title: Romanian National Unlawfully Residing in California Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in Oregon and Maine

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: MEDFORD, Ore.—A Romanian national unlawfully residing in Garden Grove, California, was sentenced to federal prison today for stealing more than $176,000 by installing Automated Teller Machine (ATM) skimming devices throughout Oregon and Maine. Florin George Ionita, 45, was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $176,922 in restitution to his victims. According to court documents, between June and August 2023, Ionita installed skimming devices on ATMs and used the devices to steal account information and Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) from customers who conducted transactions at the ATMs. Ionita used the stolen information to produce counterfeit debit cards and withdraw cash from victims’ accounts . Over the course of his scheme, Ionita accessed hundreds of bank accounts and stole more than $176,000 from victims in Oregon and Maine. On August 22, 2023, the Medford Police Department (MPD) received a report of a masked individual installing a skimming device. Investigators received photos of the man and distributed a law enforcement bulletin to identify the unknown individual. The following day, investigators from Kennebunk Police Department in Kennebunk, Maine, identified Ionita and informed MPD investigators of their investigation of Ionita installing skimming devices in Maine. Investigators learned that due to his immigration status, Ionita was required to wear a Global Positioning System (GPS) monitor which confirmed his location at several banks where the ATM skimming devices were installed. On November 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a nine-count indictment charging Ionita with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. On March 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Maine returned a fifteen-count indictment charging Ionita with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. On December 6, 2024, Ionita pleaded guilty to one count each of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for his crimes in Oregon, and one count each of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for his crimes in Maine. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service New England Cyber Fraud Task Force, the Medford Police Department Criminal Investigative Division, the Kennebunk Police Department, and the Freeport Police Department. It is being prosecuted by John C. Brassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multiagency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Honduran National Unlawfully Residing in Portland Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.— Juan Jose Varela-Espinoza, 31, a Honduran national unlawfully residing in Portland, was sentenced Wednesday to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release for possessing nearly 16 pounds of powdered fentanyl, 57,700 fentanyl pills, and a stolen firearm. According to court documents, in July 2023, the Multnomah County Dangerous Drug Team (DDT) learned that Varela-Espinoza was distributing thousands of fentanyl pills in Portland. On July 25, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) requested assistance from Multnomah County DDT with locating and arresting Varela-Espinoza on an outstanding felony warrant for distributing dangerous drugs in Colorado. The same day, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on Varela-Espinoza’s residence and vehicles. Investigators arrested Varela-Espinoza and seized nearly 16 pounds of powdered fentanyl, 57,700 fentanyl pills, $5,042 in cash, a stolen firearm, ammunition, and two pill press machines. On August 8, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Varela-Espinoza with conspiracy to possess and possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On December 10, 2024, Varela-Espinoza pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. This case was investigated by the Multnomah County DDT and was prosecuted by Kemp L. Strickland, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. The Multnomah County DDT is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Multnomah County Parole and Probation, Gresham Police Department, the FBI and USMS. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.


title: Owner of Money Service Business Unlawfully Residing in Beaverton Faces Federal Charges for Laundering Drug Proceeds

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—The owner and operator of La Popular, a money service business with locations in Oregon and Washington, was arraigned in federal court today after she was charged with laundering drug proceeds. Brenda Lili Barrera Orantes, 39, a Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Beaverton, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with money laundering. According to court documents, between 2021 and 2024, Barrera Orantes is alleged to have accepted cash from drug proceeds and wired the funds through La Popular stores in Oregon and Washington. In return, Barrera Orantes charged a ten percent commission. Barrera Orantes is further alleged to have worked with others to divide large sums of money into several smaller transactions and used fictitious sender information to conceal her money laundering activities. Financial records indicate that Barrera Orantes transferred more than $89 million through her La Popular stores, including $18.5 million to regions in Mexico and Honduras that are associated with drug trafficking organizations. “This investigation has revealed the pivotal role that money service businesses play in laundering the enormous proceeds of trafficking illegal drugs in our community,” said Katie de Villiers, Chief of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division for the District of Oregon. “The amount of dirty money allegedly flowing through these small businesses and back to Mexico and Honduras is truly staggering. We intend to hold accountable the operators of these businesses who profit by assisting drug trafficking organizations in laundering their proceeds.” “Because crime is such a coordinated effort, it is critical that we respond in kind,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “IRS-CI specializes in fighting illicit financial activity, and we are proud to partner closely with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe.” “Money laundering allows drug traffickers to thrive in the shadows, and by severing their cash flow we are striking at the very thing that incentivizes their illicit pursuits,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy. “By stopping those that try to conceal criminal profits, communities are protected from the violence, addiction, and instability caused by the drug trade.” “The defendant in this case is suspected of providing financial support to overseas drug organizations under the guise of business transactions,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “These are serious allegations that cause significant harm to our communities. We will never tolerate individuals who profit from activities that support a drug epidemic that harms our citizens.” On April 16, 2025, investigators executed federal search warrants at Barrera Orantes’ residence and three La Popular stores located in Beaverton, Hillsboro, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. Barrera Orantes was arrested in Beaverton without incident. Barrera Orantes made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. If convicted, Barrera Orantes faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, five years’ supervised release, and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the money laundered. This case is being investigated by the IRS-CI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), FBI, and the Westside Interagency Narcotics team. It is being prosecuted by Christopher L. Cardani and Julia Jarrett, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon. The Westside Interagency Narcotics team is a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and is composed of members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton Police Department, Hillsboro Police Department, FBI, HSI, and the Oregon National Guard. The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF . Since 2018, IRS-CI has maintained a Third Party Money Laundering (3PML) Project. This project focuses on Complicit Money Service Businesses (MSB) working for Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations. The purpose of this project is to develop high-impact 3PML cases for IRS-CI and other agencies across the United States, by utilizing data analytics.


title: Miske Enterprise Member Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy and Role in Kidnapping and Murder of Johnathan Fraser

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson announced that Delia Fabro-Miske, 30, of Honolulu, was sentenced yesterday in federal court by U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release for racketeering conspiracy. Fabro-Miske pled guilty on January 12, 2024, in the middle of jury selection, to conspiring to conduct and participate in the conduct of the affairs of a racketeering enterprise, the “Miske Enterprise,” through racketeering activity that included bank fraud, obstruction of justice, and wire fraud. Fabro-Miske admitted that she and codefendant Michael J. Miske committed bank fraud by submitting fraudulent paperwork in order to obtain leases for two vehicles that were used for one of Miske’s businesses. Fabro-Miske also obstructed a joint investigation into another of Miske’s businesses, Kamaaina Termite and Pest Control (“KTPC”), which was conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (“HDA”). At Miske’s direction, Fabro-Miske submitted to HDA falsified fumigation logs, which claimed that she was the certified applicator of chemicals on hundreds of jobs. In reality, most of the listed jobs were completed by unlicensed applicators. Fabro-Miske also fraudulently obtained Social Security Administration (“SSA”) survivor benefits at Miske’s direction by having her wages at KTPC decreased below the SSA benefits income threshold. At the same time, Miske paid Fabro-Miske in benefits that were not reported to the SSA or Internal Revenue Service. Additionally, according to information provided to the Court, in or about 2017, Miske placed Fabro-Miske in charge of his businesses in an attempt to preserve and conceal his assets in anticipation of federal prosecution. In practice, Fabro-Miske carried out Miske’s wishes and acted at his direction. Fabro-Miske assisted in a fraudulent scheme committed through Miske’s businesses, which involved submitting false filings to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs that permitted the businesses to operate under fraudulently obtained and maintained licenses. Miske Enterprise members then falsely represented to customers that Miske’s businesses were properly licensed. Between 2017 and 2020, the businesses generated millions of dollars in income annually. As the head of Miske’s businesses, Fabro-Miske was also responsible for the proper and safe application of pesticides and other chemicals at customers’ homes. Information provided to the Court, however, showed that fumigations were regularly conducted without proper supervision or chemicals. Chief Judge Watson stated that Fabro-Miske’s work at Miske’s businesses “funded any number of crimes that we heard months and months of testimony” about in Miske’s trial, and her assistance “allowed Mr. Miske to run rampant in this community.” Finally, the Court determined that Fabro-Miske was also responsible for participating in a conspiracy with other Miske Enterprise members to kidnap and murder 21-year-old Johnathan Fraser. According to information provided to the Court, Caleb Miske – Miske’s son and Fabro-Miske’s husband – and Fraser were driving together when the two were involved in a car crash in November 2015. Caleb Miske ultimately passed away from his injuries, and Miske blamed Fraser for his son’s death and enlisted several Miske Enterprise members to assist in his plan to murder Fraser. As part of that plan, Miske directed Fabro-Miske to rekindle her friendship with Fraser and his girlfriend and to lure them into living with her at an apartment paid for by Miske. On July 30, 2016, Fabro-Miske took Fraser’s girlfriend on a “spa day” paid for by Miske, ensuring that Fraser would be isolated when he was kidnapped. Fraser was never seen again after that day. Due to Miske’s death in December 2024, Chief Judge Watson explained that “the person most involved in Mr. Fraser’s demise will not ever be sentenced by this Court.” While Chief Judge Watson found that Fabro-Miske did not “directly and personally kill” Fraser and determined her to be a minimal participant in the kidnapping and murder conspiracy, he noted that there was “no doubt” that her actions led to Fraser’s murder and that the circumstances painted a “strong and clear picture” of a conspiracy to commit kidnapping murder in aid of racketeering. Fabro-Miske was charged alongside twelve other defendants, all of whom pled guilty except for Miske, who proceeded to trial and was found guilty of racketeering conspiracy, murder, and 11 other felony charges on July 18, 2024. Seven other members and associates of the Miske Enterprise pled guilty to various offenses in related cases. “Delia Fabro-Miske was an integral member of the Miske Enterprise, which terrorized, exploited, and defrauded our community for decades. She participated in Miske’s bank frauds, social security fraud, falsification of fumigation records, and the concealment of Miske’s illegally obtained assets, and was a vital cog in the plot to murder of Johnathan Fraser. Fabro-Miske’s sentence yesterday demonstrates that those who occupy even the lower rungs of Hawaii’s criminal enterprises will pay a steep price when they face justice in federal court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “The dismantling of the Miske Enterprise represents one of the most significant law enforcement efforts in the history of Hawaii law enforcement, and it would not have been possible without the tremendous and dedicated work of our partners at the Honolulu Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Environmental Protection Agency, among many others.” “Ms. Fabro-Miske was a key member in the Miske Enterprise fraud schemes, actively participating in defrauding the government and taxpayers,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “This sentencing reflects years of collaboration between FBI Honolulu and our law enforcement partners. The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to dismantle violent criminal enterprises, hold their members accountable, and pursue justice for victims.” “Our investigators follow the money because criminal organizations profit at the expense of public safety,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “Ms. Fabro-Miske’s racketeering conviction is a reminder that, in the end, crime really doesn’t pay.” “The sentencing of Ms. Fabro-Miske underscores HSI’s commitment to disrupting and dismantling criminal organizations in Hawaii,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas. “HSI will continue to hold accountable those who significantly harm our communities by breaking federal laws. By bringing justice to the Miske Enterprise, HSI sends the message that we will not tolerate any violent activity on our islands.” “By falsifying documents, defendant obstructed EPA and the state’s criminal investigation of a pesticide applicator that illegally applied restricted use pesticides,” said Benjamin Carr, Special Agent in Charge for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division in Hawaii. “Yesterday’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of defendant’s fraudulent conduct and the importance of complying with pesticide reporting requirements so EPA and Hawaii Department of Agriculture can keep our communities safe.” This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligencedriven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Criminal Investigation Division of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Honolulu Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, the Cybercrime Lab of the Department of Justice Criminal Division Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, the Honolulu Fire Department, the Hawaii National Guard, 93rd Civil Support Team, the Office of Investigations–Office of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Inciong, Michael Nammar, KeAupuni Akina, and Aislinn Affinito prosecuted the case.


title: Prairieburg Man Who Sexually  Exploited Children Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who used Snapchat, Instagram, and text messages to persuade children to engage in sexually explicit conduct and send him photographs and videos of this conduct, pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Bryce Hans Plower, age 37, from Prairieburg, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography. In a plea agreement, Plower admitted that he persuaded, induced, and enticed multiple children to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. At least two children under the age of 16 did so. Plower paid the children, sometimes as little as $1, so that they would continue to send him sexually explicit images. Plower also possessed photographs and videos of child pornography on his phone, including images of sadistic or masochistic conduct. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Plower remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Plower faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $77,200 in special assessments, and a life of supervised release following any imprisonment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-91. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Gladbrook Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

body_text: A man who received child pornography was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison. John Thomas Carstensen, age 50, from Gladbrook, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 12, 2024 guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography. In a plea agreement, Carstensen admitted that, between August 2021 and August 2022, he knowingly received depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Carstensen has a prior felony conviction from 1993 for sexual exploitation of a minor. Carstensen was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Carstensen was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $27,000 in restitution to the victims in the case. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” Carstensen is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-33. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Phone Spoof Warning

component: USAO - Nebraska

body_text: The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska is alerting the public to be aware of imposter scams involving individuals claiming to represent the United States Attorney’s Office or other government agencies. Scammers may call, email, text, write, or message members of the public on social media claiming to be from the United States Attorney’s Office or another government office. While legitimate employees of the United States Attorney’s Office do contact the public for business purposes, they will never pressure, threaten, or inform you to make payments in questionable ways. Scammers may use tactics to sound and appear credible. Often, they will provide information or actual names of federal employees and federal office addresses. Scammers also commonly rely on “phone spoofing”, this is where a caller falsifies the information displayed on a caller ID to make their identity or location unknown. Phone spoofing can make calls appear to be from a local number or trusted organization. If you are the victim of such a call, please report the incident via https://www.ic3.gov/ or https://tips.fbi.gov/home . Additional resources on how to avoid imposter scams can be found at https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-avoid-imposter-scams .


title: Canastota Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm Offense

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Andrew Snyder, age 46, of Canastota, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 60 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and a heroin/fentanyl mixture, and for possessing firearms as an unlawful user of controlled substances. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood made the announcement. As part of his prior guilty plea, Snyder admitted that from approximately October 2020 through May 17, 2022, he conspired with his wife, Jessica Snyder, to distribute both methamphetamine and heroin/fentanyl mixture to others out of the garage of their home in Madison County. Snyder further admitted that on May 17, 2022, while he was an unlawful user of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, he possessed two 9mm handguns and ammunition. Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Snyder to serve a 4-year term of supervised release following his release from prison. Jessica Snyder is currently scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2025. This case was investigated by ATF and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas R. Sutcliffe and Matthew J. McCrobie prosecuted the case.


title: Knox County Man Sentenced To 60 Years Imprisonment For Two Counts Of Production Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE Tenn. – On April 15, 2025, Matthew Estes, 26, currently of Knox County, Tennessee, was sentenced to 720 months by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his release, Estes will be on lifetime supervision and will be required to register with state sex offender registries and comply with special sex offender conditions. As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Estes agreed to plead guilty to an indictment charging him with two counts of production of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a). According to the filed court documents, on October 13, 2017, the Knoxville Police Department -Internet Crimes against Children (KPD-ICAC) was contacted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police about a video of Estes raping a 16-month-old victim. The video was posted on the dark web on a Tor website, known as “HurtMeh.” The video was located on the discussion board titled, “Toddler being pummeled without any regard to his well-being.” On May 15, 2017, KPD-ICAC, received a video from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office of Estes again raping the 16-month-old. The video had been located during a forensic examination of a device belonging to a suspect charged with possessing child pornography U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) made the announcement. The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the Knoxville Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children and HSI. The investigation was headed by Detective John Williams, HSI-ICAC task force officer. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources.” ###


title: Second Member of San Antonio Gun Theft Ring Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for his role in a gun theft and trafficking conspiracy. According to court documents, between January and October 2023, Alcapone Maximus Pena, 23, was involved in the theft of firearms and vehicles in and around the San Antonio area as well as the sale of those stolen firearms. Pena, codefendant Nathan Tyler Padilla, 27, and others repeatedly broke into vehicles which they identified as likely to have firearms and that they believed they would be able to illegally sell. A search of Pena’s home on Oct. 25, 2023 resulted in the seizure of 14 firearms. An additional 17 firearms were located in a separate search warrant and determined to be trafficked by Pena. During the course of the conspiracy, Pena was responsible for the knowing and illegal trafficking of 25-99 firearms. The investigation also revealed information that showed Padilla’s cell phone had been present during the theft of several seized firearms. For his work in the firearm thefts, Padilla would receive a share of the proceeds that came from the firearms’ eventual sale to third parties. Both Pena and Padilla were named in a seven-count indictment filed Nov. 15, 2023. Pena was charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms, one count of possession of a machine gun, and one count of possession of stolen firearms. Padilla, who had been previously convicted on Aug. 16, 2023 for the offense of evading arrest/detention with a vehicle, was charged in the indictment with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms and one count of possession of ammunition by a felon. The two codefendants pleaded guilty Jan. 7, 2025. Padilla was sentenced on April 1 to 90 months in federal prison. “This case highlights the importance of holding individuals trafficking in firearms accountable for their actions. Each year, thousands of guns are stolen from vehicles in the San Antonio area, and then many of these are used to commit crimes, including violent crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “We, along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, remain fully committed to investigating and prosecuting these firearm thefts as part of our commitment to public safety.” “This case is a great example of our unwavering commitment to protecting our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Houston Division. “By bringing individuals involved in gun theft and trafficking to justice, we are not only holding criminals accountable but also taking meaningful steps to reduce the kind of violent crime that threatens our neighborhoods. Our community is safer today because of the tireless efforts of our agency and our law enforcement partners.” The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zack Parsons prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Machining Supplier Settles PPP Lawsuit for $1.5 Million

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: SW North America, Inc., a machining and automation supplier, agreed to pay $1,520,958.14 to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by applying for and receiving a loan it was not eligible for in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether an applicant qualified for a PPP loan depended on various factors, including employee-count size standards for applicants. SW North America applied for and received a PPP loan in the principal amount of $1,204,400 in 2021, which was later forgiven in full. It was alleged in the lawsuit, however, that SW North America with its affiliates exceeded the applicable size standards for the loan, and was ineligible for that reason. “PPP loans were intended, first and foremost, to help eligible small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “This office will continue to aggressively pursue loan recipients who were not eligible to obtain taxpayer funds, whether due to their size or for any other reason.” The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is case number 3:24-CV-1123-N in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and the qui tam relator, GNGH2 Inc., will receive $187,003.05 in connection with the settlement. The government was represented in the lawsuit by Assistant United States Attorney Andrea Hyatt, with assistance from Amber Perez of the SBA. The civil claims settled by the agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.


title: Previously Convicted Armed Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: ATLANTA - Alexander Arellano has been sentenced to federal prison for distributing large amounts of fentanyl in the Atlanta area while possessing firearms. “Fentanyl traffickers pose a tremendous threat to public safety especially when they illegally possess firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Defendants like Arellano who peddle this poison in our communities are being held accountable, including through lengthy prison sentences, thanks to the collaborative work of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.” “Arellano endangered countless lives by trafficking large quantities of deadly fentanyl,” Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division commented on the case. “The success of this investigation is proof that those destroying our communities with fentanyl will be held accountable.” According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges and other information presented in court: On May 3, 2024, special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration saw Arellano sell a half kilogram of fentanyl to another individual in a Marietta gas station parking lot. Agents followed Arellano back to an apartment on Windy Hill Road in Marietta. A short time later, Arellano was arrested at the apartment complex and agents obtained a federal search warrant for his apartment. During the search, agents found 10 kilograms of fentanyl, two loaded firearms, including an AK-47 pistol, and $120,000 in cash inside a bedroom belonging to Arellano. Arellano had been previously convicted for trafficking methamphetamine and was on probation at the time of his arrest. Alexander Arellano, 25, of Atlanta, Ga., was sentenced on April 14, 2025, by United States District Judge William M. Ray II to 13 years, three months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. He was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, after he pleaded guilty to the charges on August 29, 2024. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Cobb County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bethany L. Rupert prosecuted the case For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Former Corporate Lawyer from Scott Township Sentenced to More Than 12.5 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Scott Township, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 151 months of imprisonment, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, on his conviction of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on James France, 62, on April 15, 2025. A federal jury found France guilty of the charge in March 2022. According to information presented to the Court, France was a lawyer with an Ivy League degree who worked for several Pittsburgh-based law firms before turning to a life of methamphetamine distribution. On March 16, 2015, France was arrested in Illinois after a search of his car revealed approximately 1,344 grams of methamphetamine along with scales, packaging material, syringes, and more than $4,700 in U.S. currency. In May of 2016, an arrest of one of France’s conspirators by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Rochester, New York, led to the identification of France as a major methamphetamine supplier from the Pittsburgh area. In late June of 2016, the DEA effectuated a controlled purchase of $2,000 worth of methamphetamine from France at France’s Scott Township residence. A laboratory analysis of the drugs following the controlled purchase found it to be 55 grams of methamphetamine. At approximately 1:38 a.m. on July 29, 2016, Scott Township Police responded to a report of a home invasion in progress at France’s residence. When the police arrived, they encountered an individual who appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance and reported that six armed men attempted to break into the residence. The officers called out for anyone inside the house to come to the door and, when no one responded, officers entered to clear the residence. Based on the condition of the home, officers believed that the residence could be a methamphetamine laboratory and contacted the DEA, who determined that the house was not a methamphetamine laboratory and obtained a search warrant for the residence. During the search, officers recovered what later laboratory analysis determined was approximately 430 grams of pure methamphetamine, approximately $8,000 in U.S. currency, and other evidence of methamphetamine distribution. France was on bond for other offenses when local police officers arrested him on June 30, 2017, after executing another search warrant at his residence. That search resulted in the seizure of a methamphetamine smoking apparatus, syringes, scales, packaging material, large sums of U.S. currency, and quantities of methamphetamine. Throughout the judicial proceedings, the defendant attempted to obstruct justice by lying to the Court, violating the conditions of his bond, threatening to beat a person’s grandparents “to within an inch of their lives,” and verbally abusing his court-appointed counsel. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and Scott Township Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of France.


title: Bronx Man Charged With Violent Sex Trafficking Of Multiple Women

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael Alfonso, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging RALPH WALLACE, a/k/a “Chase,” a/k/a “Prize,” with sex trafficking multiple women by force, fraud, and coercion. WALLACE was arrested this morning in Fort Lee, New Jersey, and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave in Manhattan federal court. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Ralph Wallace systematically exploited and abused women, using horrific violence to force women to engage in prostitution against their will. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who engage in sex trafficking. If you have been a victim of the alleged crimes perpetrated by Wallace, we urge you to come forward by contacting 1-877-4-HSI-TIP.” HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso said: “This defendant’s arrest signals the beginning of a long journey toward freedom for women who for years have endured unimaginably cruel violence and abuse. Today’s charges are a direct result of these victims’ continued strength, despite Ralph Wallace’s alleged inhumane treatment and manipulation. I thank them for their bravery when faced with the unknown, and pledge that HSI New York and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to ensure justice is served.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment: [1] Between at least in or about 2021 and in or about 2025, WALLACE, a self-declared “pimp,” recruited multiple women to engage in commercial sex for his personal benefit and enrichment. WALLACE took nude photographs of the women and posted advertisements. He instructed the women how to dress, how to act, and how much to charge and then he took all of the proceeds. On multiple occasions, including when women did not want to engage in commercial sex, WALLACE used violence and coercion to force them to continue doing so. This included, for example, beating, punching, choking, and dragging women on multiple occasions. WALLACE also withheld from the women money for basic necessities, such as food and toiletries, unless they agreed to continue engaging in commercial sex on his behalf. * * * WALLACE, 36, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, each carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of transportation to engage in prostitution, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the HSI New York/New York City Police Department Human Trafficking Task Force. If you believe you are victim of a crime perpetrated by WALLACE, please contact HSI at Sextrafficking_outreach@hsi.dhs.gov or via their mobile tip-line at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP and reference this case. This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Madison Reddick Smyser and Getzel Berger are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. u.s._v._wallace_indictment.pdf [1] The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Neenah Man Sentenced to Five Years’ Imprisonment for Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on Monday, April 14, 2025, Roberto De La Rosa (age: 45) of Neenah, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach. According to court records, in October 2024, law enforcement received a cybertip that De La Rosa possessed and distributed numerous digital images and videos of child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). Further investigation revealed that De La Rosa repeatedly accessed, viewed, collected, and distributed CSAM on numerous occasions. During the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach noted the serious nature of the charge, the need to protect the public, and a strong need for just punishment. Following his release from prison, De La Rosa will spend 7 years on supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sexual offender. This case was investigated by the Winnebago County Sheriffs’ Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on Twitter


title: Former Corrections Officer Sentenced To Prison For Accepting Bribes In Exchange For Smuggling Narcotics Into Rikers Island

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that GHISLAINE BARRIENTOS, a former corrections officer, was sentenced today to six months in prison, to be followed by six months of home detention, for her participation in a scheme to accept bribes in exchange for smuggling narcotics and other contraband into Rikers Island. BARRIENTOS previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods, who imposed today’s sentence. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Ghislaine Barrientos smuggled drugs and other contraband into Rikers Island in exchange for more than ten thousand dollars in bribes. Barrientos not only abused her position of public trust as a corrections officer, she made Rikers Island less safe for inmates and officers alike. Corrupt corrections officers have no place in our jail facilities, and this Office will continue to work to rid our jails of those who take advantage of their positions to enrich themselves.” As reflected in the Complaint, Information, and statements made in court: BARRIENTOS, a former New York City Department of Correction (“DOC”) correction officer, conspired with others to smuggle contraband, including cocaine, smokeable synthetic cannabinoids (known as “K2”), and food to inmates housed at the Robert N. Davoren Complex on Rikers Island in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribe payments. * * * In addition to the prison sentence, BARRIENTOS, 37, of Mount Vernon, New York, was ordered to forfeit $11,866. Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption and Narcotics Units. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Coyle is in charge of the prosecution.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Advocates During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

component: USAO - Indiana, Southern

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS— On April 10, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana recognized 22 members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies at a private ceremony. The ceremony honored professionals who have gone above and beyond to advocate for the rights and well-being of crime victims, and have demonstrated exceptional commitment to supporting survivors, raising awareness, and driving positive change in their communities. “This ceremony is a small token of our appreciation for the selfless dedication of those working tirelessly to ensure victims' voices are heard, guiding them through the often-complex federal criminal justice process, and providing critical resources and emotional support,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Their work reflects the power of compassion, resilience, and advocacy in making a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by trauma and injustice.” The categories and honorees are listed as follows: Federal Law Enforcement Victim Assistance Award recognizes the recipient’s commitment to ensuring victims' rights are upheld, providing them with compassionate support throughout investigations, and working to ensure they receive necessary resources and assistance. The recipient of this award demonstrates exceptional dedication to both the investigative process and the well-being of victims, working tirelessly to navigate the complex legal landscape while offering empathy and advocacy. It highlights their key role in bridging the gap between law enforcement and victims, helping to secure justice and support in the aftermath of crime. Awarded to: Vanessa Hassler, Special Agent, FBI Russell Warlick, Special Agent, FBI Victim Advocate Award honors the tireless efforts of victim advocates who work on the front lines, offering emotional support, resources, and guidance to those affected by trauma. Whether providing advocacy during legal proceedings, connecting victims with necessary services, or ensuring their voices are heard, the recipient of this award goes above and beyond to ensure that victims' rights are upheld, and their well-being is prioritized. Awarded to: Suzanne O’Malley, Project Manager, Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence Linda Crocheron, Victim Advocate Administrator, Marion County Prosecutor’s Office Jessica Zotz, Victim Specialist, FBI Assistant United States Attorney Victim Assistance Award honors the outstanding efforts of an AUSA in providing exceptional support and advocacy for victims throughout the federal legal process. This prestigious award recognizes a deep understanding of the emotional and psychological challenges faced by victims, going above and beyond their legal duties to offer guidance, support, and resources. This distinction highlights the integral role AUSAs play in balancing the pursuit of justice with the compassionate treatment of victims. Awarded to: Jayson W. McGrath, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Peter A. Blackett, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Support Professional Victim Assistance Award recognizes exceptional contributions to supporting victims of crime throughout the legal process, particularly in cases involving trauma or violence. This award honors the recipient’s dedication to managing the logistical and administrative aspects of cases, while also offering emotional support and compassion to victims during often difficult and overwhelming legal proceedings. Awarded to : Sarah Helbig, Paralegal Specialist, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana. Natoyia Sims, Financial Litigation Paralegal Specialist, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana. Victim Assistance Trial Team Award recognizes the exceptional collaboration and dedication of a team working to support victims throughout the trial process. This award honors the collective efforts of law enforcement, legal professionals, victim advocates, and support staff who work together to ensure victims are informed, supported, and treated with dignity during legal proceedings. The recipients of this award have demonstrated outstanding teamwork in navigating the complexities of criminal trials, while prioritizing the needs and well-being of victims. Awarded to: U.S. v. Demetris Campbell Tiffany J. Preston, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Carolyn Haney, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Lawrence D. Hilton, Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Len Rothermich, Special Agent, FBI Austin Sahly, Special Agent, FBI Kayla Whitaker, Paralegal Specialist Maurine Bwambok, Victim Witness Specialist Matthew Pankonie, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department U.S. v. Angela Baldwin Kathryn Olivier, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Bradley Shepard, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Andrew Willmann, Special Agent, FBI Sarah Helbig, Paralegal Specialist Kathy Well, Systems Manager ###


title: Oilfield Company, Its Executive, and a Support Services Company Plead Guilty and Are Sentenced for Worker Safety, Clean Air Act, and Safe Drinking Water Act Violations Resulting in the Death of an Employee and His Spouse

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Aghorn Operating Inc., an oilfield company, Trent Day, an executive of Aghorn, and Kodiak Roustabout Inc., entered guilty pleas and were sentenced yesterday in relation to criminal worker safety and federal clean air and safe drinking water violations. According to court documents, Aghorn owns and operates oil wells in and near Odessa, Texas. Odessa is in the Permian basin where oil reserves are “sour,” meaning they have high hydrogen sulfide content. Hydrogen sulfide gas can be deadly at high concentrations. The case leading to these pleas is the result of an investigation of the Oct. 26, 2019, death of Aghorn employee Jacob Dean and his wife Natalee Dean. Both were overcome by hydrogen sulfide at an Aghorn facility in Odessa. Day agreed to plead guilty to a Clean Air Act (CAA) negligent endangerment charge and serve five months in prison. Aghorn pleaded guilty to CAA negligent endangerment and an Occupational Safety and Health Act willful violation count for the death of Jacob Dean. Kodiak pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act for falsifying oil well integrity tests. Aghorn will pay a $1 million criminal fine and Kodiak will pay a $400,000 criminal fine. These pleas were made under agreements the defendants entered into with the United States. Under the agreements, other pending charges will be dismissed. Yesterday, the court accepted the defendants’ guilty pleas and sentenced them in accordance with their plea agreements. “Through these guilty pleas, the defendants accept responsibility for allowing hazards that should have been prevented,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “If they had done what the law requires, Jacob and Natalee might still be with us today. The Justice Department can’t stand by when employers put workers at such risk.” “Energy production is vital, but it must be done competently and lawfully,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Operators who gravely endanger and kill others and those who lie to the government will be held accountable for their criminal conduct. EPA’s criminal investigation of these tragic deaths led to today’s plea deal.” According to a factual statement accepted by Day and Aghorn, Jacob Dean responded to a call to check a pump at an Aghorn facility. There, he encountered deadly hydrogen sulfide gas, was overcome, and died. His wife, Natalee Dean, knew where Jacob had gone and started calling him when he did not return in a timely manner. When those calls went unanswered, Natalee drove to the facility. When Natalee arrived at the facility, she was also overcome while looking for Jacob and died. Trent Day admitted that he should have controlled hydrogen sulfide emissions as part of his duties and that because he did not, he placed others in imminent danger of death. Aghorn admitted the same criminal negligence and to a separate charge that it willfully violated the Occupational Safety and Health Act regulations requiring companies to implement respiratory protection programs to address hazards like those at the facility. In addition to paying a $1 million fine, the company will maintain a set of improvements it made after the tragedy during its period of probation. The investigation also uncovered false statements by Kodiak about injection well testing related to Aghorn’s oil operations. The mechanical integrity of an injection well must be evaluated by conducting pressure tests. These tests are part of programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act to prevent leaks from those wells. Such leaks could, under some circumstances, contaminate groundwater. In its plea agreement, Kodiak admitted that it sent forms and charts to the Texas Railroad Commission, claiming they were tests for specific wells when Kodiak knew they were not actual records of tests of those wells. Kodiak, in addition to its $400,000 fine, will guarantee that at least 33 tests conducted for Aghorn wells during its year of probation are witnessed or conducted by a third party. The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. The Justice Department and EPA would like to thank the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Railroad Commission, Ector County Environmental, and the Odessa Fire Department for their support of the investigation. Senior Trial Attorney Christopher Costantini, Trial Attorney Mark Romley, and Assistant Section Chief Thomas T. Ballantine of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case.


title: Texarkana federal inmate sentenced in prison meth conspiracy

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TEXARKANA, Texas – A federal inmate man has been sentenced to additional time in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Jimmy Barrientos, 38, of Grand Prairie, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in prison and was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III, on April 15, 2025. According to information presented in court, Barrientos, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Texarkana, instructed Catherine Gamez to bring methamphetamine with her during prisoner visitation. On September 25, 2022, Gamez brought a portion of a condom containing approximately 20 grams of actual methamphetamine into the federal prison when she came to visit Barrientos. Once Gamez entered the visitation room, she hid the condom containing methamphetamine in the soap dispenser in the restroom of the visitation room at the prison. FCI personnel recovered the condom from the soap dispenser and provided it to federal law enforcement. Gamez pleaded guilty to the same offense in 2024 and is awaiting sentencing. This case was investigated by the FBI’s Texarkana Field Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Noble. ###


title: Tampa Man Sentenced For Armed Robbery Of A U.S. Postal Service Mail Carrier

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – Senior U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Darine Underwood (20, Tampa), a/k/a “Droc,” to 10 years and 5 months in federal prison for armed robbery of a postal mail carrier and brandishing a firearm in relation to that crime. The court also ordered Underwood to pay $1,531.99 in restitution to the mail carrier. According to court documents, on September 5, 2023, a United States Postal Service mail carrier was delivering mail at an apartment complex in the Tampa area when he was approached by Underwood and Jordan Murray who were wearing masks and gloves. Murray and Underwood forcefully took the mail carrier’s postal keys while brandishing a firearm. Murray and Underwood then fled to a vehicle, driven by Jordan Brown, to leave the crime scene. The investigation revealed that Brown was going to be paid to drive Murray and Underwood to and from the robbery and Murray and Underwood were planning to sell the postal keys. Jordan Murray (20, Tampa) and Jordan Brown (21, Tampa) previously pleaded guilty to their roles in this case. Murray was sentenced to nine years and six months in federal prison for armed robbery of a postal mail carrier and brandishing a firearm in relation to that crime. Brown was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the theft of a postal key and that a firearm was used during that crime. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Hillsborough County Sheriff Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.


title: Kansas woman indicted for unemployment fraud using stolen identities

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman with illegally collecting more than $100,000 by defrauding a federal program aimed at helping people who lost their livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to court documents, Kylie Charles, 35, of Wichita is charged with 17 counts of wire fraud and 17 counts of aggravated identity theft. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provided financial relief to Americans dealing with the economic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic. The program expanded unemployment benefits to some people who would not typically qualify such as business owners, self-employed workers, independent contractors, those with a limited work history, and people who lost their business as a result of the pandemic. Between May 2020 and August 2021, Charles is accused of stealing the identities of people she knew and using their information without their knowledge or consent to file false claims in multiple states for unemployment benefits under the CARES Act program. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon is prosecuting the case. OTHER INDICTMENTS Chad M. Abildgaard, 33, of Wichita was indicted on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigation the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting the case. Nelson Agustin Gonzalez-Diaz, 74, was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case. Manuel Jacquez Ibarra, 45, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case. David Yitzhak Espinoza, 31, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Former Town of Southold Employee and Boy Scout Troop Leader Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Distribution of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Damon Rallis was sentenced today in federal court in Central Islip by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 84 months in prison for distribution of child pornography. As part of his sentence, Rallis, a former Town of Southold employee and scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts, will be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “The defendant possessed and distributed horrific images of child sex abuse, including the brutal rape of young children, and the years he will serve in prison will both protect our communities and help to bring justice to victims who were sexually exploited as children,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “My Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute and seek significant prison sentences for individuals like Rallis who contribute to a depraved marketplace that causes the abuse of children to satiate the perverse demand for these disturbing images.” “Damon Rallis violated his scoutmaster duty to serve as an ethical and moral leader by supplying obscene pornographic material to a twisted platform,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “His actions perpetuated the sexual abuse of young children without remorse. The FBI remains dedicated to holding accountable those who use the sexual exploitation of minors for personal gratification.” As set forth in court filings and during the sentencing hearing, the FBI began investigating Rallis after his participation in a chat group on the Kik messaging app of users who shared child pornography. An undercover agent who had joined the chat group received numerous images and videos of child pornography from the defendant, whose screenname was “dirtydaddy431.” The images shared by Rallis included the rape of children as young as approximately five years old. On February 23, 2021, FBI agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Southold and seized several electronic devices, including his cell phone, which contained numerous images and videos of child pornography. In an unrelated investigation into sexual exploitation of children, law enforcement recovered a series of chats with Rallis from the cell phone of another individual (the Iowa defendant). In one of these chats, after the Iowa defendant described how he sexually abused his stepdaughter from age 4 to 7, Rallis stated: “She doesn’t remember bro. You’re good. The memories don’t really develop until nine or ten. I would love that opportunity.” This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Paul G. Scotti is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : DAMON RALLIS Age: 50 Southold, Long Island E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-150 (JMA)


title: Unprovoked Assault on Stranger at Metro Station Nets Prison Term

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Isis Lee, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on April 11, 2025, to 12 months and one day in prison for randomly attacking a woman walking home from Mount Vernon Metro Station, in November 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Lee pleaded guilty, in February 2025, to one count of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon (pepper spray), in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, before the Honorable Judge Judith Pipe. According to the government’s evidence, around 8:00 p.m., on November 17, 2024, Lee and her associates followed the victim and her boyfriend, who they had never met or interacted with before, as they walked home from the Mount Vernon Metro Station before ambushing them in the area of 9 th and L Street NW. Lee pepper sprayed the victim directly in her eyes while her companion held a knife to the victim’s boyfriend’s throat. Lee and her associates also hit the victim and her boyfriend with their hands before the victim and her boyfriend were able to flee. The defendant and her associates continued to pursue the victim and her boyfriend, assaulting them again on the street, before chasing them into a nearby restaurant, where Lee was captured on surveillance footage throwing glass bottles at the victim. The victim and her boyfriend were transported to George Washington Hospital, where they received treatment for their injuries. Lee fled the scene and was later apprehended on an arrest warrant. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Lieberman who investigated and prosecuted the case.


title: 11 Defendants Sentenced for Their Role in a Conspiracy to Traffic Fentanyl from the Mexico Border to Idaho

body_text: BOISE – A large-scale Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation and prosecution resulted in the conviction of 11 Idaho defendants on federal drug trafficking charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today. The investigation involved the cooperative efforts of 10 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. According to court records, beginning in early 2023, Idaho State Police (ISP) detectives received a tip that Austin Lee was distributing large quantities of fentanyl in southern Idaho. In coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other agencies, ISP detectives worked quickly to investigate Lee and identify the source of these drugs. Investigators conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine from Lee and other co-conspirators, to include Jamie Coltrin, Jenika Johnson, Brandon Dana, Tina Morris, and Daniel Coltrin. In July 2023, the investigation expanded to include Lee’s Mexico-based drug supplier and other co-conspirators. The investigation revealed that recent parolees were recruited into the conspiracy prior to their release from prison. These conspirators helped traffic fentanyl from the United States/Mexico border to distribute in Idaho. Additional conspirators accepted payment for the drugs. From this, investigators identified additional co-conspirators Arafat Ramirez, Rosa Ramirez, Laila Ramirez-Martinez, Sammy Martinez, and Rachel Dixon. The investigation was extensive and resulted in the seizure of over 48,000 fentanyl pills and four pounds of methamphetamine. This significantly hindered the flow of fentanyl into Idaho, and the Magic Valley area. As part of this OCDETF investigation, the following individuals have been sentenced for federal drug violations: Austin Chad Lee , 29, of Twin Falls, was sentenced to 140 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl; Arafat Ramirez , 43, of Jerome, was sentenced to 140 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl; Brandon Aaron Dana , 37, of Leadore, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for distribution of fentanyl; Tina Jane Morris , 46, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine; Sammy Davey Martinez , 49, of Nampa, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl; Jamie Lee Coltrin , 36, of Rupert, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for distribution of fentanyl; Jenika Ann Johnson , 31, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for distribution of fentanyl; Daniel Ross Coltrin , 40, of Paul, was sentenced to 25 months in prison for attempted possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; Rosa Ramirez , of Jerome, 64, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl; Rachel Dixon , 36, of Boise, was sentenced to 3 years’ probation for distribution of fentanyl; and Laila Vanessa Ramirez-Martinez, 35, of Jerome, was sentenced to two years’ probation for false statement. “The success of this investigation is the direct result of cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies” Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott said. “Protecting Idahoans from dangerous drugs flowing up from the Mexico border is one of our highest law enforcement priorities, and I commend each of the agencies involved for their outstanding work achieving justice in this case.” “We are proud the State of Idaho works so well with our federal partners to protect the public,” said Governor Brad Little. “The goal of our Operation Esto Perpetua initiative is to equip law enforcement with the training and tools they need to keep Idaho safe. Today’s announcement about the conviction of 11 drug traffickers demonstrates what Idaho is doing is working.” "The DEA and our partners will work tirelessly to stop drug traffickers from flooding our communities with drugs and violence," said David. F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. "Two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose. The amount of fentanyl seized in this case had the potential to kill more than 46,000 people, that would more than fill the football stadium at Boise State." The cases were primarily investigated by the Idaho State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration. In addition to the work of these agencies, Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott thanked the following agencies for assisting in the investigations and arrests of the above-named individuals: Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office, Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, Pocatello Police Department, Nampa Police Department, Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Garden City Police Department, and the Idaho Department of Correction. These indictments are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Poplar man sentenced to seven years in prison on assault and gun charges

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Poplar man who broke into a house on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and assaulted a resident was sentenced today to 85 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Marion Wallace Runs Through, Jr., 33, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to assault with a dangerous weapon and use (by brandishing) of a firearm during a crime of violence. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that on the evening of November 21, 2023, Runs Through and a co-defendant went to a remote residence on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Runs Through carried with him an AR-15 style rifle. He met with two other co-defendants outside the home. While still outside the residence Runs Through fired one round into the ground and six into the air. He and a co-defendant then broke into the residence. The defendant assaulted the two occupants of the home, striking them with the rifle while demanding access to a safe. The victims identified the assailant as the man with face tattoos. Runs Through has noticeable face tattoos. While Runs Through was the only assailant armed during the home invasion, one witness heard a co-defendant tell Runs Through to “Kill the white guy! Shoot him! Shoot him!” Runs Through then pointed the rifle at the witness, but did not pull the trigger. Runs Through was arrested the next day at his parents’ house and law enforcement found an assault rifle. The weapon was purchased in North Dakota by a cousin of one of the co-defendants. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI, BIA, ATF and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law & Justice. XXX


title: Yuma Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Philip Kevin Clark, 61, of Yuma, Arizona pleaded guilty on April 15, 2025, for Failure to Pay Employment Taxes. Sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2025, before United States District Judge Steven P. Logan. Clark, the owner of a water company in Yuma, admitted that between 2017 and 2021, he deducted $395,250 from his employees’ paychecks for taxes that he failed to pay to the IRS. A conviction for Failure to Pay Employment Tax carries a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00611-PHX-SPL RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-057_ Clark # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Jury Convicts Fitchburg Man of Illegally Possessing Firearm

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – After a two-day jury trial, Malcolm Whiteside, 30, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was found guilty yesterday of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon. The jury reached a verdict after just over 30 minutes of deliberation. The guilty verdict is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. On August 12, 2024, Whiteside led police on a dangerous high-speed chase on a Madison highway and ultimately crashed the car he was driving into a semi-truck. From there, Whiteside fled on foot to the parking lot of a home improvement store, where a police officer found him hiding in a garden shed. Officers at the crash scene searched the vehicle Whiteside was driving and found a loaded firearm underneath the driver’s floormat. Later, an analyst from the Wisconsin State Crime Lab found Whiteside’s DNA on multiple locations on the firearm. Whiteside was previously convicted of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon in 2019. Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson scheduled sentencing for June 25. Whiteside faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the City of Monona Police Department, Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chadwick M. Elgersma and Collen Lennon.


title: Madison Man Sentenced to Over 5 Years for Heroin Trafficking and Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Patrick Bishop, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 63 months in federal prison for possessing 100 grams or more of heroin intended for distribution and possessing a firearm as a felon. Bishop pleaded guilty to these charges on February 10, 2025. On July 31, 2024, while fleeing from police, Bishop broke into an occupied apartment and climbed onto the roof of the apartment complex. He remained on that roof for over an hour in a standoff with law enforcement until he ultimately agreed to come down. Bishop was observed carrying and rummaging through a bag. Law enforcement searched the bag and found two large baggies with approximately 169.4 grams of heroin, $28,000 in currency, a baggie with 18 bindles of heroin, and 5 bindles of cocaine. The bag also contained a loaded Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun with a 22-round extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device. About an inch-long, a machine gun conversion device is an illegal after-market device that converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully functioning machinegun. A firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device is extremely dangerous, even for experienced firearms users, because it is difficult to control and is capable of firing 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger. Bishop is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition due a prior felony conviction. At sentencing, Judge Conley remarked on the seriousness of the offense and on the dangerousness of selling drugs with an automatic weapon. The charges against Bishop were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.


title: Bridgeport Gang Member Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: LUIS GARCIA, also known as "Ebk Lou," 27, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 240 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a violent Bridgeport street gang. Today’s announcement was made by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter; Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Acting U.S. Marshal Lawrence Bobnick. According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police and Bridgeport Police have been investigating multiple Bridgeport-based gangs whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder, and other acts of violence. Garcia was a member of the Original North End (“O.N.E.”), a gang based in the Trumbull Gardens area of Bridgeport that committed acts of violence against rival gangs, including the East End gang, the East Side gang, and the PT Barnum gang. O.N.E. members also robbed drug dealers, customers, and others, sold narcotics, and stole cars from inside and outside Connecticut, often using the cars to commit crimes. They frequently used social media to promote and coordinate their criminal activities. Text messages and social media posts reviewed during the investigation confirmed that Garcia possessed and sold narcotics and firearms, stole vehicles, and was involved in related violent criminal activity alongside other O.N.E. members and associates. On August 9, 2018, O.N.E. members stole a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Newburgh, New York, and drove it back to Bridgeport. In the following days, O.N.E. members conspired to use the car to kill East End gang members and their allies who they had learned through social media were at a deli on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Although that plan fell through, in the early morning hours of August 13, 2018, Garcia, Ta’Ron Pharr, and Lorenzo Carter drove the stolen Jeep to Stratford and Union Avenues in Bridgeport where they shot and killed Len Smith, 25, who they mistook for a rival East End group member, and shot and seriously wounded Smith’s female companion, both of whom were seated in a parked car. After the shooting, O.N.E. members transported the Jeep to Indian Wells State Park in Shelton where they burned the vehicle in an effort to destroy evidence of the murder. O.N.E. members committed other violent crimes, including murder. Garcia has been detained since his arrest on September 8, 2021. On September 6, 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity. Approximately 47 members and associates of multiple Bridgeport-based gangs have been convicted of federal offenses stemming from this investigation, which has solved eight murders and approximately 20 attempted murders. Pharr pleaded guilty and, on August 30, 2022, was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment. On November 21, 2023, a jury found Carter guilty of racketeering conspiracy. He awaits sentencing. This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, Waterbury Police Department, and Naugatuck Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Stephanie T. Levick, and Rahul Kale. This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. If a group member elects to engage in gun violence, the focused attention of federal, state and local law enforcement will be directed at that entire group. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Littleton Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Cocaine and Firearms Trafficking

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Littleton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his involvement with a conspiracy to traffic cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area. Alan Robinson, 26, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2025, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, firearms trafficking, and knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Robinson engaged in a controlled purchase with a cooperating witness to sell four firearms – which included two ghost guns, one of which was an assault rifle, knowing that the cooperating witness was a prohibited individual. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed at Robinson’s residence, where approximately 3.3 kilograms of powdered cocaine was recovered, as well as several firearms and accessories including a ghost gun assault rifle. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Physician Convicted at Trial for Illegal Distribution of Opioids and Healthcare Fraud Conspiracies

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a medical doctor yesterday for his participation in conspiracies to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Neil K. Anand M.D., 48, of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, conspired to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, health plans provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Independence Blue Cross (IBC), and Anthem, for “Goody Bags” of medically unnecessary prescription medications, which were dispensed to patients by in-house pharmacies owned by Anand. As the evidence at trial showed, the conspirators required patients to take the Goody Bags, which they did not need or want, to receive prescriptions for controlled substances. In total, Medicare, OPM, IBC, and Anthem paid over $2.3 million for the Goody Bags. Anand also conspired to distribute oxycodone outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. In furtherance of the conspiracy, unlicensed medical interns wrote prescriptions for controlled substances using blank prescriptions that were pre-signed by Anand. Anand prescribed 20,850 oxycodone tablets for nine different patients, as part of the scheme. After learning that he was under investigation, Anand concealed the proceeds of the fraud by transferring approximately $1.2 million into an account in the name of his father and for the benefit of his minor daughter. Anand was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud; three counts of health care fraud; one count of money laundering; four counts of unlawful monetary transactions; and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 19 and faces a statutory maximum penalty of 130 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (U.S. Postal Service OIG); and Special Agent in Charge of Investigative Operations Derek Holt of the OPM-Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG) made the announcement. The HHS-OIG, U.S. Postal Service OIG, and OPM OIG investigated the case. FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office provided valuable assistance. Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob, Patrick J. Campbell, and Arun Bodapati of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Cranberry Township Resident Sentenced to Prison for Assault of Girlfriend During Cruise

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in federal court to 12 months of incarceration on his conviction of assault by striking, beating, or wounding, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Quintin Owens, 28, also ordering Owens to pay a $5,000 fine. According to information presented to the Court, on or about October 11, 2022, Owens violently assaulted his girlfriend, also a resident of Western Pennsylvania, by punching her, throwing her to the ground, and strangling her in a choke hold while the two were aboard a cruise ship. The federal district court has jurisdiction over the assault in part because the crime was committed on the high seas. In imposing the sentence, Judge Stickman spoke to the severe impact domestic violence crimes have on victims and promised that such crimes will be taken seriously in federal court. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Owens.


title: Former Nurse Practitioner Agrees to $50,000 Settlement in Alleged False Claims Act Violations

component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – Acting U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson announced today that Jordona Ndon, a former Delaware nurse practitioner who now resides in Virginia, has agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve allegations that she violated the False Claims Act by ordering medically unnecessary orthotic braces for Medicare beneficiaries residing in Delaware. The civil settlement amount was based on Ndon’s ability to pay. Between November 2017 and June 2018, Ndon digitally signed hundreds of orders for medically unnecessary orthotic braces for Delaware residents who she never physically examined and who often did not want or need the orthotic braces. In many cases, the orders Ndon signed contained information that was pre-populated by telemarketers with no medical qualifications. Ndon signed the orders after brief telemedicine consultations – often two minutes or less in duration – during which she failed to establish any legitimate medical justification for the orthotic braces. “Providers who authorize medically unnecessary equipment undermine our health care system and waste valuable taxpayer dollars,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Hanson. “This office will continue to aggressively pursue providers who seek to profit by outsourcing their medical decision-making and hold them accountable to the public.” This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. LaRosa and Affirmative Civil Enforcement Auditor David Cheung. The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates its emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800 HHS TIPS (800-447-8477). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. A copy of the settlement agreement and agreed-upon statement of facts are attached to this press release. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.