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Wednesday 16 October 2024
Preliminary Injunction Entered in Justice Department Suit to Stop Alabama’s Systematic Removal of Voters from Registration RollsRead the Press Release
A federal court in the Northern District of Alabama has entered an order requiring the State of Alabama and the Alabama Secretary of State to cease a recently-implemented program to remove voters from Alabama’s voting rolls between now and the Nov. 5 general election. The court further ordered the State to issue guidance to all counties in Alabama to immediately restore deactivated voters unless those voters requested removal or are subject to removal for other reasons.
“This action sends a clear message that the Justice Department will work to ensure that the rights of eligible voters are protected,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The National Voter Registration Act’s 90 day Quiet Period Provision is an important safeguard to prevent erroneous eleventh-hour efforts that stand to disenfranchise eligible voters. The Justice Department remains steadfast in our resolve to protect voters from unlawful removal from the registration rolls and to ensure that states comply with the mandate of federal law.”
The department filed a lawsuit against the State of Alabama and the Alabama Secretary of State on Sept. 27 alleging that the Alabama Secretary of State’s voter list maintenance program announced on Aug. 13 violated Section 8(c)(2) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) by conducting a program intending to systematically remove voters within 90 days of a federal election. The court’s order requires the State of Alabama to facilitate a remedial mailing to each registrant inactivated as part of the voter removal process who has not submitted a request to be removed from the voter rolls and alert these voters that their voter status has since been reactivated.
The injunction also requires the state to work with country registrars to ensure that affected voters are notified that their inclusion in the state’s wayward removal program does not establish their ineligibility to vote or subject them to criminal prosecution for registering to vote or for voting. The injunction further requires the State to facilitate a remedial mailing to each registrant inactivated as part of the voter removal process who did submit a voter removal request advising them that if they are a U.S. citizen and otherwise meet voter qualifications, they have the right to vote. Finally, the court ordered the State to inform the Alabama Attorney General in writing that voters were inaccurately referred to the Attorney General for criminal investigation.
Individuals who are eligible voters and believe that they may have been wrongly removed from the voter rolls as a result of Alabama’s – or any other state’s – systematic removal process should contact the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section through the internet reporting portal at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931. More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents on the NVRA and other statutes, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the NVRA and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
Pikesville Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison as Part of A Large Scale Drug Conspiracy Operating in and Around BaltimoreRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Ronald White, age 56, of Pikesville, Maryland, to eleven years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for a drug conspiracy and distribution charges related to his supplying cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl to drug traffickers operating in West and Northwest Baltimore as well as money laundering charges.
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, in April 2020, investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration began a drug investigation in West and Northwest Baltimore. During the investigation, White was identified as a source of supply to members of the Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) and was believed to also be involved in the laundering of drug proceeds obtained from the distribution of controlled dangerous substances. Specifically, in March and April 2021, White engaged in at least seven large cash transactions. These transactions included over $1,346,000 in drug proceeds that were to be laundered.
As part of his guilty plea, White admitted that he maintained stash houses to store his drug proceeds totaling approximately $549,000. From one of the stash locations investigators recovered equipment used to package narcotics including: a hydraulic kilogram press, digital scales, and a powder commonly used as a cutting agent for heroin and fentanyl. Investigators also recovered the following narcotics: 242 grams of cocaine base, 43 grams of cocaine, 3724 grams of cocaine separately packaged, and 3975 grams of fentanyl. White’s vehicle was searched and officers recovered an additional 150 grams of fentanyl.
White admitted that it was reasonably foreseeable and within the scope of the conspiracy that he or other members of the conspiracy would distribute at least 1200 grams but less than 4 kilograms grams of fentanyl, as well as quantities of cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin in furtherance of the conspiracy.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. This case 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. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai Everett, James O’Donohue and Stanton Lawyer who are 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.
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Piedmont Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Piedmont, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 10, 2024.
Corbin Mudlin, age 31, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Mudlin was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February of 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 1, 2024.
In January of 2024, a Rapid City Police Officer observed Mudlin walking in Rapid City and knew that Mudlin had an active warrant for his arrest. The officer contacted Mudlin and arrested him on his active warrant. At the time he was arrested, Mudlin had a SIG Sauer 9mm semi-automatic pistol in his waistband with an extended magazine containing 20 rounds of ammunition. Mudlin knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2016 felony conviction.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Mudlin was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Par Funding Principal and Former CFO Pleads Guilty to Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Joseph Cole Barleta (aka “Joe Cole”), 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney on one count of racketeering conspiracy, in connection with his role in the operation of a fraudulent investment vehicle known as Complete Business Solutions Group Inc. d/b/a Par Funding (“Par Funding”), which is alleged to have generated over $100 million in illegal proceeds for Barleta and its other principals, to the detriment of Par Funding’s numerous investors, many who live in the Philadelphia region.
According to a second superseding indictment filed in February, Barleta and codefendants Joseph LaForte, James LaForte, and others, were part of an association-in-fact RICO enterprise that conspired to commit a number of predicate crimes, including crimes related to the fleecing of Par Funding’s many investors. Barleta’s admitted role in the conspiracy related to the securities and wire fraud components of the enterprise.
Joe LaForte and James LaForte pleaded guilty last month to racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and related crimes.
Joe LaForte is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2025.
James LaForte and Joseph Cole Barleta are both scheduled to be sentenced on February 20, 2025.
Per the terms of Barleta’s plea agreement, the government is seeking a sentence of imprisonment of up to eight years, although the Court has discretion to impose a higher or lower sentence.
This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and Pennsylvania State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew T. Newcomer, Samuel S. Dalke, Eric D. Gill, and Patrick J. Murray, as well as former Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra M. Lastowski. The SEC in Florida investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges, which formed the basis of a portion of the criminal prosecution.
Owner of local ‘Raining Cash’ tax company pleads guilty to causing $1.2M in lossesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local tax preparer pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to aiding in the preparation of false and fraudulent tax returns.
Ali Kasimu Alston, 48, of Columbus, offered his guilty plea during an arraignment today.
According to court documents, from at least 2015 through at least 2022, Alston owned and operated a tax return preparation business in Columbus named Overtime Ventures, LLC that did business as Raining Cash Tax Service.
Alston admitted to systematically falsifying client tax returns to maximize refunds from the IRS. He filed Schedule Cs with fake businesses to maximize tax credits. For example, one false tax return for calendar year 2021 reported false losses for a home healthcare company that did not exist. The false business losses reduced the client’s taxable income, thereby decreasing the tax due and increasing the client’s claimed tax refund.
The defendant also attempted to bribe one of his former employees with $4,000 in cash to provide false information to law enforcement, which he knew at the time was investigating his tax preparation business.
Alston was charged by a bill of information in September 2024. As part of his conviction, he will pay more than $1.2 million in restitution to the IRS. Alston will be sentenced at a future hearing.
Aiding in the preparation of a false and fraudulent tax return is a federal crime punishable by up to three years in prison. Congress sets the maximum statutory sentence.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Cincinnati Field Office, announced the guilty plea offered today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney David J. Twombly is representing the United States in this case.
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Osceola Man Sentenced to 84 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Randolph Ramey, 33 years old, of Osceola, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Ramey was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in August 2023, Ramey broke into a business in Mishawaka and was detained while inside. When police arrived and arrested Ramey, they recovered a loaded 9mm firearm from his pocket along with several knives, a rope, bolt cutters, a lock pick kit, and a second loaded magazine for the firearm. Ramey had previously been convicted of a felony offense, and as such, was prohibited from possessing the firearm or ammunition in this case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Mishawaka Police Department, the South Bend Police Department, and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
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 Who Concealed Croatian War Crime Charge Sentenced to Prison for Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for possessing a green card he illegally obtained by concealing that he had been charged with a war crime in Croatia prior to immigrating to the United States.
According to court documents, Jugoslav Vidic, 56, of Parma Heights, in applying to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States, falsely stated that he had never been charged with breaking any law even though he knew he had been charged in Croatia with a war crime against the civilian population. Vidic also falsely stated that his only past military service was in the Yugoslav Army from 1988 to 1989, when, in fact, he fought with the Serb Army of Krajina and its predecessors during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995. As a result of these materially false statements, Vidic was approved for lawful permanent resident status and received a green card.
“Jugoslav Vidic lied about war crimes charged against him in an attempt to escape his past and live in the United States unlawfully,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the dedication of prosecutors, law enforcement, and our international partners, Vidic will serve prison time in the United States followed by his removal. His sentence demonstrates that human rights violators will not be allowed to hide from their crimes in the United States.”
“Vidic committed serious human rights violations and was convicted of war crimes in Croatia as a result. Yet, he lied to U.S. immigration officials about his conviction and participation in a violent military force to claim refugee status and obtain a green card — becoming a permanent legal resident of our country — when he was not eligible to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Those who run away from violent crimes they commit elsewhere in the world and then enter our country by brazenly lying about their past will be held to account, as yesterday’s sentence demonstrates. Vidic’s deceitful actions are detestable, and unfairly hurt people in need who legitimately seek refuge to flee real harms in their home countries.”
“Our communities here in Ohio and across the United States are not safe havens for war criminals to escape accountability in their home countries,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “It is my hope that this sentencing provides some measure of solace to the victims’ families with the knowledge that despite the passage of time, the United States will seek justice.”
“Jugoslav Vidic intentionally circumvented the laws of the United States by lying on his green card application about his war crimes conviction in Croatia,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This case should serve as a warning to others that the FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those like Vidic who seek to violate U.S. law by fraud of any kind.”
“Jugoslav Vidic knowingly avoided the truth of his past to enjoy the freedoms and liberties of the United States for over two and a half decades,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “Yesterday’s sentence underscores the work of the FBI and its local, state, federal, and international partners and sends a clear message that people in the United States who take part in war crimes, regardless of when or where they occurred, or by masking their involvement, will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted.”
Vidic admitted in his plea agreement that he was charged with a war crime in Croatia in 1994 and convicted in absentia in 1998. The Croatian court found that during an attack by ethnic Serb forces in Petrinja, Croatia, on Sept. 16, 1991, Vidic cut off the arm of civilian Stjepan Komes, who died afterward. Vidic further admitted that he knew about the Croatian charges when he immigrated to the United States as a refugee in 1999, applied to become a lawful permanent resident in 2000, and was interviewed by U.S. immigration officials and received his green card in 2005.
Vidic pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an alien registration receipt card knowing it had been procured through materially false statements. As part of the plea agreement, Vidic agreed to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States.
HSI and the FBI investigated the case with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, including the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Justice and Public Administration of the Republic of Croatia, which were both instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd and Jerome J. Teresinski for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators or immigration fraud in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or through the FBI online tip form, or HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or through the ICE online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously.
November 2024 General ElectionRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) David E. Hollar will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Hollar has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Northern District of Indiana, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson stated that: “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Hollar will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public through the following telephone number: 219-937-5500.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 317-595-4000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
North Texas tax preparer sentenced to federal prison for tax fraud schemeRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Terrell man has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Toronto Henderson, 49, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid, assist, counsel or advise in tax fraud and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle on October 16, 2024. Henderson was also ordered to pay $373,230.00 in restitution.
According to information presented in court, Henderson was an owner of two tax return preparer businesses. Henderson recruited tax preparers to work at the businesses to prepare and file income tax returns for clients. Henderson, or others at his instruction, personally trained the preparers. As part of the training, preparers were instructed on how to complete tax returns for clients. Henderson and others created a scheme to defraud the United States by instructing the tax preparers to create, among other things, fraudulent Schedule Cs on personal income tax returns. The Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business, is designed to permit a taxpayer to report income received and expenses incurred from operating a business. At Henderson’s instruction, and the instruction of others known to Henderson, preparers used taxpayer information unrelated to operation of any business or created fictitious and false information with respect to operation of a business, so that the taxpayer could claim business losses to which the taxpayer was not entitled. This scheme permitted the taxpayer to receive a refund to which the taxpayer was not entitled. The tax returns, including the fraudulent Schedule Cs, were filed by Henderson or employees working at his instruction. The tax preparation businesses were paid a fee by the clients for preparing and filing the returns. The offense resulted in a total tax loss of $373,230.00.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson.
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North Dakota Felon Indicted for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A North Dakota felon has been indicted on conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, beginning in February 2023 and continuing through approximately April 21, 2023, Jake Noland Northern, a.k.a. “Jake Noal Northern,” 45, knowingly and willingly conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in Minnesota and surrounding areas.
Northern was indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. On October 8, 2024, he made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko and was subsequently ordered detained pending trial.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Pipestone County Sheriff’s Office, the Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren O. Roso and Allen S. Slaughter are prosecuting the case.
Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for Role in Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
TOLULOPE SAMUEL BODUNDE, 33, a citizen of Nigeria residing in Newark, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a business email compromise scheme that operated out of multiple countries, including the United States.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bodunde participated in a business email compromise scheme masterminded by his co-conspirator, Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji. Osuji and his co-conspirators targeted specific individuals and businesses by masquerading as trustworthy entities in electronic communications to obtain money. They utilized unwitting and witting “money mules” to receive fraud proceeds in their bank accounts, and then transferred those funds to accounts under the control of Osuji and his co-conspirators. Over the course of the scheme’s years-long operation, numerous victims were tricked into transferring funds into bank accounts the victims believed were under the control of legitimate recipients of the funds as part of normal business operations, when in reality, the bank accounts were controlled by Osuji and his co-conspirators. The victims included a Connecticut-based financial company, a Colorado-based lending company, an Alaska-based nonprofit performing arts organization, a New York-based food and beverage company, and others.
Bodunde’s role in the scheme included the exploitation of elderly women through romance scams to serve as unwitting money mules.
Judge Meyer ordered Bodunde to pay restitution totaling $494,939 to three victims of this scheme.
Bodunde was arrested on August 7, 2020. On February 16, 2024, he pleaded guilty wire fraud. He is required to report to prison on November 19.
On May 1, 2024, a jury found Osuji, also a citizen of Nigeria, guilty of conspiracy, wire fraud, and identity theft offenses stemming from this scheme. He is detained while awaiting sentencing.
A third alleged co-coconspirator is pending extradition proceedings.
This case has been investigated by the FBI New Haven Field Office and the Stamford Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Royal Malaysia Police, and Malaysian Attorney General’s Chambers have provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel and Trial Attorney Lydia Lichlyter of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.
To learn more about business email compromise scams, please visit www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/business-email-compromise and www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2023/PSA230609.
New Jersey Owner of Check Casher and Money Serivce Business Admits Filing More Than $325 Million in False Currency Transaction Reports, Operating and Aiding and Abetting an Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – The New Jersey owner of Galaxia International Inc., a check casher and money service business, admitted filing more than $325 million in false currency transaction reports and operating and aiding and abetting an unlicensed money transmitting business, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Ali Hassanein, 68, of Kearny, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court on Oct. 15, 2024, to an information charging him with conspiracy to cause a financial institution to file false currency transaction reports and operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business.
“The Bank Secrecy Act imposes important requirements on financial institutions, including by requiring them and their executives to file accurate reports with the government concerning certain currency transactions. These requirements play a vital role in helping law enforcement prevent, detect, and stop illicit activity. Ali Hassanein admitted that he and Galaxia flouted these requirements, which undermined the financial system and made Galaxia an easy target for bad actors. My office will continue to work to ensure that financial institutions who shirk their obligations and facilitate illicit activity are held accountable.”
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2019 through February 2023, Hassanein owned and operated Galaxia International Services Inc. (Galaxia), a check casher and money service business that operated in New Jersey and other states. Under the Bank Secrecy Act and related regulations, Galaxia was required to file currency transaction reports (CTRs) for transactions involving more than $10,000 in currency. CTRs are required to list, among other things, the location of the transactions and the names of the people and entities physically conducting the transactions. Hassanein conducted more than $325 million in reportable check cashing transactions for a conspirator in exchange for a fee. But Hassanein caused Galaxia to file thousands of CTRs for those transactions that contained material misstatements and omissions. For example, the CTRs falsely stated that all of the transactions had occurred at Galaxia’s East Orange, New Jersey, location – where Galaxia had a license to conduct check cashing transactions – when in fact they had occurred in Jersey City, New Jersey, or Kearny, New Jersey, where Galaxia was not licensed to conduct check cashing transactions. All of the CTRs failed to list the conspirator as the conductor of the transactions. Hassanein also aided and abetted the conspirator’s operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business
The charges of conspiring to cause a financial institution to file false currency transaction reports and operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business each carry a statutory maximum prison sentence of five years and a statutory maximum fine of the greatest of $250,000, twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and task force officers of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark; special agents and task force officers with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York; and special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, New York Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Morristown Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marko Pesce and Fatime Cano of the Economic Crimes Unit and Peter A. Laserna of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit in Newark.
hassanein.information.pdfNashville Woman Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Nashville woman was sentenced to 63 months in prison for possessing two firearms as a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, Ashley Allen, 35, was arrested by Thomasville police on March 29, 2023, following a traffic stop where she was found to be in possession of two firearms. Allen has multiple prior felony convictions, including a conviction for aggravated assault. As a convicted felon, Allen is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Allen was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pled guilty to the charge. United States District Court Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Allen to 63 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearms.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Thomasville Police Department investigated 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Mother and Son Sentenced for Illegally Importing Endangered WildlifeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Raymond Anthony Rabago Montoya, 23, of Phoenix, was sentenced on October 2, 2024, by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $3,000 to the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. His co-defendant and mother, Griselda Guadalupe Montoya-Gastelum, 50, of Sonora, Mexico, was previously sentenced by Judge Lanza on July 8, 2024, to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Montoya-Gastelum pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Lacey Act on April 25, 2024, and Rabago Montoya pleaded guilty to the same offense on April 26, 2024.
Defendants coordinated the illegal importation of exotic and protected wildlife from Mexico, including tigers, panthers, monkeys, and exotic parrots, into the United States, concealed through ports of entry, for financial gain. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began investigating the defendants in August 2022 after receiving a report from a person who believed that the four exotic parrots they had purchased from Rabago Montoya had been illegally imported. This report and further investigation led to the January 2023 execution of a search warrant at the home of Carlos Castro, where a tiger cub, an alligator, 12 snapping turtles, 6 tortoises, and boxes of other reptiles were found. Snapchat messages revealed that Montoya-Gastelum and Castro discussed illegal exotic animal sales and trades. Castro was subsequently convicted of Unlawful Sale of Wildlife in the Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa County.
After federal agents observed advertisements for the sale of spider monkeys on Facebook, they conducted two undercover purchases of monkeys from the defendants for $6,000 each, one in April and one in May 2023. In June and August 2023, Rabago Montoya was encountered by law enforcement with dozens of endangered parrots concealed in his vehicle, many of which were deceased. Defendants were indicted on September 12, 2023, and arrested the following day.
“Once again we see Arizonans profiting from the concealment of contraband through the Nogales and Lukeville Ports of Entry,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Here, in lieu of controlled substances we have mistreated protected animals: and the sentences imposed send strong messages both of deterrence and of the importance of robust environmental protections.”
“Wildlife trafficking is illegal and immoral, as countless animals that are taken from the wild are smuggled across borders in inhumane conditions,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “In the case of spider monkeys, many trafficked animals perish due to inadequate care, while those that survive face a life of captivity. We hope this case emphasizes that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our partners will continue to ensure that those engaged in wildlife trafficking are brought to justice.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart Zander and Lisa Jennis, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01305-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-138_Montoya et al.# # #
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.Missouri woman pleads guilty in PPP Loan fraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri woman pleaded guilty to charges related to criminal conduct connected to a federal government program intended to help small business owners during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to court documents, Venester Fayne, 57, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
In May 2020, Fayne applied to the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) on behalf of a company she controlled. She admitted that to receive the PPP loans, she submitted fraudulent federal income tax documents with false information about the amount of the company’s gross sales. The documents had never been filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Federal law requires borrowers to use PPP funds only for certain qualified expenses. Fayne spent most of the money she received on personal expenses like jewelry and other luxury items.
In addition to the PPP loans, Fayne fraudulently obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EDIL) loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration for a total of $600,284 in fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans.
Fayne is scheduled to be sentenced on February 18, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting the case.
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Milwaukee lawyer sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment for failure to pay taxesRead the Press Release
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on October 15, 2024, Eric E. Lenzen (44), was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for willful failure to pay $2,462,705.50 in taxes. Lenzen previously pled guilty to two counts of misdemeanor failure to pay taxes.
According to court records, Lenzen, a Milwaukee attorney who worked as a partner at two prominent law firms, failed to pay income taxes between 2016 and 2021. Lenzen failed to pay the taxes he owed even though he was earning a lucrative salary and funding a lavish lifestyle that included spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on private plane travel, jewelry, and extensive home remodels, as well as golf clubs.
At the sentencing hearing, United States Magistrate Judge William E. Duffin described Lenzen’s conduct as “exceptionally aggravated.” Judge Duffin highlighted the many opportunities that Lenzen had been given to pay his debt to the government and the steps Lenzen instead took to “thwart the government’s attempts to recover” the taxes due. Judge Duffin explained that a sentence of incarceration was warranted, particularly given Lenzen’s status as an attorney, explaining that “when a crime is committed by an attorney, it undermines respect for the law and the legal profession.”
In addition to serving a 16-month term of imprisonment, Lenzen was ordered to pay $2,462,705.50 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, plus penalties and interest.
“Individuals who seek to line their own pockets and willfully fail to pay their taxes cause harm to every individual and business that plays by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Haantsad. “I commend everyone involved in seeking to hold Mr. Lenzen accountable for his actions.”
“The sentencing of Eric Lenzen is a critical reminder that no one is above the law, including those who are entrusted to uphold it,” said Robert J. Kuszynski, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “Legal professionals hold a unique position in our society, and with that position comes an obligation to act with integrity and accountability. When attorneys neglect their duty to pay taxes, they not only violate the law but also undermine the very trust that forms the foundation of our legal system. It is imperative that all legal professionals adhere to their ethical obligations, not only to ensure their own accountability but also to reinforce the principles of justice and fairness that we rely on. IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to enforcing the law and holding accountable those who fail to meet their legal and financial responsibilities.”
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie F. Stewart.
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Maryland Man Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced William Rich, age 44, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, to one year of home confinement, followed by two years of
supervised release, for wire fraud and theft of government property.The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and Kim R. Lampkins, Special Agent in Charge, Mid Atlantic Field Office, United States Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”).
In June 2024, at the conclusion of a four-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict
convicting Rich of wire fraud and theft of government property. He was charged with
fraudulently obtaining more than $750,000 in veteran disability benefits by falsely claiming that he was paralyzed.Evidence at trial established Rich intentionally misrepresented his physical condition during VA disability compensation and pension exams and in other communications with the VA in
pursuit of VA disability benefits. Rich claimed that he was paralyzed and unable to walk. As a result, Rich received more than $750,000 in VA benefits that he was not entitled to including special monthly compensation, caregiver-assistance compensation, and medical equipment.Rich served in the United States Army from September 1998 to February 2007, after sustaining injuries on August 23, 2005, during a bombing in Baqubah, Iraq. Rich’s injuries included
temporary paralysis. Rich then applied to the VA’s disability compensation program, and according to the evidence presented at trial, approximately six weeks after Rich’s injuries, he made substantial progress toward recovery and was no longer paralyzed. A subsequent medical report, indicated that Rich was able to perform certain essential daily activities with
“complete independence” or “modified independence.” However, Rich was granted permanent disability from VA largely based on an exam conducted on October 11, 2007, where he
reported paralysis in his lower extremities and that he was confined to a wheelchair.In 2018, the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) launched a proactive investigation of
disabled veteran files and learned that Rich’s conduct was inconsistent with his purported physical condition. For more than two years, VA OIG Special Agents (SAs) investigated Rich, including conducting video surveillance. Footage presented at trial showed Rich walking,
going up and down stairs, entering and exiting vehicles, lifting, bending, and carrying items—all without visible limitation or assistance of a medical device, including a wheelchair.Throughout the course of their surveillance, the only time agents observed Rich using a
wheelchair was when he attended VA medical appointments. Between March 2019 and February 2021, VA OIG investigators observed Rich standing and loading his wheelchair into the trunk of his car before VA medical appointments, using a wheelchair at VA appointments, wheeling himself from a VA medical appointment to his car, and then standing to load his wheelchair back into his car. A review of Rich’s publicly available social media accounts
revealed multiple images of Rich standing, with no indication that he was wheelchair bound, including an image Rich took of himself standing in front of a mirror at a gym, as well as videos of Rich lifting weights.In addition to receiving more than $8,000 in monthly disability benefits from the VA, Rich also received grants from the VA for “Automobile and Adaptive Equipment,” and “Specially Adapted Housing.” Rich used funds intended for the purchase of a specially adapted vehicle to buy a BMW 645ci luxury sports coupe.
U.S. Attorney Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen McGuinn, who prosecuted the case. Mr. Barron also thanked former lead Special Agent Brian Maddox, currently a Special Agent with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Patrick Prewitt, Senior Special Agent and National Fleet Manager, with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
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.# # #
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Traveling to Engage in Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nathaniel Lamar Nelson Scott, 36, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Scott pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 28, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, in May 2024, Scott began communicating via an encrypted messaging application with a man he met on a fetish website. Scott believed the man to be a pedophile who was sexually abusing his six-year-old daughter. Unbeknownst to Scott, the man was an undercover officer with the MPD–FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Over the next several days, Scott engaged in graphic conversations about sexually abusing the child. On June 5, 2024, Scott arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child. He traveled from Maryland to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C., and was arrested. Scott has remained in custody since his arrest.
Scott faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The statutory sentences for federal offenses are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence will be determined by the Court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In addition, Scott will be required to register as a sex offender following any prison term.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and MPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney.
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Maryland Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to IsisRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Michael Sam Teekaye, Jr., age 21, of Hanover, Maryland has been charged by criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B. The defendant has been detained since his arrest on October 14, 2024, and had an initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Erin Aslan on October 15, 2024.
The charges were announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, between March and April 2023, Teekaye had multiple conversations with an Undercover Officer (“UCO”) in which he told the UCO that he wanted to travel to Africa to join and fight for ISIS. Teekaye also told the UCO that his “plan B” was to carry out an attack in the United States against people who support Israel. On three occasions in May and June 2024, Teekaye purchased ammunition and range time at a shooting range in Severn, Maryland, which he later told the UCO was partly in order to “train.” In July 2024, Teekaye attempted to purchase a Kalashnikov K-9 9mm rifle, but the purchase was denied because Teekaye was on probation in a state criminal case.
In conversations with the UCO between August and October 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he was in contact with a Somali ISIS fighter regarding his plans to travel to Somalia to join ISIS. Teekaye explained that he would fly first to Turkey, then travel to Ethiopia and cross the border into Somalia. Teekaye sent the UCO screenshots of an Ethiopian e-Visa he had obtained from the ISIS fighter. On October 4, 2024, Teekaye told the UCO that he received airline tickets from the ISIS fighter. He also sent the UCO screenshots of his travel itinerary showing that he would depart from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) on October 14, 2024 and fly to Istanbul, Turkey with a layover in London.
On October 10, 2024, Teekaye sent the UCO a photo of himself wearing a black mask and holding a large machete, along with the caption “Abdullah the islamophobe slayer.” On October 11, 2024, the UCO asked whether Teekaye was “sure” he wanted to join ISIS. Teekaye responded, “I am sure I did a lot of research and had to accept something’s [sic] that they are the only group that has the most true and sincere intentions.”
On October 14, 2024, FBI agents arrested Teekaye at BWI after he had checked in for his flight and proceeded through security. Following his arrest, Teekaye made the following unprovoked statements, among others: “I’ll just get out in 20 years and do something here. Okay? Okay? It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. . . . I’ll be like 40 when I get out, then I’ll just do it. I don’t care. It will never stop. Jihad will never stop. I’ll come and I’ll kill your soldiers. I’ll kill you, and I’ll kill . . . .” While making these statements, Teekaye began kicking one of the arresting agents.
A complaint is not a finding of guilt. All defendants charged by complaint are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceeding. If convicted, Teekaye faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office for its outstanding work in the investigation and praised the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force along with the FBI’s Newark and Richmond Field Offices, and the New York City Police Department (NYPD), for their valuable assistance. Mr. Barron would like to thank the NYPD's Intelligence Division under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner, Assistant Chief John Hart, and Deputy Chief Fernando Guimaraes. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina Hoffman and P. Michael Cunningham, who are prosecuting this case. Mr. Barron also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division for their assistance.
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. To report a Maryland-based hate crime, contact the FBI Baltimore field office at (410) 265-8080 or www.tips.fbi.gov.# # #
Marion County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Matthew Allen Gahan (25, Summerfield) to 20 years in federal prison for producing and possessing child sexual abuse material. Gahan will also be required to register as a sex offender. He entered a guilty plea on June 13, 2024.
According to court records, between May 13 and 25, 2023, Gahan spoke with a minor living outside of the United States. Gahan coerced the minor to participate in video calls in which the minor engaged in sexual activity at Gahan’s direction. Gahan recorded these calls without the minor’s knowledge. On September 13, 2023, the FBI executed a search warrant at Gahan’s home and found multiple videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of young boys. Agents also discovered that Gahan had used the dark web to distribute and receive child sexual abuse material.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Who Concealed Croatian War Crime Charge Sentenced to Prison for Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – An Ohio man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for possessing a green card he illegally obtained by concealing that he had been charged with a war crime in Croatia prior to immigrating to the United States.
According to court documents, Jugoslav Vidic, 56, of Parma Heights, in applying to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States, falsely stated that he had never been charged with breaking any law even though he knew he had been charged in Croatia with a war crime against the civilian population. Vidic also falsely stated that his only past military service was in the Yugoslav Army from 1988 to 1989, when, in fact, he fought with the Serb Army of Krajina and its predecessors during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995. As a result of these materially false statements, Vidic was approved for lawful permanent resident status and received a green card.
“Jugoslav Vidic lied about war crimes charged against him in an attempt to escape his past and live in the United States unlawfully,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the dedication of prosecutors, law enforcement, and our international partners, Vidic will serve prison time in the United States followed by his removal. His sentence demonstrates that human rights violators will not be allowed to hide from their crimes in the United States.”
“Vidic committed serious human rights violations and was convicted of war crimes in Croatia as a result. Yet, he lied to U.S. immigration officials about his conviction and participation in a violent military force to claim refugee status and obtain a green card — becoming a permanent legal resident of our country — when he was not eligible to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Those who run away from violent crimes they commit elsewhere in the world and then enter our country by brazenly lying about their past will be held to account, as yesterday’s sentence demonstrates. Vidic’s deceitful actions are detestable, and unfairly hurt people in need who legitimately seek refuge to flee real harms in their home countries.”
“Our communities here in Ohio and across the U.S. are not safe havens for war criminals to escape accountability in their home countries,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “It is my hope that this sentencing provides some measure of solace to the victims’ families with the knowledge that despite the passage of time, the U.S. will seek justice.”
“Jugoslav Vidic intentionally circumvented the laws of the United States by lying on his green card application about his war crimes conviction in Croatia,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This case should serve as a warning to others that the FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those like Vidic who seek to violate U.S. law by fraud of any kind.”
“Jugoslav Vidic knowingly avoided the truth of his past to enjoy the freedoms and liberties of the United States for over two and a half decades,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Yesterday’s sentence underscores the work of the FBI and its local, state, federal, and international partners and sends a clear message that people in the United States who take part in war crimes, regardless of when or where they occurred, or by masking their involvement, will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted.”
Vidic admitted in his plea agreement that he was charged with a war crime in Croatia in 1994 and convicted in absentia in 1998. The Croatian court found that during an attack by ethnic Serb forces in Petrinja, Croatia, on Sept. 16, 1991, Vidic cut off the arm of civilian Stjepan Komes, who died afterward. Vidic further admitted that he knew about the Croatian charges when he immigrated to the United States as a refugee in 1999, applied to become a lawful permanent resident in 2000, and was interviewed by U.S. immigration officials and received his green card in 2005.
Vidic pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an alien registration receipt card knowing it had been procured through materially false statements. As part of the plea agreement, Vidic agreed to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States.
HSI and the FBI investigated the case with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, including the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration of the Republic of Croatia, which were both instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd and Jerome J. Teresinski for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators or immigration fraud in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or through the FBI online tip form, or HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or through the ICE online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously.
Man Convicted of Murder-for-Hire after Paying Undercover Agent to Commit KillingRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Yesterday, during a hearing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Makram Khashman, 58, of Boynton Beach, Fla., pled guilty to murder-for-hire after paying a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) undercover agent (UC) posing as a hitman to commit the murder.
As part of his guilty plea, Khashman admitted he met with the UC on Feb. 29, and told the UC that the victim had put Khashman and his family out on the street by taking over a million dollars from him and a business worth around three million. Khashman said he did not care how the victim was killed and negotiated a price of $5,000 for the murder. Khashman added that the UC could keep the cash the UC took from the murdered victim. Khashman agreed to provide half the payment and details about the victim at a later meeting.
On March 19, Khashman met with the UC a second time, bringing the initial $2,500 payment for the murder. Khashman spelled out the victim’s first and last name and provided details regarding the victim’s pattern of life, including the victim’s cars and work schedule. Khashman told the UC about a secluded location that the victim frequented. Khashman agreed that the final payment for the murder would be due when the UC provided photographic evidence that the victim had been killed. Khashman was later arrested, and the intended victim suffered no physical harm.
Khasman is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., by U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith. Khashman faces up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the ATF Miami Field Division made the announcement.
ATF Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey O’Neal and Camille Smith are prosecuting it.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-60053.
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Maine Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of a nationwide drug trafficking ring was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for drug trafficking charges. During the investigation, over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled.
Emil Dzabiev, 44, of Scarborough, Maine, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 121 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In June 2024, Dzabiev pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Dzabiev was arrested and charged along with seven others in July 2021 and was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment that added an additional three defendants in September 2021.
In late 2020, Reshat Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. Dzabiev was identified as one of Alkayisi’s regular customers who routinely purchased methamphetamine and redistributed it in Maine. In May 2021, Dzabiev was stopped after a meeting with Alkayisi and found in possession of approximately 455 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine in his vehicle.
Alkayisi pleaded guilty in April 2024 and in September 2024 sentenced to 23 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Dzabiev is the 8th defendant to be sentenced in the case. All remaining defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and the Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Macon Woman Who Assisted in Bibb County Jail Break Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Macon resident who assisted a convicted felon and others to escape the Bibb County LEC in 2023 was sentenced to prison today.
Janecia Green, 31, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on Oct. 16, three times more than the top of Green’s federal sentencing guidelines range. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Janecia Green put our entire community at risk when she chose to help Johnifer Barnwell and several other dangerous convicted felons escape from the Bibb County Jail,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This sentencing illustrates the serious consequences facing those who help criminals evade justice.”
“We are thankful no one was hurt when Janecia Green broke the law and helped Johnifer Barnwell and others escape,” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Robert Gibbs of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “The FBI hopes the sentence sends a strong message to others that those who try to aid prisoners continue to break the law will be brought to justice.”
“The sentence handed down on Janecia Green illustrates the severe penalty for assisting a convicted felon and others in escaping the Bibb County Jail,” said Bibb Sheriff David Davis. “We can be grateful for the investigative work of the Bibb Investigators and our federal partners in bringing this individual to justice.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Barnwell was tried and convicted on Oct. 2, 2023, of armed drug trafficking and was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) to await sentencing. Barnwell was housed at the Bibb County LEC, a facility contracted by USMS to house federal inmates.
Barnwell escaped from the Bibb County LEC on Oct. 16, with the assistance of several individuals, including Green. Green purchased a four-pound mallet and a Mayhew Guardian 2-3/4x9” Handguard Electrician Chisel from Home Depot on Oct. 13, 2023. She gave the items to Christian “Twin” Williams, an associate of Barnwell’s, who arranged to smuggle them inside the Bibb County LEC perimeter. The mallet and chisel were then used to create an opening in the jail wall, and Barnwell and three other prisoners escaped.
Barnwell was captured in Augusta, Georgia, on Nov. 12, 2023, by FBI and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies. He was alone in the house and was allegedly in possession of an AK-47 rifle with a loaded magazine; a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with 14 rounds; a .45 caliber pistol with a loaded magazine; an extended capacity magazine; a drum magazine; and 40 kilograms of suspected narcotics, the results of which are pending the completion of laboratory testing. To date, the results show Barnwell was in alleged possession of more than 23,000 grams of methamphetamine and more than 3,200 grams of fentanyl.
The case was investigated by FBI, USMS and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.
Líderes de un peligroso cartel de drogas mexicano, responsables de violencia extrema, acusados de delitos de tráfico internacional de drogas y uso de armas de fuegoRead the Press Release
Hoy en el Distrito de Columbia se hizo pública una acusación formal que señala a líderes de la violenta organización de narcotráfico, conocida como Los Zetas, y su organización sucesora, el Cartel del Noreste (CDN), de participar en una empresa criminal continua; asociación ilícita para traficar drogas; delitos de armas de fuego; y asociación ilícita para lavado de dinero internacional.
Según la acusación, Miguel Treviño Morales, de 51 años, y su hermano, Omar Treviño Morales, de 48 años, también conocidos respectivamente como Z-40 y Z-42, presuntamente asumieron el control de Los Zetas después de más de una década de ser miembros de la violenta organización de narcotráfico. Los Zetas anteriormente sirvieron como un brazo armado militarista para el Cartel del Golfo para mantener el control de las rutas de narcotráfico en todo México. Desde que se convirtieron en líderes de Los Zetas en 2012, que luego renombraron como Cartel del Noreste, se alega que los acusados han continuado su historia y patrón de utilizar violencia extrema para controlar grandes extensiones del norte de México, incluso por la frontera con EE. UU. Según las denuncias en la acusación formal, Miguel y Omar Treviño Morales fueron encarcelados en México en 2013 y 2015, respectivamente, pero continuaron controlando el CDN por diversos medios, entre ellos la colocación de varios familiares para dirigir las operaciones en su representación. Se alega que Miguel y Omar Treviño Morales son personalmente responsables de cometer decenas de asesinatos y de dirigir asesinatos, secuestros y actos de tortura por parte de miembros de Los Zetas y CDN para promover y proteger las actividades de narcotráfico del Cartel y enriquecer a sus miembros.
De ser condenados, los acusados enfrentan una pena máxima de cadena perpetua. Un juez de un tribunal de distrito federal determinará la sentencia correspondiente tras considerar las Pautas de Sentencia de EE. UU. y otros factores legales.
“Como se alega en la acusación formal, los acusados dirigieron una organización de narcotráfico transnacional que fue responsable de cometer violencia extrema y de traficar enormes cantidades de narcóticos a Estados Unidos,” dijo Nicole Argentieri, vicefiscal general adjunta principal, jefa de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia. “El Departamento de Justicia se compromete a responsabilizar a los líderes de carteles, como los acusados, por envenenar comunidades estadounidenses y alimentar la violencia aquí y en el extranjero. También estamos comprometidos a colaborar con nuestros colegas nacionales e internacionales en este esfuerzo y agradecemos a nuestros colegas, las autoridades mexicanas de procuración de justicia, por su continua colaboración en este caso.”
“Esta formulación complementaria de cargos reitera el compromiso del Departamento de Justicia de perseguir a los líderes de los carteles de drogas más peligrosos del mundo, sin importar el tiempo que lleve,” dijo Breon Peace, fiscal de EE. UU. para el Distrito Este de Nueva York. “Los prolíficos crímenes y actos extremos de violencia de los acusados han convulsionado al Distrito Este de Nueva York y a todo el país, y anticipamos responsabilizar a los acusados en un tribunal de justicia de EE. UU.”
“Durante décadas, estas personas han controlado una de las organizaciones de drogas más violentas de México, cometiendo y dirigiendo la comisión de atrocidades horribles contra nuestros vecinos, el pueblo de México, y también en Estados Unidos,” dijo Jaime Esparza, el fiscal de EE. UU. para el Distrito Oeste de Texas. “Nada es más importante que llevar ante la justicia a individuos peligrosos como estos. Esperamos trabajar con el gobierno de México para llevar a estos brutales líderes del Cartel ante la justicia por los numerosos crímenes que han cometido.”
“La Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) se une a nuestros colegas en la lucha contra organizaciones criminales transnacionales para proteger a nuestros ciudadanos de las acciones ilegales de estas,” dijo Katrina W. Berger, directora ejecutiva asociada de HSI. “El daño causado por el cartel de Los Zetas va mucho más allá de nuestras fronteras, perjudicando comunidades y arruinando vidas aquí en Estados Unidos.”
“Durante décadas, Los Zetas operaron como una de las organizaciones de narcotráfico más violentas en Estados Unidos y México bajo la dirección de los hermanos Miguel (Zeta 40) y Omar (Zeta 42) Treviño Morales. La DEA no ha flaqueado nunca en la lucha global contra este brutal y despiadado cartel, que prosperó a raíz de la devastación que causaron en las comunidades estadounidenses,” dijo Daniel C. Comeaux, el agente especial a cargo de la División de Houston de la DEA. “A través de innumerables investigaciones, la DEA ha llevado ante la justicia a miembros de alto rango de esta organización destructiva. Estas últimas acusaciones formales continuarán debilitando a esta violenta organización y la forzarán a dejar el control que han ejercido a lo largo de la frontera suroeste de Estados Unidos.”
La División de Houston de la DEA lideró esta investigación con la asistencia de la Oficina de la DEA en Ciudad de México. La Oficina de HSI Nueva York contribuyó sustancialmente a la investigación, al igual que las siguientes: DEA San Antonio, DEA Eagle Pass, DEA Del Río, DEA Laredo, DEA Nueva York, la Oficina Regional del FBI en Washington, FBI El Paso, FBI San Antonio, FBI Laredo, FBI Del Río, HSI San Antonio, HSI Del Río, HSI Laredo, el Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Texas, los Rangers de Texas, el Departamento de Policía de San Antonio, la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Bexar [Texas], la Oficina de Alcohol, Tabaco, Armas de Fuego y Explosivos (ATF) San Antonio, ATF Laredo, Investigación Criminal del IRS (IRS-CI) San Antonio, IRS-CI Waco y la Patrulla Fronteriza de EE. UU.
La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia y la Oficina de Operaciones de Cumplimiento de la División Criminal proporcionaron asistencia significativa en este caso.
Los fiscales litigantes Kirk Handrich y Tara Arndt de la Unidad de Narcóticos y Drogas Peligrosas de la División Penal, numerosos fiscales del Distrito Oeste de Texas y el fiscal adjunto de EE. UU. Andrew Wang para el Distrito Este de Nueva York están procesando el caso.
Este caso es parte de una operación de la Fuerza Especial de Lucha contra la Droga y la Delincuencia Organizada (OCDETF). La OCDETF identifica, interrumpe y desmantela a los narcotraficantes de más alto nivel, lavadores de dinero, pandillas y organizaciones criminales transnacionales que amenazan a Estados Unidos, utilizando un enfoque multiinstitucional, liderado por fiscales e informado por datos de inteligencia.
Una acusación formal es tan solo una denuncia. Todos los acusados se presumen inocentes hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia.
Local men charged with distributing fentanyl resulting in the death of twoRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 24-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to remain in custody for trafficking fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Antonio Curo has now appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan, at which time the court found him to be a danger to the community and a flight risk and ordered he remain in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
The indictment, returned Sept. 18, alleges Curo was a member of an ongoing 13-month conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl resulting in death. According to records filed in the case, he recruited and directed accomplices and exercised decision making authority over the distribution of fentanyl during the conspiracy. He set the prices for the pills; negotiated, planned and organized their sale; prepared them for shipment; mailed parcels containing pills to individuals across the country; received payments; and claimed a right to the majority share of the drug proceeds, according to the allegations.
“Fentanyl is the greatest drug threat of our time, killing young people at catastrophic rates and devastating families in communities across the United States,” said Hamdani. “Curo allegedly used modern day methods and traditional means--social media and the mail--to help market and distribute his deadly fentanyl stock to victims near and far. Today’s announcement is a step towards achieving justice and closure for the families of the victims in this case.”
In December 2023, Curo allegedly distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 24-year-old male in Connecticut. The victim had ordered pills via a social media and instant messaging service, according to records, and Curo sent them through the mail. The victim’s girlfriend allegedly saw him receive the package and ingest the pills before he died.
Records revealed he was also linked to shipments sent in January to Vermont and Iowa. A 16-year old juvenile residing in Vermont had allegedly purchased and received approximately 30 pills in a glass bottle. The pills were determined to be alprazolam. This individual did not ingest any of the substances.
Authorities also identified the intended recipient of the Iowa parcel who had ordered what she thought was Oxycodone through the mail, according to court records. Authorities allegedly tested the pills and found they actually contained fentanyl with a net weight of 5.1 grams. She alleges she was not aware the pills she ordered contained fentanyl.
Also in January, Curo again distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of another, according to the charges. On Jan. 19, a 16-year-old female allegedly died after consuming pills that contained fentanyl. Curo had directly provided the pills to her, according to the allegations.
The victim’s father had found her deceased in her room with an imprinted “M-30” pill in a small, orange plastic bag next to her body, according to records. Lab testing confirmed the pill allegedly contained fentanyl.
Records also indicate a trip Curo paid for occurred from an address near the minor victim’s residence to an address near the his residence on the day before the minor victim died.
At the hearing, the court heard that Curo was aware of the deaths and that he knew he was selling fentanyl.
Curo is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death or serious bodily injury as well as six substantive counts of distribution of fentanyl from August 2023 through April 2024. He is also charged with a conspiracy to distribute and distribution of alaprazolam commonly known as “Xanax.”
At the time of his arrest, he also had several pills in his possession, according to the charges.
If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years imprisonment and up to life as well as a maximum $10 million possible fine.
Mikalob Hill, 24, Houston, is also charged in relation to the case. He allegedly picked up several parcels containing fentanyl at Curo’s direction and rented his mailbox to him. He faces one count of possession with intent to distribute alprazolam and faces up to five years in prison, upon conviction.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and Homeland Security Investigations in Houston conducted the investigation with the assistance of the USPIS in Vermont and Iowa and USPIS – Office of Inspector General, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Bend County Narcotics Task Force, Houston Police Department and Harris County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anibal J. Alaniz and Casey N. MacDonald are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Leaders of Dangerous Mexican Drug Cartel Responsible for Extreme Violence Charged with International Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Note: View the fifth superseding indictment here.
An indictment was unsealed in the District of Columbia charging leaders of the violent drug trafficking organization known as Los Zetas, and its successor organization, Cartel del Noreste (CDN), with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise; drug trafficking conspiracy; firearms offenses; and international money laundering conspiracy.
According to the indictment, Miguel Trevino Morales, 51, also known as Z-40, and his brother, Omar Trevino Morales, 48, also known as Z-42, allegedly assumed control of Los Zetas after more than a decade as members of the violent drug trafficking organization. Los Zetas previously served as an armed militaristic wing for the Gulf Cartel to maintain control of drug trafficking routes throughout Mexico. Since becoming leaders of Los Zetas in 2012, which they later renamed the Cartel del Noreste, the defendants have allegedly continued its history and pattern of using extreme violence to control large swaths of Northern Mexico, including along the U.S. border. Based on allegations in the indictment, Miguel and Omar Trevino Morales were incarcerated in Mexico in 2013 and 2015, respectively, but continued to control the CDN through various means, including by installing various family members to run operations at their behest. Miguel and Omar Trevino Morales are alleged to be personally responsible for committing dozens of murders and for directing assassinations, kidnappings, and acts of torture by Los Zetas and CDN members to promote and protect the Cartel’s drug trafficking activities and enrich its members.
“As alleged in the indictment, the defendants ran a transnational drug trafficking organization that was responsible for committing extreme violence and trafficking massive quantities of narcotics into the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department is committed to holding cartel leaders like the defendants accountable for poisoning American communities and fueling violence here and abroad. We are also committed to working with our domestic and international colleagues in this effort, and we are grateful to our Mexican law enforcement partners for their ongoing collaboration in this case.”
“This superseding indictment underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to pursuing the leaders of the world’s most dangerous drug cartels, no matter how long it takes,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “The defendants’ prolific crimes and extreme acts of violence have wreaked havoc in the Eastern District of New York and across the country, and we look forward to holding the defendants accountable in a U.S. court of law.”
“For decades, these individuals have controlled one of the most violent drug organizations in Mexico, committing and directing the commission of horrible atrocities against our neighbors, the people of Mexico, and also in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Nothing is more important than bringing dangerous individuals like this to justice. We look forward to working with the government of Mexico in bringing these brutal Cartel leaders to justice for the numerous crimes they have committed.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) stands with our partners in the fight against transnational criminal organizations to protect our citizens from their unlawful actions,” said HSI Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger. “The harm caused by the Los Zetas cartel reaches well beyond our borders, hurting communities and ruining lives here in the United States.”
“For decades, Los Zetas operated as one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations in the United States and Mexico under the direction of brothers Miguel (Zeta 40) and Omar Trevino Morales (Zeta 42),” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Field Division. “The DEA has never wavered from the global fight against this vicious, ruthless cartel which thrived on the devastation they imparted on American communities. Through countless investigations, DEA brought high-ranking members of this destructive organization to justice. These latest indictments will continue to cripple this violent organization and force them to release the stranglehold they have exerted along the southwest border of the United States.”
If convicted, the 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.
The DEA Houston Division investigated the case, with assistance from the DEA Mexico City Country Office. HSI New York contributed substantially to the investigation, as did the following: DEA San Antonio Division, DEA Eagle Pass Division, DEA Del Rio Division, DEA Laredo Division, DEA New York Division, FBI Washington Field Office, FBI El Paso Field Office, FBI San Antonio Field Office, FBI Laredo Field Office, FBI Del Rio Field Office, HSI San Antonio, HSI Del Rio, HSI Laredo, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sherriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) San Antonio Field Division, ATF Laredo Field Division, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) San Antonio, IRS-CI Waco, and the U.S. Border Patrol.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance in this case.
Trial Attorneys Kirk Handrich and Tara Arndt of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, numerous prosecutors for the Western District of Texas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Wang for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Leader of Cross-State Drug Trafficking Network Convicted at Trial of Conspiring to Distribute, Distributing, and Possessing with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Heroin, and CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – After deliberating for approximately three hours, a federal jury found Qureem Overton guilty of conspiring to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl and quantities of heroin and cocaine, as well as of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute those substances, between January 2017 and June 2020, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
Overton, 43, who previously resided in Butler and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted on October 11, 2024, at the conclusion of a five-day jury trial. United States District Judge Robert J. Colville presided over the trial, and scheduled Overton’s sentencing for February 25, 2025.
According to evidence established during trial, Overton was the leader of a Philadelphia-to-Butler pipeline for fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. He has prior Pennsylvania state convictions in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas for drug trafficking, robbery, and aggravated assault that resulted in state prison sentences.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jacqueline C. Brown and Craig W. Haller are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pennsylvania State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Butler County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force led the investigation that resulted in the prosecution of Overton.
Leader of Anchorage drug trafficking conspiracy gets 20 years for trafficking fentanyl, methRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The leader of an Anchorage drug trafficking conspiracy was sentenced today to 20 years in prison and five years’ supervised release for dealing fentanyl and methamphetamine in Anchorage.
According to court documents, in 2022, Nigel Ivory, 29, of Anchorage, was released from prison after serving a federal sentence and began selling drugs in and around the Anchorage area.
During the investigation, officials conducted three controlled purchases of drugs from Ivory between October 2022 and March 2023. During the first controlled purchase in October 2022, Ivory sold over 111 grams of methamphetamine and 98 fentanyl pills for $3,800. In January 2023, Ivory sold 282 fentanyl pills for $1,950. In March 2023, Ivory sold over 276 grams of methamphetamine and 487 fentanyl pills for $5,000.
In February 2023, officials seized over $55,000 in cash that Ivory attempted to transport from Anchorage to Fort Wayne, Indiana, on a commercial flight. Ivory attempted to smuggle the cash by hiding it inside three tennis shoes in a checked bag. The cash had trace amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl on it. Later that month, officials also seized over 180 fentanyl pills from a co-conspirator during a traffic stop. Investigators uncovered text messages from Ivory directing the co-conspirator to hide the fentanyl pills from police.
On June 22, 2023, officials simultaneously executed search warrants for two residences associated with Ivory, one of which was Ivory’s primary address. At 6:30 a.m., agents announced their presence outside Ivory’s residence. Ivory and a co-defendant did not come outside and surrender until 7:00 a.m. Upon searching the residence, agents recovered over $18,000 in U.S. currency, a money counter, drug packaging material, over 160 fentanyl pills, some of which were partially dissolved and scattered in a toilet bowl, two firearms and ammunition.
In April and May 2023, law enforcement seized three additional packages, each containing more than a kilogram of fentanyl pills, from co-conspirators in the case, in which Ivory was involved in trafficking. The following co-conspirators were also charged in this case:
- Brandon Beltz, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl on Aug. 13, 2024, and is awaiting sentencing.
- Jack Breitenstein died of an apparent fentanyl overdose after spending nine months on pretrial release and the charges against him were dismissed on April 11, 2024.
- Wilanda Jackson, 23, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and is awaiting trial.
- Don’Tia Nikolai, 21, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and is awaiting trial.
As a result of the investigation, the defendant is accountable for 5.3 kilograms of fentanyl and over 380 grams of methamphetamine. Ivory pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in April 2024.
“Fatal drug overdoses rose over 44% this past year, with the majority involving fentanyl, posing a grave threat to Alaskans,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Keeping fentanyl out of our communities is a top priority, and we urge the public to report any drug trafficking activities to law enforcement. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those who conspire to traffic dangerous drugs in our state.”
“Mr. Ivory callously trafficked massive quantities of deadly fentanyl pills into and throughout Alaska, poisoning our communities and destroying lives in the process,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Zachary Pomerantz of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This investigation, worked alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, represents one of highest fentanyl seizures known in Alaska, underscoring the FBI’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our communities.”
“Your Alaska State Troopers will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold anyone that traffics dangerous drugs such as fentanyl accountable for their actions,” stated Alaska State Troopers Colonel Maurice Hughes. “I hope that this significant prison sentence serves as a deterrent to those that are peddling drugs in our state. To those trafficking dangerous drugs in Alaska, know that law enforcement will catch up to you, arrest you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation and U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schroeder prosecuted the case.
UPDATE: This release has been updated to include the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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Lancaster Man Arrested on Charges that He Used Drone to Fly Fentanyl, Including to Customer Who Later Died from OverdoseRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Antelope Valley man was arrested today on a nine-count federal grand jury indictment charging him with using a drone to drop off fentanyl and other narcotics to buyers, one of whom died of a fatal overdose of the powerful synthetic opioid last year.
Christopher Patrick Laney, 34, a.k.a. “Crany,” of Lancaster, is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, four counts of knowingly and willfully operating an unregistered aircraft in furtherance of a felony narcotics crime, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Laney is expected to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the indictment that a grand jury returned on September 17 and was unsealed today, Laney on January 17, 2023, used an unmanned aircraft system, commonly referred to as a “drone” – which had not been registered with the Federal Aviation Administration – to transport fentanyl from his house to a nearby church parking lot. Laney distributed the fentanyl to a third party that provided it to the victim, identified in the indictment as “J.K.”, who was found dead the next day after she suffered a fatal drug overdose.
As captured on video footage taken by the drone, Laney used the same unregistered drone to transport and distribute narcotics on at least three other occasions in December 2022 and January 2023. In February 2023, Laney also possessed methamphetamine and fentanyl at his residence, and knowingly possessed multiple firearms – including an AR-15-style rifle lacking a serial number, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun,” and two 9mm semiautomatic ghost-gun pistols, inside of his room.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, Laney would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the United States Customs and Border Protection’s Center for Air and Marine Drone Exploitation are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kyle W. Kahan of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.
La Pryor Man Convicted of Three Counts for Human Smuggling-related CrimesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury convicted a La Pryor man for one count of conspiracy to kidnap and two counts related to harboring illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing the life of a person in jeopardy.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Joshua Lee Balderas, 33, and other conspirators transported and harbored a group of seven undocumented noncitizens in March 2022. Balderas initially transported the group from La Pryor to San Antonio, where the group was held captive in hotel rooms and ransomed to their families for thousands of dollars each. One of the migrant victims’ family members was forced to pay $7,000 for her release. Balderas and one of his co-conspirators frequently brandished guns in the hotel rooms to ensure compliance from the migrants, and Balderas sexually assaulted one of the migrants.
Balderas is scheduled to be sentenced in February 2025. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the harboring charges and up to life in prison for the kidnapping charge.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Brown and Adrian Rosales are prosecuting the case.
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Kansas Man Sentenced for Issuing Race-Based Death Threats to Multiple Black PeopleRead the Press Release
A Kansas man was sentenced today to 80 months in prison for threatening multiple Black people in and around the Wichita area, and for interfering with the housing rights of a white woman because he believed that she was dating and associating with Black people.
Austin Schoemann, 31, of Wichita, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of interference with federally protected activities, two counts of interstate threats and one count of interference with housing. In connection with the plea, Schoemann admitted that, in July 2022, he brandished a firearm and used racial slurs in order to threaten two Black juveniles while they were entering a QuikTrip gasoline station, and that he also used his firearm to threaten a Black adult who intervened to support the juveniles. Schoemann also acknowledged that, from January 2022 through August 2022, he interfered with the federally protected housing rights of a white woman by making threats to hurt or kill any Black people who visited her home. Schoemann further admitted that he sent videos and messages to the woman’s family members and others in which he repeatedly threatened to shoot and kill Black people.
“Racially-motivated threats of violence cannot be tolerated in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “For months, this defendant made threats to a woman and her family that he would shoot and kill any Black person who visited the woman’s home. After that campaign of terror, the defendant called two Black children racist slurs, and threatened the children and a Black woman with a gun when they happened to cross paths at a convenience store. This case should make clear that the Justice Department will not rest in bringing the perpetrators of racially-motivated hate crimes to justice.”
“Perpetrators of hate crimes inflict pain upon victims in furtherance of a larger goal of breeding fear and divisiveness within our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher for the District of Kansas. “The Justice Department is standing against racial violence and threats of racial violence by prosecuting offenders, but we need the public’s help. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas encourages those who are victims of or witnesses to hate crimes to report these incidents to law enforcement.”
The FBI Kansas City Field Office and Wichita Police investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Thomas Johnson and Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
KC Man Pleads Guilty to Three Fentanyl Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to distributing fentanyl, which resulted in three overdose deaths in Belton and Raymore, Mo., as part of a drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Tiger Dean Draggoo, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and three counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death.
By pleading guilty today, Draggoo admitted that he distributed fentanyl on Sept. 3, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Draggoo admitted that he distributed fentanyl between Aug. 22 and Sept. 13, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Draggoo admitted that he distributed fentanyl between Dec. 7 and 20, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person.
Draggoo also admitted that the government’s evidence of the total amount of drugs he is responsible for distributing or possessing is at least 22,364 pills that contained a total of 2,460 grams of fentanyl.
Victim #1 Fatality
On Sept. 4, 2022, Cass County, Mo., sheriff’s deputies found a juvenile, identified in court documents as “Victim #1,” deceased in her bedroom. An autopsy report identified “Fentanyl Intoxication” as the cause of death. Investigators determined that Draggoo was selling fentanyl pills to the victim and had supplied her with fentanyl pills on the evening of Sept. 3, 2022.
Victim #2 Fatality
On Sept. 13, 2022, a deceased person, identified in court documents as “Victim #2,” was found in the Belton residence where she lived with her mother. A blue pill was found in her bedroom, which was tested and determined to contain fentanyl. An autopsy report identified the cause of death as “Acute Fentanyl Toxicity.” Investigators learned that Draggoo was selling fentanyl pills to Victim #2. Draggoo typically would drop off pills near midnight at Victim #2’s bedroom window, and cell phone GPS information indicated Draggoo was in the area of Victim #2’s residence at approximately 12:20 a.m on Sept. 13, 2022.
Attempted Arrest of Draggoo
On Sept. 22, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance of Draggoo’s apartment and attempted to arrest him. Draggoo got into a Jeep Renegade driven by his brother, co-defendant Colt Justin Draggoo, 21, of Kansas City, Mo. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle, but the vehicle fled. Tiger and Colt Draggoo later returned to the apartment complex, but when an officer drove into the parking lot, Tiger Draggoo ran into the apartment building and was able to escape.
Colt Draggoo was arrested. Officers found a loaded Springfield Armory 9mm handgun sitting on the driver’s seat of the Jeep. A laundry bag in the back seat contained two fire safes that had a total of $184,500 in cash. Colt Draggoo has pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Officers searched Tiger Draggoo’s apartment and found 17 firearms, including two machine guns, ammunition of various calibers, $246,769 in cash, a ballistic vest with plates, a money counter, numerous pills that contained fentanyl, eight suspected LSD tabs, and marijuana. The 17 firearms included a Del-Ton 5.56-caliber rifle (converted into a machine gun), a Glock switch (used to convert a Glock pistol into a machine gun), three Marlin .22-caliber rifles, a Norinco 7.62-caliber rifle, a Mosin-Nagant rifle, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 .223-caliber rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, an Armscorp USA .308-caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62-caliber rifle, a Herbert Schmidt .22-caliber revolver, a New England Firearms .22-caliber revolver, a Kimber 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a Metro Arms .45-caliber pistol.
Victim #3 Fatality
On Dec. 20, 2022, Raymore police officers were dispatched to a residence in Raymore regarding a non-breathing female, identified in court documents as Victim #3. Victim #3 was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased. A small jewelry box in Victim #3’s bedroom contained three broken segments of a blue pill that were tested and determined to contain fentanyl. An autopsy report identified the cause of death as “Acute Fentanyl Toxicity.” Investigators learned that Tiger Draggoo had been selling fentanyl to Victim #3 since as early as May 31, 2022. The last Facebook Messengers conversation between Tiger Draggoo and Victim #3 occurred on Dec. 7, 2022, when they agreed to meet and an amount of $50 was agreed upon.
Arrest of Draggoo
Tiger Draggoo was arrested at his residence on Jan. 20, 2023. Tiger Draggoo was in possession of almost $2,000 in cash in his billfold and pockets. Officers searched Tiger Draggoo’s apartment and recovered pills from the toilet. Officers also found suspected psilocybin mushrooms, 144 grams of yellow THC wax, and more than $62,000 in additional cash. Officers searched Tiger Draggoo’s Honda Accord and found three handguns, a Palmetto State Armory multi-caliber rifle, an unregistered short-barreled 12-gauge shotgun, and $1,250 in cash. Officers searched his girlfriend’s Jeep Renegade, which was located at the apartment complex, and found a backpack that contained more than $82,000 in cash.
Under federal statutes, Tiger Draggoo is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Belton, Mo., Police Department, the Raymore, Mo., Police Department, the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.
Justice Department and City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Seek Partial Termination of Consent Decree Covering Albuquerque Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and City of Albuquerque (City), New Mexico, filed a joint motion today seeking court approval to terminate certain portions of the consent decree covering the Albuquerque Police Department (APD). The joint motion follows the independent monitor’s 20th report, also filed today, which concluded that the City and APD have reached full compliance with 99% of the consent decree’s terms, the highest level of compliance achieved by APD.
The monitor’s report indicates that APD’s compliance level reflects significant achievement in critical areas such as completing timely and high-quality use-of-force and misconduct investigations. These accomplishments take place against a backdrop of a 37% reduction in APD’s use of serious force in the last four years.
“Our joint motion to terminate additional provisions of this consent decree demonstrates that the Justice Department has come even closer to its ultimate goal of ensuring constitutional and effective policing in Albuquerque,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Real reform is not only possible, but evident in Albuquerque. Since this consent decree went into effect, the Albuquerque Police Department has made significant and sustained progress in implementing policing practices that respect civil rights and promote public safety. We have seen a 37% decline in use of serious force over the last four years, and continue to move reform efforts forward. The Justice Department will continue to work with the City and its police department toward our shared goal of constitutional and effective policing—the community deserves nothing less.”
“This partial termination proves that the hard work of the men and women of the Albuquerque Police Department and the persistent advocacy from the community are achieving real results,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez for the District of New Mexico. “Where the existence of a consent agreement is a symptom of dysfunction, every paragraph terminated is evidence of progress. Effective policy, operational observance of those rules, and persistent compliance with reform have set up APD for success. The sustainment period which follows termination will ensure that APD delivers the police department the people of Albuquerque deserve.”
The joint motion asks the court to terminate 31 consent decree provisions with which APD has fully complied for at least two years. The provisions cover a range of topics, including use of electronic control weapons (commonly known as Tasers); crisis intervention; crisis prevention; and supervision. It is the third joint motion the parties have filed in the last year seeking to terminate a total of 183 paragraphs of the consent decree, or 67% of the enforceable provisions of the agreement.
APD has made substantial change in reaching compliance with provisions of the consent decree the parties seek to terminate, including:
- APD has properly trained all officers on using Tasers to ensure that officers only use these weapons when lawful and necessary.
- APD has trained specialized officers to respond to behavioral health crises and deployed those officers across the department. Albuquerque has also created a new agency called Albuquerque Community Safety to send trained mental health professionals to 911 calls involving behavioral health issues. Through these two initiatives, Albuquerque is working to ensure that people get the help they need.
- APD has improved supervision across the police department, ensuring that officers receive the guidance, direction and support they need to be effective and comply with the law.
The District Court for the District of New Mexico entered the consent decree in June 2015. The decree, as well as information about the Civil Rights Division, are available on the Special Litigation Section Cases and Matters website. Additional information about implementation of the consent decree is also available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website. If you believe your civil rights have been violated, please submit a complaint through our online portal.
Iranian National Charged with Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Alireza Baradaran Rafii (57, Tampa) with attempting to procure naturalization unlawfully and making false statements relating to his naturalization under oath. If convicted on all counts, Rafii faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
According to the indictment, Rafii falsely stated on his naturalization application and under oath during his naturalization interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that he had never served in, helped, or otherwise participated in a military unit, paramilitary unit, police unit, or militia, and that he had never received any type of military, paramilitary, or weapons training, when he knew that he had served in the Iranian military from November 1992 until February 1994 and had received military and weapons training.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Risha Asokan.
Indictment Charges 19-Year-Old with Shooting Another Teen in the HeadRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christ Tchakounte, 19, of Hyattsville, MD, has been charged in a seven-count indictment for shooting a 15-year-old victim three times, including once in the head, on the afternoon of January 19, 2024, in the Kingman Park neighborhood of Southeast D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The indictment was returned today by a Superior Court grand jury, and charges Tchakounte with one count each of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, attempt to commit robbery while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license. According to the Government’s evidence, the teenage victim was out shoveling snow in the neighborhood with friends and relatives during a snow day in January 2024 when Tchakounte and an accomplice pulled up in a car, parked in a nearby alley, flanked the victim at the intersection of 16th Street and A Street Southeast, shot the victim three times, and then fled after the victim collapsed in the street. After several months of intensive care, the victim survived.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Daniel Bromwich.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Indictment Adds Six More Defendants to Bank Fraud Conspiracy CaseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – A superseding indictment charges a total of 14 defendants in connection with a nationwide conspiracy to use stolen identities to fraudulently obtain money, checks, and credit from banks and credit unions located in the Northern District of New York and all over the country. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
According to the indictment, court filings, and statements made by prosecutors in court, between at least November 2021 and December 2023, the defendants conspired to steal the identities of people who resided all over the country and impersonated those people at banks and credit unions to fraudulently obtain cash, checks, loans, and credit. The conspirators allegedly opened bank accounts in the names of identity-theft victims, which were then used to deposit and access the funds from checks they had fraudulently obtained from banks and credit unions by impersonating other individuals. The conspirators’ conduct allegedly involved nearly $3 million in intended losses and more than $1.5 million in actual losses. The charges in the superseding indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Oluwaseun Adkeoya, age 39, of New Jersey, and David Daniyan, age 60, of Brooklyn, New York, were previously charged in an indictment returned last December, along with codefendants Victor Barriera, age 64, of the Bronx, New York, Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn, Jerjuan Joyner, age 50, of Brooklyn, Akeem Balogun, age 56, of Brooklyn, Danielle Cappetti, age 46, of the Bronx, and Lesley Lucchese, age 53, of Brooklyn, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
The superseding indictment is the result of an ongoing investigation that began after the May 2022 arrest of Daniyan, Kennedy, and Barriera by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio had allegedly traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud. The original indictment charged Adekoya, Daniyan, Barriera, Kennedy, Joyner, Balogun, Cappetti, and Lucchese with fraudulently obtaining over $900,000 in cash and checks between December 2021 and April 2023.
The charges in the superseding indictment, which was returned on October 8, 2024, are as follows:
- Adekoya is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft;
- Daniyan is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and four counts aggravated identity theft;
- Kani Bassie, age 36, of Brooklyn, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft;
- Davon Hunter, age 27, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Jermon Brooks, age 20, of Richmond, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Christian Quivers, age 20, of Richmond, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft;
- Sherry Ozmore, age 56, of Richmond, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft; and
- Crystal Kurschner, age 44, of Brooklyn, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The bank fraud conspiracy charges carry a maximum term of 30 years in prison, the money laundering conspiracy charges carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison, and each aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory term of 2 years in prison, to be imposed consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Balogun, Barriera, Cappetti, Joyner, and Lucchese each previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and will be sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.
FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.
Indiana Man Admits $500,000 Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Indiana man admitted defrauding dozens of victims by fraudulently negotiating the sales of valuable and rare items that he did not own or possess, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Brian Combs, 49, Fishers, Indiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court on Oct. 15, 2024, to an information charging him with three counts of wire fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 2018 through December 2023, Combs fraudulently obtained $581,605 from dozens of victims by fraudulently negotiating sales of valuable and rare items – which he did not own or possess – with unsuspecting victims, who believed Combs would deliver these items once they paid Combs. The items included rare bottles of whiskey, precious metals, silver coins, and a rare, collectable Mickey Mantle baseball trading card. Combs frequently requested that the victims wire payment for these valuable and rare goods to him directly, rather than through the e‑commerce website where he advertised the sale of these goods, to make it more difficult for the victims to recover payment for the items Combs fraudulently failed to deliver to them.
The wire fraud charges each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Super Pitts of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
combs.information.pdfHusband of Daycare Operator Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison in Connection with Fentanyl Poisoning of Four Children at A Bronx DaycareRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that FELIX HERRERA GARCIA was sentenced to 45 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl out of a daycare in the Bronx, which resulted in the death of one child and the poisoning of three others. Herrera Garcia pled guilty on June 10, 2024, before United States District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Felix Herrera Garcia operated a deadly fentanyl trafficking enterprise out of a Bronx daycare, recklessly putting babies at risk of fentanyl exposure. Tragically, on September 15, 2023, one child was killed and four others were poisoned at the daycare by the defendant’s deadly drugs. This case demonstrates the deadly reach and scope of the fentanyl epidemic, and the profound damage it inflicts on American lives, including the lives of the most vulnerable among us. This Office and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to ensure that anyone who harms or risks the lives of children in connection with their deadly narcotics activities will be brought to justice.”
According to the Complaint, the Indictment, and other documents in the public record:
From at least in or about October 2022 through September 2023, HERRERA GARCIA and others conspired to distribute narcotics out of Divino Niño Daycare (the “Daycare”) in the Bronx. There, HERRERA GARCIA and his co-conspirators maintained more than eleven kilograms of fentanyl and heroin in secret compartments, or traps, located underneath the floor tiles in the playroom of the Daycare, where the children played, ate, and slept on a daily basis.
As a consequence of the drug conspiracy perpetrated by HERRERA GARCIA and his co-conspirators, on or about September 15, 2023, four children at the Daycare, all of whom were under three years of age, experienced the effects of poisoning from exposure to fentanyl. Three of the children were hospitalized. The fourth child, 22-month-old boy, died.
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In addition to the prison term, HERRERA GARCIA, 35, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 5 years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), the Southern District of New York Digital Forensic Unit, the Complex Analytical and Social Media Enhancement Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force, and the United States Marshals Service (“USMS”). Mr. Williams also thanks the NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force of the USMS, the USMS Office of International Operations, the USMS for the Southern District of New York, the USMS for the Southern District of Texas, the USMS for the Southern District of California, the USMS Mexico Field Office, the USMS Investigative Operations Division, the DEA New York Strike Force, the DEA Regional Office in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the DEA Regional Office in McAllen, Texas, the DEA Regional Office in Mexico City, Mexico, the DEA Regional Office in Hermosillo, Mexico, the DEA Regional Office in Monterrey, Mexico, the DEA Special Operations Division, the NYPD 52nd Precinct’s Detective Squad, the NYPD Bronx Homicide Squad, the NYPD Laboratory, the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Mexican Federal and State authorities.
The OCDETF New York Strike Force 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 New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon C. Thompson, Maggie Lynaugh, and Justin Rodriguez, as well as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karl P. Miller of the Office of the Bronx County District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, are in charge of the prosecution.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Alonzo Dewayne Harden, 30, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 17, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in Huntington in which Harden was a passenger. Harden exited the vehicle and fled on foot before he was apprehended by officers. While fleeing, Harden tossed a loaded Glock Model 22 .40-caliber pistol with an extended magazine to the ground. Officers recovered the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Harden knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for malicious assault and use or presentment of a firearm during the commission of a felony in Cabell County Circuit Court on August 26, 2021.
Harden is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department, the Huntington Violent Crime Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney 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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-116.
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Hartford Woman Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Gunpoint RobberyRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that VALERIE MENESES, 24, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 63 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for her role in a gunpoint robbery of a victim who was selling an iPhone on Facebook Marketplace.
According to court documents and statements made in court, ATF, the Hartford Police Department, and the Middletown Police Departments investigated a series of gunpoint robberies of individuals who advertised items for sale on internet marketplaces, such as Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp. At an arranged meeting place to sell their items, which included cell phones and luxury sneakers and accessories, the purported purchaser would brandish a firearm, force the victim to hand over the luxury goods, and flee. The investigation revealed that in August and September 2022, Meneses’ brother, John Villegas, also known as “Kirby,” committed five armed robberies in Hartford with Jalen Lasalle, and one armed robbery with Meneses in Middletown.
Meneses used a Facebook account to arrange the purported purchase of an iPhone from a victim who advertised its sale on Facebook Marketplace. On August 20, 2022, Meneses traveled with Villegas to meet the victim at a restaurant parking lot in Middletown. When the victim arrived at the meeting location, Villegas entered the victim’s car, inspected the iPhone, pulled out a firearm, and told the victim he was “out of luck.” Villegas also attempted to grab the victim’s personal cellphone and threatened to shoot him, before running to his waiting vehicle and fleeing with Meneses.
Judge Nagala ordered Meneses to pay $1,000 in restitution to the victim.
Meneses was arrested on October 5, 2023. On May 15, 2024, she pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), and carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Meneses, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on December 15.
Villegas and Lasalle, both of Hartford, have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Hartford Police Department, and the Middletown Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie T. Levick and A. Reed Durham.
U.S. Attorney Avery encouraged those who sell and purchase items online, and need to meet an individual in person to complete the sale, to use a visible, monitored location. Contact your local police department to see if it offers a monitored meeting location, or search online for a nearby monitored location.
Harrisburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud and Bank Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ester N. Mbaya, age 43, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty yesterday before United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, to charges of health care fraud and bank fraud.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Mbaya was president of Cool Waters, LLC, a home health care agency. Mbaya submitted fraudulent Medicaid claims seeking compensation for services that were not provided or inflated claims. Mbaya submitted these fraudulent claims from January 2018 to June 2020, and obtained in excess of $1 million as a result of the fraud.
Mbaya also submitted falsified records to four financial institutions to obtain loans and lines of credit. The falsified records included altered bank statements which made it appear she had more money on deposit than she did. She also submitted falsified pay checks to obtain loans.
“The diligent work of law enforcement collaborators uncovered a criminal scheme that diverted money from in-need Pennsylvanians who could have benefitted from the Medicaid program,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry said. “Our office is proud to work with partners who share the mission of making sure Medicaid dollars pay for care and services that enhance quality of life, rather than line the pockets of bad actors.”
“Medical providers must strictly follow the law when billing Medicaid for services,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Alongside our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to investigate inaccurate billings submitted to federally funded health care programs.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sherwood and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio are prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Beloit Man Charged With Possessing Child Pornography
Jody Behlke, 49, Beloit, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on May 24, 2023, Behlke possessed a Samsung Galaxy 8 Tab tablet containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment further alleges that at least one of the depictions Behlke possessed involved a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
The penalties for possessing child pornography vary depending upon an individual’s prior criminal history. If convicted, Behlke faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charge against Behlke is the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus is handling the case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, 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.
La Crosse Man and Woman Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine and Fentanyl for Distribution
Stephan J. Johnston, 27 and Ashley L. Russell, 31, both of La Crosse, Wisconsin, are charged with possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, both drugs intended for distribution. The two are also charged with maintaining a drug involved premises. The indictment alleges that Johnston and Russell possessed the methamphetamine and fentanyl on February 14, 2024. The indictment further alleges that from January 28, 2024 to February 14, 2024, they maintained a drug involved premises for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl.
If convicted of possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution, Johnston and Russell each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. If convicted of possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution, they each face a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. The charge of maintaining a drug involved premises carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The charges against Johnston and Russell are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, La Crosse Police Department, Crawford County Sherriff’s Office, and the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katheryn Ginsberg is handling the case.
Eau Claire Man Charged with Methamphetamine Trafficking
Xa Xiong, 31, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and attempting to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that Xiong distributed methamphetamine on July 26, 2024, and attempted to distribute methamphetamine on August 1, 2024.
If convicted of distributing 50 grams or more, Xiong faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. If convicted of attempting to distribute 500 grams or more, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The charges against Xiong were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Department. The case was also investigated by 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Levins is handling the case.
Gastonia Man Is Indicted for Laundering over $380,000 in Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned a criminal indictment this week, charging Matias Alexander Vinces Aguayo, 24, formerly of Gastonia, N.C., with conspiring with others to launder over $380,000 in illegal proceeds from a wire fraud scheme, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations in the indictment, during the scheme, Aguayo owned and operated Keys ‘N Go, a North Carolina company located in Gastonia, which maintained online payment processing accounts with Stripe and Square. In addition, the indictment further alleges that Aguayo owned and controlled personal and business bank accounts with a financial institution, including in the name of Keys ‘N Go, and a cryptocurrency exchange account at Binance.US.
According to allegations in the indictment, Aguayo’s co-conspirators used fraudulently obtained personally identifying information (PII) to open bank accounts online in order to receive promotional money and other fraudulently obtained funds, which was then deposited into the bank accounts. A co-conspirator of Aguayo then allegedly sent the bank account information to Aguayo, who used it to withdraw the money from the accounts via the Keys ‘N Go accounts at Stripe and Square. It is further alleged that, after receiving the Stripe and Square deposits into the Keys ‘N Go bank account at the financial institution, a co-conspirator provided Aguayo with directions to transfer the proceeds from the accounts Aguayo controlled to overseas bank accounts in Pakistan and to cryptocurrency addresses. In total, Aguayo allegedly transferred at least $240,000 to cryptocurrency addresses and via wire transfers. Aguayo earned compensation for his role in the scheme, including keeping a percentage of the money initially deposited into the accounts he controlled.
The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction.
The charges against Aguayo are allegations and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
Former Prince George’s County Elementary School Teacher Indicted for Coercion and Enticement of A Child and for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on September 26, 2024, charging Mark Edward Cobb, age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, for coercion and enticement of a child and for possession of child pornography.
The indictment was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the indictment, from approximately June 19, 2024, to approximately June 25, 2024, Cobb enticed and coerced a minor victim to engage in sexual activity and possessed sexually explicit images involving a prepubescent minor and a minor victim who had not yet attained 12 years of age. The case arose when Cobb, a former Prince George’s County elementary school teacher, was accused of engaging in a texting relationship with a nine-year-old student, during which he allegedly requested and received explicit photos from the student. During a search of Cobb’s home, sexually explicit images and videos of other children and a bag with several pairs of children’s underwear were found.
If convicted, Cobb faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and up to life in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a child and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The defendant’s initial appearance on this indictment was held in the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt on October 16, 2024.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. A defendant charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. = For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended HSI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Ranganath Manthripragada, who are 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Louisiana Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation for Using Excessive Force Against DetaineeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A former Louisiana sheriff’s office deputy was sentenced yesterday to 37 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for assaulting a pretrial detainee.
Javarrea Pouncy, 31, a former sergeant with the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office (DPSO), previously pleaded guilty to one count of using excessive force against the detainee. During his plea, Pouncy admitted that in September 2019, he and another DPSO deputy conducted a strip search of a detainee in the DeSoto Parish jail, as part of the detainee’s booking. Pouncy admitted further that during the search, the deputies repeatedly punched the detainee in his head, face and body, even though the detainee did not pose a threat to either officer. As a result of the assault, the detainee was hospitalized and sustained a broken eye socket and broken nose, among other injuries.
“The defendant pledged to protect and serve his community, but instead, he repeatedly punched a detainee without justification, leaving him bloodied and broken,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “People in detention have the right to be treated humanely and not to be brutalized by excessive force. This sentence sends a clear message that we will not tolerate such abuses behind bars. The Justice Department will hold accountable officials who violate detainees’ civil rights.”
“Pouncy took advantage of his position, the power that it yields and the prestige of the badge in committing this criminal act,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana. “Decency and order can co-exist with the preservation of an offender’s civil rights. Prosecutions such as these are critical to ensure that the good work of law enforcement officers is not hampered by the heinous acts of bad law enforcement officers.”
“Yesterday, Pouncy faced the consequences of his unnecessary and violent actions toward someone he was supposed to protect,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “It’s a sad day when we have to investigate someone who took an oath to uphold the law. His actions undermine the integrity of the criminal justice system, and I want the public to know we will not tolerate it. The FBI is committed to investigating criminal misconduct, no matter who the subject is or what position they hold in their community.”
The other deputy involved in the assault, DeMarkes Grant, previously pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing justice in connection with the assault. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison.
The FBI New Orleans Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Reeg for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
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Former Louisiana Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation for Using Excessive Force Against DetaineeRead the Press Release
A former Louisiana sheriff’s office deputy was sentenced yesterday to 37 months in prison for assaulting a pretrial detainee.
Javarrea Pouncy, 31, a former sergeant with the DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office (DPSO), previously pleaded guilty to one count of using excessive force against the detainee. During his plea, Pouncy admitted that, in September 2019, he and another DPSO deputy conducted a strip search of a detainee in the DeSoto Parish jail, as part of the detainee’s booking. Pouncy admitted further that, during the search, the deputies repeatedly punched the detainee in his head, face and body, even though the detainee did not pose a threat to either officer. As a result of the assault, the detainee was hospitalized and sustained a broken eye socket and broken nose, among other injuries.
“The defendant pledged to protect and serve his community, but instead, he repeatedly punched a detainee without justification, leaving him bloodied and broken,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “People in detention have the right to be treated humanely and not to be brutalized by excessive force. This sentence sends a clear message that we will not tolerate such abuses behind bars. The Justice Department will hold accountable officials who violate detainees’ civil rights.”
“Pouncy took advantage of his position, the power that it yields and the prestige of the badge in committing this criminal act,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana. “Decency and order can co-exist with the preservation of an offender’s civil rights. Prosecutions such as these are critical to ensure that the good work of law enforcement officers is not hampered by the heinous acts of bad law enforcement officers.”
“Yesterday, Pouncy faced the consequences of his unnecessary and violent actions toward someone he was supposed to protect,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “It’s a sad day when we have to investigate someone who took an oath to uphold the law. His actions undermine the integrity of the criminal justice system, and I want the public to know we will not tolerate it. The FBI is committed to investigating criminal misconduct, no matter who the subject is or what position they hold in their community.”
The other deputy involved in the assault, DeMarkes Grant, previously pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing justice in connection with the assault. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison.
The FBI New Orleans Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Reeg for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Former Fort Moore Contractor Pleads Guilty in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – A former contractor of Fort Moore admitted he possessed images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his phone.
Terric Taylor, 27, of Fortson, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on Oct. 15. Taylor faces a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by at least five years up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine plus potential restitution to be determined by the Court. In addition, Taylor will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Every sexually explicit video of a child is a permanent record of that child’s abuse which lives on and can cause great suffering for the victim,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case illustrates how people from many parts of the community are helping us hold offenders accountable for possessing child sexual abuse material.”
“With every file Taylor downloaded or shared with others, he compounded the unspeakable harm endured by these vulnerable victims,” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Richard Bilson of FBI Atlanta’s Columbus office. “Thanks to the outstanding efforts of our dedicated law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors, Taylor will now be held accountable for his crimes.”
"The GBI and our partners are dedicated to ensuring every child receives the freedom and protection they deserve,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “Every image or video of child sexual abuse material has the potential to victimize a child repeatedly. This case is a testament to the combined efforts of the GBI, our criminal justice partners and our community members to hold criminals accountable and fight for the safety of our children."
According to court documents and statements referenced in court in the Taylor case, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a Cybertip on July 17, 2022, from the social media platform X concerning user “strayBreeders04” who had uploaded a file of child pornography on the platform. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) discovered Taylor was the user and was employed as a contractor at Fort Moore. Working with Fort Moore’s Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Taylor was located, and he admitted to agents that he uploaded images of child pornography to X. Agents found several files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his phone. Taylor estimated he had approximately 50 videos of children engaging in sexual acts on his device.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI, GBI and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Prepare Fraudulent Loan Applications Totaling More Than $400,000Read the Press Release
MIAMI – On Oct. 15, Lakeisha Black a/k/a/ “Lakeisha Pierce,” pled guilty in federal court in Fort Lauderdale to conspiracy to make false statements to the Small Business Administration in connection with myriad fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
From July 2020 through June 2021, Black charged between $2,000 and $6,000 to prepare fraudulent PPP loans for at least 14 other individuals, including three former Broward County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who all previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy in separate cases and have been sentenced. In total, Black is responsible for over $400,000 in fraudulent PPP loans.
The sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith. Black faces up to 5 years in prison for the conspiracy. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe; Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker, Eastern Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office; Sheriff Gregory Tony of Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FRB-OIG, DCIS, BSO, and FBI Miami investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Latoya C. Brown and Trevor C. Jones are prosecuting it.
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.
On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.
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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-60137.
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Fishers Woman Facing Federal Charges for Fraud and Forging Signature of a Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS— A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Christi Lee Dodd, 51, of Fishers, Indiana, with wire fraud and forging the signature of a federal judge.
According to the court documents, Dodd first filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the Southern District of Indiana in January 2015. In April 2015, a federal bankruptcy judge issued a signed discharge order releasing Dodd from liability for any remaining debts not resolved in the bankruptcy proceedings.
In December 2019, Dodd again filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in the Southern District of Indiana, but later decided not to proceed and moved to have the 2019 case dismissed. In June 2022, the bankruptcy court dismissed Dodd’s 2019 bankruptcy petition. The court did not issue a discharge order in the 2019 case, and none of Dodd’s unpaid debts were resolved.
In 2023, Dodd allegedly created and forged a discharge order purporting to absolve her of debts related to her 2019 Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition. Dodd emailed the fraudulent document to a financial institution purportedly proving that she had received a discharge in her 2019 bankruptcy case so that she could obtain a line of credit to pay outstanding debts owed by the trucking business she owned.
The emailed document was purportedly filed in Dodd’s second bankruptcy case with the heading, “DISCHARGE OF DEBTOR IN A CHAPTER 13 CASE.” As alleged in the indictment, the forged document was in fact created by Dodd using the discharge order from her first bankruptcy under Chapter 7 and contained the forged signature of the judge who issued the 2015 discharge order.
“Protecting the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system is an important priority of the Department of Justice. Our office is committed to working closely with our partners at the U.S. Trustee Program to uphold the law and protect the interests of debtors and creditors,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
“The filing of a fraudulent court order containing the forged signature of a bankruptcy judge strikes at the very core of the integrity of the bankruptcy system and will not be tolerated,” said Nancy J. Gargula, United States Trustee for Indiana and the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois (Region 10). “We are grateful for U.S. Attorney Myers and our law enforcement partners for their commitment to protect the integrity of the bankruptcy process in the Southern District of Indiana., as demonstrated by this indictment.”
The FBI and U.S. Trustee’s Office is investigating this case in collaboration with the Southern District of Indiana Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group. The United States Trustee Program is the component of the Department of Justice responsible for overseeing the administration of bankruptcy cases and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. If convicted, Dodd faces up to twenty-five years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who is prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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