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22 November 2024
Anchorage man charged in string of recent bank robberiesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment criminally charging an Anchorage man in connection to a string of recent bank robberies.
According to court documents, on Sept. 23, Sean Javier, 36, allegedly used force, violence and intimidation to steal roughly $650 from a local credit union branch. Two weeks later, on Oct. 7, Javier stole roughly $512 from a different local credit union branch, and on Oct. 16, he stole an additional $2,000 from another local credit union branch. In total, Javier allegedly stole roughly $3,162.
The indictment also alleges that on Oct. 20, Javier was also in possession of two firearms. In June 2013, Javier was convicted of stalking in the first degree in the Superior Court for the State of Alaska, and in June 2020, he was convicted of bank robbery in the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska, making him a felon at the time of possession.
Javier was arrested on Oct. 20 on a probation violation related to his 2020 conviction.
Javier is charged with three counts of credit union robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Federal Lands Offenses
Mathew Crabtree, 36, of New Market, Alabama, was sentenced for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and refusing to consent to a breath test. For the DUI offense, the defendant was sentenced to pay a fine of $750 and placed on two years of unsupervised probation, including a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that time. For refusing a breath test the defendant was sentenced to pay a $750 fine and serve a seven-day term of incarceration. The defendant received credit for three days previously served and must serve the remaining four days before May 20, 2025. Crabtree pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Nov. 21 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted the case.
Matthew Stetzel, age 36, previously of Mammoth, Wyoming, was sentenced for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol (DUI), refusing to consent to a breath test, and possessing an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle. For the DUI, he was sentenced to a fine of $750 and one year of unsupervised probation, the terms of which include a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that period. He was sentenced to a fine of $100 for the open container violation, and for the refusal to take a breath test, he was sentenced to seven days of incarceration. The defendant has credit for one day previously served and must serve the remaining six days before May 21, 2025. Stetzel pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Nov. 21 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted the case.
Drug Trafficking
Ricardo Valencia, 43, of Long Beach, California, was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, on July 11, 2022, Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) pulled over a car speeding on I-80 in Laramie County. Differing stories from the three passengers who claimed to be going to Iowa for different reasons led the trooper to deploy a narcotics detection canine, who then alerted to the presence of a controlled substance. A search of the vehicle was conducted and approximately 8 pounds of methamphetamine, a loaded .38 caliber revolver, a glass smoking pipe, and numerous clear cellophane packages were seized. Valencia admitted that the items belonged to him. He was indicted on Jan. 11, 2023, arrested in California on state charges in March 2024, and brought into federal custody in May. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 30. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Nov. 21, in Cheyenne. WHP and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Forwood prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-00012
Nicholas Elton Terry, 40, of Torrington, Wyoming, was sentenced to 30 months in prison with three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) pulled over Terry for speeding on I-25 in Laramie County. The trooper said Terry appeared nervous and was unable to produce any documentation for himself or the vehicle. While they figured things out in the patrol vehicle, another trooper deployed a narcotics detection canine who alerted to the presence of a controlled substance. About 1,000 fentanyl pills were located along with three cell phones. Terry was indicted May 16, pleaded guilty Aug. 28 and Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Nov. 19, in Casper. Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and WHP investigated the Crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christyne M. Martens prosecuted the case. Case No. 24-CR-00072
Unlawful Possession of a Machine Gun
Preston Lewis, 21, of Rock Spring, Wyoming, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for the unlawful possession of a machine gun. According to court documents, on April 11, the Rock Springs Police Department was called to a firearms dealer for a report of a suspicious male who had purchased approximately $18,000 worth of high-dollar firearms. Police later found the defendant at another firearms dealer. During questioning, the defendant admitted to straw purchasing firearms for another individual. He also acknowledged that he installed a Glock “switch,” which is a device that modifies a semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic “machine pistol,” on a firearm in his home as well as possessing other switches. The defendant also admitted that he had modified an AR-style semiautomatic rifle into a fully automatic machine gun. Lewis waived indictment and pleaded guilty to an Information on July 18. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Nov. 20 in Casper. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rock Springs Police Department investigated this crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. Case No. 23-00095
21 November 2024
Weslaco resident imprisoned for attempting to transport weapons and possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 37-year-old man has been sentenced for straw purchasing and possessing child pornography on his cellphone, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Jose Angel Hinojosa Jr. pleaded guilty Jan. 19.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Hinojosa to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that cases like these are far from victimless, with many of the weapons being traced to Mexico. In handing down the sentence, the court emphasized the seriousness of these crimes, describing them as heinous and reaffirming that they have real victims and far-reaching consequences.
From June 5, 2016, through May 9, 2022, Hinojosa engaged in firearms dealing by straw purchasing firearms from an online gun broker. He then arranged for the weapons to be exported into Mexico. Law enforcement was able to locate several weapons tied to Hinojosa.
At the time of his plea, he admitted to attempting to smuggle more than 40 firearms.
During the firearms investigation, authorities learned Hinojosa maybe linked to crimes involving child pornography. A search warrant was executed and authorities discovered several videos of minors engaging in sexual conduct on Hinojosa’s phone. Hinojosa admitted to receiving child pornography on his cellphone from various third parties.
Hinojosa was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility on Jan. 7, 2025.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in conjunction with Homeland Security Investigations - Child Exploitation Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric D. Flores prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Trafficking over 40 Firearms and Selling Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JYSHUN TROWER was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote to 14 years in prison for trafficking firearms and selling counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. TROWER previously pled guilty to illegally transporting and distributing firearms and conspiring to distribute narcotics.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Jyshun Trower placed countless New Yorkers’ lives in danger, attempting to flood the City with over 40 illegal firearms, including military-style assault weapons, that destroy human bodies and lives. Trower also sold thousands of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing deadly fentanyl. He now faces significant time in prison for his crimes.”
According to the Indictment, and statements made in court proceedings and filings:
From on or about June 5, 2023, through on or about December 14, 2023, TROWER illegally transported and sold firearms in Manhattan and the New York City Area. In almost a dozen transactions, TROWER illegally sold approximately 43 firearms to an undercover law enforcement agent and others. The firearms included multiple semiautomatic pistols, semiautomatic rifles, assault style rifles and pistols, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, a ghost gun, and components used to convert a semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic pistol—that is, a machine gun. Images of several of the firearms that TROWER sold are below.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on July 21, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on July 31, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on August 17, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on August 25, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on September 29, 2023.
Firearms TROWER sold in Manhattan on December 14, 2023.
In addition, TROWER conspired to sell 10,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover law enforcement agent. TROWER also had arranged with the undercover agent to include several firearms in the transaction. On or about December 14, 2023, TROWER arrived at the sale location with the firearms, where law enforcement apprehended TROWER and recovered a bag containing over hundreds of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
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In addition to the prison term, TROWER, 27, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations New York Field Office.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Daniels is in charge of the prosecution.
U.S. Trustee Program Prevails on Motion to Dismiss Nine Related Cases for Lack of Good FaithRead the Press Release
The United States Trustee Program (USTP) recently obtained dismissal of nine related bankruptcy cases involving a chain of fitness businesses that lacked a good-faith basis for seeking bankruptcy relief.
On October 2, the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas entered an order dismissing the cases of Blush Bootcamp LLC and eight affiliates based on a motion filed by the USTP’s office in Wichita, Kansas. The debtors and their owners engaged in a tangled web of transfers both before and after bankruptcy, using some of the companies’ income to cover others’ debts and commingling funds across multiple accounts without regard to corporate formalities. Some of the companies had stopped operating, leaving no business to rehabilitate. Some entities lacked insurance to protect their assets, and none had workers’ compensation coverage. And the owners—a married couple—each drew a monthly salary of $12,500 out of the bankrupt companies even though they also operated two cash-positive entities that did not file for bankruptcy.
The debtors filed their cases under the streamlined provisions of subchapter V, which provides eligible small businesses with a more flexible, efficient and cost-effective path through chapter 11. The USTP plays an integral role in administering subchapter V cases in accordance with the Bankruptcy Code. This includes seeking dismissal or conversion of cases to chapter 7 liquidations when warranted, and raising objections to eligibility and confirmation of a plan of reorganization when appropriate.
“Subchapter V was designed to help debtors remain in business, so long as they abide by the Bankruptcy Code’s requirements,” said Director Tara Twomey of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees. “Unfortunately, these entities did not follow the requirements and there was no reasonable likelihood of rehabilitation.”
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders – debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Find Civil Rights Violations by Trenton Police Department and City of TrentonRead the Press Release
trenton_findings_report.pdf
usa_sellinger_remarks_tpd.pdfTRENTON, N.J. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Justice Department announced today that the Trenton Police Department (TPD) and the city of Trenton engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
A comprehensive investigation found that TPD unlawfully uses excessive force, including unreasonable forms of physical force and pepper spray when facing little resistance or danger. TPD also conducts stops, searches and arrests without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. In addition, the department identified deficiencies in training, supervision, policy and accountability that contribute to TPD and the city’s unlawful conduct.
“For too long, the residents of Trenton have felt afraid of the police, rather than protected by them. The use of excessive force and unconstitutional stops, searches and arrests, sometimes with tragic consequences, have eroded public trust and undermined public safety. Today’s findings are the first step in achieving the reforms needed to rebuild public trust, so that the Trenton Police Department can effectively fight crime and keep residents safe, while respecting the constitutional rights of each and every person.”
U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
“Police officers must respect people’s civil and constitutional rights and treat people with dignity,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “After an extensive review, we found that police officers in Trenton routinely failed to respect the Fourth Amendment rights of those who call Trenton home. Trenton police stop and search pedestrians and motorists without a legal basis, make illegal arrests and use excessive force without basis. We are committed to the hard work necessary to achieve constitutional policing across the country. By bringing city officials, the police department and the community together, we are confident that we can institute meaningful reforms that remedy the violations uncovered.”
The Justice Department found that TPD engaged in a pattern or practice of using excessive force, with police officers often escalating encounters when facing little resistance or threat. For example, in one incident from 2023, after initially using reasonable force to arrest a man, an officer stomped on the man’s hand multiple times once he was on the ground, kneeled on his head and kicked him in the shoulder.
TPD also conducted numerous stops and searches of pedestrians and cars without reasonable suspicion or probable cause, often unlawfully arresting the person they stopped and searched.
TPD’s violations have eroded community trust and cost the city more than $7 million since 2021 to resolve lawsuits stemming from accusations of officer misconduct.
The Justice Department opened this investigation on Oct. 17, 2023. Career attorneys and staff in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section conducted the investigation. The team conducted an extensive review of TPD’s records, including hundreds of police reports and hundreds of hours of body-worn camera footage. The team also interviewed city and TPD leadership and line officers, accompanied officers on ride-alongs and met with dozens of community members.
The city and TPD cooperated fully with the Justice Department’s investigation. The department provided a comprehensive written report of its investigative findings to the city and TPD. The report acknowledges the changes already made by the city and TPD, and it identifies additional remedial measures the Justice Department believes are necessary to address its findings.
The Justice Department conducted this investigation pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12601, which prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. Section 12601 authorizes the Attorney General to file a lawsuit in federal court seeking court-ordered remedies to eliminate a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct.
The Justice Department will conduct outreach to members of the Trenton community to explain the findings and for input on remedies to address the findings. Individuals may also submit recommendations by email at [email protected] or by phone at 973-645-2801
The Justice Department will hold a community meeting at a date to be determined. Members of the pubic are encouraged to attend.
Additional information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey is available at www.justice.gov/usao-nj. Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s Police Reform Work can be found at The Civil Rights Division’s Pattern and Practice Police Reform Work: 1994-Present. Additional information about civil rights enforcement at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey is available at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement.
The government is represented by Michael Campion, Chief of the Civil Rights Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Junis L. Baldon and Nicole Taykhman of the U.S. Attorney’s Civil Rights Division; and attorneys from the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Seizes Approximately $3.5 Million Dollars Associated with Business Email Compromise ScamRead the Press Release
Vanessa R. Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has seized approximately $3,507,191 in funds stolen through a business email compromise scam.
A business email compromise scam (“BEC scam”), which usually involves email spoofing, involves the creation of email messages with a deceptive sender display name. When a bad actor engages in an email spoofing attack, the bad actor sends an email header that displays an inaccurate sender address, which can deceive the receiver unless the receiver inspects the header closely. This inaccurate sender address is usually someone the receiver knows or trusts, so the receiver might open malicious links or engage in risky behavior that the receiver would otherwise not engage in. In this case, the bad actors impersonated one of the parties to the real transactions and replaced the intended beneficiary account with their own prior to payment. By changing the intended beneficiary account, the bad actors commit a BEC scam.
According to a complaint (3:24-cv-1822), which was filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, in July 2024, HSI and Westport Police began investigating a BEC scam that victimized a Connecticut business. The investigation revealed that the business had received an email from a spoofed email address, which was very similar to a general contractor’s legitimate email address, with instructions for a payment that was to be made to the general contractor. In May and June 2024, the Connecticut business sent approximately $5.4 million to the bank account as instructed.
The company promptly reported the business email compromise to Westport Police, and HSI successfully traced the stolen money to nine separate bank accounts, which were seized by the government. With the filing of the forfeiture complaint, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek to forfeit the proceeds of the crime and, should it be successful, work with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section to return the money to the victim company.
“These cases demonstrate the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to helping victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Avery. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue criminal prosecution of the individuals responsible for these crimes, but using civil asset forfeiture, we can expeditiously recover as much stolen money as possible and return this money to victims prior to criminal convictions. Although it can be difficult to come forward and admit that you were a victim of a crime, we stand ready to help you to the fullest extent possible.”
“Business email compromise scams are sophisticated and difficult to detect, resulting in major losses for businesses,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Krol. “It is essential that businesses that have been victimized by scammers reach out to law enforcement immediately for the best chance to recover their lost funds. Today’s results are a best-case scenario because of the quick action of the business and the dedication of law enforcement working together to track the money, freeze accounts, and get the business their money back. HSI is using innovative investigative methods to pursue business email compromise cases to get victims their money back and gather evidence to bring scammers to justice.”
To avoid becoming the victim of a BEC scam, verify email addresses are accurate when checking mail on a cellphone or other mobile device before you open any attachments or follow any instructions and never make any payment changes without verifying with the intended recipient by phone or in person. If you think you have been a victim of a BEC scam, immediately contact your bank to request a recall or reversal as well as a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity and contact local law enforcement. Additionally, file a detailed complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. The Internet Crime Complaint Center is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime. Visit www.ic3.gov for updated information regarding BEC trends as well as other cyber fraud schemes.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Guilty Plea from Second Defendant in Carjacking and Assault CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The second defendant pleaded guilty in federal court for her role in a violent carjacking incident that took place on the Navajo Nation in May 2022, following the earlier guilty plea of her accomplice.
According to court documents, on May 9, 2022, Lindsey Yazzie and Brandon Barber attacked a woman driving her Jeep on the Navajo Nation. Yazzie threw a large rock at the vehicle's windshield, forcing the victim to stop. Yazzie and Barber then violently removed the victim from the vehicle, as Yazzie repeatedlyattempted to strike the victim in the head with a rock.
After forcibly taking the victim’s Jeep, Yazzie and Barber fled the scene, nearly striking the victim with the stolen vehicle as they drove away. They later led Navajo Nation police on a high-speed chase before abandoning the vehicle.
At sentencing, Yazzie faces up to fifteen years in prison. Upon her release from prison, Yazzie will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Yazzie).pdf# # #
U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures 10-Year Sentence for Assault and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for a shooting incident that occurred in Shiprock in 2023.
Tyrell Willie, 38, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on May 28, 2023, Willie contacted Jane Doe via Facebook Messenger and requested to visit her at her home. Willie arrived at Jane Doe’s residence at approximately 2:00 a.m. After a brief conversation, Willie became aggressive and attempted to forcibly remove Jane Doe from her vehicle until her son, John Doe, intervened to protect his mother.
Following the altercation, Willie left the scene but later returned. When John Doe exited his home, Willie, who was lying in wait by circling the neighborhood, turned off the headlights to his vehicle, drove up to John Doe, and discharged two rounds from the driver’s seat, with one shot striking John Doe in the stomach. Navajo Nation Police officers, who were already in the area responding to reports of erratic driving, quickly pursued and apprehended Willie.
Upon his release from prison, Willie will be subject to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
FBI Farmington Agency investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McGinley prosecuted the case.
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U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI Charge Man for Stabbing Incident in ShiprockRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A man is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly stabbing a man outside a Shiprock grocery store.
Josiah Bodie, 22, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, on November 12, 2024, Navajo Nation Police Department officers responded to reports of a stabbing at a grocery store in Shiprock, New Mexico, located within the Navajo Nation. When officers arrived, they found a male victim with an apparent stab wound. Officers located Bodie nearby in possession of a knife with brass knuckles on the handle.
The complaint alleges that Bodie approached the victim outside the store and initiated a physical altercation, during which he stabbed the victim with a knife.
If convicted on the current charges, Bodie faces 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Bodie).pdfA criminal complaint 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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U.S. Attorney's Office Secures Guilty Plea in Child Sexual Abuse CaseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A San Felipe man pleaded guilty in federal court to sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl on tribal lands.
According to court documents, Vernon Chavez, 62, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of San Felipe, admitted that between August 1 and August 15, 2022, he intentionally touched an 11-year-old girl through her clothing with the intent to gratify his sexual desire. The abuse occurred within the exterior boundaries of the San Felipe Pueblo.
In his plea agreement, Chavez acknowledged that he knew the victim was approximately 11 years old at the time of the offense.
Chavez was detained pending sending, which has not been set. At sentencing, Chavez faces 10-15 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Chavez).pdf# # #
Two Men Sentenced for Illegally Smuggling Juvenile Eels from Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
Two Dominican nationals were sentenced for smuggling juvenile American eels from Puerto Rico.
On Nov. 14, U.S. District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colon for the District of Puerto Rico sentenced Simon De la Cruz Paredes, 56, to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Today, Judge Delgado-Colon sentenced Saul Enrique José De la Cruz, 39, to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Paredes and De la Cruz spent months harvesting juvenile American eels (Anguilla rostrata), also known as glass eels, in the rivers around Levittown, Puerto Rico. Once they caught the eels, the defendants kept them alive with an oxygenation system while a boat was built to travel back to the Dominican Republic. On Feb. 21, both defendants left Puerto Rico bound for the Dominican Republic in a boat that contained 30 kilograms of glass eels, a handgun and 850 rounds of ammunition. Paredes and De La Cruz stated that they intended to sell the eels in the Dominican Republic, after which the fish would be shipped to Asia.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) intercepted Paredes and De la Cruz about 40 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. The men refused to stop their boat and USCG was obligated to neutralize the vessel’s engines, after which the defendants were arrested and indicted.
Paredes and De la Cruz both previously pleaded guilty to smuggling the eels in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 554 and trafficking in illegal wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act. De la Cruz also pleaded guilty to failing to heave to when ordered to stop by the Coast Guard. According to court documents, the juvenile eels were worth at least $132,000 and would be worth more than $1 million once raised to adulthood.
“Eels are a highly sought-after food source, including for sushi,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Juvenile or glass eels are key to this food production. Unfortunately, they are often illegally harvested, which has already decimated their numbers in Japan and Europe, and which is also having a profound effect on the American eel population. That is why we will vigorously prosecute individuals or entities caught illegally harvesting glass eels.”
“The illegal trafficking of wildlife threatens the survival of many endangered species,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made it a priority to protect our natural resources. The environmental protection laws protect the animals, resources, and habitats within Puerto Rico.”
“American juvenile eels can be traded legally, but they are also subject to poaching and international trafficking,” said Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement. “These defendants would clearly stop at almost nothing in pursuit of their illegal activities, which harm natural resources and economies. The sentencing of these individuals highlights the effectiveness and persistence of investigators, who work tirelessly to seek justice.”
“We work closely with our joint enforcement partners to detect and identify potential illegal activity related to the Lacey Act,” said Acting Assistant Director Paige Casey of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Office of Law Enforcement Southeast Division. “Through our partnerships, we are able to successfully prosecute and convict individuals, such as in this case, who illegally harvest and traffic marine wildlife that could disrupt our fair trade market.”
“These two convictions highlight the collective and unwavering resolve of our Coast Guard and sister U.S. law enforcement agencies to protect the living marine resources and hold transnational smuggling organizations accountable,” said Capt. Luis J. Rodriguez, Commander of USCG’s Sector San Juan. “As one of our most sensitive missions, we must continue to generate awareness of the impacts smugglers are having in eradicating eel populations around the globe. Now, the juvenile American eel population is being targeted at home, we must remain vigilant as a service and a nation to this threat.”
The American eel is a species of fish native to the Eastern United States and the Caribbean. The American eel is a “catadromous” species, meaning that it reproduces in saltwater systems and matures in fresh water (riverine) systems. American eel eggs hatch in the Atlantic Ocean’s Sargasso Sea, after which ocean currents carry the juvenile eels along the eastern American coast. Tidal fluctuations then wash the eels into freshwater river systems, including the rivers of Puerto Rico, after which they migrate upstream. Once a glass eel matures, it will return to the Sargasso Sea in order to spawn.
Because American eels have not been successfully bred in captivity, the commercial market is concentrated on the juvenile glass eel stage. Once captured, glass eels are typically sold to aquaculture facilities in Asia, where they are raised into adults and sold for foods including for sushi as unagi. The fishing pressure on juvenile eels has contributed to record low population numbers.
NOAA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Offices of Law Enforcement are leading the investigation as part of the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force, along with USCG and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Puerto Rico Police Bureau, Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) and Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources also provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney and Environmental Litigation Coordinator Seth A. Erbe for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
Two Men Sentenced for Illegally Smuggling Juvenile Eels from Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Two Dominican nationals were sentenced for smuggling juvenile American eels from Puerto Rico.
On Nov. 14, U.S. District Court Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colón for the District of Puerto Rico sentenced Simón De la Cruz Paredes, 56, to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Today, Judge Delgado-Colón sentenced Saúl Enrique José De la Cruz, 39, to 24 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Paredes and De la Cruz spent months harvesting juvenile American eels (Anguilla rostrata), also known as glass eels, in the rivers around Levittown, Puerto Rico. Once they caught the eels, the defendants kept them alive with an oxygenation system while a boat was built to travel back to the Dominican Republic. On Feb. 21, both defendants left Puerto Rico bound for the Dominican Republic in a boat that contained 30 kilograms of glass eels, a handgun and 850 rounds of ammunition. Paredes and De La Cruz stated that they intended to sell the eels in the Dominican Republic, after which the fish would be shipped to Asia.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) intercepted Paredes and De la Cruz about 40 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. The men refused to stop their boat and USCG was obligated to neutralize the vessel’s engines, after which the defendants were arrested and indicted.
Paredes and De la Cruz both previously pleaded guilty to smuggling the eels in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 554 and trafficking in illegal wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act. De la Cruz also pleaded guilty to failing to heave to when ordered to stop by the Coast Guard. According to court documents, the juvenile eels were worth at least $132,000 and would be worth more than $1 million once raised to adulthood.
“Eels are a highly sought-after food source, including for sushi,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Juvenile or glass eels are key to this food production. Unfortunately, they are often illegally harvested, which has already decimated their numbers in Japan and Europe, and which is also having a profound effect on the American eel population. That is why we will vigorously prosecute individuals or entities caught illegally harvesting glass eels.”
“The illegal trafficking of wildlife threatens the survival of many endangered species,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office has made it a priority to protect our natural resources. The environmental protection laws protect the animals, resources, and habitats within Puerto Rico.”
“We work closely with our joint enforcement partners to detect and identify potential illegal activity related to the Lacey Act,” said Acting Assistant Director Paige Casey of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Office of Law Enforcement Southeast Division. “Through our partnerships, we are able to successfully prosecute and convict individuals, such as in this case, who illegally harvest and traffic marine wildlife that could disrupt our fair trade market.”
“These two convictions highlight the collective and unwavering resolve of our Coast Guard and sister U.S. law enforcement agencies to protect the living marine resources and hold transnational smuggling organizations accountable,” said Capt. Luis J. Rodriguez, Commander of USCG’s Sector San Juan. “As one of our most sensitive missions, we must continue to generate awareness of the impacts smugglers are having in eradicating eel populations around the globe. Now, the juvenile American eel population is being targeted at home, we must remain vigilant as a service and a nation to this threat.”
The American eel is a species of fish native to the Eastern United States and the Caribbean. The American eel is a “catadromous” species, meaning that it reproduces in saltwater systems and matures in fresh water (riverine) systems. American eel eggs hatch in the Atlantic Ocean’s Sargasso Sea, after which ocean currents carry the juvenile eels along the eastern American coast. Tidal fluctuations then wash the eels into freshwater river systems, including the rivers of Puerto Rico, after which they migrate upstream. Once a glass eel matures, it will return to the Sargasso Sea in order to spawn.
Because American eels have not been successfully bred in captivity, the commercial market is concentrated on the juvenile glass eel stage. Once captured, glass eels are typically sold to aquaculture facilities in Asia, where they are raised into adults and sold for foods including for sushi as unagi. The fishing pressure on juvenile eels has contributed to record low population numbers.
NOAA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Offices of Law Enforcement are leading the investigation as part of the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force, along with USCG and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The Puerto Rico Police Bureau, Joint Forces of Rapid Action (FURA) and Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources also provided valuable assistance.
Senior Trial Attorney Patrick M. Duggan of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney and Environmental Litigation Coordinator Seth A. Erbe for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico are prosecuting the case.
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Two Men Indicted on Charges Connected to Violent Robbery of Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Marquis Taylor, 28, and Elijah Woods, 21, were indicted by a federal grand jury on one count each of conspiracy, assault with intent to rob a U.S. Postal Carrier, and mail theft.
According to the indictment and connected court filings, in September of 2023, Taylor, Woods, and a third man, Dravell Emon Ross, 28, committed a strong-arm robbery of a postal carrier while she was on duty in her mail truck taking her lunch break. The robbery occurred near Utah Park in Aurora in the middle of the day. The three men attempted to obtain a universal mailbox key from the postal carrier in order to access community mailboxes. The men were unable to steal the universal key, but did steal various pieces of mail, packages, and a postal scanner. The postal carrier suffered minor injuries as a result of the robbery.
On July 17, 2024, Ross was sentenced to federal prison for four years in connection with his role in the robbery. On November 13, 2024, Taylor was arrested and is detained pending trial. Woods was released on bond while the charges remain outstanding. The trial for Taylor and Woods is currently scheduled in federal district court for March 31, 2025.
The case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Neff.
Two Former Employees of Brooklyn Based Non-Profit Charged with Fraud and Bribery OffensesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Gary DSilva, also known as “Pankaj DSilva,” Jonathan Velazquez and Luis A. Camarena with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery and money laundering, as well as substantive counts of wire fraud and federal-program bribery, for their roles in a yearslong kickback scheme. The defendants were arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“These defendants misappropriated public funds through a brazen kickback scheme,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “When corrupt employees siphon public funds to line their own pockets, the neediest New Yorkers bear the brunt. My Office will relentlessly pursue those who try to compromise the integrity of our community organizations.”
DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “These employees of a City-funded nonprofit participated in an illegal kickback scheme, enriching themselves by stealing from their employer, an entity providing critical services to New Yorkers in need, as alleged in the indictment. Theft of precious public funds deprives deserving members of our community of resources and I am thankful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI for their shared commitment to protect those funds for the benefit of their intended recipients.”
“Gary DSilva and Jonathan Velazquez, two non-profit organization workers, allegedly received more than $500,000 in illicit kickback payments from Luis Camarena, a contractor hired to install security services in some of the city’s homeless shelters. This alleged quid pro quo agreement only enriched the involved parties and deprived the city of vital infrastructural improvements. The FBI will never tolerate corrupt individuals who selfishly steal public funds intended to support our city’s vulnerable populations,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.
As alleged in the indictment, DSilva and Velazquez were employed in the Management Information Systems department of a Brooklyn-based non-profit entity (the Organization) that supplied a number of services to indigent New Yorkers, including administering multiple homeless shelters. DSilva and Velazquez, as part of their work for the Organization, were responsible for soliciting vendors to complete various projects involving information technology. DSilva solicited bids from one such vendor (the Vendor) for multiple projects involving the installation or replacement of security cameras at the Organization’s homeless shelters. Camarena was the principal of the Vendor. The Vendor ultimately received approximately $1.6 million in payments from the Organization for work related to these security-camera projects from approximately 2017 to 2021. During that same period, the Vendor paid a total of over $500,000 in kickbacks to DSilva and Velazquez. These illegal payments took the form of payments to credit cards in the names of DSilva and Velazquez and their spouses and payments to shell companies registered to DSilva’s spouse. In one email obtained during the investigation, Camarena, DSilva, and Velazquez discussed how they would divide the “profit” from the business the Vendor received from the Organization among themselves.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace plays a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise and Turner Buford are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kavya Kannan.
The Defendants:
Gary DSilva (also known as “Pankaj DSilva”)
Age: 46
Manalapan, New JerseyJonathan Velazquez
Age: 54
Massapequa Park, New YorkLuis A. Camerena
Age: 57
Jackson Township, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-471 (HG)
24-cr-471_gary_dsilva_et_al_indictment.pdfTwo City Men Convicted in Pizza Shop Arson That Resulted in the Death of Philadelphia Firefighter Lt. Sean WilliamsonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Al-Ashraf Khalil, 31, and Isaam Jaghama, 31, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were convicted today at trial in the June 18, 2022, arson fire at a Fairhill pizza shop, which resulted in the death of Philadelphia Fire Department Lieutenant Sean Williamson and injuries to five other first responders inside the building when it collapsed.
A federal jury convicted the defendants on one count each of conspiracy to commit malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce, and one count each of malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce. Khalil was also found guilty of one count of wire fraud, and one count of using fire in furtherance of the commission of that wire fraud.
Khalil was the owner of the property at 300 West Indiana Avenue, which housed both apartments and the pizza shop. As proven at trial, in the early hours of June 18, 2022, he and Jaghama set a fire inside the building so that Khalil could profit by filing an insurance claim related to the fire. The day of the fire, Khalil signed paperwork authorizing an insurance adjuster to file a more than $400,000 insurance claim on his behalf.
At sentencing, Khalil faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison. Jaghama faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
“This fire wasn’t an accident or act of God,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “But for these defendants, it never would have started, the building would still stand, and Lt. Williamson would still be with his family — a wholly preventable tragedy, sparked by greed. While today’s convictions can never make up for such an immeasurable loss, they ensure a measure of justice for Lt. Williamson, the Williamson family, and the dedicated first responders of the Philadelphia Fire Department. They also reinforce that anyone reckless enough to commit arson will be held to account for their actions.”
“Arson is a dangerous deadly crime,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Office. “In this case two families with children had to run for their lives, four responders were buried alive, and a firefighter was killed. Bringing together the resources of the ATF Philadelphia Arson & Explosives Task Force and the ATF National Response Team, the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, the Philadelphia Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we brought these arsonists to justice, and they now face up to life in federal prison. ATF is committed to protecting our communities from dangerous criminals and will continue to partner to prevent and prosecute crimes like this.”
“The Philadelphia Fire Department will forever mourn the loss of Lieutenant Sean Williamson. We thank the United States Attorney and Justice Department for their diligence in bringing these men to justice. Our fervent hope is that this verdict will bring even a small amount of closure to Lt. Williamson’s family, both at home and in the PFD,” said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson.
This case was investigated by ATF Philadelphia and the ATF’s National Response Team, the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections. Special thanks are given to the United States Marshals Service for their assistance in the international apprehension of Al-Ashraf Khalil.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz and Michael Miller.
Texas-Based Oil-and-Gas Company Phillips 66 Indicted for Alleged Violations of Clean Water Act Stemming from Wastewater DischargeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has returned a six-count indictment charging the Houston-based energy business Phillips 66 Company with violating the Clean Water Act by illegally discharging hundreds of thousands of gallons of industrial wastewater from its Carson oil refinery into the Los Angeles County sewer system then failing to report the violations to authorities, the Justice Department announced today.
Phillips is charged with two counts of negligently violating the Clean Water Act and four counts of knowingly violating the Clean Water Act.
The company is expected to be arraigned in the coming weeks in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“Protecting our environment is key to protecting our community,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Just like the rest of us, corporations have a duty to follow the law, so when companies contaminate, they must be held accountable. My office will continue to be vigilant in safeguarding our natural resources for all to enjoy.”
“Illegally discharging pollutants into the sewer system violates the Clean Water Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Kim Bahney of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. “The charges today illustrate EPA’s commitment to protecting the environment and ensuring accountability for those that neglect or fail to abide by our nation’s environmental laws.”
According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on Wednesday, for approximately two-and-a-half hours on the early morning of November 24, 2020, Phillips’ Carson refinery discharged to the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (LACSD) – which manages the county’s sewer system – industrial wastewater containing a concentration of oil and grease more than 300 times the concentration allowed in its permit. The company’s Carson facility failed to inform LACSD of its non-compliant industrial wastewater discharge.
During this approximately two-and-a-half-hour period, LACSD roughly estimated that the Phillips 66 facility in Carson discharged approximately 310,000 gallons of non-compliant industrial wastewater, which contained approximately 64,000 lbs. of oil and grease, to LACSD’s sewer system. The energy company’s industrial wastewater pretreatment system process controls and practices were inadequate to prevent or quickly address the non-compliant discharge.
In December 2020, LACSD issued Phillips multiple notice of violations for discharging the industrial wastewater containing an excessive concentration of oil and grease, and failing to notify LACSD about the discharge, which adversely affected an LACSD facility. The following month, a Phillips manager wrote to LACSD, acknowledged its non-compliant industrial wastewater discharge, and noted that the company would “retrain operations personnel” on such situations and the procedure to notify LACSD when it happens.
During the evening hours of February 8, 2021, Phillips’ Carson refinery – for approximately five-and-a-half hours – discharged approximately 480,000 gallons of non-compliant industrial wastewater, which contained at least 33,700 pounds of oil and grease, to LACSD’s sewer system.
In March 2021, LACSD – the month following the incident – issued notices of violations to Phillips for discharging industrial wastewater which adversely affected an LACSD facility and for its failure to notify the LACSD about said wastewater discharge. Again, a Phillips manager at its Carson facility wrote to LACSD and acknowledged the non-compliant industrial wastewater discharge and the company’s failure to notify authorities of the discharge.
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, Phillips 66 would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years’ probation on each count and up to $2.4 million in fines.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Juan M. Rodriguez of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Dennis Mitchell of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section are prosecuting this case.
Stockton Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution and Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gary Wayne Stuckey, 58, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 12 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in June 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Stuckey’s vehicle and observed several pounds of marijuana inside the vehicle. A search revealed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and several items indicative of drug sales, including digital scales, plastic baggies, and hundreds of dollars of U.S. currency in small denominations. Wedged between the driver’s seat and center console of the vehicle was a Polymer 80 handgun, a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” lacking a serial number, that was loaded with a live round of ammunition in the chamber and five additional rounds in the magazine. Stuckey is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to multiple state felony convictions, including a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alstyn Bennett and Whitnee Goins and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Distributing Ghost Guns and Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield on firearms charges.
Edward Nathan Gale, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gale was also ordered to forfeit various firearms, ammunition and tools and accessories. In February 2024, Gale pleaded guilty to one count each of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition, unlawful firearms dealing and unlawful possession of machineguns.
Between Feb. 22, 2022, and Dec. 2, 2022, Gale manufactured and distributed approximately 50 privately manufactured firearms (commonly known as “ghost guns”) to individuals located in Kansas and Massachusetts. Between approximately Oct. 11, 2022, and Dec. 8, 2022, Gale also imported from China approximately 100 Glock-style machinegun conversion devices (commonly known as “Glock switches”), approximately 60 of which he distributed in Massachusetts and elsewhere, along with other firearms and a silencer. On Jan. 5, 2023, a search of Gale’s residence resulted in the recovery of a Pioneer Arms semi-automatic rifle; numerous rounds of ammunition; assorted tools, parts and accessories used to manufacture ghost guns; and evidence of Gale’s importation and distribution of Glock switches.
Gale is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a prior conviction of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Additionally, Gale was not licensed to manufacture or distribute firearms, therefore his manufacturing and distribution of the ghost guns and the Glock switches was also illegal.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance provided by the Springfield Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuted the case.
Spring resident sent to prison for embezzling nearly $1M from local HVAC companyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 52-year-old woman has been sentenced in a wire fraud embezzlement scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Sonia Yvonne Rodriguez pleaded guilty Aug. 15.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 23 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. At the hearing, the victim testified that the defendant, once considered one of her best friends, had deeply betrayed her.
“This sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will face serious consequences,” said Hamdani. “Embezzlement schemes like this not only harm businesses financially but also shatter personal and professional relationships built on trust. We remain committed to holding offenders accountable and seeking justice for victims.”
For approximately 26 years, Sonia Yvonne Rodriguez worked as an office manager for a local heating, ventilating and air-conditioning company.
At the time of her plea, Rodriguez admitted to embezzling $938,387.26 in business funds allocated for federal tax payments from 2015 to 2020. Rodriguez would key payments into the company’s accounting software for tax payments and subsequently clear out the payments from the check register upon making the payments into her personal bank account.
She was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherin Daniel and James Hu prosecuted the case.
Six Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. – Adrian Robinson, Julio Martinez-Guzman, Jesse Brooks, James Carden, Reginal Dowdy, and Casanova Pritchett have been sentenced for their roles as members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed illegal narcotics in the Rome, Georgia, area, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and oxycodone.
“Drug trafficking is a societal scourge that poses serious risks to the public health and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The dedication of our federal, state, and local enforcement partners resulted in the disruption of this drug trafficking organization and led to the successful prosecution of these defendants.”
“The success of this investigation and the subsequent arrests of these drug dealers demonstrates DEA’s commitment to fighting drug trafficking organizations responsible for driving addiction and destroying communities,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: In 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration special agents, and Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force officers, discovered that Julio Martinez-Guzman was operating a drug distribution ring from two residential locations in Rome, Georgia. Martinez-Guzman had previously been convicted of drug trafficking in the Northern District of Georgia. During their 2021 investigation, agents identified Martinez-Guzman’s customers as well as his narcotics suppliers, who obtained and distributed quantities of illegal drugs in the North Georgia area, including heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and oxycodone.
Each of the following defendants subsequently pleaded guilty to drug trafficking offences and received the following sentences:
- Adrian Robinson, 42, of Cedartown, Georgia, was sentenced to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Robinson was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 29, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- Julio Martinez-Guzman, 54, of Rome, Georgia, was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Martinez-Guzman was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, oxycodone, and heroin on February 26, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- Jesse Willard Brooks, 41, of Rome, Georgia, was sentenced to eight years, four months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Brooks was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on February 15, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- James Carden, 42, of Villa Rica, Georgia was sentenced to five years, three months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Carden was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine on February 14, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- Reginal Eric Dowdy, 46, of Cedar Bluff, Alabama, was sentenced to three years, ten months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Dowdy was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on February 15, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
- Casanova DePaul Pritchett, 53, of Calhoun, Georgia was sentenced to two years, six months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Pritchett was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and oxycodone on February 26, 2024, after he pleaded guilty.
Abel Santoyo-Santana, age 26, of Mexico remains a fugitive. If you have information pertaining to his whereabouts, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, North Georgia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with valuable assistance provided by the Rome-Floyd Metro Task Force, Floyd County Police Department, Polk County Police Department, Rome Police Department, Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, and Cedartown Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy M. Palumbo prosecuted the case.
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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Shippenville Resident Sentenced to More Than 21 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Shippenville, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 262 months of incarceration, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.
United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Thomas Joseph Manno, 41.
According to information presented to the Court, in June 2022, Manno communicated online with a law enforcement officer working in an undercover capacity. During Manno’s communications with the officer, Manno expressed his interest in the sexual abuse of children and sent the officer images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, including an image produced by Manno.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania State Police, and Montgomery County (Texas) Constable’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Manno.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Senior FARC Commander Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for International Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Martin Leonel Perez Castro, a senior leader within the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (the FARC), was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 252 months in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine internationally, intending and knowing that the cocaine would be illegally imported into the United States. Perez Castro pleaded guilty to the charge in August 2023. The defendant was also ordered to forfeit $1 million in drug proceeds.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), and Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office (IRS-CI), announced the sentence.
“The defendant extracted millions of dollars from drug traffickers at the point of a gun, funding the FARC’s acts of terrorism and facilitating the global cocaine trade,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence handed down in a U.S. courtroom is fitting justice for Perez Castro, who granted drug traffickers his permission and protection to produce massive quantities of cocaine that was distributed in our country and elsewhere, causing incalculable harm. The dismantling of international drug trafficking organizations and narcoterrorism groups will always be a priority of the Department of Justice.”
Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the DEA’s office in Bogota, Colombia, the United States Department of State, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided critical assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Perez Castro, the Colombian National Police and the Government of Colombia.
“Today, justice has been delivered. Martin Leonel Perez Castro, who served as a former senior member and one of the highest-level drug trafficking members of the FARC, used violent tactics, which included terrorism, to help distribute shipments of cocaine from Columbia to New York City and the United States” stated Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “While this sentencing closes the door to Mr. Castro’s activities, the DEA and our law enforcement partners, both globally and here in the United States, remain committed to making sure those who use violent and terrorist acts as a measure for illicit drug trade face the justice they deserve.”
“As a FARC senior official, Perez Castro was responsible for the distribution of more than 165,000 pounds of cocaine. He helped create a revenue stream that funded the FARC’s decades-long campaign to overthrow the Government of Colombia, a conflict that resulted in far too many casualties. Today’s sentencing is the result of the incredible investigative work of DEA and IRS-CI Special Agents and committed law enforcement partnerships globally,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Fattorusso.
The FARC was founded in 1964 as a left-wing paramilitary group dedicated to the violent overthrow of the Government of Colombia. Over decades of conflict, the FARC attacked Colombian government forces and used targeted killings, kidnapping and other terrorist tactics to achieve its ends. In October 1997, the U.S. Secretary of State designated the FARC as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). After the Government of Colombia and the FARC entered into a peace accord in 2016, the FARC formally dissolved. On November 30, 2021, the U.S. Secretary of State revoked the designation of the FARC as an FTO. The defendant’s conduct occurred prior to the 2016 peace accord.
Perez Castro was the Head of Finances for the FARC’s 30th Front, a group that operated in southwestern Colombia. The 30th Front extorted drug traffickers by forcing them to pay “taxes” for every kilogram of cocaine trafficked through the 30th Front’s territory. The 30th Front also sometimes produced its own cocaine or held ownership stakes in cocaine shipments produced by local traffickers. Cocaine revenues funded the FARC’s decades-long campaign to overthrow the Government of Colombia, a conflict that resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties. Perez Castro was responsible for the distribution of at least 75,000 kilograms of cocaine. He was extradited to the Eastern District of New York in June 2022.
The conviction and sentencing of Perez Castro are the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the Office and the DEA. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Wang is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MARTIN LEONEL PEREZ CASTRO
Age: 53
ColombiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-465 (S-2) (BMC)
Santa Clarita Man Who Led Organization that Trafficked Drugs to Darknet Customers Nationwide Sentenced to 8 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clarita man who led the Los Angeles-based “Drugpharmacist” drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine via darknet marketplaces was sentenced today to 96 months in federal prison.
Jerrell Eugene Anderson, 34, was sentenced by United States District Judge George H. Wu.
Anderson pleaded guilty on June 10 to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
From at least July 2018 to March 2019, Anderson conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine that they sold on darknet marketplaces. Specifically, Anderson advertised and sold drugs to customers on the darknet marketplaces Dream and Wall Street Market, using monikers such as “Drugpharmacist” and “rickandmortyshop.”
Anderson and his accomplices packaged drugs in stuffed animals for shipment to their darknet customers. Anderson and his co-conspirators then delivered from San Fernando Valley stash houses packages containing drugs to post offices throughout the Los Angeles area for shipment to their customers nationwide. For example, in August 2018, Anderson and a co-conspirator knowingly distributed heroin to a victim in Knoxville, Tennessee whose death resulted from using the heroin.
Also, in March 2019, in a Glendale apartment, Anderson and other co-conspirators possessed methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine for distribution to darknet customers. At that time, Anderson knowingly possessed a semiautomatic pistol in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
The other defendants in this case – Christopher Canion Von Holton, 37, of Woodland Hills; Kenneth Lashawn Hadley, 37, of Las Vegas; Adan Sepulveda, 31, of Palmdale; and Jackie Walter Burns, 26, of Lancaster, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and have been sentenced.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Fairfax County (Virginia) Police Department, the Knoxville (Tennessee) Police Department, and the Cleburne County (Arkansas) Sheriff’s Office investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Khaldoun Shobaki and Lauren Restrepo of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
Santa Clarita Man Charged with Distributing Opioid More Powerful than Fentanyl and Causing Victim’s Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clarita man has been arraigned on an indictment alleging he distributed protonitazene – a novel synthetic opioid that is up to three times more powerful than fentanyl – which resulted in a victim’s fatal overdose this spring, the Justice Department announced today.
Benjamin Anthony Collins, 21, is charged with one count of distribution of protonitazene resulting in death.
This is believed to be the nation’s first death-resulting criminal case involving this narcotic.
Collins was arrested on November 18, and pleaded not guilty to the charge at his arraignment on Wednesday. A trial date of January 14, 2025, was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge ordered Collins jailed without bond.
According to the indictment, during the early morning hours of April 19, 2024, Collins knowingly and intentionally distributed protonitazene, which resulted in the death of the victim. In recent years, protonitazene has been sold over the internet and is believed to be several times more powerful than fentanyl, which itself is 50 times stronger than heroin.
Collins allegedly sold the 22-year-old victim pills containing protonitazene and arranged to sell the victim a bulk supply of these pills in the future. The victim, a resident of Stevenson Ranch, consumed the pills soon afterward in the front seat of his car and quickly died. His mother later found him dead in the front seat parked outside her home and called 911.
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, Collins would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Lisa J. Lindhorst of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Bruce Anthony Garcia, 43, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 19 years and seven months in prison for the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor under his care, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 2, 2017, and Sept. 1, 2019, Garcia took hidden video recordings of the victim. He recorded the victim in various stages of undress, using the toilet or shower, or changing in a bedroom or the living room of the apartment they shared. On his devices, Garcia possessed thousands of images and videos of the victim, with the victim either partially or fully nude in several hundred of these images.
When confronted, Garcia admitted that he specifically intended to take these images and videos, that his intent in creating the images and videos was sexual, and that he generally has a sexual interest in children. Garcia described how he would wait until the victim would be getting ready for bed or to take a shower, and then place a cellphone in the bathroom or bedroom. The phone would be propped up so that it would record the minor, but would either appear to be inconspicuous, as if it were being charged, or be hidden altogether. Garcia would then connect to this device remotely using a second device such that he could watch the minor live. From the recordings thus created, Garcia would take screenshots, resulting in the images that were eventually found. Further, Garcia would sometimes manipulate these images to focus or zoom in on the victim’s genitals and pubic area. In a text message conversation with another person, Garcia offered to trade pictures of the victim in exchange for other child sexual abuse material.
In addition to the images and videos described above, Garcia was also found to possess approximately 4,266 images and 426 videos of other child sexual abuse material, including images and videos showing the sexual abuse of toddlers. Several of these videos also depicted violence against the victims, including at least one depicting the bondage and torture of a pre-pubescent female child. Garcia’s child sexual abuse collection included 110 series of known victims of child sexual abuse.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Previously convicted felon returning to prison for federal firearms charges, including selling machinegunsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison for illegally trafficking machineguns and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, on Dec. 15, 2022, while undercover, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Agent and a Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) Detective (UCs) met with Austin Perrine, 33, at a bar in Virginia Beach. Perrine discussed dealing machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), which render semi-automatic firearms capable of automatic firing with the single pull of the trigger, as well as building machineguns, pistols and silencers and having access to cocaine.
Perrine retrieved two MCDs from his clothing and showed one to the UCs. Perrine then exchanged the MCDs for $1,000 for both ($500 per MCD).
On Jan. 4, 2023, ATF and VBPD searched Perrine’s residence in Norfolk. Agents recovered two handguns and various ammunition, magazines, and firearms parts. As a previously convicted felon, Perrine cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police; and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-105.
Physician Pleads Guilty to Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A California physician pleaded guilty today in Los Angeles to criminal health care fraud, arising from her false home health certifications and related fraudulent billings to Medicare.
According to court documents, Lilit Gagikovna Baltaian, 61, of Porter Ranch, was a physician licensed to practice in California and an enrolled Medicare provider. From approximately January 2012 through July 2018, Baltaian falsely certified patients to receive home health care from at least four Los Angeles area home health agencies. Baltaian’s false certifications were used by the home health agencies to fraudulently bill Medicare for the unnecessary home health care. In some instances, Baltaian pre-signed blank, undated physician certification forms knowing that the home health agencies would later falsify the forms to make it appear as if she saw the Medicare beneficiaries and made clinical findings to support the need for home health care, when she had not done either. Baltaian received cash benefits related to these referrals and also submitted claims to Medicare for signing the fraudulent certifications.
Between January 2012 and July 2018, four home health agencies used Baltaian’s false certifications to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare, resulting in loss to Medicare of at least $1,449,050.
Baltaian pleaded guilty to health care fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Timothy B. DeFrancesca of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)’s Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.
FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Matthew Belz and Eric Schmale of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Owner of Red Barn Diesel Performance Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Tamper with Clean Air Act Monitoring Devices on Diesel TrucksRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine – A Windham man pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland to conspiring to tamper with Clean Air Act monitoring devices and obstructing an agency proceeding.
According to court records, between January 2017 and September 2020, Isaac Allen, 34, the owner of Red Barn Diesel Performance, conspired with a local truck sales business to download software, known as “tunes,” that reprograms a vehicle’s on-board diagnostic (OBD) system, thereby tampering with the OBD system’s monitoring function so that it would not detect malfunctions in emissions control components. Such downloading is known as “tuning.”
Disabling emissions controls or tampering with the OBD system of a diesel truck causes its emissions to increase significantly. Diesel exhaust contains nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and non-methane hydrocarbons, posing cancer and noncancer health risks.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent Allen an Information Request under the Clean Air Act for information about the vehicles serviced by Red Barn, including identification of all engine tunes installed and a description of whether the tunes affected various components of each vehicle’s emissions control system or interfered with each vehicle’s OBD system. Allen underreported the number.
Allen faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“The defendant in this case illegally tampered with the vehicle diagnostic systems from diesel trucks and then impeded EPA’s investigation by intentionally misrepresenting the scope of his illegal conduct,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA CID) in Maine. “The pollution that results from excess vehicle emissions can lead to serious health conditions and has been linked to increased respiratory disease and childhood asthma. This guilty plea demonstrates that EPA will vigorously prosecute those who violate laws designed to protect our communities from harmful air pollution.”
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case with support from the Maine State Police.
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11/21/24: Spelling of defendant's name corrected
Outlaw sentenced as career offender for federal drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to 17 years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on Aug. 29, 2019, at a Best Western hotel in Newport News, law enforcement located and detained Jermaine Damon Outlaw, 39, who had multiple outstanding felony warrants for his arrest. Outlaw was in possession of 1.36 grams of cocaine, $855, and a loaded illegal handgun. Outlaw’s cellphone was also recovered. On the phone were several text conversations confirming Outlaw’s regular distribution of cocaine and other illicit substances.
Outlaw is a career offender with at least 20 previous convictions for, among other crimes, assault and battery, possession of a firearm on school property, carrying a concealed weapon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, unlawful wounding, destruction of property, malicious wounding, and assault and battery of a family member.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-91.
Orleans Parish Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Control Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – JAMAUR JOHNSON (“JOHNSON”), age 36, of New Orleans, was sentenced on November 20, 2024, by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance, after previously pleading guilty to four counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and one count of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). Specifically, JOHNSON was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $500 mandatory special assessment fee.
As part of “Operation Big Easy,” agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, identified individuals involved in trafficking firearms in New Orleans. Between August 30, 2023 and October 26, 2023, agents conducted multiple undercover purchases of firearms from JOHNSON.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
Orange County man guilty in federal kidnappingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – An Orange, Texas, man has pleaded guilty to federal violations related to a kidnapping in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Putnam Darwin Richardson, 79, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and brandishing a firearm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on November 20, 2024.
According to information presented in court, on July 15, 2024, a kidnapping for ransom was reported to the FBI. The victim, a local attorney, was kidnapped at gunpoint that morning after arriving at his law office in Beaumont. The victim’s wife received a call from the victim’s cell phone, during which the kidnapper indicated the victim was being held hostage in exchange for $1 million ransom. The kidnapper indicated he would kill the victim if the ransom was not met. Richardson, a former client of the victim, was identified as a suspect during the investigation. Richardson had previously been convicted of kidnapping in 1984 and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. On July 17, 2024, Richardson was arrested at a gas station and the victim was rescued by law enforcement authorities.
Richardson faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, the Beaumont Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
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Omaha Man Sentenced to 140 Months for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Matthew Lordemann, age 38, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on November 21, 2024, in federal court in Omaha for receipt and distribution of child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Lordemann to 140 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Lordemann will be placed on a 5-year term of supervised release. Lordemann was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $45,500.00 to thirteen identified victims of his crimes.
This investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol began with series of four “cyber tips” received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding suspicious Internet activity. Lordemann’s cell phone number was common to the information contained in all the CyberTipline reports subsequently generated by NCMEC and provided to the Nebraska State Patrol. Investigators were thereafter able to determine Lordemann’s address in Omaha.
Investigators served a search warrant for the contents of Lordemann’s Verizon Cloud account, which contained media files depicting child pornography and on February 24, 2022, the Nebraska State Patrol served a warrant to search for child pornography at Lordemann’s residence in Omaha. Investigators seized fourteen electronic devices for forensic examination. The investigator reviewed the extracted contents of Lordemann’s phone and found evidence of Lordemann’s purchase of child pornography files from a Telegram app user in a messaging exchange. The user sent Lordemann more than 500 video files depicting children in a variety of sexual acts.
The investigator reviewed media on Lordemann’s phone and determined there were thousands of files depicting child pornography. The content of these files included video files portraying infants subjected to sexual abuse, to include penetration, video files portraying pre-pubescent children subjected to sado-masochistic sexual activities, and video files portraying children subjected to bestiality. Fifteen known victims were identified by hash value comparison of the digital files, many of whom sought restitution.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
November Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the November Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Tony Eugene Bahe. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Bahe, 37, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with knowingly possessing fentanyl, cocaine, and more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He allegedly possessed a firearm while drug trafficking and was previously convicted of felonies that prohibited possession of a firearm. Additionally, Bahe is charged for maintaining two separate residences for drug distribution. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-364
Clinton Dewayne Collins. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Collins, 56, transient, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew P. Cyran is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-366
Wilmer Henry Cummings, Jr. Failure to Disclose an Event Affecting Supplemental Security Income Benefit Payments; Theft of Government Property. Cummings, 66, of Tulsa, is charged with intent to receive unauthorized payments by failing to disclose the death of a spouse. Cummings is further charged with stealing and disposing of more than $4k in unauthorized payments from the Social Security Administration and the IRS. The SSA Office of the Inspector General is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheryl L. Baber is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-357
Justin Scott Graham. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Graham, 42, of Jenks, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-362
Kial Deawuan Logan. Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Logan, 43, of Muskogee, is charged with possessing ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-373
Jose Jesus Lozano-Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lozano-Gonzalez, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Feb. 2022. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-374
Francisco Luevanos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Luevanos, 52, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Feb. 2018. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-375
Angel Ruiz-Mosqueda. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ruiz-Mosqueda, 38, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been removed in Mar. 2017. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goodrum is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-376
Anthony Clay Russell. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Russell, 32, of Tulsa and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with maliciously killing Tasha Shepard on Oct. 22, 2024. He is further charged with discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. McConney and John Brasher are prosecuting the case. 24-CR-365
Devin James Woodis. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. Woodis, 23, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to coerce and entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity. He is additionally charged with knowingly receiving, possessing, and distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-358
Zane Patrick Yargee. First Degree Murder in Indian Country; Causing Death by Using and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Yargee, 30, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with maliciously killing Dusten Fuentes in Jun. 2016. He is further charged with causing death by discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen N. Scaife and Dennis Fries is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-359
Norwalk Gang Member Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Possessing Loaded Handgun with Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PATRICK ELMORE, 33, of Norwalk, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force has been investigating gang violence in Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Stamford. Elmore is a member of a violent Norwalk street gang. In 2021 and 2022, law enforcement made four controlled purchases of ecstasy, which contained both MDMA and fentanyl, from Elmore. On April 12, 2023, Elmore was arrested on a state warrant. At the time of his arrest, he possessed a loaded SCCY, model CPX-2, 9mm semiautomatic handgun with an obliterated serial number.
Elmore’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony drug distribution and weapon possession offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Elmore has been detained since his federal arrest on May 25, 2023. On July 11, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Norwalk Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
North Carolina Man Indicted for Civil Rights Offenses Due to Bias-Motivated ThreatsRead the Press Release
A three-count indictment was unsealed today in the Western District of North Carolina charging a North Carolina man with federal civil rights and firearms violations for threatening eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion and national origin.
According to the indictment, on June 8, Maurice Hopkins, 31, threatened eight individuals with a firearm inside Zambies Pizza, a restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina. Count one of the indictment charges Hopkins with threatening the eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion and national origin and because they were enjoying the goods, services and facilities of the restaurant. Count two of the indictment charges Hopkins with threatening the eight individuals with force on account of their race, color, religion and national origin to intimidate the individuals from exercising their federally protected housing rights. Count three of the indictment charges Hopkins with carrying, using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
If convicted, Hopkins faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the civil rights charges and a mandatory minimum prison sentence on the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina and Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller for the Western District of North Carolina and Trial Attorneys Daniel Grunert and Chloe Neely of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
North Carolina Man Indicted for Civil Rights Offenses Due to Bias-Motivated ThreatsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A three-count indictment was unsealed today in the Western District of North Carolina charging a North Carolina man with federal civil rights and firearms violations for threatening eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion and national origin, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office join U.S. Attorney King in making the announcement.
According to the indictment, on June 8, 2024, Maurice Hopkins, 31, threatened eight individuals with a firearm inside Zambies Pizza, a restaurant in Charlotte. Count one of the indictment charges Hopkins with threatening the eight individuals with force because of their race, color, religion and national origin and because they were enjoying the goods, services and facilities of the restaurant. Count two of the indictment charges Hopkins with threatening the eight individuals with force on account of their race, color, religion and national origin to intimidate the individuals from exercising their federally protected housing rights. Count three of the indictment charges Hopkins with carrying, using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
If convicted, Hopkins faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the civil rights charges and a mandatory minimum prison sentence on the firearms charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller for the Western District of North Carolina and Trial Attorneys Daniel Grunert and Chloe Neely of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New York State Police Officer Charged with Obstructing Justice and Lying to Federal InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Steven G. James, the Superintendent of the New York State Police, announced the unsealing of a four-count Complaint charging MICHAEL O’FLAHERTY with obstructing an official proceeding and making false statements to federal investigators. O’FLAHERTY was arrested this morning and presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Michael O’Flaherty, a New York State Police narcotics investigator, exploited his position of public trust in an effort to help his former confidential informant—who was responsible for distributing tens of thousands of potentially deadly fentanyl pills—evade law enforcement. O’Flaherty allegedly abused his position as a sworn member of law enforcement by tipping off the fentanyl pill dealer about a covert narcotics investigation and encouraging the dealer to destroy evidence. The defendant’s alleged conduct betrayed the oath he swore to protect New Yorkers and jeopardized the safety of fellow law enforcement officers. Today’s charges make clear that this Office will remain vigilant in rooting out and prosecuting all forms of police corruption.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said: “Law enforcement officers hold a profound responsibility to serve and protect our communities, which requires the highest standards of accountability and integrity. Trust is the cornerstone of public safety, and maintaining that trust demands transparency, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to ethical conduct. The State Police will continue to work cooperatively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District regarding this criminal case, and I appreciate Governor Hochul’s ongoing support of our longstanding culture of accountable policing.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today:[1]
In 2022, a state law enforcement agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration conducted an investigation of fentanyl pill distribution linked to multiple overdose deaths in Dutchess County (the “Fentanyl Investigation”). The Fentanyl Investigation identified a particular narcotics trafficker (“Individual-1”) and Individual-1’s network of runners as a prolific source of fentanyl pills in the county. The Fentanyl Investigation also learned that Individual-1 had previously served as a confidential informant for the New York State Police (“NYSP”) and had been supervised by O’FLAHERTY, a police officer with the NYSP. During conversations with members of the Fentanyl Investigation, O’FLAHERTY expressed a willingness to assist the Investigation. But unbeknownst to the Fentanyl Investigation and O’FLAHERTY’s own supervisors, O’FLAHERTY had maintained a personal relationship with Individual-1 both during and after Individual-1’s tenure as an informant. O’FLAHERTY purported to assist the Fentanyl Investigation, but in fact O’FLAHERTY promptly told Individual-1 about the Fentanyl Investigation and encouraged Individual-1 to destroy evidence of Individual-1’s narcotics trafficking. O’FLAHERTY also tried to dig for sensitive details about the Investigation, including the identity of the Investigation’s confidential source within Individual-1’s network. At the same time, O’FLAHERTY attempted to prevent the Fentanyl Investigation from discovering the nature and extent of O’FLAHERTY’s interactions with Individual-1, including telephone calls, text messages, and one-on-one meetings that O’FLAHERTY had concealed from NYSP supervisors and colleagues. When federal investigators ultimately questioned O’FLAHERTY about the nature of his interactions with Individual-1, including O’FLAHERTY’s disclosure of the Fentanyl Investigation, O’FLAHERTY lied to federal investigators.
* * *
O’FLAHERTY, 42, of Poughkeepsie, New York, is charged with two counts of obstructing an official proceeding, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and two counts of false statements, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the valuable assistance of the New York State Police’s Professional Standards Bureau.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary and Jeffrey C. Coffman are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Complaint and the descriptions of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Middle District of Florida Prosecutors Indict 72 Firearms and Violent Crime Defendants During Fourth Quarter of 2024 as Part of Project Safe Neighborhoods StrategyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced today the results of the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) strategy. During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024, ending on September 30, 2024, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida indicted 72 defendants. These individuals face federal firearms, narcotics, and violent crime charges. Law enforcement also seized more than 100 firearms associated with these cases. (See chart for case details)
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also engaged in community outreach efforts aimed at violent crime prevention throughout the year. Members of the Office spoke with more than four hundred people as part of outreach efforts during the fourth quarter of 2024, including hundreds of students. Prosecutors also spoke to more than 80 recently released individuals at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office DISMAS program at the Jacksonville Bridge Community Release Center.
“The residents of the Middle District of Florida deserve to work and live in communities safe from violence,” stated U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “Over the past three fiscal years, the United States Attorney’s Office has increased its number of violent crime and firearms prosecutions by more than 75%. We are committed to working with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and federally prosecute perpetrators of violent crime.”
PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. This evidence-based program has proven to be effective at reducing violent crime by engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders working together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in communities and developing comprehensive solutions that reduce crime. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on prevention and intervention efforts through community engagement and problem-solving partnerships, strategic enforcement of the most violent offenders, and locally based re-entry programs to reduce recidivism.
MDFL Fourth Quarter PSN Case Highlights
United States v. Latrel Jackson (Ft. Myers)
In August 2024, Latrel Jackson was sentenced to life in federal prison for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire. According to court records, in November 2019, Jackson, along with a co-conspirator (now deceased), traveled from Chicago to Fort Myers to commit murder in exchange for $10,000. Jackson was hired by Marvin Harris, Jr. Harris was sentenced to 45 years in prison in connection with the crime. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Myers Police Department, with assistance from the Joliet (Illinois) Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
United States v. David Wayne Riddle (Jacksonville)
On September 9, 2024, David Wayne Riddle was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. According to court documents, in January 2023, Riddle was stopped by officers from the
Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office for a seatbelt infraction. When officers encountered Riddle, they smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A search was conducted and a loaded Smith and Wesson pistol was recovered from under the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Riddle had multiple prior felony convictions for serious drug-related offenses and violent crimes making him prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
United States v. Jerome Junior Swopshire (Ocala)
In August 2024, Jerome Swopshire was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. According to court records, in August 2023, the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested Swopshire on outstanding state warrants. A search of Swopshire’s backpack revealed a loaded semi-automatic pistol with an extended ammunition magazine, a digital scale (coated with cocaine residue), a jar of marijuana, and small plastic baggies used to distribute drugs. In Swopshire’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered fentanyl and a spent 9mm shell that matched the ammunition in Swopshire’s firearm. At the time, Swopshire had previous state felony convictions for robbery, child abuse, resisting an officer with violence, felony domestic battery, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States v. Angel Velazquez Delgado, Jesus Hernandez, Edgar Jimenez, Jesus Paulino, Jonathan Borja, and Jesus Andres (Orlando)
Angel Velazquez Delgado, Jesus Hernandez, Edgar Jimenez, Jesus Paulino, Jonathan Borja, and Jesus Andres were charged in Orlando with a series of federal firearms laws. According to court records, in May 2023, ATF began investigating a firearms trafficking organization led by Velazquez Delgado operating in Central Florida. These individuals purchased high-caliber firearms in the United States for resale to Mexican drug cartels. It is alleged that the firearms were purchased at the request of the cartels and transported to the cartels soon after purchase. Using the eTrace Firearm Recovery Notification Program, Mexican authorities were able to confirm the presence of at least one of the trafficked firearms in Mexico. On March 22, 2023, Mexican State Police and Mexican Military Personnel were involved in a shooting with suspected cartel members in Michoacan, Mexico. Two individuals were killed during the exchange of gunfire. After the shooting, a Barrett .50 caliber rifle purchased by Jesus Hernandez on November 8, 2022, was recovered. At some point during its operation, the trafficking organization began removing the serial numbers from the firearms to avoid tracing by law enforcement. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the Volusia Bureau of Investigations and the Deland Police Department.
United States v. Johnny Flores (Tampa)
In July 2024, Johnny Flores was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for 3 counts of Hobbs Act robbery. According to evidence presented at trial, in February 2022, Flores robbed three Tampa businesses wearing a hooded sweatshirt and facial covering. During the robberies, he brandished and threatened the victims with a weapon, removed cash from the registers, and verbally and physically assaulted the victims. Flores was initially identified through video surveillance showing him leaving two of the robberies in a vehicle that was traced back to another individual who died prior to the trial. A second individual had dropped Flores off near the robbery. Although he testified that he did not know that Flores had committed a robbery, the individual testified that he had driven Flores to a location near the robbery. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Tampa Police Department.
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.
These cases are being prosecuted by the Assistant United States Attorneys in all five divisions throughout the Middle District of Florida. For additional information on Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit our website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/project-safe-neighborhoods-0.
PSN Chart
Miami County man pleads guilty to possessing unregistered destructive devicesRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – A Troy, Ohio, man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to illegally possessing unregistered destructive devices.
Steven J. Werling, 54, admitted that, in April, he knowingly possessed two improvised explosive devices.
According to court documents, on April 4 and 5, law enforcement officials executed a court-authorized search warrant at Werling’s residence on Barnhart Road in Troy. Prior investigation revealed that Werling had researched and made purchases related to the construction of improvised explosive devices.
Specifically, Werling possessed two plastic cylinders that had an explosive mixture of contents within. The cylinders and their contents are firearms under the National Firearms Act, specifically, destructive devices.
The plea includes a sentence recommendation of up to 24 months in prison.
Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered yesterday afternoon before U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas A. Dingeldein is representing the United States in this case.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – A Mexican national was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after being convicted and deported for an aggravated felony.
According to court documents, Luis Javier Sanchez-Zurita, 38, of Oaxaca, Mexico was found illegally present in Brandon, MS on February 21, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime of violence and deported from the United States in 2017. Sanchez-Zurita was stopped by a Brandon Police officer for carelessly driving, driving under the influence and endangerment of a child.
Sanchez-Zurita pled guilty on August 22, 2024, to illegal reentry after being deported following a state felony conviction for gratification of lust (crime against children).
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Field Office Director Mellissa B. Harper of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) New Orleans, made the announcement.
The case was investigated by ICE ERO.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Federal Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – David Cuevas, 45, a Mexican national, was sentenced today to time served for fraud and misuse of a lawful Permanent Resident Card and remanded to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 30, 2019, Cuevas fraudulently possessed and used information from a Permanent Resident Card issued in the name of another individual to apply for an individual explosives license from the West Virginia Office of the State Fire Marshal. Cuevas admitted that he knew the information on his explosives application was false and that he submitted the other individual’s Permanent Resident Card with the application. Cuevas further admitted that he sought the explosives license to assist him in his employment laying a pipeline in Greenbrier, Nicholas and Fayette counties for a construction company. Cuevas has been in custody for this offense since May 30, 2024.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the West Virginia Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the West Virginia Fusion Center.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes and former Assistant United States Attorney Stefan Hasselblad prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-177.
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Members of Shreveport Street Gang and Others Receive Federal Prison Sentences for their Involvement in Defrauding the United States through the CARES ActRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announces the sentencing of 24 defendants in a case involving a scheme by these defendants to defraud the United States by fraudulently applying for and receiving relief through the Payment Protection Program (“PPP”) provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.
In March 2020 Congress enacted the CARES Act which was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the CARES Act, the Small Business Administration (SBA) provided Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which were low-interest financing to small businesses, renters and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. The CARES Act also provided authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).
On July 18, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the indictment of 24 defendants who were all members or associates of a Shreveport street gang that refer to themselves as Step or Die or SOD. As of today, all 24 defendants have been sentenced.
This case began when law enforcement agents learned that these individuals were conducting fraudulent activity causing 31 loans to be funded worth more than $600,000 and applied for an additional 41 other loans seeking over $2,200,000. These defendants purported to own businesses providing various services including, freight, trucking, towing, painting, lawn care, t-shirt printing, day care, temporary employment placement, cosmetology, beauty supplies, catering, car washing, and retail clothing, along with pig and cattle farms. In reality, these individuals either did not have such businesses or grossly overstated the amount of revenue earned so that they would qualify for PPP or EIDL loans.
“We stood before you at a press conference 16 months ago announcing these charges and vowing to hold these 24 individuals accountable for defrauding and attempting to defraud the government out of over $2,000,000,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “All of these defendants, some directly and indirectly, are linked to gang activity, acts of violent crime such as murder, attempted murder, and violations of state and federal firearm law. Although the federal government generally has no jurisdiction over murder and attempted murder charges, such as drive-by shootings, we vow to use any statute that exists in the federal criminal code to eradicate violent crime. This combination of sentences is a result of varying levels of culpability in this scheme and prior criminal histories, if any, of those convicted. Investigations such as these meet 2 priorities of the Department: (1) prosecuting those who steal from the government, and (2) holding those accountable responsible for acts of violence in our community.”
The names and sentences of the defendants are as follows:
Defendant NameSentencing InformationChargesLoan Amount RequestedSirdell L. McCullough
Age 26, Shreveport
- 30 months in prison
- $20,382 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Roderguiz Henry
Age 27, Shreveport
- 24 months in prison
- $20,260 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Johntrell Crutchfield
Age 24, Shreveport
- 71 months in prison
- $20,832 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Deanthony D. Johnson
Age 24, Shreveport
- 46 months in prison
- $28,575 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
$20,575 / PPP
$8,000 / EIDL
Deaaundrakous Latrea Hagger
Age 25, Shreveport
- 16 months in prison
- $1,500 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
$20,833 / PPP
$20,833 / PPP
Nico J. Stewart
Age 36, Shreveport
- 5 years of probation
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
$4,000 / EIDL
$1,000 / EIDL
Timothy D. Vasher
Age 22, Shreveport
- 19 months in prison
- $20,832 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Destane Glass
Age 23, Shreveport
- 37 months in prison
- $104,160 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Xavien R. Beasley
Age 24, Bossier City
- 15 months in prison
- $30,050 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Quinterrius D. Brown
Age 23, Shreveport
- 24 months in prison
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
$30,800/ EIDL
Not funded
Toronco Rashard Loston
Age 26, Shreveport
- 24 months in prison
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
$20,832 / PPP
Not funded
$201,100 / EIDL
Not funded
Dewonnie Brown
Age 55, Shreveport
- 5 years of probation
- $60,498 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
$20,832 / PPP
$20,800 / PPP
$20,833 / PPP
$20,833 / PPP
Joshua Dominique
Age 25, Shreveport
- 16 months in prison
- $20,832 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Kardarius Jenkins
Age 23, Shreveport
- 15 months in prison
- $20,832 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
Jasmine Glass
Age 23, Shreveport
- 15 months in prison
- $29,165 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Tramaine Taylor
Age 28, Shreveport
- 5 years of probation
- $20,832 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Antoria Johnson
Age 26, Shreveport
- 5 years of probation
- $40,916 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
$20,458 / PPP
$20,458 / PPP
Joketa Baulkman
Age 41, Shreveport
- 5 years of probation
- $38,010 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
$19,005 / PPP
$19,005 / PPP
Tyneal Johnson
Age 37, Coushatta
- 5 years of probation
- $41,633 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
$20,833 / PPP
$20,800 / PPP
Cierra Fleming
Age 23, Shreveport
- 5 years of probation
- $20,207 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
Tramarciea Ruffins
Age 31, Shreveport
- 33 months in prison
- $20,415 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Olivia Thomas
Age 28, Shreveport
- 3 years of probation
- $62,496 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Samarrian Kingston
Age 26, Shreveport
- 24 months in prison
- $101,360 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
Lakeah Gipson
Age 28, Bossier City
- 5 years of probation
- $20,058 in restitution
- Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- Wire Fraud
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Treasury-Inspector General for Tax Administration, and United States Marshal’s Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
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McAllen felon convicted of possessing multiple firearmsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old man has pleaded guilty to possessing firearms while a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
On Sept. 11, law enforcement stopped David Michael Saenz for a traffic violation, at which time they also smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Saenz informed law enforcement he was in possession of firearms.
A search of the vehicle revealed two handguns in a holster and two additional firearms in his vehicle. Authorities also found methamphetamine and marijuana in the vehicle.
Further investigation revealed Saenz was previously convicted of aggravated robbery in 2021. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms per federal law. Saenz also admitted to possessing one of the firearms to protect himself while engaging in drug dealing.
Chief U.S District Judge Randy Crane accepted the plea and set sentencing for February 4, 2025. At that time, Saenz faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Saenz has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Rio Grande City Police Department conducted the joint investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan is prosecuting the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Detonating an Explosive Device Outside the Alabama Attorney General’s OfficeRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Ala. – On November 21, 2024, a federal judge sentenced 27-year-old Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert, of Irondale, Alabama, to 108 months in prison for the malicious use of an explosive device outside of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in Montgomery.
“Kyle Calvert attacked the Alabama Attorney General’s Office with a shrapnel-filled explosive and then fled the scene, but this sentence ensures he will not escape accountability for his crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Acts of violence like this one against our public institutions endanger public servants and entire communities, and they must not be tolerated. I am grateful to the FBI, ATF, and our state and local law enforcement partners for ensuring accountability for this attack, and for the work they do every day to protect our communities.”
“Today’s sentencing is the final step holding Kyle Calvert accountable for detonating a shrapnel-filled explosive device outside a public office in downtown Montgomery,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s continued commitment to working with our partners to bring to justice anyone who attempts violence to injure or intimidate members of our community.”
“Today’s sentencing shows that any attack on America’s justice system, and on the civil servants and public officials who serve our communities and country, will not be tolerated,” said Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The sentence handed down today reflects not only the severity of the crime, but also ATF’s commitment to working with our federal, state, and local partners to hold those who attack American institutions accountable.”
“This prosecution would not have been possible if not for the coordinated efforts of numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies,” said Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Working together, investigators and analysts were able to identify Calvert as a suspect and ensure he was held accountable for his attempt to intimidate public officials and create chaos.”
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, during the early morning hours of February 24, 2024, Calvert placed an explosive device outside of the Alabama Attorney General's Office in downtown Montgomery. During his plea hearing, Calvert admitted to manufacturing the device and to using nails and screws as shrapnel. After positioning the explosive device near the Attorney General’s Office, Calvert lit its fuse and left the area before it exploded. No injuries were reported. Before planting and detonating the device, Calvert placed stickers with graphics advocating for various political ideologies on various downtown buildings. Some stickers included the phrase “Support your local Antifa.” As reflected in the plea agreement, Calvert claims he has no affiliation with Antifa. Law enforcement arrested Calvert on April 10, 2024.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Assistant United States Attorneys Russell T. Duraski and Brett J. Talley for the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Detonating an Explosive Device Outside the Alabama Attorney General’s OfficeRead the Press Release
Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert, 27, of Irondale, Alabama, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for the malicious use of an explosive device outside of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in Montgomery.
“Kyle Calvert attacked the Alabama Attorney General’s Office with a shrapnel-filled explosive and then fled the scene, but this sentence ensures he will not escape accountability for his crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Acts of violence like this one against our public institutions endanger public servants and entire communities, and they must not be tolerated. I am grateful to the FBI, ATF, and our state and local law enforcement partners for ensuring accountability for this attack, and for the work they do every day to protect our communities.”
“Today’s sentencing is the final step holding Kyle Calvert accountable for detonating a shrapnel-filled explosive device outside a public office in downtown Montgomery,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s continued commitment to working with our partners to bring to justice anyone who attempts violence to injure or intimidate members of our community.”
“Today’s sentencing shows that any attack on America’s justice system, and on the civil servants and public officials who serve our communities and country, will not be tolerated,” said Director Steven Dettelbach of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The sentence handed down today reflects not only the severity of the crime, but also ATF’s commitment to working with our federal, state, and local partners to hold those who attack American institutions accountable.”
“This prosecution would not have been possible if not for the coordinated efforts of numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama. “Working together, investigators and analysts were able to identify Calvert as a suspect and ensure he was held accountable for his attempt to intimidate public officials and create chaos.”
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, during the early morning hours of Feb. 24, 2024, Calvert placed an explosive device outside of the Alabama Attorney General's Office in downtown Montgomery. During his plea hearing, Calvert admitted to manufacturing the device and to using nails and screws as shrapnel. After positioning the explosive device near the Attorney General’s Office, Calvert lit its fuse and left the area. No injuries were reported. Before planting and detonating the device, Calvert placed stickers with graphics advocating for various political ideologies on various downtown buildings. Some stickers included the phrase “Support your local antifa.” As reflected in the plea agreement, Calvert claims he has no affiliation with antifa. Law enforcement arrested Calvert on April 10, 2024.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the ATF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell T. Duraski and Brett J. Talley for the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case.
Madison Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Simmeka M. Tibbs, 37, of Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on November 19, 2024, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to a year and a half in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Tibbs pled guilty to this charge on August 15, 2024.
Between December 2023 and February 2024, co-defendant Lildre Brown arranged to distribute fentanyl laced heroin on three separate occasions in the Madison area. On one of these occasions, Brown sent co-defendant Nicole Sanders to deliver almost 100 grams of fentanyl. On the two other occasions, Tibbs delivered the fentanyl for Brown. The investigation revealed that Tibbs regularly delivered drugs for Brown.
At Tibbs’ sentencing, Judge Peterson emphasized the seriousness of Tibbs regularly distributing drugs containing fentanyl, an extremely dangerous drug. Judge Peterson also found it very concerning that on one occasion, Tibbs brought a young child with her to the drug delivery.
On November 7, 2024, Brown was sentenced to 85 months in prison. Sanders is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2025.
The charges against Brown, Tibbs, and Sanders were the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Police Department, and the Markham Illinois Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted this case.
Líder de alto rango de un cártel mexicano arrestado por cargos de tráfico internacional de drogas y lavado de dinero, después de fingir su propia muerte para vivir en California bajo una identidad falsaRead the Press Release
Un tribunal federal del Distrito Central de California hizo pública ayer una denuncia penal imputándole delitos de tráfico internacional de drogas y lavado de dinero a Cristian Fernando Gutiérrez Ochoa, miembro de alto rango del Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) y yerno del líder del CJNG, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, también conocido como El Mencho. Gutiérrez Ochoa fue arrestado en Riverside, California, el 19 de noviembre.
“El Cártel Jalisco, una de las organizaciones de narcotráfico más violentas y prolíficas del mundo, es más débil hoy en día debido a los tenaces esfuerzos de las fuerzas del orden por rastrear y detener a un líder del cártel que supuestamente fingió su propia muerte y asumió una identidad falsa para eludir la justicia y vivir una vida de lujo en California,” dijo la vicefiscal general Lisa Monaco. “Como alegan estos cargos, Gutiérrez Ochoa dirigió el tráfico de narcóticos letales, causando una destrucción incalculable en nuestras comunidades. Para aquellos que buscan dañar a los estadounidenses y sacar provecho de su dolor, que sirva este arresto de recordatorio: los encontraremos y los llevaremos ante la justicia.”
“Durante la última década, Cristian Gutiérrez Ochoa, un estrecho colaborador del máximo líder del CJNG, presuntamente dirigió la importación de toneladas de metanfetamina y cocaína a los Estados Unidos y participó en actos violentos para apoyar las actividades delictivas del cártel,” dijo la principal vicefiscal general adjunta Nicole M. Argentieri, jefa de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia. “La División Penal está comprometida a desmantelar las organizaciones mexicanas de narcotráfico. El arresto del martes envía un mensaje poderoso a los líderes del cártel: trabajaremos incansablemente con nuestros socios, autoridades de aplicación de la ley nacionales e internacionales, para hacerlos rendir cuentas.”
“Derrotar a los dos cárteles responsables de la mortal crisis de drogas en los Estados Unidos es la principal prioridad operativa de la Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA) y, con el arresto de Cristian Fernando Gutiérrez Ochoa, estamos mucho más cerca,” dijo la administradora de la DEA Anne Milgram. “Alegamos que Gutiérrez Ochoa, un miembro de alto rango del CJNG y yerno de El Mencho, conspiró para importar miles de kilogramos de cocaína y metanfetamina a los Estados Unidos en nombre del Cártel Jalisco. El CJNG es responsable de una violencia sin precedentes en México y contribuye a alimentar la mortal crisis de drogas en los Estados Unidos. La DEA está implacablemente comprometida a derrotar al Cártel Jalisco, y agotaremos todas las herramientas del sistema de justicia para contraatacar, salvar vidas estadounidenses y llevar a este cártel ante la justicia.”
Según documentos del tribunal, se alega que Gutiérrez Ochoa, de 37 años, comenzó a trabajar para el CJNG, uno de los cárteles de drogas más violentos de México, alrededor de 2014, y coordinó personalmente el transporte y la distribución de aproximadamente 40.000 kilogramos de metanfetamina y aproximadamente 2000 kilogramos de cocaína en México, todos destinados a los Estados Unidos.
Gutiérrez Ochoa presuntamente promovió las actividades de narcotráfico y lavado de dinero del CJNG mediante la violencia. Alrededor de noviembre de 2021, se alega que Gutiérrez Ochoa secuestró a dos miembros de la Marina de México en un intento por lograr la liberación de la esposa de El Mencho, que había sido arrestada por las autoridades mexicanas. Después de ser buscado por las autoridades mexicanas, Gutiérrez-Ochoa supuestamente huyó a los Estados Unidos, asumió una identidad ficticia y vivió en una residencia de lujo en Riverside, California, comprada por los operadores de lavado de dinero del CJNG con ganancias del narcotráfico.
Según documentos del tribunal, El Mencho puede haber ayudado a Gutiérrez Ochoa en su plan para fingir su propia muerte, diciéndoles a sus asociados que asesinó a Gutiérrez Ochoa por mentir. Esto ayudó a Gutiérrez Ochoa a colarse en los Estados Unidos para estar con la hija de El Mencho. El Departamento de Justicia presentó una formulación complementaria de cargos contra El Mencho en abril de 2022, acusándolo de liderar una empresa criminal para fabricar y distribuir fentanilo para su importación a los Estados Unidos. El Departamento de Estado de los EE. UU. ofrece una recompensa de hasta $10 millones de dólares por información que conduzca a su arresto y / o condena. El Mencho sigue prófugo.
Gutiérrez Ochoa está acusado de asociación delictuosa para distribuir cinco kilogramos o más de cocaína y 500 gramos o más de metanfetamina, teniendo conocimiento, intención y motivos razonables para creer que esas sustancias controladas serían importadas ilegalmente a los Estados Unidos. Gutiérrez Ochoa también está acusado de asociación delictuosa para blanquear las ganancias del narcotráfico del CJNG. Si es declarado culpable, enfrentaría una pena mínima obligatoria de 10 años de prisión y una pena máxima de cadena perpetua por el cargo de asociación delictuosa para distribuir drogas, y una pena máxima de 20 años de prisión por el cargo de asociación delictuosa para lavar dinero. Un tribunal de distrito federal determinará cualquier sentencia después de considerar las Pautas de Sentencia de los EE. UU. y otros factores legales.
La División de Los Ángeles de la DEA está investigando el caso.
Los fiscales litigantes Lernik Begian y Doug Meisel de la Sección de Narcóticos y Drogas Peligrosas de la División Penal están a cargo del caso. La Fiscalía de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito Central de California brindó valiosa asistencia.
Este caso es parte de una operación del Programa de las Fuerzas de Tarea Antidrogas contra el Crimen Organizado (OCDETF, por sus siglas en inglés). La OCDETF identifica, desbarata y desmantela las organizaciones de narcotráfico de más alto nivel y otras redes criminales que amenazan a los Estados Unidos utilizando un enfoque multiinstitucional liderado por fiscales e informado por datos de inteligencia y que aprovecha las fortalezas de las agencias de aplicación de la ley federales, estatales y locales. Puede encontrar información adicional sobre el Programa OCDETF en www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Una denuncia es simplemente una acusación. Todos los acusados son considerados inocentes hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia.
Los Angeles Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring with Fort Myers Man to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Through the U.S. MailRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Esdras Joel Garcia De La Rosa (28, Los Angeles, CA) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. De La Rosa faces up to life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, De La Rosa conspired with Durand Dijuon Demetiu Colbert (34, Fort Myers) to distribute various controlled substances including methamphetamine and fentanyl. De La Rosa resided in the Los Angeles area and supplied Colbert, a Lee County resident, with controlled substances that were later distributed to others. The controlled substances were sent by De La Rosa in California to Colbert in Lee County through the U.S. mail or other packaging carriers.
During the conspiracy, on November 17, 2023, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Colbert’s Florida residence and seized approximately 1,700 fentanyl pills, which investigators determined were sent by De La Rosa.
Colbert pleaded guilty to his role in this case on September 16, 2024. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 12, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
Local Home Healthcare Company Owner Accused of $800,000 FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – The owner of a home healthcare company was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday and accused of defrauding the Missouri Medicaid Program and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs out of more than $800,000.
Natavia Boyd-Wells, 40, is now facing four counts of wire fraud and two counts of making false statements related to a healthcare matter.
Boyd-Wells is the owner of Touch of the Heart Home Health Care LLC, enrolled the company with the Missouri Medicaid Program and the Department of Veterans Affairs Community Care Network in 2020 and submitted the reimbursement claims to both agencies, the indictment says. Missouri Medicaid and the Department of Veterans Affairs fund home healthcare services to enable patients to remain in their homes instead of long-term inpatient stays in hospitals and nursing homes.
Boyd-Wells submitted hundreds of fraudulent claims for services that she knew were never provided, in some cases because the veteran-patients were actually in the hospital, and could not possibly have received home healthcare services, the indictment says. Boyd-Wells submitted and caused to be submitted false and fraudulent electronic documentation of a patient visit to Missouri Medicaid in 2022 after officials conducting an audit requested documentation reflecting the services that Boyd-Wells claimed were provided to that patient, the indictment says. Boyd-Wells also submitted fraudulent Department of Veterans Affairs claims claiming that her patients received more than 24 hours of care in a single day, it says.
Missouri Medicaid paid at least $197,022 to a bank account controlled by Boyd-Wells and the Department of Veterans Affairs funded reimbursement payments of over $600,000
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“This indictment should send a clear message that the VA Office of Inspector General will vigorously investigate those who would seek to defraud VA healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the Department of Veterans Affairs OIG. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.