Sawzall to cut through the exterior wall. In January, the pair burglarized a pharmacy in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and took more than 16,000 pills. Fontennet admitted to also burglarizing a pharmacy in Murphysboro, Illinois.
“DEA has seen a surge in burglaries of controlled substances at independent, non-chain pharmacies, which rips at the core of communities across this country” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dixon, head of Drug Enforcement Administration investigations in southern Illinois. “With the sentencing of these two criminals, DEA demonstrates its steadfast commitment to the American public and sends a clear message to those who engage in these types of egregious acts.”
After burglarizing the pharmacies, Allen admitted to conspiring with others to distribute the stolen oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine.
DEA St. Louis led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Hudson prosecuted the case.
Troy Man Charged with Pandemic Unemployment Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daion Morris, age 32, of Troy, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Lucy Lang, New York State Inspector General (NYSIG), made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that Morris used a stolen identity to create an unemployment insurance claim in September 2020, and continually recertified the claim through March 2021. Morris received over $29,000 in unemployment insurance benefits in the victim’s name. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Upon conviction on all counts, Morris would face at least 2 years and up to 22 years in prison; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Morris was arraigned today in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and ordered released pending a trial before Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn.
HSI, NYSIG, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the New York State Department of Labor – Office of Special Investigations investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Three imprisoned for jewelry store and bank armed robberiesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Three Houston residents were sentenced to prison following their convictions of robbing commercial businesses with guns, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Thaddeaues Malik Williams, 26, Tydreic Deon Sublet, 24, and Andre Palmer-Gilliams, 33, pleaded guilty Oct. 19, 2023, Sept. 9 and Aug. 12, respectively.
U.S. District Judge George Hanks has now ordered Williams, Sublet and Gilliams to serve 199, 233 and 210 months in federal prison, respectively. All three must also serve three years of supervised release.
On July 1, 2019, Williams, Sublet and Gilliams entered Rice Village Diamonds, where customers and employees were present, dressed in construction attire. They used firearms to steal jewelry from four glass cabinets. Authorities later identified the suspects after recovering a Gatorade bottle they left inside the store.
On Aug. 14, 2019, the trio entered Woodforest National Bank inside Gallery Furniture. Subtle pointed a firearm at customers and disarmed a security officer, while Williams jumped over the counter, ordered tellers to open their drawers and stole cash.
Authorities responded and pursued the suspects as they fled in a vehicle. The chase ended when the vehicle crashed into a ditch near a residential area, at which time they fled on foot. Authorities eventually apprehended them and recovered the security guard’s gun, other firearms and the stolen money.
They will remain in custody pending transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Houston Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Jenkins Stotts prosecuted the case.
Three Plead Guilty in Conspiracy Scheme Involving Bribery of Government Contracting OfficerRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Three men pleaded guilty today to their respective roles in a conspiracy to bribe a public official announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Keith Kelly, Special Agent in Charge for the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office.
Francisco Guerra, 55, of Lexington, Alabama, Coogan Preston, 55, of Columbia, South Carolina, and Jason Ingram, 47, of Rogersville, Alabama, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Liles Burke to conspiracy to bribe a public official. Preston also pleaded guilty to receiving a gratuity as a public official. Sentencing hearings for each of the conspirators have been scheduled for March 18, 2025.
According to the plea agreements, the scheme began in 2016 and continued until 2021. As part of the scheme, Guerra agreed to provide money and other items of value to Preston, a government contracting official working at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. In exchange for these bribes, Preston identified subcontracting opportunities for companies owned and operated by Guerra and convinced the prime contractor to use one of Guerra’s companies as a subcontractor.
“This office is committed to prosecuting individuals who illegally prioritize their personal gain over the fiduciary responsibilities of a federal government official,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “Persons who seek to enrich themselves through bribes and illegal payments undermine the public’s trust and the basic concept of fairness.”
“We are very pleased with today’s announcement,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly. “This is a true testament to our continued commitment to work closely and seamlessly with our outstanding fellow law enforcement agencies to help bring those to justice who attempt to defraud the U.S. Government and U.S. Army.”
The Department of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General-- Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lloyd Peeples is prosecuting the case.
Three Indicted in Medicaid Fraud Conspiracy SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A 13-count indictment charges three defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering of proceeds derived from fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.According to court documents, between March 2018 and July 2024, Shawn Ashley Grygo, 37, of Forest Lake, Minnesota, Shantel Rene Magadanz, 34, of Stacy, Minnesota, and Heather Lynn Heim, 46, of St. Paul, Minnesota, devised and carried out a health care fraud scheme to systematically overbill for drug and alcohol treatment services. The defendants used an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment center called Evergreen Recovery, Inc. to defraud Medicaid and other health care programs by billing for treatment that was not provided, services that were not eligible for reimbursement, and billing for treatment services clients were required to attend as a mandatory condition of remaining in free housing provided as a kickback.
According to court documents, in order to maximize the amount of fraudulent Medicaid claims, the defendants used free housing in Evergreen-controlled “sober” homes as a kickback to induce clients to enroll and remain in Evergreen Recovery treatment so that the defendants could use those clients’ names and identifying information to overbill Medicaid. In order to induce Medicaid-eligible patients to enroll in the program, the defendants recruited people from homeless shelters and encampments, residential drug treatment programs, and county probation offices looking for places to put people being released from jail. As part of their conspiracy scheme, the defendants told clients at intake – and repeatedly throughout their stay – that their entitlement to free housing was contingent on their attendance at least five group counseling sessions per week and a weekly individual session with their primary counselor. If a client’s attendance fell short of the requirement, the defendants and others threatened clients with being locked out of free housing and having their belongings put on the curb, all in order to compel utilization of services.
According to court documents, the conspiracy scheme also involved fraudulent practices designed to facilitate overbilling for group counseling, one-on-one counseling, and treatment coordination services.
As part of their scheme, the defendants created and caused to be created electronic health record chart entries weeks or months after the purported date of services. On at least one occasion, the defendants and others stayed at the office all night before a visit by licensing regulators in order to create hundreds of untimely chart entries. The defendants also hired Peer Coaches and directed them to log their time and activities in a manner that misrepresented the circumstances under which they were interacting with clients in order to facilitate systematic overbilling.
Grygo, Magadanz, and Heim are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud. Grygo is also being charged with three counts of money laundering. Grygo is expected to make her initial appearance on Monday, December 23, 2024. Magadanz and Heim made their initial appearances on December 19, 2024, and were released on conditions, including a condition prohibiting contact with former clients and employees of Evergreen Recovery and its related entities.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to thank the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) at the Attorney General’s office for their assistance in this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Middlecamp is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.