Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
26 November 2024
Arizona Man Sentenced for Making Online Threats Against Public Servants Including Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
Michael Lee Tomasi, 38, of Rio Verde, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release for making online threats against public servants, including federal officials. Tomasi also was ordered to forfeit an assault rifle, handgun, shotgun, gun magazines, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Tomasi pleaded guilty to one count of making threats against public officials on Aug. 13.
“After making vile threats to execute and sexually assault FBI agents and employees, state and local law enforcement officials, and other public servants, Michael Tomasi told the FBI to ‘come to my house and see what happens’ — what has happened is that he will spend 15 months in federal prison,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to the brave public servants of the FBI for bringing this defendant to justice and for the difficult and dangerous work they do every day to keep the American people safe.”
“Threatening law enforcement officers and other public officials will not be tolerated, whether it involves our own FBI personnel, police officers patrolling their communities, or government officials carrying out their work,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “I take it very personally that anyone would threaten FBI personnel who work tirelessly to protect the American people from a variety of threats and often put themselves in harm’s way while carrying out their duties. We will continue to work with our partners to hold accountable those who threaten violence against law enforcement officers and other public servants.”
“Civil discourse and civic dialogue are fundamental to a democratic society,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “But the incitement of violence is not: we will continue our efforts to prosecute those who make true threats against public officials and law enforcement officers.”
From May 2021 through November 2023, while living in Colorado and Arizona, Tomasi used a social media platform to express a desire to incite violence and threaten a variety of individuals and groups, including a city district attorney, a state court judge, a member of Congress and other federal officials and law enforcement officers. Tomasi pleaded guilty to posting a threat on Aug. 26, 2023, to kill FBI agents in order to impede, intimidate, or interfere with FBI agents’ performance of their official duties. Specifically, Tomasi admitted that, on that day, he posted: “Shoot the FBI first and ask questions later. . . . Any FBI [] have a problem with that[,] come to my house and see what happens. Shoot before they even pull their guns out of their trunk and you shoot to kill.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Abbie Broughton Marsh for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Arizona Man Charged with Defrauding at Least 54 Victims in Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 19-count indictment against Anthonie Ruinard, Jr., 39, of Chandler, for Wire Fraud and Transactional Money Laundering.
The indictment alleges that Ruinard scammed at least 54 victims out of more than $5.6 million through an investment fraud scheme operated under the guise of a business called Legacy Investors Group Inc. Ruinard falsely portrayed himself as a successful investor worth over $470 million. He promised victim-investors guaranteed rates of return—generally 5% to 6% per month—through investments in venture capital, private equity, and real estate. While some of the early victim-investors received some initial payments to perpetuate the fraud, others lost their entire investment. Ruinard largely used the victims’ money for himself, including on luxury vehicles (for example, the purchase of an armored vehicle for $344,000), general living expenses, casino gambling, credit card payments, and rental expenses.
A conviction for wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for transactional money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Phoenix Division conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. If you believe you were defrauded by the defendant, and have not previously contacted the FBI, please reach out to the following email address: [email protected] or fill out the questionnaire at this link: https://forms.fbi.gov/legacygroupvictims/view
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01904-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-163_Ruinard# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Alberton trafficker sentenced to more than eight years in prison for role in bringing drugs from Mexico to MissoulaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA — A federal judge today sentenced an Alberton man to eight years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking scheme in which he worked with sources in Mexico to bring meth to Montana and to launder the proceeds, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Waylon Jack Greco, 44, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Greco was close to a source of supply in Mexico and worked to transport the drugs from the Mexican border to Montana. Greco’s drug distribution involved pounds of meth over several months, and he was a known drug distributor from about April 2023 through September 2023. Greco also worked with co-conspirators to launder drug proceeds back to Mexico, including devising a scheme to create business fronts through which to launder the money and by suggesting he marry a Mexican woman to whom he could legally make international transfers. Members of the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office executed a state search warrant on Greco’s vehicle in May 2023 and located approximately 13 grams of meth, $1,001 in U.S. currency and three cell phones.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration 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.
XXX
Alabama Man Indicted for Transporting an Individual to Engage in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Ray Thomas (33, Mobile, AL) with inducement to travel to engage in prostitution and transportation of an individual to engage in prostitution. If convicted on all counts, Thomas faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, in December 2023, Thomas persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced an individual to travel from Massachusetts to Florida for the purpose of engaging in prostitution and sexual activity. He also transported the individual from Massachusetts to Florida.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
25 November 2024
Wilburton Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Charles Henry Lawrence, age 57, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of illegally possessing a firearm.
The Indictment alleged that on November 11, 2022, Lawrence knowingly possessed a revolver and a rifle after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Latimer County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Lawrence will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Upshur County Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Fraudulently Obtain Unemployment and COVID-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Christopher Grant, 41, of Buckhannon, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including four months on home detention, and ordered to pay $35,168 in restitution for conspiracy to steal public money, property or records. Grant admitted that he fraudulently obtained approximately $14,336 in unemployment benefits, including COVID-19 supplementary funds, and a $20,832 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 25, 2020, Grant applied for unemployment compensation after he was laid off as a sales manager at a Charleston auto dealership when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Grant legitimately received unemployment benefits until the week ending April 18, 2020, when he returned to work.
Grant admitted that from at least April 25, 2020 through at least July 25, 2020, he continued to apply for unemployment benefits that he knew he was not entitled to because he had returned to work. Grant fraudulently obtained approximately $14,336 in unemployment benefits, including supplementary funds provided by the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC) of the CARES Act.
WorkForce West Virginia administers the unemployment compensation program for the State of West Virginia. Grant admitted that as part of his scheme, he falsely certified on the WorkForce West Virginia website for 14 consecutive weeks that he was entitled to unemployment benefits. Grant submitted the false certification answers while using his personal electronic device in St. Albans.
On March 21, 2021, Grant applied for a PPP loan because he had earned income as an independent contractor during previous tax years. PPP loans were available to qualifying independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Grant admitted that he falsely represented that he had earned $104,580 as an independent contractor for the prior tax year when he knew he had only earned $33,900. Grant further admitted that he made this false representation in order to receive $20,832, the maximum loan amount available to independent contractors.
Grant also admitted that he used the fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits and PPP loan funds to make purchases and pay his bills.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the WorkForce West Virginia Integrity Section, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the Litigation Financial Analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Tessman prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-113.
###
U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Guilty Plea in Domestic Violence CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man pleaded guilty in federal court to violently assaulting his girlfriend in a domestic violence incident.
According to court documents, on October 9, 2023, Frank Shorty Trujillo, 19, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, violently assaulted his girlfriend, Jane Doe, at their residence. The attack was triggered by Trujillo's anger over a delayed marijuana delivery.
The assault began in front of the couple's one-year-old son. Trujillo repeatedly punched Jane Doe and bit her left leg above the knee. Throughout the attack, Jane Doe feared for her life.
Trujillo will remain detained pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Trujillo faces up to five years imprisonment. Upon his release from prison, Trujillo will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.
# # #
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces over $6.8 Million in Federal Grants to Support Opioid Treatment ProgramsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced today that $6,817,676 in federal grants has been awarded to six counties in the Western District of North Carolina to combat opioids, stimulants, and other substances and to support local treatment programs.
The grants were administered by the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), under the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Site-Based Program. The funding will assist communities with the prevention, diversion, treatment and recovery needs of individuals affected by substance use disorders.
According to provisional data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2023,” of which 81,083 were due to a synthetic opioid, primarily fentanyl.
“The funding allocated to Western North Carolina will strengthen local efforts to fight the opioid crises and its impact on our communities,” said U.S. Attorney King. “These grants further our commitment to work with our local partners to support public health and help build safe and healthy communities.”
The six counties below received funding to address the opioid and stimulant crisis and meet the needs of individuals with substance use disorders.
- Catawba County was awarded $1.3 million to support its existing collaborative Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (L.E.A.D.) and Medicated Assisted Treatment (M.A.T.) programs.
- Gaston County was awarded $1,219,877, to support services provided to children and their families in foster care as a result of parental drug use.
- Henderson County was awarded $1,299,000 to supplement funding for its Recovery Community Center and to expand its capacity.
- Jackson County was awarded $998,952, to implement a comprehensive program designed to impact the overdose crisis and community-wide effects of illicit opioid substances.
- Transylvania County was awarded $999,947, to support its Bridging Reentry: Expanding Access to Treatment and Holistic Care (BREATH-C) program, that aims to reduce the impact of substance misuse on justice involved residents.
- Wilkes County was awarded $999,900, to implement a program to increase access recovery support services and to reduce the impact of illicit substances on individuals and communities.
BJA offers funding through a variety of different programs. Visit https://bja.ojp.gov/funding
to review currently available grant opportunities and learn about funding webinars.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams Announces Anticipated Resignation from the Southern District of New YorkRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who has served as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the district, announced today his intention to resign his position as United States Attorney, effective 11:59 p.m. on December 13, 2024. Edward Y. Kim, who currently serves as Deputy United States Attorney, will become the Acting United States Attorney upon his departure.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today is a bittersweet day for me, as I announce my resignation as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. It is bitter in the sense that I am leaving my dream job, leading an institution I love that is filled with the finest public servants in the world. It is sweet in that I am confident I am leaving at a time when the Office is functioning at an incredibly high level – upholding and exceeding its already high standard of excellence, integrity, and independence. That success is due to the career attorneys, staff members, and law enforcement agents of this Office. Working with them during my tenure has been a privilege of a lifetime. They are worthy custodians of this Office’s tradition of doing the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons. They are patriots. They are my family. And I will miss them dearly.
I thank President Biden for nominating me as United States Attorney, and Attorney General Garland for leading the Department and supporting the Southern District of New York during my tenure. It has been an honor to serve the American people.”
Two Men Charged with Robbing Chinese BusinessRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Alexander Sánchez-Morales and Bryan Merced-Bigio with an armed robbery related to the restaurant China City, in Bayamón, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to the Government’s allegations in a Complaint, on October 10, 2024, Sánchez-Morales and a co-conspirator followed a woman and her two young children to a residence above China City restaurant, where the defendants forced their way into the residence and beat the husband in the head with a machinegun. Defendants stole hundreds of dollars related to the restaurant business before fleeing upon arrival of agents from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.
“The armed robbery allegedly committed by these individuals was a horrific home invasion that spread fear through the community,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “Combating violent crime is among the highest of priorities for the federal law enforcement agencies in Puerto Rico. There is nothing more important than protecting our communities and keeping law abiding citizens safe in their own homes.”
Christopher A. Robinson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Miami Field Division stated: “This indictment represents continuing ATF efforts in the fight against violent crime and those who use machineguns to further their violent activities.”
“Part of our mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of every individual. I want to emphasize that when we say ‘everyone,’ we truly mean all people, irrespective of their legal status or any other factors that might make them hesitant to report a federal crime,” stated Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “We commend the work of the US Attorney’s Office and ATF in this investigation. I urge anyone who has been targeted by violent criminals due to their ethnicity, nationality, or race to come forward and report it by calling 787-987-6500 or submitting a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.”
If convicted, defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeanette Collazo and Jonathan Gottfried of the Violent Crimes Section are in charge of the prosecution of the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is in charge of the investigation with the collaboration of the FBI. If convicted on all counts, the defendants face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Three Indicted in $1.4 Million PPP Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment charging three Metro East men for engaging in a PPP loan fraud scheme in East St. Louis.
Dana C. Howard, 52, of O’Fallon, Richard Scott Myers, 63, of Edwardsville, and Glenn Sunnquist, 53, of Swansea, are each facing one charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud. Howard is also facing charges for making a false statement, two counts of bankruptcy fraud and three counts of willful failure to pay taxes. The grand jury also charged Myers with one count of monetary transaction in funds derived from a specified unlawful activity and three counts of bankruptcy fraud.
“In one of the most prevalent and widespread fraud crimes in American history, any greedy individuals who sought to steal from the federal government under false pretenses and enrich themselves with PPP funds will be held accountable under the law,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.
In response to financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Small Business Administration utilized the Paycheck Protection Program to offer relief and forgivable loans to struggling businesses. Under PPP, business owners could apply for loans to offset operational costs for payroll, employee benefits, facility expenses and other bills.
According to court documents, Howard and Myers were co-owners of construction company Zoie, LLC, and freight company Zade Trucking, both in East St. Louis. Sunnquist was employed as a bookkeeper for both businesses.
In April 2020, Howard and Myers applied for and received a PPP loan for $1,426,500 and asserted more than $1.3 million of the funds would be used to keep Zoie operational and employees paid during the pandemic. Howard and Myers are accused of using the large loan for their personal use and to the benefit of another business they owned and not the intended use of the funds.
“COVID fraud was massive in scale and ultimately the cost will be paid by American taxpayers for generations to come,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “The FBI has opened thousands of investigations across the country targeting COVID-related fraud, working diligently in collaboration with our partners to hold thieves accountable.”
The indictment further alleges that in 2020 both Meyers and Howard filed for bankruptcy indicating they had little to no PPP loan funds left when in fact combined they had $450,000 available to them through cashier’s checks. Howard and Myers are also alleged to have applied for a second PPP loan for more than $1.4 million in January 2021, falsely indicating they were not involved in any bankruptcy proceedings and thereafter also sought forgiveness of the first loan.
“The nation as a whole may have moved on from COVID, but IRS Criminal Investigation continues to track down fraudsters who stole money from pandemic relief programs to enrich themselves,” said St. Louis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Bill Steenson. “Those individuals must be held accountable.”
Sunnquist is accused of falsifying Zoie’s expense records and manipulating old invoices to support the loan’s forgiveness application. In September 2022, SBA denied forgiveness of the loan.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The FBI Springfield Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation are contributing to the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke is prosecuting the case.
Tax Preparer Charged in 16-Count Indictment for Falsifying Tax Returns for Customers and Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Programs for Small BusinessesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey tax preparer was charged in a sixteen-count indictment for using false information to increase client tax refunds, and fraudulently obtaining money from Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Anne Bonilla, aka “Anne Davinovish,” 53, of Linden, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with thirteen counts of procuring, counseling, and advising in the preparation and filing of false tax returns; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and two counts of wire fraud. Bonilla was arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court and pleaded not guilty.
According to the indictment:
Bonilla was a tax preparer at Anne Accounting Services Inc. who created fraudulent tax returns on behalf of multiple clients by falsifying various expenses. As a result, those clients’ returns requested higher tax credits and higher refunds than the clients were entitled to receive. Bonilla prepared at least 46 fraudulent tax returns that caused approximately $340,000 in refunds to which the taxpayers were not entitled.
Bonilla also arranged for a conspirator to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Electronic Filer Identification Number (EFIN) using the conspirator’s personal identifying information. The fraudulent EIN was associated with tax returns that received more than $195,000 in federal refunds for tax year 2023, and the fraudulent EFIN was associated with tax returns that received more than $595,000 in federal refunds for tax year 2023, including tax refunds totaling more than $100,000 in the names (including variations of the names) of Bonilla and her associates.
In June 2020, Bonilla and a conspirator submitted a fraudulent EIDL application, which resulted in the Small Business Administration (SBA) paying $110,000 in COVID-19 related proceeds. In July 2020, Bonilla and the conspirator submitted another fraudulent EIDL application, which resulted in the SBA paying $131,200 in COVID-19 related proceeds. The July 2020 application was submitted under another person’s name to conceal the involvement of Bonilla and her conspirator, but law enforcement was subsequently able to link the July 2020 application back to Bonilla. Bonilla also sent a lender altered bank statements in connection with the purchase of real property in Florida.
Each of the 13 counts of procuring, counseling, and advising in the preparation and filing of false tax returns carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each count of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
bonilla.indictment.pdfTampa Dentist Pleads Guilty to Sending Threats to Multiple Victims, Including an Election OfficialRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — A Florida dentist pleaded guilty today to sending threats to three victims in 2019 and 2020 and to an election official in 2024.
According to court documents, from September 2019 to July 2020, Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, sent over 100 threats to various public figures based on their political commentary via Facebook and Instagram messages, email, and text. As charged in the superseding information, those threats included a threat sent via email to an author, a threat sent via text to a religious persona, and a threat sent via Instagram to a television personality. Kantwill also sent at least seven additional threats to four public figures via Facebook from April 2022 to April 2024, including a threat to an election official in another state on Feb. 9, 2024.
“With this plea, the Justice Department is ensuring that Richard Kantwill faces accountability for targeting an election official and other public figures with over 100 heinous threats,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “In the three years since I created the Department’s Election Threats Task Force we have worked to aggressively combat the dangerous increase in violent threats against the public servants who administer our elections. Today’s action is yet another warning: the Justice Department will not stand for threats of violence that endanger people’s safety and endanger our democracy.”
“Today’s guilty plea is the next step in holding Richard Kantwill accountable for his almost year-long campaign of terror, sending more than 100 violent threats to over 40 victims including various public figures and an election official,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Make no mistake, using electronic communications to threaten victims with violence is illegal and the FBI will continue to pursue those who seek to cause fear and terror by sending such violent threats.”
“Richard Kantwill sent more than 100 violent threats to multiple public figures, including an election official,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department has zero tolerance for conduct that seeks to intimidate public servants from doing their jobs. I am proud of the work the Election Threats Task Force has done over the past three years to hold accountable those who threaten election workers with violence.”
Kantwill pleaded guilty to four counts of interstate transmission of a threat. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail K. King for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Created by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they join the task force in its critical work.
Under the leadership of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
Rutland Woman Sentenced to 29 Months for Distribution of Cocaine BaseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on November 21, 2024, Stephanie Horvath, 39, of Rutland, Vermont, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 29 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Horvath previously pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine base to a law enforcement confidential informant in June 2023, in Rutland.
According to court records, starting in 2017-18 and continuing until her arrest in the current case in August 2023, Horvath “middled” drug sales for a rotating group of drug suppliers who were armed and dangerous. Horvath was involved in the distribution of cocaine base and heroin/fentanyl at the Highlander Motel in Rutland in 2022 and 2023. Horvath would distribute controlled substances herself, as well as have others distribute drugs from her hotel room. During the investigation that led to Horvath’s arrest, five controlled purchases were conducted by the Vermont State Police’s Drug Task Force involving the defendant’s room between December 2022 and June 2023. Records also indicate that in November 2022, Horvath’s acquisition of a large supply of cocaine and heroin/fentanyl from another drug supplier was associated with the violent assault of one of her associates.
United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police’s Drug Task Force, the Rutland City Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Turner and Jonathan A. Ophardt. Horvath was represented Natasha Sen, Esq.
Ringleader of Stalking Campaign Against Journalists Sentenced to More Than Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Hampshire man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for orchestrating a conspiracy to harass and intimidate journalists employed by New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) and their family members.
Eric Labarge, 46, of Nashua, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 46 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and pay restitution of $34,139 to the victims. In July 2024 Labarge pleaded guilty to a five-count superseding Information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and using a facility of interstate commerce; one count of conspiracy to commit stalking using a facility of interstate commerce; one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce and aiding and abetting; and two counts of stalking through interstate travel and aiding and abetting. Labarge was arrested and charged in September 2023 along with co-conspirators Tucker Cockerline, Michael Waselchuck and Keenan Saniatan.
“Mr. Labarge was the ringleader of a targeted, terror campaign that caused the victims—journalists exercising the First Amendment rights and the families —incredible fear and emotional harm. Mr. Labarge’s terror campaign sent ripples of fear throughout the journalism community and violated the bedrock principles enshrined in the Bill of Rights,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding the rights of journalists to report without fear of retribution and to put behind bards those who try to silence the media through threats and violence.”
“Eric Labarge will now pay a hefty price for being the vindictive ringleader of an elaborate harassment campaign that inflicted significant emotional harm, stress, and fear on New Hampshire Public Radio employees and their family members who were simply just doing their jobs,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Let today’s sentence be a warning: anyone attempting to infringe on the freedom of the press – a constitutionally protected right – will not get away with it.”
In March 2022 an NHPR journalist (Victim 1) published an exposé detailing allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson, identified in the charging document as Subject 1. Another NHPR journalist (Victim 2) also contributed to the article, which appeared on NHPR’s website during and after March 2022. In response to this reporting Labarge – one of Subject 1’s closest friends – orchestrated a months-long scheme to harass, stalk and intimidate Victims 1 and 2 and their immediate family members with the help of Cockerline, Waselchuck and Saniatan. Specifically:
- On or about the evening of April 24, 2022, at Labarge’s direction, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1’s former residence in New Hampshire;
- On the evening of April 24, 2022, at Labarge’s direction, Saniatan spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on the front door and threw a large rock at the exterior of Victim 2’s home in New Hampshire; and threw a softball-sized rock through a front exterior window and spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home in New Hampshire;
- On or about May 18, 2022, Labarge directed Cockerline to vandalize Victim 1’s parents’ home in New Hampshire, and Victim 1’s home in Massachusetts, using bricks and red spray paint. Cockerline, in turn, recruited Waselchuck to vandalize Victim 1’s residence; and
- On the evening of May 20, 2022, at Labarge’s direction, Cockerline spraypainted the word “C*NT” in large red letters on one of the garage doors of Victim 1’s parents’ home, and he left a brick on the ground near the front door. Several hours later, Waselchuck threw a brick through an exterior window of Victim 1’s home in Massachusetts and painted the phrase “JUST THE BEGINNING” in large red letters on the front of the house.
Earlier this year, Cockerline and Waselchuck received prison sentences of 27 months and 21 months, respectively. Each sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. Saniatan has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Concord, Hampstead and Hanover, New Hampshire Police Departments, the Melrose, Massachusetts Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Torey B. Cummings of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Ringleader imprisoned for almost 16 years after laundering millions in Indian call center scamRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 39-year-old legal permanent resident (LPR) from India has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Sohil Usmangani Vahora, Des Plaines, Illinois, pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2023.
U.S District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered him to serve 188 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. As an LPR, he could also lose his status in the United States.
Vahora was ordered to pay a combined $3,541,258 in restitution to dozens of individual victims. At the hearing, the court heard that over 80 percent of Vahora’s victims were elderly. Victim impact statements received from 33 victims or their family members described “relentless” phone calls, financial hardship and feelings of shame Vahora and his co-conspirators caused.
“Vahora chose to go all in on India’s predatory call centers, swindling savings from his elderly neighbors while at the same time turning his back on the country that chose to let him in,” said Hamdani. “He saw the money flowing through his organization as nothing more than dollar signs, ignoring the foreign fraudsters who stole money and dashed dreams using a script of fear and lies. Today’s 15-year and eight-month sentence sends the message that people who move a victim’s money are as culpable as the person who initially places the bogus call.”
Between 2017 and 2020, Vahora managed a team of domestic money mules or “runners.” He received work from call centers in India that were perpetrating telemarketing scams in the United States.
One common script used in the scheme involved coercing victims into believing members of law enforcement were investigating them. The “federal authority” on the phone would convince the victim the only way to clear his or her name from investigation was to buy gift cards and transfer the redemption codes to the call center or mail cash in a package to a name and address the call center provided. Runners in the United States would then deplete the gift card funds and pick up the packages.
At least five runners worked for Vahora over the course of the conspiracy. They picked up hundreds of packages containing cash approximately 280 victims had shipped. Although Vahora lived in the greater Chicago area, he sent his runners all over the country.
Co-conspirator Zaheen Rafikbhai Malvi, 30, Heber Springs, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud May 15, 2023, and is set for sentencing Dec. 9. At that time, Malvi faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
An additional three of Vahora’s runners were previously sentenced to 29, 41 and 60 months in federal prison.
Vahora will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations in Houston and Fayetteville, Arkansas, conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI and Heber Springs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Kate Suh are prosecuting the case.
The SSA and its OIG consistently warns people of similar scams. Protect yourself!
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to A MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Imran Siddiqi (40, North Port) to 15 years in federal prison for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor and committing a felony offense involving a minor as a registered sex offender. Siddiqi entered a guilty plea on July 22, 2024.
According to court documents, between January 31 and March 6, 2024, Siddiqi engaged in a conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing online as a 13-year-old girl. During the conversation, Siddiqi repeatedly described his desire to have sex with the child, sending multiple explicit photographs of himself along with images of adult pornography to the undercover officer. Siddiqi, a registered sex offender, previously was convicted in state court of traveling to meet a parent to solicit/entice a child to commit a sex act in 2016.
“This recidivist predator once again attempted to violate the innocence and vulnerability of a child,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah McCombs. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners at all levels, is steadfast in our commitment to work tirelessly investigating anyone who attempts to exploit children.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
Raleigh Man Pleads Guilty to Seven-Figure Fraud Against COVID Relief ProgramRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Raleigh businessman Wilson Alfredo Olivera Borda pled guilty to nine counts of defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for over $1 million. At sentencing, Olivera faces a statutory maximum of 30 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, in 2020 and 2021, Borda received nine PPP loans for five separate companies. To obtain those loans, Olivera submitted applications falsely claiming that each business had substantial employees and operations. Olivera bolstered those falsehoods by submitting fabricated tax returns supporting his applications.
In truth, two of the companies, The Insurance Centers.Com and The Insurance Centers LLC, were not separate businesses, but trade names used by a different company for which Borda had already applied for and received COVID relief funding. The other three, Realty Vestors LLC, US-Kaizen LLC, and Ecobuild LLC, had little or no operations and no employees. After obtaining the loans, Borda made additional false statements to obtain forgiveness. All nine loans were fully forgiven and paid off by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“This businessman pocketed over $1 million in PPP relief funds by submitting bogus tax returns suggesting his business had legitimate operations and employees. When the FBI dug in, the house of cards came tumbling down,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “We should be proud to live in a nation that cares for the needy and moves quickly to handle the greedy. Law enforcement is working daily to root out fraud on public programs.”
Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the arraignment by United States District Judge Terrence Boyle. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Cogburn prosecuted the case for the government.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-215-BO.
Punxsutawney Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal fraud laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Patty Merlo, 66, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around May 2016 to in and around January 2022, Merlo embezzled and converted for her own use approximately $91,300 in Social Security benefit payments to which she knew she was not entitled.
Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Merlo.
Providence Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who was found in possession of nearly half of a kilo of fentanyl that he kept stored inside an apartment he shared with five other individuals, including two babies, has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha
Stanli S. Arias De La Rosa 31, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 71 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release. He pleaded guilty on April 30, 2024, to a charge of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Arias was arrested by members of the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force in March 2023, six months after being arrested by the York County Sheriffs’ Office in Nebraska during a traffic stop after discovering approximately 10 kilos of cocaine inside a vehicle that he was driving. Arias failed to return to Nebraska to face those charges after being released following his court arraignment.
According to information presented to the court, in March 2023, a West Warwick Detective who also served a member of the DEA Drug Task Force developed information targeting the location of a high-level drug supplier. On March 10, 2023, authorities conducted a court-authorized search of Arias’ Providence residence and found narcotics strewn about the apartment. Seized were approximately 454.9 grams of fentanyl, 43 grams of cocaine, 14.5 grams of crack cocaine, digital scales, and other items used in the preparation and distribution of narcotics.
Present in the apartment at the time of the search were two mothers and their infants and an adult male.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christine D. Lowell.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island DEA Drug Task Force and the Smithfield Police Department.
###
Probation Check Leads to Discovery of Firearm, Federal Sentence for Lewiston ManRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Lewiston man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally possessing a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Bret Binette, 19, to time served followed by three years of supervised release. Binette had been incarcerated since May 9, 2024 and pleaded guilty on August 13, 2024.
According to court records, in May 2024, law enforcement conducted a probation check and interview with Binette at his residence in Lewiston. Prior to the probation check, he was observed operating a vehicle with a passenger in the front seat. A search of the vehicle revealed a Glock model 45, 9 mm pistol. Binette denied owning or possessing the firearm, but the passenger stated that Binette had handed him the weapon as the officers were approaching the vehicle, and he had stashed it under the seat. The investigation revealed that Binette had purchased the firearm in March 2024, and he admitted possessing the Glock in numerous recorded phone calls from Androscoggin County Jail. Binette was precluded from possessing a firearm due to an October 2023 felony conviction for criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Lewiston Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods: This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn.
###
Plaquemines Parish Man Sentenced for Fentanyl, Heroin and Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTOPHER GLASS (“GLASS”), age 46, a resident of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, was sentenced on November 21, 2024 to time served. The Court’s sentence consists of a 16-month term of imprisonment, with the defendant already having served the past 18 months in federal custody. Upon release from imprisonment, GLASS was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
GLASS previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846.
According to court records, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents started investigating GLASS in June 2020 as a narcotics distributor in the New Orleans area. The investigation involved the use of a court authorized, Title III, wiretap investigation. During the wiretap investigation, agents overheard dozens of recorded telephone calls that revealed GLASS was conspiring with others to distribute cocaine, as well as pills containing heroin and fentanyl.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office led the investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit.
Pittsburg County Resident Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Brandon Pearce, age 55, of Indianola, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea of one count of possessing an unregistered explosive device.
The Indictment alleged that on September 5, 2023, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Pearce knowingly possessed a destructive device not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Pearce was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Lorenz and Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.
Owner of Florida Labor-Staffing Companies Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A Ukrainian national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between August 2007 and August 2021, Oleg Oliynyk and others owned and operated a series of labor-staffing companies in South Florida, including Paradise Choice LLC, Paradise Choice Cleaning LLC, Tropical City Services LLC and Tropical City Group LLC. Through these staffing companies, Oliynyk and others facilitated the employment of non-resident aliens in the hospitality industry who were not authorized to work in the United States and helped evade the assessment and collection of federal income and employment taxes. Oliynyk and his codefendants also laundered more than $11 million of proceeds from their scheme.
A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. Oliynyk faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy to defraud the United States charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorneys Matthew B. Hicks and Wilson R. Stamm of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Clark for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Orlando Man Indicted for Possessing an Unregistered Machinegun as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Timothy Stephens (25, Orlando) with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing an unregistered machinegun. If convicted of the felon in possession offense, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison. If convicted of possessing an unregistered machinegun, Stephens faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, on October 17, 2024, Stephens, having previously been convicted of a felony, was found in possession of a Glock Model 30 with a machinegun conversion device installed. As a convicted felon, Stephens is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. Additionally, the machinegun was not registered to Stephens in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
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.
Ohio Man Indicted in South Carolina for Exploiting and Stalking Minors on Social MediaRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury has returned a six-count indictment charging Jack Keegan Davis, 21, of Columbus, Ohio, with coercion and enticement of minors, production, distribution, and possession of child pornography*, and cyberstalking.
The indictment alleges that from August 2022 through October 2024, Davis used at least four social media platforms and 130 social media display names to pose as a minor and interact with minors on social media. Davis used those accounts to persuade minor victims to engage in sexual conduct and to produce child sexual abuse material. Davis allegedly received that material, possessed it, and distributed some of that content to other minors, including classmates of one of his victims. He also allegedly used the material to harass and threaten at least one of his minor victims and their family. Although one minor obtained a restraining order, Davis continued to contact the minor and the minor’s family after the no contact order was served on Davis.
Davis also allegedly threatened to kill one minor and the minor’s family, including: “Im going to kill [Victim] and [Victim’s] family,” “[Victim] ur ded,” “Im going to f***ing kill [Victim],” “I am not kidding I am going to kill [Victim] and [Victim’s] family,” “If [Victim] doesn’t answer me I’m going to [Victim’s] house,” and “I won’t stop until you’re dead.” Davis allegedly shared the victim’s home address, said he would be there when the minor’s father was out of town, promised “revenge if it’s the last thing I do,” and wrote, “lol I just want [Victim] to suffer.” Davis is alleged to have minor victims in multiple states, including South Carolina.
FBI agents arrested Davis in the Southern District of Ohio, where he was ordered detained following a contested bond hearing. He was transported by the U.S. Marshals to South Carolina and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Paige J. Gossett in Columbia, where he was ordered detained pending trial. United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson will preside over the case.
Davis faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison on the production of child pornography charge and a maximum of life on the coercion and enticement charge. Davis also faces up to a $250,000 fine, restitution, a special assessment of $5,000, supervision by the U.S. Probation Office for a period of up to life following any term of incarceration, and potential sex offender registry requirements.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Kershaw County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office, and critical assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs stated that all charges in the indictment are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
NOTE: While the current federal statutes still contain the term “child pornography,” experts in the field now recognize “child sexual abuse material” as the more accurate terminology.
Ocala Tax Preparer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Clients and IRSRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Steven Cabrera to three years in federal prison for assisting in preparing false tax documents, submitting false tax documents, and willfully failing to file tax returns. Cabrera entered a guilty plea on August 16, 2024.
According to court documents, Cabrera worked as a tax preparer in the Ocala area. From 2017 to 2019, Cabrera engaged in widespread tax fraud, adding unauthorized and fraudulent deductions and credits to his clients’ tax returns without their knowledge and then embezzling the additional tax return proceeds for his own use. Cabrera also defrauded clients directly by telling them to make out checks to “IRS” and pledging that he would send the funds to the IRS himself. Instead, he deposited those checks into an account he controlled for a fictitious business, “International Resort Services.” Cabrera’s years of fraudulent activity caused total losses of nearly $1 million.
“It’s certainly a bold move to invoke the name of the ‘IRS’ when attempting to defraud not only the government, but people who are putting their trust in you,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “The real ‘IRS’ is always going to show up, investigate, and put a stop to these types of scams. If your return preparer exhibits any of the behaviors shown in this case, please visit IRS.gov and click on the ‘Get your tax record’ button. From there, you can verify the accuracy of the information on your tax record and, if necessary, report any fraudulent or inaccurate information.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –CHARVAN MORRIS (“MORRIS”), age 27, was sentenced on November 21, 2024 by U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $200 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of distributing fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
According to court documents, in February of 2024, MORRIS made three sales of fentanyl to a confidential informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives at a motel on Airline Highway. Over the three sales, MORRIS distributed more than nine ounces of fentanyl. MORRIS made one of the sales from the driver’s seat of a vehicle, all while the front seat passenger was armed with an AR-style pistol.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Multi-Jurisdictional Law Enforcement Collaborative Dismantles Four Criminal Organizations Operating Throughout Southwestern BaltimoreRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland joined the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City (SAO) — and its Major Investigations Unit — the Mayor’s Office, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to share details about the largest takedown in Baltimore in decades.
This investigation uncovered four separately operated criminal organizations whose primary enterprise was trafficking narcotics. Ivan Roman and Andre Berry are facing federal charges for firearm-related offenses and possession with the intent to distribute narcotics. The SAO announced charges against 40 individuals for drug trafficking and firearm offenses that occurred throughout southwest Baltimore City. This takedown is part of the City’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS). Ongoing violence in these areas was the catalyst for the investigation. While examining violent feuds in these regions, law enforcement uncovered the existence of at least four separate criminal organizations that engaged in the daily street-level distribution of narcotics.
During the course of the nearly year-long investigation, law enforcement employed various investigative methods. This included executing search-and-seizure warrants and recovering approximately 65 firearms of varying calibers, including ghost guns and firearms equipped with rapid-fire trigger activators, which allow the firearms to operate as fully automatic weapons. Additionally, law enforcement recovered body armor, approximately 7.25 kilograms of suspected cocaine, approximately three kilograms of suspected heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 110 pounds of suspected cannabis, approximately $373,275.50 — believed to be proceeds from the sale of narcotics — and 15 stolen automobiles.
“Operation Tornado Alley comes on the heels of our newly executed Baltimore Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force memorandum of understanding between the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “This operation proves that we’ve taken the Strike Force to the next level in combating violent crime in the Baltimore region. Violent offenders better beware, we are a force-multiplier for the work of our state and local partners on the ground.”
These four criminal organizations conducted criminal activity in the surrounding areas of the 1700 block of Lemmon Street, 2000 block of W. Pratt Street, 500 block of Millington Avenue, and 2800 block of Edmondson Avenue. The SAO has secured 38 state indictments with 35 defendants, involving four conspiracies.
“The dismantling of multiple criminal organizations and the arrest of numerous individuals accused of committing violence in our city is a significant victory for the people of Baltimore. Simultaneously taking down this many criminal enterprises requires skilled collaboration across various levels of law enforcement, and this achievement underscores the exceptional effectiveness of our prosecutors, agents, investigators, detectives, police officers, and community partners working tirelessly to make our city a safer place,” said State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates. “Dismantling these operations marks a significant step forward in our mission to protect our communities from the dangers of illegal drugs and violence. We are not only disrupting the flow of dangerous narcotics but also sending a strong message that Baltimore will not tolerate criminal operations that threaten the safety and well-being of our residents. Our office remains committed to fighting crime on all fronts and working with our community to create a safer, healthier Baltimore for all.”
“This takedown is a powerful example of what we can achieve through strong partnerships and focused investigations,” said Police Commissioner Richard Worley. “By removing dangerous individuals, illegal firearms, and drugs from our streets, we are taking significant steps toward making Baltimore a safer city. The hard work and dedication of our officers and partner agencies highlight our shared commitment to the Group Violence Reduction Strategy and working together to reduce violence and protect our communities. We remain relentless in our pursuit of those who bring harm to our neighborhoods.”
“We are battling an unprecedented drug poisoning epidemic that has claimed thousands of American lives. I’m talking about the Opioid/Fentanyl Poisoning Crisis. Together, we are sending a powerful and direct message to drug trafficking organizations, their leaders, and those who enable their illegal and violent activities: We will not tolerate these actions and are committed to relentlessly pursuing justice against them,” said SAC Jarod Forget of the DEA’s Washington Division.
“ATF is proud to collaborate with our state and local partners to investigate these violent criminal organizations. These charges are a critical step forward in holding those who would commit violence in the city of Baltimore accountable. ATF remains dedicated to bringing those who illegally possess and use firearms to justice,” said SAC Toni Crosby, Baltimore Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“This is what GVRS’s accountability component looks like. Working together, sharing intelligence, collaborating with prosecutors on law enforcement investigations, and leveraging our collective resources to hold those who violate the strategy’s mandate to put down the guns and make the decision to perpetuate harm and violence accountable,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “I want to thank State’s Attorney Bates, US Attorney Barron, Governor Moore, GOCCP, our Federal partners at the ATF and DEA, BPD’s Group Violence Unit, Anne Arundel County Police, Baltimore County Police, and our team at MONSE for doing the investigative and enforcement work necessary to incapacitate violent groups plaguing our communities.”
Law enforcement identified multiple sources supplying fentanyl and cocaine, some of whom were importing large quantities of narcotics from outside of the state. This included approximately 3.4 kilograms of suspected cocaine couriered from New York into Maryland on behalf of the criminal organization operating in and around the 500 block of Millington Avenue. The criminal organization maintained caches of firearms to protect their supply of narcotics and secure their territory.
In March 2024, BPD executed search warrants in the 500 block of Millington Avenue, which resulted in the seizure of five rifles, three handguns, and body armor. A rival organization — operating in and around the 1700 block of Lemmon Street — engaged in drug trafficking, firearm trafficking, and car thefts to finance and further their enterprise. As a result of proactive enforcement during this investigation, law enforcement thwarted numerous violent incidents, including the prevention of an armed robbery and shutting down a violent territorial dispute.
On November 19, 2024, BPD executed 16 search-and-seizure warrants with the assistance of the DEA, the ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Maryland State Police (MSP), the Baltimore County Police Department, the Howard County Police Department, the Harford County Police Department, the Baltimore City Fire Department, and the Baltimore City Health Department Animal Control, pertaining to the criminal organizations operating in and around the 2800 block of Edmondson Avenue, the 500 block of Millington Avenue, and the 1700 block of Lemmon Street. In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 525 grams of suspected heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 340 grams of suspected cocaine, six firearms varying in caliber, and $9,701, believed to be proceeds from the sale of narcotics.
Defendants have been charged with offenses such as Managing and Participating in a Criminal Organization, Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics, Firearm Drug Trafficking, Unlawful Sale of a Regulated Firearm, Firearm Possession by a Prohibited Person, Distribution of Fentanyl, and Distribution of Cocaine. Some have also been charged with offenses such as Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Attempted Murder, and Armed Robbery. The investigation is ongoing concerning additional acts of violence committed by members of criminal organizations to further the interests of their enterprise.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Baltimore Strike Force is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations to reduce drug-related and/or gang violence in the Baltimore metropolitan and surrounding areas. The Baltimore Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, ATF, and FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked the Baltimore Police Department, other law enforcement agencies, the Assistant State’s Attorneys with the Office of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon, who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Mobile Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Secretly Recording Children in the BathroomRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Matthew Allyn McDaniel, age 39, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison after entering guilty pleas to two counts of attempting to sexually exploit a minor. McDaniel entered his guilty pleas on August 29, 2024.
According to court documents, in the month of December 2023, law enforcement received a tip from an internet service provider that there was an online storage account associated with an address in Theodore, Alabama, which contained child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). The email address associated with the account was “[email protected].” On December 12, 2023, law enforcement obtained a state search warrant allowing them to search the account associated with [email protected]. In that account, law enforcement discovered approximately 249 videos of CSAM.
On January 9, 2024, law enforcement obtained a state residential search warrant for the address associated with email address and the online storage account. Present at the address was McDaniel. A cell phone was recovered from under the mattress in McDaniel’s room. McDaniel was interviewed. He admitted that the cell phone found belonged to him, and he admitted hiding it when he heard law enforcement enter the residence. A forensic examination was performed on McDaniel’s cell phone. The examiner discovered evidence that McDaniel had used email addresses pedvid1, pedvid2, pedvid3, etc., up through [email protected]. There were approximately 25 images of CSAM found on the phone. Importantly, there were 7 images that appeared be taken via a hidden camera in a bathroom, in front of a shower. The images show two different minor females drying off and getting dressed. The minors were identified, and were 13 years old at the time of the recording.
At sentencing, Chief United States District Judge Beaverstock imposed a 360-month sentence of incarceration and a 15-year term of supervised release upon his future release. During his term of imprisonment, McDaniel will be subject to sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment, and mental health treatment. McDaniel will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. McDaniel was ordered to pay $200 in special assessments and to pay $1,337 in restitution to his victims.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kacey Chappelear and Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources
Missouri Felon Admits $830,000 Fraud, Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon has admitted illegally acquiring dozens of guns and bilking two investors out of a total of $830,000.
Dennis Latour, 41, pleaded guilty November 20 to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of conspiracy to purchase one or more firearms for a convicted felon and 13 counts of wire fraud. Jennifer Keegan, 50, pleaded guilty Monday, November 25, in U.S. District Court to one felony count of conspiracy to purchase one or more firearms for a convicted felon.
Keegan admitted that starting at least in February of 2023, she and Latour began purchasing multiple firearms. Keegan filled out the required paperwork, despite knowing that many of the guns would be possessed and/or used by Latour, a convicted felon who is barred from possessing firearms.
On Feb. 24, 2023, Latour tried to buy a Barrett .50-caliber rifle and ammunition from an online firearms retailer but was rejected because of concerns about his criminal history. On March 1, 2023, Keegan and Latour bought a Barrett rifle and another rifle from a retailer in St. Charles, Missouri.
Three days later, Keegan bought two rifles from a St. Charles, Missouri sporting goods store. On March 21, she bought five more guns from a Springfield, Missouri sporting goods store, and the next day she returned and bought a pistol.
On April 4, 2023, Keegan picked up a rifle and two pistols from a Pevely, Missouri gun store after buying them online. Latour was with her and had a pistol. Fifteen days later they returned and purchased a shotgun.
On Sept. 26, 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) performed a court-approved search of the home the couple shared in Des Peres, Missouri. They found 27 firearms in a “vault” room, and two pistols in the couple’s bedroom, their plea agreements say.
Latour also admitted as part of his plea agreement than beginning in June 2022, be hatched a scheme to bilk investors. Latour falsely claimed to have made successful investments in the cannabis industry and told two victims that they could participate by “piggybacking” on his investment. Latour used the money to fund his personal lifestyle and to pay for items such as firearms, vehicles, and jet skis. One victim lost $718,271 and the other lost $112,340, Latour’s plea agreement says.
Latour is scheduled to be sentenced March 12, 2025. Keegan is scheduled to be sentenced March 11.
The felon in possession charge and conspiracy charge each carry a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. The wire fraud charges carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting 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.
Mississippi Man Sentenced to 8.5 Years for Traveling to Wisconsin to Assault 12-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Reginal Wright, 38, Indianola, Mississippi, was sentenced November 22, 2024, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 102 months in prison for traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. The term of imprisonment will be followed by a 10-year term of supervised release. Wright pleaded guilty to this charge on August 20, 2024.
On November 7, 2023, Wright traveled to Madison and picked up a 12-year-old girl from her foster home. Wright sexually assaulted the girl while in Wisconsin and then later in Tennessee and Florida. Law enforcement was later able to track the girl’s location and eventually recovered her from a Greyhound Bus traveling from Florida to Atlanta.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found that Wright took advantage of a child for his own sexual gratification. Judge Conley also noted the “gaping age difference” between Wright and the child, who Judge Conley described as vulnerable and clearly childlike. Judge Conley said that Wright made a “sordid decision” and caused the child trauma that she may not fully understand until later.
The charge against Wright was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida Highway Patrol, Wisconsin State Patrol, Medley Florida Police Department, Fort Pierce Florida Police Department, Cocoa Florida Police Department, Lake City Florida Police Department, and the Columbia County Florida Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jesse Robert Phillips, 40, of Burtchville, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Phillips admitted that he possessed approximately 19.8 grams of fentanyl on April 30, 2024, in Beckley that he intended to distribute. Phillips further admitted that he had been selling fentanyl in West Virginia while residing at a Mount Hope residence and used two individuals at the residence to sell fentanyl.
Phillips is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. Phillips has also agreed to forfeit one firearm and abandon three other firearms that were seized on April 30, 2024.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-142.
###
- Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal
Metairie Man Guilty of Federal Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ROOSEVELT COCKHERAN (“COCKHERAN”) , age 40, formerly a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, pled guilty on November 22, 2024, before United States District Judge Susie Morgan to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and, to Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846; Unlawful Use of a Communications Facility, to Further a Drug Trafficking Crime, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 843(b); Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C); and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). COCKHERAN also admitted that he is a prior drug offender and as such, is subject to enhanced penalties as to the conspiracy charge.
As to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and Distribute Cocaine, COCKHERAN faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and up to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $8,000,000 and, at least 8 years of supervised release. As to Unlawful Use of a Communications Facility, COCKHERAN faces up to 4 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 and, up to 1 year of supervised release. As to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, COCKHERAN faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000 and, at least 3 years supervised release. As to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, COCKHERAN faces up to 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine and, up to three years of supervised release. Each offense also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Judge Morgan ordered sentencing to occur on February 25, 2025.
Court documents reflect that COCKHERAN was arrested by Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) deputies after they recovered several plastic bags containing cocaine and crack cocaine, a black digital scale, a Black Taurus Model PT 24/7 PRO handgun with a magazine containing 11 live rounds of .45 ammo and his cell phone, from his pick-up truck. Examination of the cell phone by JPSO experts and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, revealed text messages, photographs and other information documenting his drug trafficking activities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit is assigned the prosecution.
Mesa Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Attempted Smuggling of Weapons and Drug Trafficking with a FirearmRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Nestor Hernandez-Morales, 27, of Mesa, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Court Judge Angela M. Martinez to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hernandez-Morales pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Activity, and Attempted Smuggling of Firearms to Promote Drug Trafficking Activity on June 18, 2024.
On February 1, 2023, Hernandez-Morales made arrangements with individuals from Mexico to purchase a .50 caliber semi-automatic rifle and a 5.56x45mm caliber belt-fed rifle for $26,000. Hernandez-Morales intended to purchase these particular weapons because these individuals were involved in drug trafficking organizations in Mexico and knew these types of guns were valuable to promote and support their drug trafficking activities. Hernandez-Morales paid $26,000 for the two rifles as part of an undercover sting, and was soon after arrested by federal and local law enforcement. A subsequent search of his residence revealed 6.6 kilograms of a substance that contained methamphetamine. Law enforcement discovered that he also possessed a Beretta handgun that he admitted he used to protect himself while he traveled and to secure the drugs, money, and munitions he stored at his residence. An additional nine firearms were discovered at his residence.
This investigation was a collaborative effort between federal law enforcement agencies and is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative in Southern Arizona that is being led by the Arizona Strike Force located in Tucson. 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.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00285-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-162_Hernandez-Morales# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Memphis Man Sentenced to over 26 Years of Imprisonment in Connection with Multiple Hotel RobberiesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Timothy Woodard, 26, was sentenced to 315 months in federal prison for his convictions related to a string of hotel robberies committed in Memphis between October and December of 2022. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
On October 19, 2022, Woodard entered a hotel and pointed a handgun at a clerk. Woodard demanded money from the cash drawer. After the register was opened, Woodard took approximately $400. Woodard then forced the clerk to open the hotel safe by threatening to kill him if he did not comply. The clerk opened the safe, and Woodard took $300 from it.
On December 19, 2022, Woodard entered a second hotel and waved a semi-automatic handgun at two desk clerks before demanding money from the cash registers. Woodard took approximately $1,500 from the registers.
Approximately two hours later, on the same date, Woodard entered a third hotel with another person. Woodard jumped over the counter, pointed a semi-automatic handgun at the clerk, and demanded money from the register and the clerk’s wallet. Woodard took approximately $800-$1000 from the register and $300-$500 from the clerk.
In December 2023, a grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee returned a six-count indictment charging Woodard with three counts of “robbery affecting commerce” (Hobbs Act Robbery), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951 and three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). On May 15, 2024, Woodard pled guilty to all counts.
On November 21, 2024, United States District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Woodard to 315 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force along with the Memphis Police Department.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Lorraine Craig, who prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated this case.
###
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.
Memphis Man Sentenced for Possession of Fentanyl and Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis man has been sentenced to over nine years of imprisonment for possession of over 200 grams of fentanyl and numerous firearms discovered during a search of his residence. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, in May 2023, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Memphis and detectives with the Bartlett Police Department began investigating the distribution of large amounts of fentanyl in the Memphis area. During the investigation, law enforcement identified Myshun Jefferson, 21, as a fentanyl distributor and learned that he was distributing narcotics from two Memphis locations. The agents and detectives arranged for at least one controlled purchase at each property.
Based on information obtained from the controlled purchases, search warrants were executed on the two properties. Agents and detectives discovered Jefferson at the residence on Baywood Avenue, along with more than 200 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and four firearms.
One of those four firearms was a Glock pistol discovered in a sofa near Jefferson when law enforcement officers entered the home. This pistol had an unregistered aftermarket device allowing the firearm to act as a machine gun, also known as a “switch,” installed. Two of the other firearms discovered during the search of the residence were also unlawfully altered: a second Glock pistol, also fitted with an automatic “switch” device, and a JTS 12-gauge illegal short-barrel shotgun.
Jefferson was indicted in September 2023 for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity. On September 4, 2024, Jefferson entered a guilty plea on the two-count indictment.
On November 19, 2024, United States District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Jefferson to 117 months of incarceration with a three-year period of supervised release to follow. There is no parole in the federal system.
“HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners across Tennessee, will continue to pursue those who pose a significant threat to public safety through the illegal possession of firearms and contribute to the opioid crisis,” said Homeland Security Investigations Deputy Special Agent in Charge Colin Jackson. “Today’s sentence reflects the serious nature and consequences of engaging in the illegal possession and distribution of fentanyl, a drug that continues to claim lives and devastate communities.”
This case was investigated by HSI Memphis and the Bartlett Police Department. The United States Customs and Border Patrol Laboratories in Savannah, Georgia assisted in this investigation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Bryce H. Phillips who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.
###
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.
Massachusetts Man Who Threatened to Kill Members of Jewish Community and Bomb Places of Worship Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Millis, Mass. man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to threatening to kill members of the Jewish community and bomb Jewish synagogues.
John Reardon, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, one count of transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure a person and one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Aug. 14, 2025. In January 2024, Reardon was arrested and charged.
“This defendant’s threats to bomb synagogues and kill Jewish children stoked fear in the hearts of congregants at a time when Jews are already facing a disturbing increase in threats,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “No person and no community in this country should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence. The Justice Department is committed to using the full force of our investigative and prosecutorial authorities to root out these threats and ensure that all people are protected in the expression of their faith.”
“John Reardon now stands convicted of inflicting terror on the greater Boston Jewish community by threatening violence against fellow residents of Massachusetts solely because they of their Jewish faith. This insidious, pernicious conduct must be met with the full force of the criminal justice system to make sure victims and potential offenders alike know that hate crimes and acts of antisemitism will never be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.
“When John Reardon threatened to kill members of the Jewish community and bomb places of worship, the FBI and our partners immediately mobilized. After all, you cannot call and threaten people with violent physical harm and not face repercussions” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. “People of all races and faiths deserve to feel safe in their communities. With today’s guilty plea, John Reardon is now a convicted felon.”
On the morning of Jan. 25, 2024, Reardon called a synagogue in Attleboro, Mass. and left a voicemail that included threats of violence.
Within 10 minutes of leaving the voicemail at the Congregation Agudas Achim, Reardon called another local Synagogue in Sharon, Mass. and left a voicemail that included threats of violence.
Reardon was arrested by law enforcement after the calls were made. Following his arrest, investigators learned that Reardon had called the Israeli Consulate in Boston 98 times between Oct. 7, 2023 and Jan. 29, 2024. In many of those calls, Reardon made harassing and intimidating statements.
The charge of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure a person provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Attorney General Garland, U.S. Attorney Levy and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. The Attleboro and Wrentham Police Departments; Massachusetts State Police; Bristol County District Attorney’s Office; and Bristol County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for 15 months for Stealing from a Nonprofit Working to Prevent Veteran SuicidesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – David Duren of Haverhill, Massachusetts was sentenced today in federal court for attempting to steal almost $73,000 from a nonprofit health care provider, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.
David Duren, a/k/a Dawud Hakiem Duren, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante to 15 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On July 1, 2024, Duren pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
“The defendant is a recidivist fraudster who used a sophisticated scheme to steal money intended to help vulnerable veterans,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “He spent the stolen money on items like a cruise, landscaping at his home and OnlyFans.com. His brazen criminal conduct was compounded by the fact that he stole from a program dedicated to preventing veteran suicides. Today’s sentence should be a warning to others that stealing from veterans will not be tolerated and will result in incarceration.”
“Today’s sentencing sends the message that the VA Office of Inspector General will work diligently to hold accountable those who would egregiously steal funds intended to help our most vulnerable veterans in crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their excellent work in this case.”
Duren was a program manager for a nonprofit health care provider in Nashua, New Hampshire. He oversaw a program funded by a $750,000 Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention grant. The grant was awarded by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to provide treatment and services to veterans at risk of suicide. At Duren’s recommendation, the health care provider hired a “faith-based organization” called “E3 Foundation” to provide services funded by the Staff Sergeant Fox grant. E3 Foundation was in turn purportedly led by a “Dr. Michael Rapp.” However, unbeknownst to the victim, E3 Foundation was a shell company and Dr. Rapp did not exist. Duren was pretending to be “Dr. Michael Rapp” on emails and calls.
Duren was able to fraudulently obtain almost $50,000 in Staff Sergeant Fox program funds and tried to obtain an additional $24,000 before being discovered. He used a website called “Invoice Generator” to create fake invoices. Duren offered to personally hand-deliver payments to E3 Foundation and Dr. Rapp at their regularly scheduled meetings. Duren and E3 Foundation did not provide the services and products that he billed for.
After the fraud was uncovered, Duren took steps to attempt to conceal his wrongdoing. For example, he emailed the victim a document containing notes of a “meeting” between himself and Dr. Rapp dated July 28, 2023, but the metadata proved he created the document a month after that date. Duren also provided the victim a phone number for Dr. Rapp, who replied via email that he was on vacation in Europe. Shortly after, Duren created a voicemail for Dr. Rapp he titled “Rapp vacation.” And, when law enforcement interviewed Duren, he claimed that the stolen money used to pay for his home’s landscaping was justified because he was using the money to “create a space that was conducive” to hosting veterans.
Approximately a decade ago, Duren was convicted of stealing more than $143,000 from the U.S. Department of Defense.
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
###
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty for Threatening to Kill Members of Jewish Community and Bomb Places of WorshipRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to threatening to kill members of the Jewish community and bomb Jewish synagogues.
John Reardon, 59, of Millis, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, one count of transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure a person, and one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce. In January, Reardon was arrested and charged.
“This defendant’s threats to bomb synagogues and kill Jewish children stoked fear in the hearts of congregants at a time when Jews are already facing a disturbing increase in threats,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “No person and no community in this country should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence. The Justice Department is committed to using the full force of our investigative and prosecutorial authorities to root out these threats and ensure that all people are protected in the expression of their faith.”
“John Reardon now stands convicted of inflicting terror on the greater Boston Jewish community by threatening violence against fellow residents of Massachusetts solely because they of their Jewish faith,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “This insidious, pernicious conduct must be met with the full force of the criminal justice system to make sure victims and potential offenders alike know that hate crimes and acts of antisemitism will never be tolerated.”
“When John Reardon threatened to kill members of the Jewish community and bomb places of worship, the FBI and our partners immediately mobilized. After all, you cannot call and threaten people with violent physical harm and not face repercussions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Field Office. “People of all races and faiths deserve to feel safe in their communities. With today’s guilty plea, John Reardon is now a convicted felon.”
On the morning of Jan. 25, Reardon called a synagogue in Attleboro, Massachusetts, and left a voicemail that included threats of violence.
Within 10 minutes of leaving the voicemail at the Congregation Agudas Achim, Reardon called another local Synagogue in Sharon, Massachusetts, and left a voicemail that included threats of violence.
Reardon was arrested by law enforcement after the calls were made. Following his arrest, investigators learned that Reardon had called the Israeli Consulate in Boston 98 times between Oct. 7, 2023, and Jan. 29. In many of those calls, Reardon also made statements intended to harass or intimidate.
A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. For obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, Reardon faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. For transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure a person, Reardon faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. For stalking using a facility of interstate commerce, Reardon faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Boston Field Office investigated the case. The Attleboro and Wrentham Police Departments, Massachusetts State Police, Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, and Bristol County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings for the District of Massachusetts is prosecuting the case.
Marion County Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Marcus Cleaver Morgan, Jr. (24, Ocala) to four years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Morgan entered a guilty plea on July 25, 2024.
According to court documents, on January 14, 2023, officers from the Ocala Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Morgan. Morgan failed to stop and a high-speed pursuit ensued. The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed into an embankment. Officers located a backpack near the open driver’s side door where Morgan had been seated. The backpack contained two loaded handguns, approximately 239 grams of marijuana, 33.5 grams of MDPV, and a scale. Testing by the FBI confirmed Morgan’s DNA on the trigger, grip, and slide of one of firearms. Morgan has a previous state felony conviction for carrying a concealed firearm. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Ocala Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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.
Manokotak man indicted for illegally possessing firearm as a felonRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Manokotak man with illegally possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to court documents, on Oct. 6, 2023, Wasillie Chocknok, 54, knowingly possessed a firearm as a felon. In June 2008, Chocknok was convicted of assault in the second degree in Alaska Superior Court in Dillingham, and in March 2022, he was convicted of criminally negligent homicide in Alaska Superior Court in Dillingham. Both were felony convictions.
Chocknok is charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais made the announcement.
The ATF Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers and Village Public Safety Officers, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson 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.
###
Man Who Attempted to Enter Church with Rifle Charged with Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
A man who recently attempted to enter a church with a tactical rifle has been charged with a federal firearm crime stemming from a 2022 shooting, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Russell Alan Ragsdale, 25, was charged via criminal complaint with possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. He was arrested on Friday and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée Harris Toliver Monday morning.
According to court documents, Mr. Ragsdale entered a church at 5:05 p.m. on Nov. 2 alongside about 100 parishioners celebrating mass. After attending services, Ragsdale returned to his vehicle and allegedly retrieved a rifle from his trunk. He then closed the three gates to the parking lot. At 5:35 p.m., Mr. Ragsdale allegedly attempted to re-enter the church with his rifle, but could not gain access because the parishioners locked the doors.
During the investigation of the incident at the church, agents learned about a shooting involving Mr. Ragsdale, who was arrested on Feb. 3, 2022 in Seagoville for the felony murder of his roommate. (The murder case was later dismissed.) At the time, Mr. Ragsdale told Seagoville law enforcement that his roommate attacked him and claimed he “shot him many times” in self-defense. Officers recovered three firearms, including a 10mm Glock and an AR-15 rifle, and almost two grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms from the residence. An analysis of Mr. Ragsdale’s phone showed a history of drug use dating back to November 2021, as well as evidence of purchasing and using hallucinogenic mushrooms on Feb. 2, 2022.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Ragsdale is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, the Seagoville Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, which participated in the murder investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo Chung is prosecuting the case.
Man Admits Possessing Child Pornography in Retirement HomeRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Webster Groves, Missouri on Monday admitted possessing more than 170,000 images and 11,000 videos containing child sexual abuse material.
Joseph J. Fitzsimmons, 76, pleaded guilty to one felony count of possession of child pornography. In March of 2023, Fitzsimmons moved into an assisted living facility in Webster Groves and was getting help with his internet connection from an employee of the facility. That employee spotted two images containing child sexual abuse material and contacted the Webster Groves Police Department.
A court approved search of Fitzsimmons apartment recovered computers and other electronic devices that were then examined by the St. Louis County Police Department. A total of 170,310 images and 11,410 videos containing child sexual abuse material were found on the devices, as well as 16,780 computer-generated or animated images and 549 videos.
Fitzsimmons is scheduled to be sentenced March 4, 2025. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The Webster Groves Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Madison Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Deonte L. Turner, 32, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 63 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Turner pleaded guilty to this charge on September 4, 2024. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
In September 2023, law enforcement found a loaded Sig Sauer handgun along with an extended magazine containing 21 rounds of ammunition in a backpack in a parked vehicle. Turner initially denied riding in the vehicle or possessing the backpack, but surveillance video showed Turner getting out of the vehicle, and Turner was further connected to the gun through DNA testing. At the time of this offense, Turner was on supervised release following a 2020 federal conviction for illegally possessing a firearm.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson expressed his disappointment that Turner had not used the resources afforded by federal probation to turn his life around and had quickly reoffended by committing a highly similar crime. Judge Peterson also noted the danger Turner’s illegal firearm possession posed to Turner and his family, as well as the community, amplified by the fact that Turner possessed the gun while dealing drugs.
The charge against Turner was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. United States Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Madera Pharmacist Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Illegally Trafficking Hundreds of Thousands of Opiate PillsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ifeanyi Vincent Ntukogu, 49, of Fresno, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison for illegally distributing oxycodone and hydrocodone, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Ntukogu was a pharmacist in Madera who dispensed more than 450,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills based on fraudulent prescriptions, all in exchange for cash.
“This defendant displayed a blatant disregard for public safety and the law,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “It took the effort of agents, investigators, undercover officers, and medical professionals to bring an end to this illicit prescription-writing racket. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue our pursuit of those who fuel the opioid epidemic for their own personal benefit.”
“As a licensed pharmacist, Mr. Ntukogu was trusted to dispense medications safely, supporting positive health outcomes. He intentionally exploited his trusted role, dispensing hundreds of thousands of fraudulently prescribed oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, knowing his greed-fueled actions would put opioids in the hands of drug dealers and could cause grave harm to the public. Working closely with our state and federal law enforcement partners, we dismantled this operation and held those who chose profit over public safety accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel, who leads the FBI Sacramento field office.
“Ntukogo thought he could outsmart the system by rejecting red flag prescriptions all while conducting drug deals on the side for cash. His illicit scheme led to the distribution of nearly half a million highly addictive opioids in Tennessee, Texas and beyond; fueling the fire of prescription drug misuse and endangering American lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris. “This lengthy sentence underscores the serious consequences for medical practitioners who place profits above people. DEA will continue to work with our counterparts to investigate, arrest and prosecute individuals who abuse their positions and threaten public safety.”
According to court records, from December 2014 through November 2018, Ntukogu dispensed more than 450,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills based on fraudulent prescriptions delivered to him by his co-conspirators and co-defendants in the case, Kelo White and Donald Pierre. The prescriptions were from more than 10 different physicians whose signatures were forged.
Ntukogu reviewed each prescription and rejected the ones that he believed regulators may deem suspicious. For example, he rejected prescriptions that were supposedly written by certain doctors or that were written for individuals who were having prescriptions filled at other pharmacies because he believed those prescriptions may raise red flags.
Ntukogu dispensed the pills through his New Life Pharmacy in Madera. Upon doing so, he required cash payments from White and Pierre and increased the price that he charged over time. White and Pierre then illegally sold the pills in Tennessee, Texas, and elsewhere.
Ntukogu received hundreds of thousands of dollars for his participation in the scheme. His sentence was also enhanced because he used his special skills as a pharmacist to help commit the crime.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Pataca and Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the DOJ’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was also part of the DOJ’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), which is a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
White is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 24, 2025. He faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Pierre, the remaining defendant in the case, was previously convicted and sentenced to nine years and four months in prison.
Madera Man Previously Convicted in Washington D.C. for Jan. 6 Capitol Breach Offenses Sentenced in Fresno for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Benjamin Martin, 46, of Madera, was sentenced today to three years and two months in prison today for illegally possessing several firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.
Martin was convicted of the firearms charges following a one-day trial in Fresno. According to evidence presented at the trial and other court records, in September 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Martin’s residence in Madera and arrested him on charges filed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for the breach of the United States Capitol that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021. During the search, the FBI found eight firearms, including an AR‑15‑style rifle, multiple high-capacity magazines for the AR-15, and more than 500 rounds of ammunition. Martin was prohibited from possessing these items because of his prior domestic violence conviction, and resulting restraining order, for choking his then girlfriend and dragging her back into the house after she tried to flee.
Shortly after his arrest, Martin was caught on a recorded jail call where he instructed his current fiancée to lie to authorities and tell them that the firearms seized from his residence belonged to her and her father and that he did not know about them. She agreed to do so. Martin received an enhancement to his sentence for this witness tampering.
Martin also recently went to trial in the Capitol breach case in Washington, D.C., where the evidence showed that he held a door to the Capitol open while officers tried to close it. He kept the door open so that other rioters could spray chemical irritants and throw objects at the officers. Martin was convicted on five counts.
This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton, Robert Veneman-Hughes, and Michael Tierney prosecuted the case.
Martin is scheduled to be sentenced in the Capitol breach case in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 20, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. Martin faces additional imprisonment and fines in that case. The actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The press release for Martin’s conviction in the Capitol breach case can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/california-man-convicted-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges-actions-during-jan-6-capitol.
Lynn Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Drug Offenses After Selling Drugs to an Undercover OfficerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty today to drug offenses relating to an ongoing investigation of fentanyl distribution on the North Shore.
Ricardo Bratini-Perez, a/k/a “Rico,” a/k/a “Ricofromthesin,” 29, pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analog, and methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for March 17, 2025. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bratini-Perez on Oct. 3, 2024.
Bratini-Perez was on probation following his release from state custody on armed robbery and firearm charges. While on probation, Bratini-Perez sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer on three occasions in March 2024 and April 2024. On April 8, 2024, Bratini-Perez was arrested following a fourth sale to the undercover officer. Following his arrest, investigators executed a search warrant at Bratini-Perez’s residence and recovered over 5,000 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Robert Vincent Harris, age 57, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 25, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln for one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Harris to 240 months’ imprisonment on each count to run concurrently (together). There is no parole in the federal system. After Harris’ release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Harris was convicted on both counts by Judge Gerrard in August of 2024 after a non-jury trial.
The United States presented evidence at trial showing Harris and the victim were at a social gathering on February 14, 2024, and decided to walk to a nearby convenience store to purchase alcoholic beverages. Harris had offered to sell the victim some heroin about a week before this incident. On the way to the convenience store, the victim asked Harris if he still had heroin available. He said he did, and they stopped at his Lincoln apartment, where Harris drew out a line of a powder substance and both he and the victim snorted some of the powder. Harris and the victim then walked to the convenience store where the victim bought some alcohol while Harris waited outside. After purchasing the alcohol, the victim and Harris left the store to return to the social gathering, but the victim passed out. Lincoln Fire & Rescue responded after being called by a clerk at the convenience store and they administered Narcan to the victim. The victim woke up in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and was interviewed by investigators after her release from the hospital.
On February 15, 2024, a search warrant was obtained for Harris’s apartment. During the search, investigators found powder on a mirror and cut off straws matching descriptions given by the victim. Harris ultimately admitted he provided the fentanyl powder to the victim. Harris said after the victim’s overdose, he went home and used the rest of the fentanyl powder. On February 15th, he bought more of what he believed was heroin from his source and said the powder found during the search of his apartment was what remained from that quantity. Harris’s phone contained text messages from February 15th in which he talked about the victim’s overdose the night before and in which he agreed to obtain and sell drugs to a third person on that date.
Testing at the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab later showed fentanyl in the victim’s urine sample. Powder seized from Harris’s apartment tested positive for fentanyl, meth, cocaine, and heroin. A medical expert reviewed the case, determined the victim suffered an overdose due to the use of fentanyl, and stated it was likely that the victim would have died or would have suffered serious debilitating injury without the prompt administration of Narcan.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force, the Nebraska State Patrol, and Lincoln Fire & Rescue.