Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
8 November 2024
Chicago Rapper Lil Durk Charged in Superseding Indictment Alleging Murder-for-Hire Plot to Kill Rival Near Beverly Center Mall in 2022Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Grammy Award-winning Chicago rapper has been charged in a superseding federal grand jury indictment alleging he conspired with others to murder a rival rapper, resulting in the shooting death of the rival’s relative that occurred at a gas station near the Beverly Center shopping mall in Los Angeles in August 2022, the Justice Department announced today.
Durk Banks, 32, a.k.a. “Lil Durk,” “Blood,” and “Mustafa Abdul Malak,” of Chicago, is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of use of interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death, and one count of using, carrying, and discharging firearms and a machine gun and possession of such firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death.
The indictment adds two felony charges against Banks, who previously was charged via criminal complaint in this case.
The four-count superseding indictment, returned late Thursday, adds Banks as the lead defendant to a previous indictment returned October 17 and charging the following defendants in connection with the August 2022 murder:
- Kavon London Grant, 28, a.k.a. “Cuz” and “Vonnie,” of Atlanta;
- Deandre Dontrell Wilson, 33, a.k.a. “DeDe,” of Chicago;
- Keith Jones, 33, a.k.a. “Flacka,” of Gary, Indiana;
- David Brian Lindsey, 33, a.k.a. “Browneyez,” of Addison, Illinois; and
- Asa Houston, 36, a.k.a. “Boogie,” of Chicago.
Banks was arrested on October 17 near Miami International Airport after law enforcement learned that Banks had been booked on multiple international flights. A federal magistrate judge in Miami has ordered him jailed without bond until he is transferred to Los Angeles for arraignment.
All six defendants – none of whom has yet entered a plea to the charges – are expected to be arraigned in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
According to the superseding indictment, in 2010, Banks formed an organization called Only the Family (OTF), which, among other things, produced and sold hip hop music from artists primarily from the Chicago area. OTF also acted as an association-in-fact of individuals who engaged in violence, including murder and assault, at Banks’ direction and to maintain their status in OTF.
Banks feuded with a victim, identified in court documents as “T.B.” The feud stemmed from a November 6, 2020, murder in which an associate of T.B. shot and killed an OTF rapper named Dayvon Bennett, a.k.a. “King Von.” Bennett and Banks were close friends.
In response to Bennett’s murder, Banks allegedly put a bounty on T.B.’s life.
On August 19, 2022, several OTF members and associates used two vehicles and worked in tandem to track, stalk, and attempt to murder T.B. for hours, culminating in a shooting at a gasoline station located near the Beverly Center shopping mall. The co-conspirators used multiple guns, including a machine gun, and fired at least 18 rounds at T.B.’s vehicle, striking and killing a victim identified in court documents as “S.R.,” who was T.B.’s family member who had been traveling with T.B.
Banks allegedly ordered T.B.’s murder and the hitmen used money from Banks and OTF-related finances to carry out the hit. Bank and flight records show that an OTF member and close associate of Banks coordinated and paid for five co-conspirators to travel from Chicago to California on the day before the murder. Around the time the one-way flights were purchased, Banks told the OTF associate booking the flights, “Don’t book no flights under no names involved wit [sic] me.”
The same day the hitmen traveled from Chicago to California, Banks also traveled to California in a private jet with another conspirator, Kavon London Grant, 28, a.k.a. “Cuz” and “Vonnie.” Later that day, Grant allegedly purchased ski masks for the shooters to use to commit the murder and paid – using a credit card in Banks’ name – for the other co-conspirators’ hotel room.
“Mr. Banks is charged with orchestrating a cold-blooded murder that resulted in the death of a rival’s family member,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Not only that, the shooting occurred in the open, at a gas station at a busy intersection, endangering many others in the area. Violent gun crime of this sort is devastating to our community and we will have zero-tolerance for those who perpetrate such callous acts of violence.”
“The apprehension of Mr. Banks as he attempted to leave the United States is once again proof that the FBI and our extraordinary partners at the Los Angeles Police Department have a long reach,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “No excuse can justify this violent act and let me be clear: While you’re going about your life, thinking you ‘got away with it,’ the FBI is piecing together the facts that will serve as your undoing.”
“Cases like these that span multiple states and jurisdictions are complicated and can oftentimes only be resolved through the collaboration of multiple departments,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi. “This arrest is the culmination of the combined efforts of our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and LAPD’s Operation West Bureau Homicide detectives who discovered that Durk D a.k.a. Lil Durk was involved in this heinous murder. The hundreds of hours spent on the investigation included surveillance, authoring numerous search warrants, using forensic technology, and tireless investigative travel and collaboration alongside our federal partners led to this arrest. I am appreciative of the dedication of those involved.”
The other five defendants are in federal custody in Illinois after their initial court appearances in Chicago. They remain charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of use of interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death, and one count of using, carrying and discharging firearms and a machine gun and possession of such firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death. Jones faces an additional count of possession of a machine gun.
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, all the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, Daniel H. Weiner of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, and Gregory W. Staples of the Orange County Office are prosecuting this case.
Carter County Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announces that Danny Ray Gordon, III, age 33, of Lone Grove, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On May 29, 2024, Gordon pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. According to investigators, on December 16, 2023, law enforcement conducting a routine traffic stop discovered Gordon in possession of a .32ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol and several rounds of ammunition. At the time of the stop, Gordon had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the sentencing hearing. Gordon will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Caledonia Man Charged with Sexually Exploiting Four MinorsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Scott Michael Elam, 41, of Caledonia, was arrested and indicted on seven counts of sexually exploiting a minor.
“We are committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation and holding offenders accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “I am grateful to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI for their investigative work as we prepare to make our case.”
According to court documents, Elam is charged with sexually exploiting four different minors. The indictment alleges that Elam recorded himself having sex with one of the minors on two different occasions and directed the other victims to take explicit photos and videos of themselves and then send them to him.
If convicted, Elam faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison for each count.
“The indictment of Scott Elam underscores the FBI's unwavering commitment to protecting children and holding predators accountable,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The alleged sexual exploitation of four minors by Mr. Elam is appalling, and such behavior will not be tolerated. I am deeply grateful for the relentless efforts of our dedicated team in Michigan, including the West Michigan-based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX) and the Kent County Sheriff's Office. Together, we will ensure that those who prey on our most vulnerable are brought to justice and that our communities remain safe from these heinous threats.”
“The Kent County Sheriff's Office is committed to continuing the fight against the exploitation of children through our federal partnerships,” said Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young. “Furthermore, this investigation prompts a reminder to our communities to have courageous conversations with your children about the dangers social media presents.”
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are investigating this case, and Assistant United States Attorney Olivia Ghiselli is prosecuting it.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
# # #
Brevard County Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Gerit William Naber (39, Palm Bay) to 11 years and 8 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. Naber entered a guilty plea on June 24, 2024.
According to the plea agreement, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office used a confidential source to conduct two controlled purchases of multiple ounces of methamphetamine from Naber. After a third controlled purchase failed when the confidential source refused to use the drugs with Naber, a search warrant was executed at Naber’s home, resulting in the seizure of over 100 grams of methamphetamine. In total, Naber was responsible for over 320 grams of pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.
Bitcoin Fog Operator Sentenced for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A dual Russian-Swedish national was sentenced today to 12 years and six months in prison for his operation of the longest-running bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2011 through 2021, Roman Sterlingov, 36, was involved in operating Bitcoin Fog, the darknet’s longest-running cryptocurrency “mixer.” Over the course of its decade-long operation, Bitcoin Fog gained notoriety as a go-to money laundering service for criminals seeking to hide their illicit proceeds from law enforcement and processed transactions involving over 1.2 million bitcoin, valued at approximately $400 million at the time the transactions occurred. The bulk of this cryptocurrency came from darknet marketplaces and was tied to illegal narcotics, computer crimes, identity theft, and child sexual abuse material.
In March 2024, after a one-month trial, a jury found Sterlingov guilty of money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, and money transmission without a license in the District of Columbia.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, Sterlingov was sentenced to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $395,563,025.39, and forfeiture of seized cryptocurrencies and monetary assets valued at approximately $1.76 million. In addition, Sterlingov was ordered to forfeit his interest in the Bitcoin Fog wallet, totaling approximately 1,345 bitcoin and currently valued at more than $103 million.
“Roman Sterlingov ran the longest-running bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet, and today he paid the price,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “In the deepest corners of the internet, he provided a home for criminals of all stripes, from drug traffickers to identity thieves, to store hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit proceeds. Today’s sentence reflects the Department’s determination to dismantle the criminal networks that enable criminal actors to flourish and ensure consequences for the criminals operating them.”
“Roman Sterlingov laundered over $400 million in criminal proceeds through Bitcoin Fog, his cryptocurrency ‘mixing’ service that was open for business to criminals looking to hide dirty money,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through his illicit money laundering operation, Sterlingov helped criminals launder proceeds of drug trafficking, computer crime, identity theft, and the sexual exploitation of children. Today’s sentencing underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to holding those who facilitate criminal activity fully accountable for their crimes. I am especially proud of the dedicated investigators and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to unmask and prosecute the Bitcoin Fog scheme.”
“As proven at trial, Roman Sterlingov created and used an online tool to process hundreds of millions in illegal transactions, enabling darknet drug dealers and those who sell child sexual abuse material, to operate,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Today’s sentence sends an unmistakable message: those who help criminals with online payments for their illegal activities will face serious penalties. This prosecution also provides more proof that we have the skilled investigators and talented prosecutors needed to hold those who operate these darknet sites accountable.”
“Clearly, Sterlingov’s attempt to shroud his illicit activities in a cloak of anonymity ultimately failed against the sophisticated collaborative work of our Criminal Investigation special agents and partners,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Today’s significant prison term and hundreds of millions in financial sanctions against the defendant emphasizes the seriousness of this conviction and should serve as a stark notice that this type of criminal activity will not be tolerated.”
“The prosecution of Roman Sterlingov and the sentence imposed today should serve as a warning to cybercriminals,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI. “The FBI will not hesitate to use all tools at its disposal and will leverage our extensive partnerships to disrupt the cybercriminal ecosystem and the individuals who provide the key services that facilitate criminal activity.”
The IRS-CI District of Columbia Cyber Crime Unit and FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit provided invaluable assistance. Additional assistance was provided by Japanese, Swedish, Danish, Romanian, and UK authorities, as well as Europol.
Trial Attorneys Jeff Pearlman and C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Pelker is a member, and Brown is a former member, of CCIPS’ National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team. Former CCIPS Paralegal Specialist Dr. Divya Ramjee and Paralegal Specialist Angela De Falco for the District of Columbia provided valuable assistance.
Antlers Resident Sentenced for Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Eric Wadkins, age 43, of Antlers, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 293 months in prison and a life term of supervision upon his release for one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Department, and the Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office.
On January 12, 2023, Wadkins pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 5, 2017, Wadkins physically assaulted and sexually assaulted the victim. The crime occurred in Choctaw and Pushmataha Counties, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Wadkins will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah McAmis represented the United States.
Alleged Serial Armed Robber Arrested at His D.C. HomeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antonio Kingsbury, 36, of Washington, D.C., was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with interference with interstate commerce by robbery, brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Kingsbury is suspected of involvement in at least seventeen armed robberies between January 9, 2024 and November 7, 2024, in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office.
According to the complaint, the same masked gunman is believed responsible for 17 armed robberies at various businesses including: multiple Subway restaurants, Starbucks, multiple local DMV restaurants, a Virginia ABC store, a local cell phone store, Chipotle, multiple Popeye’s restaurants, multiple 7-Eleven stores, and a tobacco store.
During a search of the suspect’s home, a gun was recovered along with multiple pieces of clothing used during Kingsbury’s nearly year-long robbery spree. Kingsbury was arrested and will have an initial appearance in District Court on November 12, 2024.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office's Violent Crimes Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington County Police Department, Bladensburg Police Department, and Prince George’s County Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin F. Song
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Federal Land Offenses
Joseph Aita, 62, of Colorado Springs, CO, was sentenced to 7 days in jail for walking off a designated trail or boardwalk in a thermal area within Yellowstone National Park. According to court documents, he entered the protected area of Canary Spring in Mammoth Hot Springs in the north area of the park with co-defendant Celia Aita and 2 minor children. He also pleaded guilty to destroying a mineral resource and for that violation, he was sentenced to five years of probation, with a ban from Yellowstone National Park during that time and a fine of $3,000. He will also pay $60 in mandatory court costs and fees in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes prosecuted this case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on Oct. 31, in Mammoth, Wyoming.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Environmental Justice
The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide commitment to reducing gun and gang crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
Victim Witness Assistance
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to making sure that victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime#trafficking
7 November 2024
Wilbur Theatre Enters into Agreement to Ensure Communication AccessibilityRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office reached an agreement with the Wilbur Theatre in Boston, resolving a complaint that the theatre violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide a reasonable accommodation to a group of individuals with hearing impairments.
The Wilbur Theatre is a performing arts theater located in the heart of Boston’s theater district. According to the complaint, the Wilbur Theatre failed to provide a group of individuals with hearing impairments an American Sign Language interpreter, or another communication aid or service, for a concert at the Wilbur Theatre. Federal law, including the ADA, prohibits public and private entities from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. The ADA requires places of public accommodation to take necessary steps to ensure that they communicate effectively with people who have communication disabilities.
“It is vital that individuals with communication disabilities have equal access to public accommodations, like theaters and other businesses, and this office will continue to ensure that civil rights are protected” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy.” We encourage individuals who believe that their disabilities have not been accommodated to contact our office to see whether legal action may be warranted.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anuj Khetarpal of the Civil Rights Unit. The Civil Rights Unit was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. The Wilbur Theatre fully cooperated with the United States Attorney’s Office’s investigation.
For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights. For more information on the ADA, please visit www.ADA.gov.
Wewoka Resident Pleads Guilty to Murder and Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Celdon Mullins, age 22, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information charging him with Second Degree Murder in Indian Country and Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
According to the Information, on June 20, 2023, Mullins intentionally discharged a firearm, unlawfully killing the victim with malice aforethought.
The crimes occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from investigations by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Mullins will remain in the custody of the United States Marshal Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Western District of Kentucky Men Sentenced for Murder Through the Use of a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – Freddy Manuel Gonzalez and Xavior Caine Posey were sentenced this week to 40 years and 35 years, respectively, for murder through the use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge R. Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.
“I commend the ATF, the local law enforcement agencies who assisted in the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sewell and Weiser for their outstanding work during the investigation and prosecution of this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “As a result of the strong working relationships that exist between our law enforcement partners, these violent defendants will now spend decades in federal prison. The fight against violent crime is a top priority of this office and we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute it wherever it occurs.”
“This senseless act of violence took a man from his family,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Morrow. “I commend ATF Bowling Green Field Office, our partners with the Franklin, KY Police Department, and the prosecution team for working tirelessly to bring these killers to justice. Our thoughts are with Mr. Russell’s loved ones, and we hope this sentence brings some sense of closure to his family and that it sends a very clear message that ATF and our law enforcement partners will always seek justice for violent crimes in Kentucky.”
According to court documents, Freddy Manuel Gonzalez, 40, of Bowling Green, Kentucky was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for murder through use of firearm during crime of violence. Xavior Caine Posey, 26, of Logan County, Kentucky, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for the same offense.
On December 29 and 30, 2020, Gonzalez and Posey communicated by cell phone to arrange for the murder-for-hire of the victim. Gonzalez provided Posey with a firearm for the murder. On December 30, 2020, in Franklin, Kentucky, Posey shot the victim three times with that firearm and then returned to Bowling Green, Kentucky. Gonzalez later paid Posey for committing the murder.
In a related case, Andy Martin Schmucker, 37, of Beaver Dam, Kentucky, has pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to the crime of murder for hire, and is scheduled for sentencing on December 2, 2024.
There is no parole in the federal system.
The ATF and the Franklin Police Department investigated the case. The Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Muhlenberg County Sheriff’s Office, the South- Central Kentucky Drug Task Force, the Warren County Drug Task Force, the Kentucky State Police, the Russellville Police Department, the Bowling Green Police Department, and the Simpson County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Madison Sewell and David Weiser.
###
Website Related to Multi-Billion Dollar Bitfinex Hack EstablishedRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice has established a website to provide any person who claims status as a potential crime victim of the crimes described below to assert any rights under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA), 18 U.S.C. § 3771, and with the opportunity to complete a statement to relay information about how they may have been harmed by the charged conduct and/or offenses. For CVRA purposes, the government’s position is that there are no “victims” of the offenses of conviction. The Department is providing this notice out of an abundance of caution.
In August 2016, defendant Ilya Lichtenstein hacked into a virtual currency exchange named Bitfinex and stole approximately 120,000 bitcoin. Following the theft, Defendant Lichtenstein devised a sophisticated plan to launder the stolen funds, involving extensive layering of transactions, cryptocurrency mixers and non-compliant cryptocurrency exchanges, darknet markets, and bank accounts in the U.S., as well as overseas. Defendant Lichtenstein enlisted the assistance of his wife, co-defendant Heather Rhiannon Morgan, to clean the money. Defendant Lichtenstein and Defendant Morgan continued to conspire to launder the funds until February 2022, when federal law enforcement placed them under arrest for being involved in a money laundering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h), and a conspiracy to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.
On August 3, 2023, Defendant Lichtenstein pleaded guilty to one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). Defendant Lichtenstein is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., in Courtroom 28A, before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. On August 3, 2023, Defendant Morgan pleaded guilty to one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371 and § 1956(a)(1)(B)(i), and one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Defendant Morgan is scheduled to be sentenced on November 15, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., in Courtroom 28A, before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.
As authorized by the U.S. District Court (link to Oct. 10, 2024 PDF opinion here), the United States provides this notice to the public out of an abundance of caution to solicit and receive information from all persons potentially harmed by the defendants’ conduct, including affected accountholders at Bitfinex. The United States welcomes any statements and arguments from such persons, including statements relevant to the Court’s sentencing of the defendants, such as how they have been impacted by the defendants’ conduct.
If you wish to complete a statement about the impact of the offenses on you and/or to relay information about how you may have been victimized, please send that statement to the United States to be conveyed to the U.S. District Court judge who will make decisions in the case, including by sentencing the defendants. Specifically, please submit a statement by no later than November 13, 2024, via email to [email protected]. As stated above, the sentencings are currently scheduled for November 14 and 15, 2024.
Additional information is available on the Department of Justice’s website for large cases, https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/2016-bitfinex-hack.
23cr0239
U.S. Attorney’s Office and University of Maryland Co Host Cybersecurity Conference Amid Spike in Data-Breach CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Did you know that in 2023, more than 343 million people were victims of a cybercrime? Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the University of Maryland hosted a cybersecurity conference to arm business and public sector leaders with vital information to help combat this worldwide issue.
According to Forbes Advisor, in 2023, data breaches increased globally by 72 percent. In response to this alarming trend, cybersecurity experts from government and the private sector educated attendees about emerging threats; best practices; and effective collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies, the private sector, and law enforcement.
“Cybercrime threatens our national security, our public safety, and our financial security,” said
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “While we work to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes, law enforcement must also collaborate with the private sector to effectively prevent and disrupt cyber incidents before they happen. The thoughtful discussions inspired by this conference sets the stage for continued collaboration and partnership between the government, business, and public sectors to protect our critical infrastructure. Many thanks to University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines and our partners at the University for their co-sponsorship of this important conference.”Conference panelists taught attendees how to identify threats and weaknesses, manage a cyber incident, and coordinate with law enforcement. The conference also served as an opportunity for participants to network and continue conversations about enhancing cybersecurity across all sectors of Maryland.
"At the University of Maryland, our students and faculty work across campus to develop and deploy technologies to address the grand challenges of our time. We also recognize the importance of protecting our communities from the growing threat of cybercrime that comes when technologies are used for the wrong reasons," said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines. "We are grateful for the opportunity provided by this conference to engage with business and government leaders to tackle these critical issues."
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/cybersecurity.
# # #
U.S. Attorney’s Office and Law Enforcement Partners Hold Financial Crimes Conference to Combat Fraud in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah in coordination with the Financial Fraud Task Force, comprised of law enforcement throughout the state, hosted the annual Financial Crimes Conference yesterday. Financial institutions also participated in the conference as part of ongoing efforts to curb financial crimes in the Beehive State.
Fraud is on the rise in Utah. In the first two quarters of 2024, fraud cost Utah residents $55.2 million, compared to $36.4 million in 2023, $32.6 million in 2022, and $20.4 million in 2021 during the same two quarters, according to state data by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Additionally, Utah ranks 10 out of 15 states nationwide for imposter scams, according to the FTC. Imposter scams include scammers posing as a government agency, romance scams, a friend or relative with an emergency need for money.
“Working with our federal and state law enforcement partners and agencies, the United States Attorney’s Office has significantly increased the number of financial crime prosecutions in this state,” said U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah. “By prosecuting these cases and advocating for appropriate federal prison sentences, we are sending a clear message that Utah is not the place to conduct fraud schemes and victimize our citizens.”
While the U.S. Attorney’s Office collaborates with financial institutions throughout the year in conjunction with our federal partners, the conference brings all participating entities that handle financial crimes together for a day of collaborating and learning through presentations.
Prosecuting financial crimes is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Utah. Financial fraud ranges from phishing scams, identity theft, wire fraud, and cashier’s check fraud to name a few. For example, in January 2024, a defendant was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment for her involvement in an online romance scam that cost victims over $6 million. See release here. In February 2024, Salt Lake Trucking Group owners were found guilty in a financial fraud conspiracy that cost FedEx Ground $108 million. See release here. In August 2024, a Utah man was sentenced to 50 months’ imprisonment after defrauding farmers out of $1.2 million.
If you or someone you know is a victim of a financial fraud, report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at https://www.ic3.gov/. You may also report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or call the FTC’s consumer Response Center at 877-382-4357.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal Police Shooting of Dalaneo MartinRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against a United States Park Police Officer for his role in a March 18, 2023, fatal shooting of Dalaneo Martin, 17.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Internal Affair’s Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of physical evidence, surveillance video footage, body-worn camera footage, audio and visual recordings from an ambulance, witness accounts, autopsy records, and MPD reports.
On March 18, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Officers received a radio run for a suspicious vehicle parked in the 3400 block of Baker Street, Northeast, a residential block. MPD and United States Park Police Officers responded to the scene and observed a sleeping individual, later identified as Dalaneo Martin, sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. It was determined that the vehicle had affixed to it a license plate belonging to another car, and that its ignition had been punched.
The Officers devised a plan to remove the Mr. Martin from the vehicle. In the course of executing that plan, Mr. Martin woke up, a struggle ensued, and Mr. Martin put the car in drive and accelerated down the street with a United States Park Police Officer in the backseat of the car.
While still in the rear passenger seat of the vehicle, the Officer stated to Mr. Martin, “Stop,” as the vehicle drove eastbound on Baker Street, towards Kenilworth Avenue. As Mr. Martin continued to drive, making a left turn onto the 200 block of Kenilworth Avenue, the Officer again stated, “Stop man, just let me out! Let me out! Stop or I’ll shoot.” After this warning, as the vehicle continued to travel northbound on Kenilworth Avenue, towards 36th Street, the Park Police Officer extended his service pistol forward and held the service pistol with a two handed grip and discharged five rounds from his service pistol at Mr. Martin, striking him.
After Mr. Martin was struck by the Park Police Officer’s discharged rounds, the vehicle continued to travel northbound on 36th Street, then left the road, crossed over the sidewalk, went up an embankment and then crashed into a house on the south side of 36th Street, Northeast. Mr. Martin was pronounced dead on the scene.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the United State Park Police Officer is criminally liable for Mr. Martin’s death.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. MPD’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
U.S. Attorney's Office, DEA and HSI Announce Charges Against Fourteen Individuals in Major Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – This week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshal Service, the Las Cruces Police Department, and the Doña Ana Sheriff’s Office, conducted a coordinated operation to dismantle a significant drug trafficking network in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The operation targeted 15 defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute and/or possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, specifically methamphetamine and fentanyl, and six properties in Las Cruces and Anthony, New Mexico, along with one defendant charged with maintaining a drug-involved premises.
The defendants include Armando Conrad Gonzales, a.k.a. "Forty," 43, Leticia Maria Rodriguez, 41, Jessica Juel Henderson, a.k.a. "JJ," 45, Veronica Levario, 39, Richard Regan Beserra, 47, Daniel Roberto Herrera, a.k.a. "Fat Boy," 33, Ernesto Salas Flores, 63, Beatriz Adriana Gonzalez, a.k.a. Beatriz Adriana Herrera-Gonzalez, 46, Sylvia Ann Parra, 52, Amanda Lea Weinrich, 38, Phillip Andrew Estell, a.k.a. "Flip," 43, D'Anna Michelle Chavez, 47, Bruce Martin King, 68, Angel Flores, 45, and Kenneth Eric Yeager, 44, all of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Antonio Valles, a.k.a. "Tony," 49, of Canutillo, TX,.
According to court documents, 14 of the defendants conspired to distribute controlled substances, specifically methamphetamine and fentanyl, and one of the defendants maintained a residence which he allowed to be used for drug distribution and use. The investigation revealed multiple instances of drug sales and transportation among the defendants, including:
- March 9, 2023: Beserra transported 182 fentanyl pills, 3.2 grams of methamphetamine, and a firearm in Anthony, New Mexico. He was stopped by law enforcement, who seized the items.
- April 4, 2024: Levario and Herrera were travelling to sell 40 fentanyl pills and was stopped by law enforcement while delivering them, resulting in the seizure of 202 fentanyl pills and 30.9 net grams of pure methamphetamine in Levario’s purse.
- April 16, 2024: Henderson sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $1,800.
- April 25, 2024: Gonzales delivered methamphetamine to Henderson, who sold the drugs to an undercover agent for $1,800.
- May 10, 2024: Henderson sold 105.62 net grams of fentanyl for $1,200 and a 20-gauge shotgun for $300 to an undercover agent.
On November 6, 2024, HSI and DEA, with support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshal Service, the Las Cruces Police Department, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New Mexico State Police, Texas Department of Public Safety and the New Mexico National Guard, executed search warrants at six properties associated with the drug trafficking conspiracy:
- 5301 Bell Road SW, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88012: central hub for A. Gonzales and drug distribution point.
- 3115 El Camino Real, Space 82, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88007: A. Gonzales’s mother’s house and drug distribution point.
- 5266 Ralls Road, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88012: primary location for B. Gonzalez and E. Flores’ drug transactions.
- 2826 Ox Cart Court, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88007: primary location for Herrera, used for storing stolen property and drug distribution.
- 1954 Lyon Place, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001: residence of Kenneth Yeager and Beserra’s brother, used for drug distribution, purchase, and consumption, as well as location of a reported overdose death.
- 2775 Night Owl Lane, Anthony, New Mexico 88021: residence of Valles and drug distribution point.
During the investigative phase of the operation, agents seized 1,315.2 net grams of pure methamphetamine, 394.5 net grams of fentanyl pills (approximately 4,000 fentanyl pills), and three firearms. During the search and arrest operations this week, authorities seized additional substantial quantities of illegal substances, including 842 grams of fentanyl, 1,118 grams of methamphetamine, 285 grams of cocaine, 36 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 400 grams of marijuana, and 96 grams of hydrocodone. The search and arrest operation also resulted in the seizure of 13 firearms and $2,200 in US currency. The operation resulted in 24 arrests, with 16 individuals facing federal charges, and 8 facing state charges.
“As federal prosecutors, we are known for leading investigations into international drug cartels and major drug trafficking organizations. But in order for those organizations to make their money, local networks of drug traffickers must peddle their poison to the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez. “When those local networks trade in death and violence, through overdose and firearms, we will focus the substantial weight of the federal government on dismantling their operations.”
“If drug traffickers think they can come set up shop in Southern New Mexico, they are mistaken,” said Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James. “This operation is just one example of how the DEA will partner with other law enforcement to put them out of business and bring them to justice.”
“Any investigative effort that curbs the flow of fentanyl, methamphetamine and other lethal drugs into our communities is a victory and saves lives,” said Acting Special Agent on Charge Jason T. Stevens. “HSI is a key player in a unified effort to ensure public safety by capturing and prosecuting drug traffickers and anyone else who belongs to transnational criminal organizations.”
If convicted, Weinrich, Parra, Estell, and Yeager face up to 20 years in prison. Herrera and Chavez face a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. A. Gonzalez, Rodriguez, Valles, Levario, Beserra, E. Flores, B. Gonzalez, King and A. Flores each face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. Henderson faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations jointly investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Marshal Service, the Las Cruces Police Department, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New Mexico State Police, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the New Mexico National Guard. Assistant United States Attorneys Kirk Williams, and Renee Camacho are prosecuting these cases.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The task force initiatives are also part of the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA), a federal grant program that supports law enforcement efforts to combat the drug threat in the state.
View the Indictment (Gonzales et al).pdf View the Criminal Complaint (Yeager).pdf View the Criminal Complaint (Flores).pdfAn indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
# # #
U.S. Attorney Announces Murder-For-Hire and Related Charges Against IRGC Asset and Two Local OperativesRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Merrick B. Garland, the Attorney General of the United States, Christopher A. Wray, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office, and David Sundberg, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, announced today the filing of murder-for-hire and related charges against FARHAD SHAKERI, CARLISLE RIVERA, a/k/a “Pop,” and JONATHAN LOADHOLT in connection with their involvement in a plot to murder a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin in New York. RIVERA was arrested in Brooklyn, New York yesterday. SHAKERI remains at large and is believed to reside in Iran. RIVERA and LOADHOLT were presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Willis in the Southern District of New York yesterday and ordered detained pending trial.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Actors directed by the Government of Iran continue to target our citizens, including President-elect Trump, on U.S. soil and abroad. This has to stop. Today’s charges are another message to those who continue in their efforts – we will remain unrelenting in our pursuit of bad actors, no matter where they reside, and will stop at nothing to bring to justice those who harm our safety and security. I want to thank the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners for their ongoing work in this and related investigations. They are truly the best of the best and work tirelessly to keep our country safe.”
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “There are few actors in the world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran. The Justice Department has charged an asset of the Iranian regime who was tasked by the regime to direct a network of criminal associates to further Iran’s assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald J. Trump. We have also charged and arrested two individuals who we allege were recruited as part of that network to silence and kill, on U.S. soil, an American journalist who has been a prominent critic of the regime. We will not stand for the Iranian regime’s attempts to endanger the American people and America’s national security.”
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said: “The charges announced today expose Iran’s continued brazen attempts to target U.S. citizens, including President-elect Donald J. Trump, other government leaders, and dissidents who criticize the regime in Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – a designated foreign terrorist organization – has been conspiring with criminals and hitmen to target and gun down Americans on U.S. soil and that simply won’t be tolerated. Thanks to the hard work of the FBI, their deadly schemes were disrupted. We’re committed to using the full resources of the FBI to protect our citizens from Iran or any other adversary who targets Americans.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “These individuals allegedly plotted to murder an American citizen – on our soil – at the direction of a foreign terrorist organization, the IRGC. This case is an example of yet another flagrant attempt by the Government of Iran, not merely to silence those who speak out against them, but to take the lives of American citizens exercising their constitutionally protected rights here in this country. As we remain unwavering in our mission to protect the American people, the FBI will continue to aggressively pursue justice against anyone attempting to use violence to violate our freedoms and way of life.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg said: “The charges announced today further demonstrate the IRGC's continued campaign to silence and kill Americans who criticize the Iranian regime. Through collaboration with FBI New York's Joint Terrorism Task Force and federal prosecutors at the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we have successfully disrupted the defendants’ alleged plots to fulfill Iran’s goals of permanently eliminating voices of opposition. We vow to continue to work with our partners to stop IRGC operatives and associates who seek to harm our citizens on our soil.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint charging the defendants and other public statements and filings:[1]
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (the “Government of Iran”) is actively targeting nationals of the United States and its allies living in countries around the world for attacks, including assault, kidnapping, and murder, both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the Iranian regime and to take vengeance for the January 2020 death of then-Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”) Qods Force (“IRGC-QF”), Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. The IRGC is an Iranian military and counterintelligence agency under the authority of Iran’s Supreme Leader, comprised of components including an external operations force, the IRGC-QF, and has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State since April 15, 2019. The IRGC has publicly stated its desire to avenge the death of Soleimani, and, among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting U.S. citizens residing in the United States and abroad.
SHAKERI is an IRGC asset residing in Tehran, Iran. SHAKERI immigrated to the United States as a child and was deported in or about 2008 after serving 14 years in prison for a robbery conviction. In recent months, SHAKERI has used a network of criminal associates he met in prison in the United States to supply the IRGC with operatives to conduct surveillance and assassinations of IRGC targets. Two members of SHAKERI’s network are his co-defendants, LOADHOLT and RIVERA. At SHAKERI’s instruction, LOADHOLT and RIVERA have spent months surveilling a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin residing in the United States (“Victim-1”). Victim-1 is an outspoken critic of the Iranian regime and has been the target of multiple prior plots for kidnapping and/or murder directed by the Government of Iran. In exchange for SHAKERI’s promise of $100,000, RIVERA and LOADHOLT repeatedly sought to locate Victim-1 for murder.
During their efforts to locate and kill Victim-1, SHAKERI, LOADHOLT, and RIVERA shared messages about their progress and photographs relating to their scheme. For example, in or about February 2024, RIVERA and LOADHOLT messaged about an incoming payment from SHAKERI, and then traveled to Fairfield University, where Victim-1 was scheduled to appear, and took photographs on campus. In or about April 2024, SHAKERI sent RIVERA a series of voice notes discussing their efforts to locate and kill Victim-1. In one voice note, SHAKERI told RIVERA that Victim-1 spent most of her time in particular locations of her home, and told RIVERA that “you just gotta have patience . . . You gotta wait and have patience to catch her either going in the house or coming out, or following her out somewhere and taking care of it. Don’t think about going in. In is a suicide move.” On several occasions over the last several months, consistent with this instruction from SHAKERI, RIVERA and/or LOADHOLT have surveilled a location in Brooklyn that they had identified as associated with Victim-1.
In addition, according to statements made by Shakeri in recorded interviews with law enforcement agents, the IRGC has also tasked Shakeri with carrying out other assassinations against U.S. and Israeli citizens located in the United States. In particular, Shakeri has informed law enforcement that he was tasked on October 7, 2024, with providing a plan to kill President-elect Donald J. Trump. During the interview, Shakeri claimed he did not intend to propose a plan to kill Trump within the timeframe set by the IRGC. He also stated he was tasked with surveilling two Jewish American citizens residing in New York City and offered $500,000 by an IRGC official for the murder of either victim. He was also tasked with targeting Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka.
* * *
SHAKERI, 51, of Iran, RIVERA, 49, of Brooklyn, New York, and LOADHOLT, 36, of Staten Island, New York, have all been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
SHAKERI has also been charged with conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions against the Government of Iran, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be imposed by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents and analysts from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office. Mr. Williams also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection New York Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, and the New York State Police.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Gutwillig and Michael Lockard, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Isaacson are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from National Security Division Trial Attorneys Dmitry Slavin of the Counterterrorism Section, and Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two Accused Drug Dealers Indicted After Allegedly Possessing 40,000 Fentanyl Pills in Salt Lake CityRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging two Arizona residents with a federal drug crime after they allegedly possessed 40,000 fentanyl pills at a hotel in Salt Lake City.
Dominic Jared Arias Aceves, 22, of Arizona, and Cristo Alexander Urias Salazar 32, a foreign national living in Arizona, were initially charged by complaint on October 23, 2024, in the District of Utah.
According to court documents, in October 2024, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, began a criminal investigation of Aceves and Salazar, and other members of a drug trafficking organization suspected of distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On October 21, 2024, agents obtained and executed a search warrant for a hotel room in Salt Lake City where Salazar and Aceves were believed to be staying. During the investigation, agents seized 3,952 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl, 3.19 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. Agents estimated the amount of fentanyl at approximately 40,000 fentanyl pills. Aceves and Salazar were taken into custody.
Aceves and Salazar are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for November 8, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins for the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting 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 athttps://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Troy Woman Sentenced, Ordered to Repay $82,940 After Yearslong Fraud to Obtain BenefitsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Troy woman was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor for Social Security fraud, health care fraud, and theft of public money.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Christie Mitchell, 49, to three years of probation, including five months of home detention. She was also ordered to pay $82,940 in restitution. Mitchell pleaded guilty on April 26, 2024.
According to court records, from about October 2013 to February 2020, Mitchell lied to the Social Security Administration (SSA) about her husband’s presence in her household and his income to fraudulently appear eligible for Supplemental Security Income payments. Mitchell also concealed her husband’s presence and income from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (ME/DHHS) from about October 2013 to December 2019, during which time she received MaineCare benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
In multiple benefit eligibility reviews, Mitchell falsely represented to the SSA and ME/DHHS that she and her husband lived separately. She failed to disclose her husband’s presence and income despite knowing that she was required to and that it would affect her eligibility to receive benefits.
SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and ME/DHHS’s Fraud Investigation and Recovery Unit investigated the case.
###
Three Indicted for Roles in Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three men have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges in connection with the distribution of cocaine in Central Massachusetts.
Luis Sastre Pagan, 37, of Puerto Rico and formally of Southbridge; Eric Rivera, 31, of Southbridge; and Miguel Lopez, 27, of Southbridge, were all indicted on one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Lopez was also indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun. Sastre Pagan was arrested in Puerto Rico, released on conditions and ordered to appear in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts by Nov. 20, 2024. Rivera and Lopez appeared in Boston for initial appearances.
According to charging documents, from in or about April 2023 through April 2024, the three men allegedly conspired with each other and others to knowingly and intentionally distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Lopez was previously charged by criminal complaint for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and unlawful possession of a machine gun. According to the complaint, Lopez was in possession of a package containing approximately two kilograms of cocaine and a Glock 19 pistol with a Glock conversion attached.
The charge of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. On the charge of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, Sastre Pagan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The unlawful possession of a machinegun also provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the DEA Puerto Rico and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting 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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ten Indicted for Drug Trafficking in Ohio CountyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Ten people have been indicted for the trafficking of drugs in Ohio County, according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.
Defendants from Ohio and West Virginia have been charged with the sale of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Two of the defendants have also been charged with the illegal possession of firearms.
“Continued pressure from law enforcement on drug traffickers will ensure that the downward trend in overdoses we are experiencing continues,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “This latest round of indictments, combined with ongoing treatment and prevention efforts, will help to loosen the grip that addiction has upon communities in West Virginia.”
Eight of the ten individuals charged have been arrested, to include:
- Antoine Blanchard, also known as “Reggie” and “Cadillac Hill,” 49, of Steubenville, Ohio, charged with the distribution and possession of cocaine and the distribution of methamphetamine;
- Harold Wayne Nice, 40, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of methamphetamine;
- Robert Kelly Rogers, 51, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of methamphetamine and heroin;
- Charles Smith Rippy, 69, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of cocaine base;
- Stephen J. Booker, also known as “Flock,” 31, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of methamphetamine and heroin and the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition;
- Alyssa Marie Abrigg, 33, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine; and
- Don Speir McFarland, 30, of Wheeling, West Virginia, charged with the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
- Jeremy Brandon Evans, 35, of Columbus, Ohio, charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and the unlawful possession of a firearm.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carly Nogay and Clayton Reid are prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.
The cases were investigated by the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Task Force consists of personnel from the Wheeling Police Department, the Ohio County Sheriff's Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the West Virginia State Police.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tampa Felon Convicted at Trial of Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Vincent Luke Governor, Jr. (34, Tampa) guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Governor faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 11, 2025.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on August 28, 2022, officers with the Tampa Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Governor. Governor was the sole occupant of the vehicle. During the stop, officers observed the odor of marijuana coming from Governor’s vehicle. As Governor was being removed from the vehicle to allow the officers to conduct a search of the vehicle, the officers observed the grip of a handgun underneath the driver’s seat. The firearm (Springfield Armory XD pistol) was loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. A DNA sample taken from the gun linked Governor to the firearm. The officers also located 80 grams of marijuana in multiple bags and a digital scale in the glove compartment.
At the time, Governor had previous felony convictions for burglary of a dwelling, grand theft, possession of burglar tools, and armed robbery. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.
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.
Stoneham Police Officer and Electrical Contractor Plead Guilty to Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Stoneham Police Officer and his brother, an owner of an electrical contracting company, pleaded guilty to a bribery and kickback scheme that netted them millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts.
Joseph Ponzo, 51, of Stoneham and Christopher Ponzo, 50, of North Reading, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and 24 counts of honest services wire fraud, and one count of making false statements to government officials. Joseph Ponzo also pleaded guilty to four counts of causing false tax returns to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service from 2016 to 2019. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencings for February 2025.
Massachusetts law requires utility companies to collect an energy efficiency surcharge on all Massachusetts energy consumers. These funds, which amount to hundreds of millions of dollars each year, are to be disbursed by the utility companies to fund energy efficiency programs and initiatives in Massachusetts.
Mass Save is a Massachusetts public-private partnership sponsored by various gas and electric utility companies that disburses these energy efficiency funds through funding energy conservation projects for consumers. Under the Mass Save program, the utility companies select lead vendors, like Company A, to approve and select contractors to perform energy improvement work for residential customers. This contracting work – performed by contractors at no-cost or reduced cost to the customer – is then paid for by Company A with Mass Save funds.
Joseph Ponzo and Christopher Ponzo conspired to pay, and did pay, tens of thousands of dollars in cash bribes, kickbacks, and other in-kind benefits, including a John Deere tractor, a computer, home bathroom fixtures, and free electrical work, among other things, to Company A employees (Associates 1 and 2) in exchange for the Associates’ assistance in getting the defendants millions of dollars in Mass Save contracts.
On a weekly basis, from 2013 to 2017, Christopher Ponzo paid Associate 1 $1,000 in cash. At times, Christopher Ponzo paid Associate 1 $5,000 to $10,000 in cash, telling Associate 1 that the extra money was from Joseph Ponzo for his part in the bribery scheme. In return for these payments, Associate 1, among other things, helped Joseph Ponzo set up a shell company, Air Tight, to do insulation work and get approved as a Company A contractor under the Mass Save program. Joseph Ponzo put his spouse’s name on Air Tight incorporation documents and contracting licenses in order to conceal his involvement in his corrupt side business. Despite having no professional experience in residential insulation work, Joseph Ponzo collected over $7 million under the Mass Save program.After Associate 1 left Company A in 2017, Christopher Ponzo and Joseph Ponzo recruited Associate 2 to the bribery-kickback scheme from approximately 2018 to 2022, paying Associate 2 thousands of dollars in cash and hiring a relative of Associate 2 as part of the ongoing scheme.
During the course of the bribery-kickback scheme, Joseph Ponzo aided in the filing of false tax returns from 2016 to 2019 by claiming hundreds of thousands of dollars in false business deductions. To disguise personal expenses as business deductions, Joseph Ponzo used his company credit card to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in purchases at The Home Depot, Lowes, and Staples, claiming to his tax preparers that charges at those establishments were business-related. In reality, Joseph Ponzo used the company credit card at those stores to purchase gift cards that he and his spouse then used to make thousands of dollars in personal expenditures.
In April 2022, both Joseph Ponzo and Christopher Ponzo falsely denied making bribe payments to any Company A employees when interviewed by federal agents.
The charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Charges of false statements provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Charges of aiding in filing false tax returns each provide for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Dustin Chao of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Stilwell Resident Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Miranda Morgan Pauley, age 32, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 188 months in prison for one count of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Drug Task Force 27, the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On October 12, 2023, Pauley pleaded guilty to possessing over 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. According to investigators, on January 11, 2023, law enforcement officers learned that John Tillison, an individual with active arrest warrants, was located at Pauley’s residence. Law enforcement attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Tillison as it left the residence, but Tillison fled. Law enforcement pursued, ending the chase by deploying tire deflation devices. Tillison ran from the scene but was later captured, and Pauley, Tillison’s passenger, was taken into custody. A search of the vehicle located a loaded revolver between the driver’s seat and console, along with nearly $18,000 in United States Currency and approximately 890 grams of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers subsequently executed a search warrant on Pauley’s residence where they discovered another 992 grams of methamphetamine and various rounds of ammunition.
The Honorable Kenneth J. Gonzales, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Pauley will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Stilwell Resident Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Travis Earl Eubanks, age 36, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On May 8, 2024, Eubanks pleaded guilty to the crime. According to investigators, on January 28, 2024, during an assault that lasted over four hours, Eubanks choked, hit, kicked, smothered, and stabbed an individual at a Stilwell, Oklahoma, residence. The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Eubanks will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Spiro Resident Sentenced for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Presley Edward Lawson, age 50, of Spiro, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Trails Task Force.
On October 3, 2023, Lawson pleaded guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine. According to investigators, on June 8, 2022, Lawson sold over 222 grams—approximately one half-pound—of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The Honorable Kenneth J. Gonzalez, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Lawson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Flanigan represented the United States at sentencing.
South L.A. Man Sentenced to More Than 9 Years in Federal Prison for Robbery Spree that Ended in High-Speed Crash and Freeway Foot PursuitRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 110 months in federal prison for committing a string of robberies of businesses throughout Los Angeles County – a series of crimes that ended with a high-speed chase that resulted in him and other defendant crashing their getaway car before running across a freeway last year.
Anthony Flores, 28, a.k.a. “BabyGfar,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Hernán D. Vera, who also ordered him to pay $10,439 in restitution. Flores has been in federal custody since September 2023.
At the conclusion of a three-day trial, a jury on July 18 found Flores guilty of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and two counts of Hobbs Act robbery.
“This defendant’s careless disregard for the law put lives at risk,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Today’s sentence highlights that my office – through the Operation Safe Cities initiative – will make sure that violent criminals face real consequences. The public deserves no less.”
From May 27, 2023, to May 31, 2023, Flores and other co-conspirators robbed BevMo! liquor stores in Long Beach and Lakewood and conspired to rob other stores in West Covina and Pasadena, and on June 5, 2023, attempted to rob a BevMo! store in Canyon Country. During the robberies, Flores and others stole high-end liquor stored behind security glass and, in some instances, threatened employees with violence.
In total, Flores and his co-conspirators stole approximately $14,143 in merchandise during this spree.
On June 5, 2023, Flores and co-defendant Ivin Kitu Sanford, 32, formerly of South Los Angeles but now a resident of Las Vegas, attempted to rob the Canyon Country BevMo! store. Flores and a co-conspirator subdued a store employee and attempted to steal high-end bottles of liquor. They fled in a stolen gray Dodge Charger with a stolen license plate and attempted to evade officers during a traffic stop. Flores and Sanford led law enforcement on a chase before crashing into a tree. After the crash, they ran on foot across the 14 Freeway during rush hour traffic. Flores and Sanford were later found in bushes in a desolate area and arrested.
At the same July trial, Sanford was found guilty of one count of Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 30, 2025, at which time he will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Operation Safe Cities establishes strategic enforcement priorities with an emphasis on prosecuting the most significant drivers of violent crime. Across this region, the most damaging and horrific crimes are committed by a relatively small number of particularly violent individuals. This strategic enforcement approach is expected to increase the number of arrests, prosecutions and convictions of recidivists engaged in the most dangerous conduct. It is designed to improve public safety across the region by targeting crimes involving illicit guns, prohibited persons possessing firearms, or robbery crews that cause havoc and extensive losses to retail establishments.
The FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the West Covina Police Department, and the Long Beach Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe prosecuted this case.
Sioux City Woman Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Dominique Burow, 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced on November 6, 2024, to 127 months’ imprisonment. Burow pled guilty June 12, 2024, in federal court, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that from January 2022 and February 2023, Burow and others distributed more than 6 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. Evidence also showed that twice in 2022, Burow distributed or aided another in the distribution of methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. Burow admitted to obtaining at least nine pounds of meth from a number of sources to distribute in Sioux City, and to wiring drug proceeds to sources in Mexico and California. She was also caught with ½ pound of methamphetamine while on pre-trial release for her original charges.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Burow was sentenced to 127 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following the imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Burow remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 23-4038. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Repeat Offender Is Sentenced for Possession of Firearms Fitted with Illegal SwitchesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Tomonta Simmons, 32, of Charlotte, N.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing firearms, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The firearms were fitted with illegal machinegun conversion devices (MCDs) also known as “Glock Switches.”
Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
“Illegal guns in the hands of felons pose a serious threat to the community – a threat that is amplified when those guns are converted with devices capable of firing a hail of bullets in seconds,” said U.S. Attorney King. “My office will continue to prioritize the safety of our communities and send a strong message to those who disregard our federal gun laws and put innocent lives at risk.”
“These conversion devices are illegal to possess and extremely dangerous,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims. “They pose a very serious threat and ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep them off our streets.”
According to court documents and court proceedings, on June 21, 2022, CMPD officers located Simmons sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in a parking lot. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Simmons on outstanding warrants, he did not comply. Instead, Simmons abruptly pulled out of the parking lot and began to drive through a residential neighborhood at a high rate of speed. CMPD officers followed Simmons, and observed the defendant get out of the vehicle near a residence and approach the front porch. Officers arrested Simmons in the yard.
Court records show that, after Simmons was arrested, CMPD officers retraced the path that Simmons took while he fled and located two handguns the defendant had discarded while driving. The first handgun was a 9mm caliber pistol, loaded with one round of ammunition in the chamber and fourteen rounds of ammunition in the magazine. The second handgun was a stolen 19x 9x19mm caliber pistol, loaded with one round of ammunition in the chamber and twenty-two rounds of ammunition in the extended magazine. According to court records, the ATF’s Firearms Technology Branch determined that both firearms had a Glock Switch device installed. The installation of the Glock Switch device allows a conventional semi-automatic Glock pistol to function as a fully automatic firearm.
According to court documents, on September 12, 2022, CMPD officers attempting to arrest Simmons in connection with the firearms seized during the June incident located a rental vehicle driven by the defendant. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered a semiautomatic pistol loaded with fifteen rounds of ammunition.
Simmons has prior criminal convictions, including a federal conviction in the Western District of North Carolina for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On February 9, 2024, Simmons pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Simmons is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The investigation was conducted by the ATF and CMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shavonn Bennette of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to more than Fifty-Four Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting a ToddlerRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS—Joshua Sims, 38, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to fifty-four and a half years in federal prison, followed by supervised release for the rest of his life, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, possession of child sexual abuse material, and committing a sex offense while required to register as a sex offender. Sims was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim.
On May 1, 2006, Sims was convicted of Child Molesting in Dekalb County, Indiana, and was sentenced to seven years in prison. As a result of his conviction, Sims was required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. After he was first released from prison, Sims repeatedly failed to register as a sex offender over the next twelve years. He was convicted of failing to register as a sex offender and sentenced to additional time in prison three separate times. He was convicted of several other felonies as well, including strangulation, battery, and criminal confinement.
According to court documents, between February 23 and March 7, 2023, Sims was responsible for a child under the age of two years old. Sims forced the toddler to engage in sexually explicit conduct recorded himself sexually abusing the child. Sims also forced a relative who was under his care, custody, and control watch Sims sexually abuse the toddler. Sims sent videos and images of himself sexually abusing the toddler to others over the internet.
When investigators arrested Sims, they recovered and were able to access the data stored on his smartphone. Investigators recovered more than 5,000 images and 300 videos of children being sexually abused and raped, some depicting children as young as toddlers as well as depictions of children being subjected to bestiality and sadomasochistic conduct.
“Undeterred by multiple prison sentences, this pedophile subjected a toddler to horrific sexual abuse, and trafficked in recordings of children being sexually traumatized for his own sick gratification,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We must do all we can to protect our children from sexual predators, including aggressive federal prosecution and imprisonment. Children are safer today, thanks to our partners at the U.S. Secret Service, IMPD, the outstanding Indiana ICAC Task Force, and our federal prosecutor, because this dangerous criminal will almost certainly spend the rest of his days behind federal prison walls.”
The U.S. Secret Service, IMPD, and the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.
The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit internetcrimesagainstkids.com to learn more about their efforts.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
###
Rapper Known as "Lil Zay Osama" Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Possessing an Illegal MachinegunRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Isaiah Dukes, also known as “Lil Zay Osama,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Nina R. Morrison to 14 months in prison and a $10,000 fine. Dukes was indicted in January 2024 for possession of a machinegun, and pleaded guilty in May 2024.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Office (ATF), and Thomas G. Donlon, Interim Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the sentence.
“The defendant knowingly carried a fully automatic weapon, a pistol with a switch device whose only purpose is to make a dangerous weapon all the more deadly – and then carelessly left that gun in the back of a rideshare,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Today’s sentence serves as a warning that those who possess illegal guns, particularly with switches that convert those guns into machineguns, will be held accountable for their actions and for the danger they pose to our community.”
“This sentencing highlights a crucial point: possessing a machine gun conversion device is illegal under federal law. Machine gun conversion devices exponentially increase the lethality of firearms and put our communities in serious danger. Every device removed from our streets represents lives saved and tragedies prevented. The ATF's primary goal is safeguarding the public from violent crimes, and the removal of these devices significantly contributes to achieving this mission. We are grateful to the ATF NY Joint Firearms Task Force, NYPD, and EDNY for their dedicated efforts in this endeavor. ATF proudly collaborates with our law enforcement partners to eliminate these dangerous devices from our streets and ensure public safety,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller.
“Today’s sentence serves as a reminder to anyone who may bring an illegal firearm, especially one that has been modified to increase its lethality, into New York City: There are serious consequences for your reckless actions,” stated NYPD Interim Commissioner Donlon. “The NYPD and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to holding criminals accountable and ensuring the safety of our streets and communities for all New Yorkers.”
As set forth in the government’s sentencing memorandum and other court documents, on September 29, 2022, Dukes carried a loaded Glock pistol affixed with a switch — a device that when attached to the back of a handgun like a Glock converts the firearm into a fully automatic weapon. Dukes was arrested after leaving the firearm in a rideshare vehicle that brought him from a luxury hotel in Manhattan to a recording studio in Queens. Law enforcement subsequently determined that the firearm could automatically fire more than one round with a single function of the trigger, rendering it a machinegun.
Assistant United States Attorneys Gilbert M. Rein and Rebecca M. Schuman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Rachel Friedman.
The Defendant:
ISAIAH DUKES
Age: 27
Calumet City, IllinoisE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-28 (NRM)
Porter resident heads to prison for producing child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 44-year-old man has been sentenced for producing and distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Adam Michael Ohlsen pleaded guilty May 5.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has now ordered Ohlsen to serve 280 and 200 months for the production and distribution convictions, respectively. They will run consecutively for a total 480-month term of imprisonment. Restitution will be determined at a later date. During the hearing, the court learned how deeply and terribly this crime has affected the minor victim who suffered sexual abuse from Ohlsen. The court heard how the dissemination of the child pornography images depicting her being sexually abused will cause ongoing harm to the minor victim. Ohlsen was further ordered to remain on supervised release for the remainder of his life following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Ohlsen will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation began after authorities discovered Ohlsen was distributing child pornography in 2022 using a Russian image hosting website.
Prior to executing a search warrant at his home, law enforcement found evidence he had sexually abused the minor victim and shared images of the abuse on an image sharing platform. Ohlsen confessed to the abuse and distribution.
Ohlsen will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Queensland Police Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Lu prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Phoenix Man Sentenced to More Than 19.5 Years in Prison for Selling Fentanyl That Killed Mesa County InmateRead the Press Release
GRAND JUNCTION – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jeremiah Robinson, 44, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 235 months (more than 19.5 years) in prison, to be followed by four years of supervision, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
According to the plea agreement and information presented at sentencing, Robinson was a longtime drug dealer and six-time convicted felon operating in Phoenix. Prior to May 2022, Robinson had repeatedly sold drugs to Efrain Velez, a drug dealer who traveled from Mesa County, Colorado, to buy from Robinson. On May 7, 2022, Robinson sold bulk fentanyl and methamphetamine to Velez and two associates, Vanessa Vasquez and Anna Munday, in Phoenix. As the trio made their way back towards Mesa County, law enforcement intercepted their vehicle and discovered the drugs. During the traffic stop, Velez and Vasquez hid drugs on their persons and smuggled them into the Mesa County Detention Facility. Once inside the jail, Munday and Vasquez further distributed the drugs to inmates. On May 20, 2022, Karlie Locke gave one of the pills sold by Robinson to another inmate, who died of fentanyl intoxication.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), two milligrams of fentanyl can kill the average American; seven out of ten DEA-tested pills contain at least that amount.
The four other conspirators in this case have been separately charged for fentanyl distribution resulting in death under the case number 22-cr-00232-GPG. Vannessa Vasquez has been sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment and Karlie Locke has been sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. Anna Munday and Efrain Velez are pending sentencing.
“Jeremiah Robinson valued the profit from his drug trade over the lives of his customers,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “Wherever you operate, if you sell drugs that make their way into Colorado, our office will find you and hold you accountable.”
United States District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Rocky Mountain Division and the Mesa County Sheriff's Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey K. Graves, Jennifer Springer, and former Assistant United States Attorney Jeremey Chaffin prosecuted the case.
Paroled Felon Sentenced to Six Years for Fraudulent Use of Social Security Number and Theft of BenefitsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung has sentenced Kellis Dion Jackson (63, Pinellas Park), a/k/a Chandler Dante Alexander, to six years in federal prison for making a false statement to a federal agency, theft of government property, and fraudulent use of a Social Security number. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered Jackson to pay restitution in the amount of $46,695. A federal jury found Jackson guilty on August 13, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, Jackson stole Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits from the Social Security Administration while on federal supervision for prior federal offenses. Prior to applying for SSI, Jackson obtained a Social Security number (SSN) under the fictional identity of Chandler Dante Alexander by falsely reporting that he had never had an SSN and providing false information regarding his birthdate and parents. Jackson used the fraudulently obtained SSN to get a Commercial Driver’s License, work, file tax returns, get married, and open bank accounts. Jackson then applied for SSI and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits using his birth name and valid SSN. Jackson made false statements on the SSI application and related documents, including falsely stating he was not married, and his application was approved. Jackson’s SSI application would not have been approved had he reported his marriage and work activity under the fraudulently obtained SSN.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Department of Agriculture - Office of the Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – David Eric West II, 42, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to deliver quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 8, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by West near Parkersburg. Officers found quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the vehicle and a Taurus G3C 9mm pistol on West’s person. West admitted that he possessed the found controlled substances and intended to distribute them in and around the Southern District of West Virginia.
West is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-135.
###
Palmyra man pleads guilty to production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that John C. Aldrich, IV, 54, of Palmyra, NY, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that law enforcement began investigating Aldrich in March 2024, after receiving information that he had engaged in the ongoing physical and sexual abuse of a minor victim in Palmyra, NY. Investigators recovered messages between Aldrich and the victim, which revealed that Aldrich had been involved in an ongoing pattern of abuse, during which he sexually abused the victim and produced child pornography. The abuse took place on a weekly basis over a period of more than one year, beginning when the victim was only 14 years old.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, Lyons, under the direction of Acting Major Kevin Sucher, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
# # # #
Owner and Manager of Cape Coral Roofing Company Plead Guilty to Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that William Skaggs, Jr. and Billie Adkison today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit tax fraud. Each faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, Skaggs owned and operated Nastar Roofing, a Cape Coral based roofing company. Adkison served as the main office administrator for Nastar, and her duties included managing the company’s payroll. Between 2013 and 2023, Nastar paid its employees predominantly in cash to avoid paying taxes they knew were owed to the federal government.
Typically, one or more Nastar employees, including Skaggs and Adkison, withdrew significant amounts of cash on Thursdays and Fridays to make Nastar’s payroll at the end of the work week. Between 2013 and 2023, Nastar employees withdrew more than $21 million from the company’s bank accounts to pay employees in cash. Skaggs and Adkison knew, and intentionally caused, Nastar to not withhold taxes from the cash payments to employees. Nastar also did not pay its own share of FICA taxes on these wages.
As part of their plea agreement, Skaggs and Adkison have agreed to make full restitution to the United States for the employment taxes Nastar avoided, including an upfront partial restitution payment of $1 million prior to their sentencing hearing, which has not yet been set.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman and Department of Justice Tax Division trial attorney Kevin Schneider.
Overdose Death Gets Armed Snapchat Fentanyl Trafficker Nearly 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A Wayne County man was sentenced today to 155 months in prison and five years of supervised release for armed trafficking of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl after one victim died of an overdose in July 2022. The judge also ordered that the defendant’s supervised release include at least 50 hours of community service focused on educating youth about the dangers of fentanyl. On April 11, 2024, Dylan Alexander Jones, age 24, pled guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“We are bringing swift justice against anyone trafficking counterfeit pills laced with deadly fentanyl, especially when their poison claims one of our neighbor’s lives,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “North Carolina’s Sheriffs are prioritizing overdose death investigations like never before and have a direct line to my office to prosecute them. Our team has trained law enforcement across the district on building airtight cases to secure firm sentences in federal court. Our Sheriffs are going the distance to get justice for victims and keep North Carolina safe.”
“The sentencing of Dylan Jones is a pivotal step in our ongoing fight against the devastating impact of drug overdose deaths. We stand firm in our commitment to justice for the victims and their families. I want to commend our exceptional team for their relentless dedication and professionalism in building this challenging case. Together, we are making strides toward a safer community,” said Duplin County Sheriff Stratton Stokes.
According to court documents and other information presented in court, on July 22, 2022, deputies with the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) responded to a 911 call regarding an unresponsive male at a residence in Teachey. Prior to the arrival of the deputy, a Teachey firefighter on scene confirmed that the victim was deceased. A post-mortem toxicology report confirmed the presence of fentanyl in the victim’s system and the cause of death was determined to be fentanyl toxicity.
Law enforcement recovered the victim’s cell phone and an analysis of the data showed that the victim had received pills from an individual using a Snapchat account associated with Jones. GPS data from the victim’s phone and Jones’ phone show that they met at a rest area in Warsaw just hours before his death. In addition, law enforcement made three controlled purchases from Jones between September 2022 and November 2022. All of the pills purchased from Jones contained fentanyl. At the third and final buy, law enforcement arrested Jones. Jones was armed with a handgun at the time of his arrest, and a search of his vehicle resulted in the seizure of a 9mm pistol loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition, fentanyl and over $1,600 in cash.
Michael F. Easley, Jr. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The DCSO, the Carolina Beach Police department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-CR-00114-FL.
###
Omaha Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced today to more than 10 years in federal prison.
Jose L. Velez, Sr., age 39, from Omaha, Nebraska, received the prison term after a June 12, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, Velez admitted on or about February 23, 2024, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 14 pounds of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Velez, Sr. was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Velez, Sr. was sentenced to 126 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Velez, Sr. is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and was investigated by the North Central Iowa Drug Task Force, the Cerro Gordo Sheriff’s Office, the Clear Lake Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Mason City Police Department, the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-03018.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jesse T. Budenholzer, age 42, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha after having pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Budenholzer to 240 months’ imprisonment. Budenholzer also forfeited $8,150 seized in the investigation. There is no parole in the federal system. After Budenholzer’s release he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
On November 21, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Budenholzer’s south Omaha residence and seized approximately 320 grams of meth, 3212 grams of DMT (a schedule I Controlled Substance), along with $8,150 in drug proceeds and a drug ledger. The drug evidence was found in Budenholzer’s bedroom. At the time of the search warrant, Budenholzer was a convicted felon and was found in the bathroom taking a shower. A gun was found in his pants laying on the bathroom floor.
A search of Budenholzer’s phone revealed texts messages with his Mexican source of supply about receiving multiple pound quantities of meth dating back to September 2022. His phone also contained pictures of multiple pounds of meth.
This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Possessing with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Kevin Warsocki, age 32, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced November 7, 20224 in federal court in Omaha for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fentanyl analogue. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Warsocki to 188 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Warsocki is released from prison, he will begin a 4-year term of supervised release. He will also forfeit to the United States $1,034.00 in U.S. currency that was proceeds from Warsocki distributing drugs.
On November 9, 2022, officers were called to the Hampton Inn at 11201 Davenport Street, Omaha, for a death investigation. Officers found the victim deceased in her room. A drug pipe was found next to the victim and six colorful pills, stamped M-30, suspected to be fentanyl, on the bathroom counter.
While officers were on scene, Kevin Warsocki arrived at the hotel room. Warsocki stated he went down to his car to have a cigarette and fell asleep, and when he woke up, he saw a police presence. Warsocki then returned to the hotel room, where he found an officer inside. Warsocki was then advised of the victim’s death. Warsocki was in possession of keys to a white 2004 Buick Rainier with no plates, which was in the parking lot of the Hampton Inn. Law enforcement went and looked inside the vehicle, from the outside, and observed a $20 bill in plain view on the driver's side floorboard, along with apparent residue on the steering wheel and an apparent peach colored pill on the dash that was stamped "30." Warsocki was taken to Omaha Police Department Central Headquarters, where he was interviewed post-Miranda, and Warsocki admitted to possessing the pill that was seen in the vehicle and he confirmed it was fentanyl.
Upon searching the vehicle, officers located a total of 122 multi-colored pills that were stamped "M" on one side and "30" on the other. These pills were tested at the lab and were confirmed to be fentanyl. Two of the pills were found near the driver's seat with one on the top of the dashboard and another on the driver's side door threshold. The other 120 pills, along with 5 blue rectangle pills stamped "B707," were found in a rear compartment of the vehicle on the driver's side in a compartment cubby. The five pills tested positive for Alprazolam. When Warsocki was initially detained, he was found to have $1,034.00 on his person. The pills found in the driver's area of the vehicle matched the other 120 pills that were found in the rear compartment and all tested positive for fentanyl. Warsocki also met with other individuals that night in and around the hotel and sold them fentanyl pills.
This case was investigated by the Overdose Drug Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Omaha Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and Nebraska State Patrol.
North Carolina Man Admits to Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Christopher S. Damson, 27, of Kernersville, North Carolina has admitted to the unlawful possession of ammunition.
According to court documents, Damson was arrested while attempting to pawn boxes of ammunition. Damson is prohibited from having firearms because of a domestic violence protective order issued in Lee County, Florida.
Damson faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Rhee is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office.
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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Nigerian National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Seniors through Manipulation, Romance ScamsRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced a Nigerian national to seven years in federal prison for conducting a romance scam that stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from at least a dozen identified victims from across the United States. The victims were primarily comprised of elderly or disabled women who thought they were sending money at the request of romantic partner that they had met online.
Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, 28, of Warri, Nigeria, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. In addition to imprisonment, the judge ordered Uzokpa to pay $329,470 in restitution to his victims.
According to court documents, Uzokpa and uncharged co-conspirators conducted a scheme to obtain money and other assets belonging to his victims between March 2020 and February 2021. Uzokpa and his co-conspirators took advantage of vulnerable women by developing personal, romantic relationships under false pretenses to gain their trust. Uzokpa then used other U.S.-based women, including a woman from Effingham, Illinois, as “money mules” to collect funds from the victims and transfer them to him in Nigeria.
“Targeting vulnerable people to exploit through romance scams is cruel, as the perpetrators not only steal the victim’s money, but they also manipulate their emotions and rob them of a genuine relationship,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “The defendant’s callous conduct is worthy of this significant sentence, and I applaud the FBI’s efforts to pursue justice for the victims.”
“Overseas scammers can be difficult to identify and investigate but this case is an example of the strength of FBI’s global footprint. The FBI is determined to prevent victimization of the elderly and will not hesitate to reach across geographical boundaries to do so,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “We can’t stress enough how important it is to be aware of the red flags associated with these types of scams. Be cautious when someone you’ve never met in person, begins asking for money or personal information, and don’t hesitate to call us if you suspect you’re being victimized.”
Uzokpa and his co-conspirators used aliases when communicating with the victims and often told victims they were Americans working abroad in a high-paying profession, such as a doctor or surgeon. Once the victims felt a romantic attachment to the scammers, Uzokpa and others often concocted false stories about why they needed money—such as telling the victims that they could not access their bank accounts and needed funds for “processing fees.” Uzokpa and his co-defendants instructed victims to send funds using personal checks, cashier checks, electronic fund transfers or gift cards.
Every year, thousands of Americans fall victim to romance scams. The Federal Trade Commission reports that Americans reported over 64,000 romance scams in 2023 with losses totaling $1.14 billion. If you believe you or a loved one has been victimized by a romance scam, please report the crime to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
The FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross prosecuted the case.
Nigerian National Sentenced to Ten Years for $20 Million Cyber Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Nigerian national was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for his role in a massive cyber fraud conspiracy that victimized over 400 people across the United States resulting in a collective loss of nearly $20 million.
According to court documents and testimony, 33-year-old Babatunde Francis Ayeni, a citizen of Nigeria living in the United Kingdom at the time of his arrest, was involved in a sophisticated business e-mail compromise scheme targeting real estate transactions in the United States. Ayeni pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in April of 2024.
The conspiracy was carried out by individuals operating out of Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates To carry out this scheme, conspirators sent phishing e-mails containing attachments and links embedded with malicious code to title companies, real estate agents, and real estate attorneys across the United States. If an employee at a targeted real estate business clicked on the malicious link or attachment, they were prompted to enter their e-mail account login information. The employee’s login credentials were captured and sent to e-mail accounts controlled by Ayeni and other co-conspirators. The conspirators then logged into the employee’s e-mail and monitored the account for transactions where a buyer was scheduled to make a payment as part of a real estate transaction. Ayeni and other conspirators then sent e-mails to the purchaser from the compromised e-mail account. These e-mails contained wiring instructions. When the purchaser wired the funds as instructed in the e-mail, the money was deposited into bank accounts associated with the criminals instead of the legitimate real estate transaction. Ayeni fraudulently obtained the e-mail credentials of a real estate title company in Gulf Shores, Alabama, allowing him and co-conspirators to defraud victims in the Southern District of Alabama, and elsewhere.
Over 400 people across the United States were victims of the conspiracy. Of these, 231 victims were unable to reverse the wire transactions in time and lost their entire transaction. The collective loss of these 231 victims was $19,599,969.46.
During the multi-day sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Terry Moorer heard the impact of this crime from nearly twenty victims. In addition to those who spoke in court, numerous victims provided victim impact statements about how the crime affected them, noting that in addition to losing all of the money they saved for the purchase of a new home, they felt significant shame, despair, and depression due to being victimized the way they were.
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello said, “Cyber-enabled crimes can cause substantial and lasting harm to victims in an instant. Criminals across the world may believe that they are causing no harm to their victims and that they are safe behind their keyboards, but this case proves otherwise. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate, pursue, and hold accountable the crooks who perpetrate frauds online, wherever they are.”
Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the Mobile Division of the FBI, said, “This type of behavior will not be tolerated in Alabama. After listening to our citizens speak about how the loss of funds impacted their lives, and the subsequent loss of what they thought was down payments for their future homes, I am pleased to see Ayeni receive a substantial sentence for these crimes. FBI Mobile will continue to educate the public about the potential dangers of online activity. If you believe you have been the victim of online fraud, please visit IC3.gov to file an official report.”
Co-defendants Feyisayo Ogunsanwo and Yusuf Lasisi remain at-large and are believed to be outside the United States. The United States continues to actively seek their arrest and extradition to face justice in this case.
To learn more about business email compromise scams, please visit www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/business-email-compromise and www.ic3.gov/ Media/Y2023/PSA230609. Anyone who has been the victim of an internet-based crime should contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from law enforcement partners in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bodnar prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. Substantial assistance was also provided by Amanda Chadwick and Rachel Yasser with the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs.
Nashville Man on Bond for Domestic Violence Charged for Violent Robbery and Arson of a South Nashville StoreRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Pardrae Gooch, 38, of Nashville, Tennessee, was charged by a federal grand jury yesterday with robbery affecting interstate commerce, using a fire to commit a felony and damaging a building by fire, announced Acting United States Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to court documents and other publicly available information, on May 29, 2024, Gooch entered S. Fashion Clothing Store in South Nashville and brutally assaulted the lone female employee, Victim 1, choking her until she lost consciousness, hitting her, and then pushing her into a bathroom in the back of the store. Once in the bathroom, the defendant struggled with Victim 1 over her cell phone, hitting her again. Gooch then stole the employee’s phone and car keys and fled in her vehicle. Before leaving the store, he lit a pile of clothes in the bathroom on fire, attempting to burn the store down with the unconscious victim trapped inside.
Metro Nashville police officers and fire fighters responded to the store after witnesses called 911. They located the victim, who was then transported by ambulance to a hospital where she was diagnosed with a cranial fracture and other injuries. The Nashville Fire Department successfully extinguished the fire, but the store remained closed for multiple days due to the damage caused to the building and the store’s property.
At the time of this incident, Gooch was on bond for domestic violence related arrests involving two women. Before allegedly committing these crimes, he was arrested 8 days earlier for violating an order of protection.
If convicted on all counts, Gooch faces a mandatory minimum of sentence of 15 years and up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and the Nashville Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn D. Risinger and Emily Petro are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
#####
Muskogee Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raheem Travon Walker, age 22, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service and the Muskogee Police Department.
On January 3, 2024, Walker pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. According to investigators, on October 28, 2023, while responding to a report of a disturbance at a Muskogee residence, officers discovered Walker in possession of one 9mm Luger caliber semi-automatic pistol and 12 rounds of 9mm Lugar caliber ammunition. At the time of the disturbance, Walker had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
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 Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Walker will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith Singer and Lewis Reagan represented the United States.
Mooresville Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Multimillion-Dollar Investment Scheme and COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Steven Andiloro, 53, of Mooresville, N.C., pleaded guilty today to securities fraud and wire fraud for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar investment fraud scheme and fraudulently obtaining more than $2.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina, and Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Inspector General of the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to the plea agreement and documents filed in the case, from 2018 to 2021, Andiloro operated an investment fraud scheme and induced victims to invest money in businesses that were both real and fictitious, by making false representations about where and how the money would be invested. For example, some of Andiloro’s victims were told their money would be invested into his car service business. Other victims believed their money would be invested into a non-existent marijuana dispensary business. Contrary to representations made to victims, Andiloro did not invest the money as promised. Instead, Andiloro used the funds to pay for personal expenses and to make Ponzi-style payments to other investors.
In addition to the investment scheme, Andiloro also engaged in COVID-19 fraud. Court records show that, from April 2020 to March 2021, Andiloro obtained funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by submitting fraudulent applications for disaster relief loans intended for businesses that suffered economic hardship due to the pandemic. To obtain the PPP funds, Andiloro submitted applications that contained false financial information about his businesses, including fake employment data and inflated revenues, costs, and payroll expenses. Andiloro received more than $2.6 million in disaster relief funds, which he used to fund his personal lifestyle and to make payments in furtherance of the investment fraud scheme.
Andiloro was released on bond. The securities fraud and the wire fraud offense each carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, and the SBA-OIG for the investigation which led to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graham Billings and Katherine Armstrong with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Mississippi District Attorney, Mayor of Jackson, and Jackson City Council Member Charged with Bribery and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Mississippi charging Hinds County District Attorney, Jody E. Owens II, 43; Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, Chokwe Antar Lumumba, 41; and former President and current member of the Jackson City Council, Aaron Banks, 47, all of Jackson, with participating in a bribery scheme to enrich themselves. Owens, Lumumba, and Banks are scheduled to make their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac in Jackson.
“The indictment alleges that Jackson’s mayor, the district attorney in Jackson, and members of Jackson’s city council conspired to accept bribes in exchange for official acts benefiting purported real estate developers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Officials who abuse their positions of authority to enrich themselves undermine public confidence in government. The Justice Department is committed to restoring that confidence by working with its law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute public corruption.”
“Leaders who are awarded the public’s trust should be focusing on the needs of the Jackson community, not looking to line their own pockets and benefit themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “As alleged in the indictment, from campaign donations generated through laundered money to stacks of cash bribes, the members of this conspiracy allegedly offered and accepted bribes in exchange for official acts. The Justice Department is committed to investigating and prosecuting bribery and other forms of public corruption.”
“Our citizens are entitled to decisions based on the best interests of the public, not corrupt public officials,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “No one is above the law, and the FBI is committed to ensuring that those who cross the line and violate the public’s trust are held accountable for their unlawful actions.”
As alleged in the indictment, between approximately October 2023 and May 2024, Owens facilitated bribe payments to public officials in Jackson on behalf of two FBI undercover employees posing as real estate developers (the Developers) in exchange for at least $115,000 and the promise of future financial benefit. Owens instructed the Developers that, for their project to succeed, they needed to secure the support of certain public officials in Jackson through bribery. Those public officials included Mayor Lumumba, Councilman Banks, and former Jackson City Councilwoman Angelique Lee. Owens instructed the Developers how much, where, and when to bribe those officials.
As part of the scheme, Mayor Lumumba accepted a bribe payment of $50,000 from the Developers in exchange for exerting his influence and taking official action relating to the Developers’ proposed project in downtown Jackson. As directed by Owens and Lumumba, the bribe payments were concealed as five $10,000 campaign-donation checks from third-party entities and individuals, including Owens. Lumumba then laundered that money through his campaign account before cashing out a portion of the payment.
The indictment also alleges that, as part of the scheme, Councilman Banks solicited a $50,000 bribe in exchange for his votes in support of the Developers’ proposed project in downtown Jackson. Banks accepted an initial payment of $10,000 in cash, along with a promise to provide funding for the employment of a family member and a protective detail service.
As part of the scheme, former Councilwoman Lee allegedly accepted a $10,000 debt repayment, $3,000 in cash, and a shopping trip worth approximately $6,000 in luxury goods in exchange for her votes in support of the Developers’ proposed development project in downtown Jackson.
Additionally, the indictment alleges that, on May 22, an FBI agent approached Owens, identified himself as an FBI agent, and asked Owens about his involvement in the bribery scheme. During the interview, Owens made material false statements to the FBI agent.
Owens is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering, and, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge; three counts of federal program bribery, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each charge; one count of using a facility in interstate commerce in furtherance of unlawful activity, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; one count of honest services wire fraud, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; one count of money laundering, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; and one count of lying to federal officers, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge.
Lumumba is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering, and, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge; one count of federal program bribery, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the charge; one count of using a facility in interstate commerce in furtherance of unlawful activity, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; one count of honest services wire fraud, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; and one count of money laundering, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge.
Banks is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering, and, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge, and one count of federal program bribery, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Nicholas W. Cannon and Madison H. Mumma of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles W. Kirkham and Kimberly T. Purdie for the Southern District of Mississippi 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.
Mississippi District Attorney, Mayor of Jackson, and Jackson City Council Member Charged with Bribery and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Mississippi charging Hinds County District Attorney, Jody E. Owens II, 43; Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, Chokwe Antar Lumumba, 41; and former President and current member of the Jackson City Council, Aaron Banks, 47, all of Jackson, with participating in a bribery scheme to enrich themselves. Owens, Lumumba, and Banks are scheduled to make their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac in Jackson.
“The indictment alleges that Jackson’s mayor, the district attorney in Jackson, and members of Jackson’s city council conspired to accept bribes in exchange for official acts benefiting purported real estate developers,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Officials who abuse their positions of authority to enrich themselves undermine public confidence in government. The Justice Department is committed to restoring that confidence by working with its law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute public corruption.”
“Leaders who are awarded the public’s trust should be focusing on the needs of the Jackson community, not looking to line their own pockets and benefit themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Todd Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. “As alleged in the indictment, from campaign donations generated through laundered money to stacks of cash bribes, the members of this conspiracy allegedly offered and accepted bribes in exchange for official acts. The Justice Department is committed to investigating and prosecuting bribery and other forms of public corruption.”
“Our citizens are entitled to decisions based on the best interests of the public, not corrupt public officials,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “No one is above the law, and the FBI is committed to ensuring that those who cross the line and violate the public’s trust are held accountable for their unlawful actions.”
As alleged in the indictment, between approximately October 2023 and May 2024, Owens facilitated bribe payments to public officials in Jackson on behalf of two FBI undercover employees posing as real estate developers (the Developers) in exchange for at least $115,000 and the promise of future financial benefit. Owens instructed the Developers that, for their project to succeed, they needed to secure the support of certain public officials in Jackson through bribery. Those public officials included Mayor Lumumba, Councilman Banks, and former Jackson City Councilwoman Angelique Lee. Owens instructed the Developers how much, where, and when to bribe those officials.
As part of the scheme, Mayor Lumumba accepted a bribe payment of $50,000 from the Developers in exchange for exerting his influence and taking official action relating to the Developers’ proposed project in downtown Jackson. As directed by Owens and Lumumba, the bribe payments were concealed as five $10,000 campaign-donation checks from third-party entities and individuals, including Owens. Lumumba then laundered that money through his campaign account before cashing out a portion of the payment.
The indictment also alleges that, as part of the scheme, Councilman Banks solicited a $50,000 bribe in exchange for his votes in support of the Developers’ proposed project in downtown Jackson. Banks accepted an initial payment of $10,000 in cash, along with a promise to provide funding for the employment of a family member and a protective detail service.
As part of the scheme, former Councilwoman Lee allegedly accepted a $10,000 debt repayment, $3,000 in cash, and a shopping trip worth approximately $6,000 in luxury goods in exchange for her votes in support of the Developers’ proposed development project in downtown Jackson.
Additionally, the indictment alleges that, on May 22, an FBI agent approached Owens, identified himself as an FBI agent, and asked Owens about his involvement in the bribery scheme. During the interview, Owens made material false statements to the FBI agent.
Owens is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering, and, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge; three counts of federal program bribery, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each charge; one count of using a facility in interstate commerce in furtherance of unlawful activity, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; one count of honest services wire fraud, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; one count of money laundering, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; and one count of lying to federal officers, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge.
Lumumba is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering, and, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge; one count of federal program bribery, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the charge; one count of using a facility in interstate commerce in furtherance of unlawful activity, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; one count of honest services wire fraud, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge; and one count of money laundering, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the charge.
Banks is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering, and, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the charge, and one count of federal program bribery, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Nicholas W. Cannon and Madison H. Mumma of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles W. Kirkham and Kimberly T. Purdie for the Southern District of Mississippi 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.
owens_et_al._indictment_filed.pdfMexican National Sentenced to 11 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Edwin J. Correa Miranda, age 26, of Mexico, was sentenced on November 7, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Correa Miranda to a total of 132 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Correa Miranda’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
On August 17, 2023, a trooper stopped a vehicle traveling east bound on Interstate 80 in Hamilton County, Nebraska, for following too closely. The driver was identified as co-defendant Juan Martinez Arroyo and the passenger was identified as Edwin Correa Miranda. Each defendant gave conflicting stories on their travels and a drug dog was requested at the scene. The dog made a positive alert to the presence of narcotics.
A search of the vehicle was conducted and inside of the trunk, troopers found a duffle bag containing 11 packages that later tested positive for meth. The State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed the meth weighed a total of 24,777 grams. A loaded Ruger handgun and a magazine containing five rounds were also found under the passenger seat.
Co-defendant Juan Martinez Arroyo was previously sentenced to 11 years imprisonment and a 5-year term of supervised release on October 23, 2024, by Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Bataillon.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.