title: Ohio doctor agrees to pay $600,000 to settle False Claims Act allegations

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – An Ohio physician has agreed to pay the United States $600,000, plus contingent payments, to resolve False Claims Act allegations that he submitted fraudulent Medicare claims related to electro-acupuncture devices. Ronald F. Ambrosia, 56, of Powell, Ohio, is a doctor licensed in Ohio who provided electrical nerve pulse stimulation services to patients in facilities across the state. From 2016 until 2018, Ambrosia allegedly improperly billed Medicare for the application of percutaneous electrical nerve pulse stimulation devices (the “P-Stim Device”) in an office setting. The P-Stim Device is a device for treatment of chronic pain that, pursuant to manufacturer’s instructions, is affixed behind a patient’s ear using an adhesive. Needles are inserted into the patient’s ear and affixed using another adhesive. Once activated, the device then provides intermittent stimulation by electrical pulses. It is a single-use, battery-powered device designed to be worn for several days until its battery runs out, at which time the device is thrown away. The procedures allegedly did not involve any surgery, anesthesia, or take place in an operating room (or even at a facility with such capabilities) but were billed to Medicare as surgically implanted neurostimulators, contrary to repeated guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the settlement. This matter was investigated by agents with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Linda Mindrutiu and W. Hunter West are representing the United States in this matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. # # #


title: Grand jury indicts 4 separate cases involving immigration offenses

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury indicted four new immigration cases in Columbus this week. According to their court documents, two defendants have prior convictions for drug trafficking, one defendant’s prior convictions include a firearms crime and driving under the influence, and the final defendant was allegedly smuggling illegal aliens across the United States. Juan Carlos Garcia-Vasquez, 45, is a Mexican national who was charged with illegally reentering the United States. He was previous convicted in Franklin County for cocaine trafficking. Ricardo Martinez-Nunez, 29, has prior convictions in Franklin County for improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle and driving under the influence. Martinez-Nunez is also charged with illegally reentering the United States. He is a Mexican national. Previous convictions for Lino Mendiola-Vanegas, 45, include cocaine trafficking and forgery in Franklin County. He is charged with illegally reentering the United States and is a Mexican national. Finally, it is alleged that Adalberto Calixto Tolentino, 21, was transporting four illegal aliens across the United States for financial gain. According to his court documents, on Jan. 23, investigators with the Licking County Sheriff’s Office received information from Customs and Border Patrol located in Southern Arizona that a Toyota Highlander with an Arizona license plate was allegedly involved in human smuggling. Sheriff’s deputies stopped Tolentino in Licking County and discovered four individuals in the vehicle as well as an envelope with $8,000 cash. When interviewed by law enforcement, one passenger said he had paid $10,000 to be helped crossing the border of Mexico into the United States. He was picked up in the desert in Arizona and eventually transported by Tolentino. Tolentino was originally charged by criminal complaint and arrested on Jan. 24. He has remained in federal custody since that time. If convicted as charged, he faces up to 10 years in prison. Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has multiple prior misdemeanor charges, the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kenneth F. Affeldt and Tyler J. Aagard are representing the United States in these cases. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Southern District of Ohio Immigration Enforcement Task Force, which dedicates agents, attorneys and other staff to investigating and prosecuting immigration violations. # # #


title: Texan extradited to face multiple firearms charges

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old resident of Laredo is back on U.S. soil on charges of aiding and abetting straw purchasing, being a felon in possession of a firearm and transferring a firearm to a prohibited person, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Jesus Guadalupe Covarrubias had previously fled to Mexico. He is expected to make his initial appearance Feb. 24 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song at 9:30 a.m. A federal grand jury returned an indictment against him and others Oct. 5, 2021. In August 2021, authorities had been conducted surveillance at a house in Laredo, according to the charges. During the operation, they allegedly observed Covarrubias and others as they exited and entered the house or garage and appeared to be placing items into nearby vehicles. The charges allege Covarrubias eventually left the house with two others and went to a second home. There, law enforcement observed the movement of three rifles from a truck into the house and took Covarrubias and others into custody. The charges allege they had been involved in fraudulently purchasing firearms since Dec. 4, 2019. Covarrubias is a convicted felon, according to the charges. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law. After his arrest, he was permitted release on bond and fled to Mexico where he was ultimately arrested and later returned to United States authorities. If convicted, Covarrubias faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Covarrubias. U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Covarrubias from Mexico to the Southern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Orleans Parish Resident Guilty of Controlled Substances and Gun Control Acts Violations

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson announced today that DAVID KELLUP JR. , (“KELLUP”) , age 45, of New Orleans, pled guilty on February 13, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to Counts 2, 4, 5, and 8 of the indictment pending against him. Sentencing is scheduled for May 24, 2025. KELLUP was charged in Count 2 with Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(C). At sentencing, he faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release. KELLUP was charged in Count 4 with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1). At sentencing, he faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment. Any sentence on Count 4 must run consecutive to any other sentence. KELLUP was charged in Count 5 with possessing firearms after being convicted of certain felonies, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). At sentencing, he faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment. KELLUP was charged in Count 8 with maintaining a drug-involved premises, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 856(a) and Title 18 U.S.C. § 2. Count 8 carries up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment. All four counts also carry a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown but continuing until at least May 8, 2024, KELLUP and other individuals, maintained three residences in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans for the purpose of packaging and distributing narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. Several of these individuals furthered this drug trafficking conspiracy by possessing firearms. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Dominican Republic National Sentenced To 37 Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Yudelkis Portes (43, Dominican Republic) to three years and 1 month in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after deportation. Portes entered a plea of guilty on December 4, 2024. According to court documents, Portes was convicted of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft on February 28, 2013, and deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic. Following her deportation, Portes illegally reentered the United States. This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.


title: Mexican National Pleads Guilty To Illegal Reentry Into The United States

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Jose Salazar Jimenez (28, Mexico) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. Salazar Jimenez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to court documents, between August 2019 and August 2024, Salazar Jimenez voluntarily entered the United States, with knowledge that he had previously been removed, and that he was not legally permitted to so enter. On August 18, 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers found Salazar Jimenez in Hillsborough County. Salazar Jimenez is a native and citizen of Mexico and was previously removed from the United States on four occasions between 2014 and 2019. This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III and Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.


title: Two Rock Hill Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Role in Drug Conspiracy

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Emmanuel Deon Foster, 36, and Bobby Antoinios Hall, 41, both of Rock Hill, have been sentenced for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute quantities of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Foster and Hall had a close relationship with the leader of the conspiracy. Based upon law enforcement efforts, they learned both Foster and Hall purchased fentanyl-lased pills during the time of the conspiracy from the leader. These pills were then sold to other dealers in the Rock Hill area. Foster also purchased and sold cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine. These drugs were purchased from other members of the conspiracy and sold to other dealers. This operation has been responsible for the arrest and conviction of more than 20 individuals during its existence. United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Foster to a total of 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Hall was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This joint law enforcement activity and prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Offender Arrested And Indicted For Using The Internet To Access Child Sexual Abuse Materials

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest and indictment of Sean-Michael Smith (36, Jacksonville) for using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials. If convicted, Smith faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Smith is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in 2014 of distributing child pornography. Smith was arrested on December 18, 2024, and is detained pending trial. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Bradenton Convicted Felon Sentenced To More Than Eight Years In Federal Prison

body_text: Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Star Stewart (39, Bradenton) to eight years and nine months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Stewart was convicted following a bench trial on November 20, 2023. According to evidence presented at trial and in court documents, on November 4, 2020, the U.S. Marshals Service Florida Regional Task Force sought to arrest Stewart at a residence in Bradenton pursuant to a state warrant. When the officers arrived, they observed Stewart on the back patio. Stewart fled inside the house, but was quickly located and arrested. The officers recovered a Glock 19 with an extended magazine containing 33 rounds of ammunition left behind where Stewart had been seated on the back patio. Stewart later admitted that he had possessed the firearm. As a convicted felon, Stewart is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Charlie D. Connally. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Armed Robber Who Also Assaulted a Correctional Officer Gets 104 Month Prison Term

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Donnell Godfrey, 19, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, to 72 months in prison for robbing a stranger at gunpoint and a consecutive 32 months in prison for assaulting a D.C. Department of Corrections officer while incarcerated at the D.C. Jail, for a combined sentence of 104 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Godfrey pleaded guilty to one count of robbery while armed with a firearm in May 2024 and one count of assault with significant bodily injury in November 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, on November 21, 2023, at approximately 3:27 a.m., Godfrey and two other individuals approached a stranger on a residential street. The victim was parking his car and had just exited his vehicle. Godfrey and the two other individuals, all armed with firearms, pointed their guns at the victim and demanded his property. Godfrey and the two other assailants stole the victim’s phone and car keys, demanding that he unlock his phone and let them into his home. The victim refused. Godfrey and the two other assailants returned to their vehicle with the victim’s stolen phone and drove away. The victim tracked his stole phone to a nearby location, where the officers apprehended Godfrey and a co-defendant. A black Glock pistol, the victim’s phone, and keys to a Nissan vehicle were recovered from Godfrey’s pockets. The victim positively identified Godfrey as one of his assailants. Officers canvassed the area near the location where Godfrey was apprehended and located a Nissan Maxima, which was reported stolen the prior day, November 20, 2023, during a gunpoint armed carjacking. Furthermore, on April 24, 2024, while incarcerated at D.C. Jail on the above-mentioned armed robbery case, Godfrey assaulted a correctional officer. The officer was monitoring inmates during an education period when Godfrey attempted to turn on a television. When the officer instructed Godfrey not to turn on the television, Godfrey responded by retrieving a broom, despite having no custodial duties at the time. After remarking that he should smack the officer, Godfrey proceeded to hold the broom like a baseball bat and swung it directly into the officer’s face. The blow caused the officer to suffer a fractured orbital bone in his left eye socket area and a fractured jaw, requiring two surgeries and additional treatment, during which the officer was unable to work for months. 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 and D.C. Department of Corrections. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun, Valerie Tsesarenko and Ariel Lieberman, who investigated and prosecuted the cases.


title: San Carlos Man Charged with Arson for Causing Watch Fire on San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Keanu Rudy Dude, 25, an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and a San Carlos, Arizona resident, was arrested today on an outstanding indictment issued by a federal grand jury in Phoenix. He is charged with Arson for the July 2024 Watch Fire on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. The Watch Fire burned over 2,000 acres of land owned by the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Twenty-one homes identified in the indictment were destroyed by the fire. Four hundred families had to be evacuated from their homes and the areas surrounding San Carlos. Dude will have his initial appearance on Monday, February 24, 2025. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the San Carlos Apache Police and Fire Departments and the San Carlos Ranger and Forestry Departments conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-1579-PHX-DJH RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-022_Dude # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Wenatchee Sex Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for  Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Justin Boyd Renteria, age 34, of Wenatchee, Washington, to 15 years in federal prison for Receipt of Child Pornography. Chief Judge Bastian also imposed a lifetime of supervised release. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in summer 2023, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Department learned Renteria was in possession of several videos depicting young children being sexually abused by adults. At the time, Renteria was on supervised release for his federal conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material. On October 13, 2023, United States Probation executed a supervised release search of Renteria’s property. Officers seized a knife, drug paraphernalia, and multiple electronic devices. On a phone seized in the search, the FBI located more than 200 images and videos of adults sexually abusing young children. “Mr. Renteria’s case highlights the serious consequences of repeat criminal behavior and U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to holding accountable those who repeatedly possess or receive child sex material,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker. “I am grateful for the prosecutors and law enforcement agents, who devote their careers to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.” “Tragically, Mr. Renteria did not learn his lesson from his previous conviction and continued to possess harmful child sexual abuse material,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “These photos and videos are extremely damaging to vulnerable minors, now more than ever because digital copies are so difficult to completely eliminate in the internet age. We hope this sentence sends a message to would-be predators that the FBI and our law enforcement partners take these crimes seriously, and engaging in them can have serious consequences.” This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alison L. Gregoire and Rebecca R. Perez. 2:24-cr-00023-SAB


title: Atlanta VA Doctor Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Female Veteran Patient

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Rajesh Motibhai Patel has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for violating his patient’s constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under color of law and for the offense of abusive sexual contact. “Patel used his position of trust as a VA physician to sexually assault his female veteran patient who had honorably served our country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “His crimes were an egregious breach of that trust and an abuse of his power. This sentence prevents Patel from causing future harm to veterans who seek care from the VA.” “This sentence holds Dr. Patel accountable for the vile acts he committed while serving as a VA physician,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “VA employees are entrusted with keeping our nation’s veterans safe while receiving care. Acts of violence against veterans in VA facilities are reprehensible and erodes that trust. The VA OIG commends the dedicated prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this case.” According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, was convicted of sexually assaulting a female veteran patient during what should have been a routine medical exam in January 2020. During the exam, Patel unlawfully touched the victim’s body, including her breast and vaginal area, in ways that violated her consent and for no legitimate medical purpose. Rajesh Motibhai Patel, 69, of Lilburn, Ga., was sentenced to two years in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Patel is prohibited from practicing medicine while on supervised release. Patel was found guilty by a jury on November 5, 2024, of violating his patient’s constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under color of law and of the offense of abusive sexual contact. This case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Erin N. Spritzer and Jennifer Keen 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: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Attempted Carjacking and Federal Gun Charges

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WARREN ROLAND (“ROLAND”) , age 33, was sentenced on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to the indictment pending against him. Count 1 of the indictment charged ROLAND with attempted carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2119(1). Count 2 charged him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). ROLAND was sentenced to 137 months imprisonment as to Count 1 and 120 months as to Count 2, both counts to run concurrently. Judge Long also ordered that ROLAND be placed on supervised release for 3 years and pay a $200 mandatory special assessment fee. On March 24, 2022, a concerned citizen called 9-1-1 after seeing a person acting suspiciously and openly carrying a firearm in his hand on Read Boulevard, in New Orleans East. The caller described the suspect and New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers saw a man matching that description, who was later identified as ROLAND . The officers attempted to stop ROLAND for questioning, but he fled on foot. A NOPD officer chased ROLAND on foot and saw him grab a black firearm from his waistband while running. ROLAND ran into traffic on Read Boulevard, grabbed the front passenger side doorhandle of a stopped Toyota SUV, and tried to open the door while brandishing the firearm. The driver of the SUV attempted to drive away, but ROLAND held the handle and discharged a round from his firearm. ROLAND eventually let go and was arrested. The firearm, a nine-millimeter Smith and Wesson Model SD9 pistol, loaded with 14 live rounds, was recovered at the scene. One spent shell casing was also found in the chamber of the weapon. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Michael White Sentenced to 100 Years on Federal Charges Related to Murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – Michael Donivan White was sentenced today to 100 years in federal prison on federal charges related to the November 2021 murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler and a wide-ranging drug conspiracy. White, 36, of South Carolina, pled guilty to eight counts in relation to the murder of Officer Chandler. Specifically, he pled guilty to one count of causing the death of a person using a firearm, in which the killing was first-degree murder, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiring to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of using a place for the purpose of distributing or using a controlled substance, one count of using a communication facility in committing any felony-controlled substance offense, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a stolen firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and using, brandishing and discharging that firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. “Today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Michael White was sentenced to spend the next 100 years of his life in federal prison for murdering Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “No matter how righteous our prosecution was or how just this sentence is, no amount of jail time can bring back Officer Chandler. Our only hope is that today’s sentence brings some level of closure to Officer Chandler’s friends and family, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the Southwest Virginia law enforcement community. To all of the men and women who worked tirelessly to bring Michael White and his co-conspirators to justice, the Department of Justice is eternally grateful.” "We can never bring Officer Michael Chandler back, and no sentence will ever fill the void left in the hearts of his family, friends, law enforcement community, and the Big Stone Gap community. But today's hearing helped bring some closure to his family. Michael White will spend decades behind bars for the cold-blooded murder of a hero. We will never stop fighting for those who put their lives on the line for our safety and security. Officer Chandler, you will never be forgotten,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “I commend the entire law enforcement community in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee for their dedicated work on this case, including the lead agencies, the Virginia State Police, ATF, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, in addition to all agencies who assisted with this case. This case highlights the important collaboration between our federal and state partners, and I wish to specifically thank Virginia Senior Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Kerney-Quillen for her key role in this case. My office stands firmly with law enforcement across the Commonwealth and will continue to pursue all avenues possible to ensure that anyone who harms or kills a police officer is held fully accountable. I am honored that my office could support the investigation and prosecution concerning the senseless death of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler." “Virginia State Police is pleased to have been able to help bring Michael White to justice and provide some closure to the family and friends of Officer Michael Chandler,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “Officer Chandler was working to make the Commonwealth a better place and made the ultimate sacrifice.” “We offer our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and colleagues of Officer Michael Chandler as they continue to navigate this horrific tragedy “said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood. “We hope that this sentencing provides comfort to Officer Chandler’s family. It is also our hope that this sends a clear message of accountability to those that actively engage in violent crime especially when it results in injury or death to those who devote their lives to protecting and serving our communities. Prioritizing violent crime and enforcing federal firearms laws remain at the forefront of our daily mission.” According to court documents, beginning in August 2021 and continuing even after the time of his arrest, White and 18 other defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, in addition to heroin and fentanyl. Tragically, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on November 13, 2021, Big Stone Gape Police Officer Michael Chandler responded to a dispatch call at 2505 Orr Street in Big Stone Gap, known locally as “the red house.” Upon arriving at the red house, Officer Chandler encountered a vehicle outside the residence. Officer Chandler requested backup, telling dispatch, “This car is taking off on me.” Inside the vehicle, Michael White told a female co-defendant, Misty Ward, to “get the fu*k out of there” because there were drugs in the vehicle and that “he was not going back to jail.” Ward started to drive off as directed, but then stopped and got out of the vehicle. At that point, White attempted to flee the scene, however the vehicle got stuck in the grass. Officer Chandler approached the vehicle on the driver’s side. White brandished a Taurus 9mm pistol and immediately fired eight shots through the driver’s side window and door, striking Officer Chandler’s wrist and abdomen just below his bulletproof vest. Officer Chandler died later that evening from his injuries. Following the shooting, law enforcement identified White as a suspect. White was later located at a motel in Kingsport, Tennessee and a subsequent search of the motel room found a Taurus, 9mm pistol. Further testing ultimately proved this firearm to be the same one that fired the shots that killed Officer Chandler. This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Virginia Police Department, the Kingsport Tennessee Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the East Tennessee Drug Task Force, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Virginia State Police, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, City of Norton Police Department, and Big Stone Gap Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena L. Busscher and Danielle Stone prosecuted the case with the valuable assistance of Jim Patterson of the Department of Justice’s Capital Case Section.


title: Armed Carjacker Indicted on 35 Counts for 2024 Crime Spree

body_text: WASHINGTON – Lamontee Fowler, 21, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today on a 35-count indictment filed on February 19, 2025, relating to an armed carjacking spree that occurred in April and May 2024 in Southeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Fowler was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of armed carjacking, armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, endangerment with a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, and related charges. According to the government’s evidence, Fowler engaged in a spree of armed carjackings on April 27, 2024, May 2, 2024, and May 8, 2024, all within blocks of each other in Southeast Washington, D.C. On April 27, 2024, he knocked on the window of the victim’s Toyota Rav 4 with the handle of a firearm, ordered the victim out of the driver’s seat, fired the gun, took the victim’s car keys, and fled the scene in the car. On May 2, 2024, he ran up behind the victim after she had exited her Honda Civic, pointed a firearm at the victim’s stomach, demanded her keys, and then fled the scene in her car. On May 8, 2024, he approached the victim after she had parked her Nissan Rogue on the street, brandished a firearm, grabbed her keys, and fled in her car. Then, on May 10, 2024, after arriving at his then-girlfriend’s residence in the carjacked Nissan Rogue, he fired a shot near his then-girlfriend’s father through the driver’s side window of the car. In a search warrant executed at his residence two weeks later, on May 24, 2024, the Metropolitan Police Department found a 9mm ghost gun with a 31-round capacity extended magazine underneath Fowler’s pillow. At the arraignment today, Fowler was ordered detained by Judge Robert Salerno. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Claire Hoover and Sabena Auyeung of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. 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: Nevada Woman Indicted In Romance Scheme To Defraud Seniors

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas, Nevada, woman has been charged in a 21-count superseding indictment for allegedly luring older men she met through online dating services and stealing their monies for her personal benefit. Aurora Phelps, 43, with residences in Las Vegas and Guadalajara, Mexico, is charged with seven counts of wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; six counts of bank fraud; three counts of identity theft; one count of kidnapping; and one count of kidnapping resulting in death. Phelps is currently in custody in Mexico. According to allegations contained in the superseding indictment, from July 1, 2021, to December 9, 2022, Phelps would meet older men on dating websites or services, then meet them in-person. It was part of her scheme to drug the older men to gain unauthorized access to and steal money from their financial accounts to personally benefit herself and her family members. The superseding indictment stems from a two-year investigation by the FBI Las Vegas Division. The superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in September 2023. Photo of defendant Aurora Phelps, from court document in United States of America v. Aurora Phelps, number 2:23-cr-0167-CDS-DJA, in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. In romance scams, the scammer gains an unsuspecting individual’s affection and trust, then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. These schemes not only cause significant financial losses, but also deeply impact the lives of victims. If convicted on all counts, Phelps faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. The charges were announced by Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division. The investigation is a result of the close cooperation between the United States and Mexican authorities. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing significant assistance in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel R. Schiess and Steven J. Rose are prosecuting the case. An FBI website has been established seeking to identify potential victims. Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Phelps or otherwise have information related to the case are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or complete a survey via this website https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-aurora-phelps-investigation . If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available. More information about the department’s efforts to help older Americans is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage, which can be found at elderjustice.gov . For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### aurora_superseding_indictment_coversheet_508_0.pdf aurora_ex_parte_motion_to_unseal_coversheet_508_0.pdf


title: Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for a Stabbing Outside of a Shelter

body_text: WASHINGTON – Willie Byrd, 61, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for stabbing another man outside of a shelter in February 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe sentenced Byrd to concurrent sentences of 15 years in prison for aggravated assault while armed and three years in prison for carrying a dangerous weapon, and five years of supervised release. Byrd was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on November 20, 2024. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 8:30 pm, on February 28, 2023, Byrd stabbed the victim in the chest with a large fixed-blade knife near the corner of 2 nd and D Streets, N.W. Before the stabbing occurred, the defendant was trying to take money from the victim while attempting to conduct a drug transaction. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries to multiple organs and required surgery and an extended hospital stay. MPD officers and detectives reviewed surveillance video footage of the stabbing from the nearby Federal City Shelter, which led to Byrd’s identification as the assailant. MPD detectives located Byrd inside of the shelter, and he was placed under arrest. 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 commended the work those who assisted with the case’s preparation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Renee Prather and Paralegal Specialist Marcella Trader. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Erica Rudolf and Ella Gladman, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Evans, who investigated the case.


title: Former Engineer Pleads Guilty to Possessing Trade Secrets of Oregon Semiconductor Manufacturer

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.-- Varun Gupta, 44, who previously lived and worked in Oregon, pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing trade secrets taken from his previous employer. According to court documents, from July 2010 to January 2020, Gupta was employed as a product marketing engineer for an American technology company headquartered in California, with its largest concentration of facilities and employees located in Oregon. The company is one of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers, supplying semiconductor products to companies globally. As part of his employment, Gupta signed an agreement prohibiting him from disclosing, retaining or making unauthorized copies of proprietary information or trade secrets without authorization from the company. Throughout his employment, Gupta had access to valuable and protected information including pricing structures and strategies and product development and manufacturing capabilities. To secure this information, the company used multiple layers of protection. In early January 2020, Gupta announced his intent to resign and take a job with a domestic technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. While still employed at the company in Oregon, Gupta downloaded approximately 4,000 files, many of which contained trade secrets and proprietary materials, from his company-issued computer to personal portable hard drives. Between February and July 2020, while employed by the company in Washington, Gupta possessed and accessed his previous employer's trade secrets and proprietary information without authorization. Gupta accessed information related to customized product design and pricing for significant purchases of computer processors, which Gupta used, as a representative of the Washington company, during head-to-head negotiations with his previous employer. On December 26, 2024, Gupta was charged by criminal information with possessing stolen trade secrets. Gupta faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 12, 2025, by a U.S. District Judge. This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Geoffrey A. Barrow, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Anand B. Patel, Senior Counsel for the Criminal Division.


title: Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Relief Program of Over $5,000,000

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – A Mississippi woman has pled guilty to defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal program intended to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic, of over $5,000,000. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today. On February 20, 2025, Lisa Evans , 42 , of Olive Branch, Mississippi, pled guilty before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She will be sentenced on May 22, 2025 and faces a maximum term of 20 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system. According to information presented in court, Evans submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for numerous individuals who were not entitled to PPP loans. The applications Evans submitted contained false representations, including fake federal tax documents. When the individual borrowers obtained the PPP loan funds, they then paid Evans kickbacks of 20 to 30 percent. The loss to the PPP program was $5,126,258. Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren stated: “Individuals cheating the Paycheck Protection Program stole money from U.S. taxpayers who desperately needed these loans to keep their small businesses afloat and pay their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. I would especially like to commend and thank the federal law enforcement agencies who uncovered this fraud and brought this defendant to justice: the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Gulf States Field Division; the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Secret Service, Memphis Field Office; and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. My office will continue to work with these law enforcement partners to bring those who committed pandemic benefit fraud in the Western District of Tennessee to justice and to recover stolen pandemic relief funds.” Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin, who prosecuted this case. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Brazilian Extradited from Switzerland to the United States to Face Indictment Charging Involvement in $290M+ Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: SEATTLE – A citizen of Brazil appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today, after being extradited from Switzerland to face a 13-count indictment for wire fraud and conspiracy regarding his bitcoin investment scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Douver T. Braga, 48, lived in Florida between approximately 2016 and 2021 during the bulk of the alleged fraud. The indictment alleges Braga operated a bitcoin investment scheme that was really a Ponzi scheme, as well as an illegal multilevel marketing scheme. The grand jury returned the indictment in October 2022. It was unsealed last week following Braga’s arrest in Switzerland. Today Braga pleaded “Not Guilty,” and trial was scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Tana Lin on April 28, 2025. “Mr. Braga allegedly ran a fraud scheme that harkens back more than a century, but he updated his ‘Ponzi’ scheme with the hot new thing: bitcoin,” said U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “The victim investors have waited years to see justice. I commend our federal partners at the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation for their diligent work on this case.” According to the indictment, Braga conspired with others to create a cryptocurrency trading platform called Trade Coin Club (TCC) with an office in Belize. As early as 2016, Braga worked with others to promote TCC, claiming that investors would make money because the TCC had a sophisticated software program that allowed investors to profit on the fluctuating price of bitcoin. Braga also promised that investors could make money by referring other investors to the platform. In reality, there was no investment platform and no sophisticated software. Those who invested early were paid off by later investors as in a Ponzi scheme. Braga traveled the world promoting TCC: In Thailand in March 2017, in Nigeria and Macau in May 2017. TCC was promoted on social media and in videos. At various events Braga claimed TCC had as many as 126,000 members in 231 different countries. Through his false promises of sophisticated investments and high returns, Braga induced tens of thousands of people to entrust over 82,000 bitcoin, valued at over $290 million at the time of investment, and to deposit it with TCC. Braga continued the false representations, creating an “online portal” where investors could track the supposed activity of their investment accounts. The site was a fiction as there was no trading activity. Braga withdrew and misappropriated investor funds. Between December 2016 and July 2019, at least $50 million in bitcoin was transferred to accounts Braga controlled. However, by late 2017 and early 2018, investors had trouble accessing their funds. In January 2018, TCC announced to investors that it was ceasing to operate in the United States and was cancelling their accounts. Many investors were located in the Western District of Washington. Braga allegedly profited handsomely, while failing to report the earnings to the IRS. In 2017, he received bitcoin worth $30.5 million, but only reported income of $152, 298. In 2018, he reported $73,473 in income but got $13.1 million in bitcoin and in 2019, reported $72,870 in income while he received $10 million in bitcoin. “The type of scheme Mr. Braga is charged with operating is not new, he just used the allure of a flashy new technology to obscure the well-worn scam.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “While the victims in this case waited and wondered about the fate of their investments, he siphoned off millions of dollars for his personal use. This case demonstrates the determination of the FBI and our partners in IRS Criminal Investigation to hold fraudsters accountable, no matter where in the world they may be.” “The charges against Mr. Braga and his co-conspirators reflect a well-designed scheme to solicit investment in a fake cryptocurrency trading platform from victims around the globe,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI), Los Angeles Field Office. “Furthermore, Mr. Braga is alleged to have knowingly ignored and circumvented laws regulating multi-level marketing programs in the U.S.- laws that exist to protect investors from becoming victims in pyramid schemes. Despite the complexity of this scheme, IRS Criminal Investigation and our partners at the FBI successfully uncovered the evidence necessary to bring forth these charges.” Braga is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud reflecting 12 wires investors sent to TCC for deposits in their “accounts.” Braga is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case was investigated by the IRS-CI and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Dion and Phillip Kopczynski. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with securing the extradition. braga_indictment.pdf


title: Armed Career Criminal Convicted for Possession of Firearms Linked to Miami-Dade Shootings, Homicide

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – After a three-day bifurcated trial, a Miami federal jury found Nathaniel Martin, 45, guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Later that same day, the jury found that Martin qualified as an Armed Career Criminal based on his criminal history, including prior convictions for robbery, cocaine trafficking, and armed robbery. Based on the evidence at trial, police responded to a market in Miami Gardens based on a tip that a person of interest in an open investigation was camped out in the alley behind that market. When police arrived, they observed Martin sitting in a chair at the end of the alley rifling through a bookbag. Surveillance footage from the interior and exterior of the market showed Martin handling the bookbag, a plastic bag, and other belongings in and around the market. Police later recovered the bookbag, which contained fourteen rounds of live ammunition, and the plastic bag, which contained two semiautomatic pistols and additional ammunition. Additional evidence at trial included text messages from the day of the arrest in which Martin asked if he could hide his guns under a friend’s bed, DNA evidence for each of the firearms, and recorded jail calls from the day of the arrest in which Martin lamented that police had recovered “the weapons.” According to other filings in the case, one of the pistols recovered from Martin returned ballistic matches to shell casings recovered from a December 2023 shooting in Miami Gardens and a January 13, 2024 homicide in Miami Gardens. U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez presided over the trial. Martin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years of imprisonment, and a maximum term of imprisonment up to life. The sentencing hearing has been set for May 2, 2025. Judge Martinez will sentence Martin after a review of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge John F. Dion, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the verdicts. The ATF and the Miami Gardens Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sterling M. Paulson and Altanese Phenelus are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr- 20065. ###


title: Parmelee Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender. The sentencing took place on February 20, 2025. William Verlin Fool Bull, Sr., age 45, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Fool Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 19, 2024. By October 4, 2023, Fool Bull had been in a relationship with his girlfriend for approximately 10 years. They lived together with their two young children in Parmelee, which lies within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On October 4, Fool Bull punched his girlfriend in the face several times and suffocated her in their home. The assault stopped when Fool Bull’s girlfriend kicked him in the knee and fled. Fool Bull has two prior convictions for domestic abuse. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case. Fool Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Robber Sentenced for Stealing 87-Year-Old’s Wallet at a McDonald’s in Northwest D.C.

body_text: WASHINGTON – Aaron Herndon, 39, of Suitland, MD, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for the robbery of an 87-year-old in Northwest D.C. on May 5, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Herndon pleaded guilty on December 17, 2024. Superior Court Judge Jason Park also ordered three years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:00 p.m., on May 5, 2024, the 87-year-old victim was purchasing gift cards from the McDonald’s restaurant located at 4100 Wisconsin Avenue NW. Video footage from the restaurant shows the defendant approach the victim from behind, as he was exiting the restroom, and reach into the victim’s jacket pocket, and take his wallet. Multiple witnesses observed Herndon flee on foot. Herndon was subsequently arrested later the same day by law enforcement, wearing the same clothing he wore at the time of the robbery. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Negar Kordestani and Trisha Jhunjhnuwala of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Skopicki.


title: Three New Haven Men Guilty of Charges Related to Counterfeit Pill Production, Narcotics Trafficking

body_text: Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a jury in Hartford has found AQUARIUS GUMBS, also known as “Q,” “Ice,” and “Diamond,” 50; GORDON LAURIA, 54; and MARKOS PAPPAS, also known as “Speedy,” 51; all of New Haven, guilty of offenses related to the large-scale trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills disguised as legitimate prescription medication, as well as other controlled substances. According to court documents and the evidence presented during the trial, this matter stems from an investigation by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force targeting the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall tablets containing methamphetamine, and the distribution of heroin and cocaine, in the New Haven area. The investigation revealed that Willis Taylor, with the assistance of Lauria, Pappas, Gumbs, and others, coordinated the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit narcotic pills. Taylor distributed the pills to others and arranged counterfeit pill transactions between second and third parties, sometimes using Gumbs as a source of supply. Gumbs also distributed controlled substances to his own customers. After Taylor’s arrest in November 2022, Pappas conspired with others, including Lisa Fausel, of New Haven, to distribute controlled substances. During the investigation, investigators seized more than two kilograms of fentanyl, including thousands of counterfeit Oxycodone tablets; approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, including thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills; three kilograms of cocaine and other drugs; four pill-press machines; one industrial mixer; five firearms; and more than $200,000 in cash. Two of the firearms and $13,250 in cash were seized from Gumbs, a previously convicted felon, on November 18, 2022. Fourteen individuals were charged as a result of this investigation. Today, the jury found Lauria and Gumbs guilty of one count, and Pappas guilty of two counts, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances. Gumbs was also found guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The jury found a fourth defendant, Julio Echevarria, of New Haven, not guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances. Gumbs, Lauria, and Pappas are detained pending sentencing, which is not scheduled. Taylor previously pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. On October 21, 2024, Fausel was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment . This matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshals Service. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA, the Connecticut State Police, and the West Haven, Hamden, Manchester, Bristol, Fairfield, and Seymour Police Departments. The FBI Task Force includes participants from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten, John T. Pierpont, Jr., Konstantin Lantsman, and Katherine Boyles through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. 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: Ethete man sentenced to 40 years' imprisonment for second-degree murder

body_text: Kevin Joseph Mendibles, 37, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison with five years of supervised release to follow for second-degree murder. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on Feb. 19, in Casper. The court also ordered the defendant to pay $8,983.19 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. According to court documents, on Feb. 25, 2024, the BIA Wind River Police Department was dispatched to a residence in Ethete for a woman who had been beaten badly and was barely breathing. Upon arrival, officers found the victim in a room with multiple stab wounds, blunt force injuries, and lacerations. When EMTs arrived, she had no pulse and was declared deceased. The defendant was interviewed and initially denied involvement but stated the victim had given him a place to live. In a follow-up interview, Mendibles admitted he killed the victim by beating and stabbing her. Mendibles was indicted on May 16, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Nov. 26, 2024. The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . Case No. 24-CR-00076


title: San Diego Gang Member Sentenced in Organized Crime Conspiracy

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Odyssey Carrillo, a member of the Emerald Hills Bloods gang, was sentenced in federal court today to 168 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy involving coordinated violent crimes by street gangs. Carrillo is the ninth and final member of the conspiracy to be sentenced. He pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity and Hobbs Act Robbery. According to court documents, the crimes committed by the enterprise included armed robbery, sex trafficking, prostitution, violence and other profit-driven illegal activities. The defendants were charged with racketeering conspiracy - the statute’s original inspiration was to combat organized-crime syndicates and mobsters. But as criminal street gangs have become more sophisticated and prolific in their illicit business pursuits, this statute has become an effective tool to address all aspects of coordinated violent criminal conduct. Previously sentenced defendants include Jerome Brunson, Cedric Jordan, Stephen Nathaniel Calhoun, Jr., Carl Moore, Maurice Johnson, Dajay Leon Scott, Taashawn Henderson and Sergio Valentin Louden. In his plea agreement, Carrillo admitted that he joined the conspiracy that engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity that included robbery, prostitution and sex trafficking. Carrillo further admitted to committing racketeering activity himself, including two specific armed robberies. Carrillo, Calhoun and Moore admitted to participating in the January 19, 2019, armed robbery of San Carlos Jewelers in San Diego and the February 11, 2019, armed robbery of the Bert Levi Family Jewelers in San Diego. Calhoun also admitted to robbing the Medicine Shoppe in San Diego by gunpoint on May 20, 2019. Calhoun and Moore both admitted to being Lincoln Park Bloods (LPK) gang members; Carrillo admitted to being an Emerald Hills gang member, a Bloods-aligned street gang that often works cooperatively with LPK. Calhoun and Moore were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant to 176 months and 105 months in custody, respectively. According to their plea agreements, in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy, Jerome Brunson admitted to being an LPK member who participated in the November 19, 2019, armed robbery of a Jared’s jewelry store in National City. Judge Bashant sentenced Brunson to 57 months in custody. Dajay Scott and Sergio Louden admitted to being LPK members who robbed numerous women of their purses outside nail salons in January 2020. Judge Bashant sentenced Scott and Louden to 48 months and 72 months in custody, respectively. Cedric Jordan, Maurice Johnson, and Taashawn Henderson admitted to being LPK members who, during the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy, engaged in sex offenses related to sex trafficking and transportation for purposes of prostitution. Judge Bashant sentenced Jordan, Johnson, and Henderson to 63 months, 60 months, and 58 months in custody, respectively. “Every member of our community is put at risk when criminal street gangs engage in armed robberies, sex trafficking, and other violent criminal acts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “This case is the result of outstanding teamwork and collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement partners. We will continue to hold these violent groups accountable, using the RICO tools at our disposal, to bring justice to crime victims and to make our community safer.” “Today’s sentencing reflects the hard work, determination, and collaboration of multiple agencies to dismantle an organized crime conspiracy,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The violent crime and gang threats are too diverse, too dangerous, and too all-encompassing for any of us to tackle alone. FBI will continue to work with our partners to disrupt violent crime, human traffickers, and violent gangs whose criminal acts devastate our communities.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mario J. Peia, Katherine E. A. McGrath, and Matthew Brehm. DEFENDANTS Case Number 21cr2909-BAS Jerome Brunson Age: 27 San Diego, CA Cedric Jordan Age: 36 San Diego, CA Stephen Nathaniel Calhoun, Jr. Age: 24 San Diego, CA Carl Moore Age: 34 San Diego, CA Maurice Johnson Age: 34 San Diego, CA Dajay Leon Scott Age: 26 San Diego, CA Taashawn Henderson Age: 29 San Diego, CA Sergio Valentin Louden Age: 36 San Diego, CA Odyssey Carrillo Age: 23 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1962(d) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine Interference with Commerce by Robbery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1951 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine Brandishing a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 924(c) Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a seven-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Federal Bureau of Investigation San Diego Police Department San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force San Diego County Sheriff’s Department National City Police Department San Diego County District Attorney’s Office *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Woman Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Burning Down Local Business

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Carey Alice Hernandez was sentenced in federal court today to 70 months in prison for intentionally setting fire to Off Road Warehouse to cover up the disappearance of more than $700,000 while she was in charge of company finances. In April 2024, after a four-day trial, jurors found Hernandez guilty of malicious destruction of a building by means of fire, witness tampering and making false statements. In late 2018, the owner of Off Road Warehouse, also known as ORW, which sold and installed automotive parts and gear for off-roading, decided to sell the business located at 7915 Balboa Avenue. The prospective purchaser conducted an audit of ORW, which revealed that between January 2015 and March 2019, while Hernandez was serving as bookkeeper and controller in charge of the company books and records, $744,621 had gone missing from the company. The jury found that in the early morning hours of March 28, 2019, Hernandez started the fire at Off Road Warehouse, causing the building to burn to the ground. “This defendant intentionally set a dangerous inferno in what appears to have been an attempt to conceal a massive theft. And then she leaned on her minor daughter to try and cover up her crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Fortunately, no one was physically hurt, but this devastating loss for ORW, and the extraordinary danger of intentionally setting a fire, demanded accountability. And today, justice was served.” At today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta described the defendant’s actions as “wanton, deliberate and destructive” and “a very dangerous crime” that put firefighters at risk. She noted the crime was made even worse when she asked her daughter to lie for her. According to evidence presented at trial, surveillance footage showed the defendant driving an SUV with dark rims near her home and the fire scene. The following day, she lied to federal agents and ORW employees, claiming her SUV had light rims. Video footage from the area contradicted her claims about the vehicles rims, leading to convictions for witness tampering and false statements. ATF’s National Response Team (NRT) investigated this case in conjunction with San Diego’s Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST). The NRT is ATF’s mobile, rapid response team which investigates the cause and origin of large fires, explosions and bombings at the request of local public safety agencies. “Arson crimes are not victimless,” said Acting ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jose Medina. “These criminal acts destroy lives, property, and businesses. In this case, the motive was greed—fire was used as a cover-up for criminal activity. ATF remains steadfast in its mission to bring arsonists to justice and ensure safer communities. We will relentlessly pursue and remove these offenders from society. I want to acknowledge the dedication of our National Response Team and San Diego’s Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST) for their work in determining the fire’s origin and cause.” A hearing to determine the restitution that Hernandez owes the victims of her crimes is scheduled for March 14, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Ohta. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Brehm and Carl Brooker. DEFENDANT Case Number 22cr145-JO Carey Alice Hernandez Age: 46 Rathdrum, Idaho SUMMARY OF CHARGES Malicious Destruction of Building by Means of Fire – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 844(i) Maximum penalty: No less than five years in prison and no more than 20 years and $250,000 fine Witness Tampering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1512(b)(3) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine False Statements – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001(a)(2) Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives


title: Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Felon Guilty of Fentanyl and Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found a St. Paul man guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal possession of a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. According to evidence presented at trial, on April 19, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at an apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota, that Eric Marcel Turner, a.k.a. Xavier Thomas, 39, rented using an alias. In the apartment, officers found over 300 grams of fentanyl and a loaded firearm. Because Turner has multiple prior felony convictions, including a federal drug trafficking offense, for which he served several years in federal prison, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Following a three-day trial before Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court, a jury found Turner guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the West Metro Drug Trask Force, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and Allen A. Slaughter tried the case.


title: O’Fallon, Missouri Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison on Child Sex Charges

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man who engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old that he met online and discussed sex with another 15-year-old to 25 years in prison. Andrew Haller, 34, met two 15-year-old girls on Tumblr before moving their conversations to the encrypted app Telegram. The 15-year-old California victim came forward in October of 2023 and told the FBI that Haller was sexually abusing another teen. She said Haller told her that he had imposed rules on the other victim, and proposed rules for the California victim. The rules included that she would have to ask his permission once a day to urinate, wear a collar and refer to him only as “Sir,” Dad” or “Daddy.” He also asked her for nude photos and sent her photos and videos of the other victim. After identifying Haller and performing a court-approved search of his home in November of 2023, the FBI identified that other victim. The victim told the FBI that she met Haller in person twice in 2023 and engaged in sexual activity. Haller struck her during the first visit and took pictures and videos of her, his plea says. He also told her he wanted to abuse children too young to talk or remember the abuse. She sent Haller sexually explicit photos at his direction. In a letter to the court, the second victim said Haller won her trust by claiming that he suffered mental illness, as she did. Then he began controlling her, making demands and ordering her to carve his initial into her thigh. “He wanted me to have kids so he could abuse them,” she wrote. Haller also possessed 195 images and 92 videos of known or suspected child sexual abuse material and sent that material to others via Telegram and Signal, another encrypted app, his plea says. Haller pleaded guilty in October to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Alleged Member of Cartel Enforcement Group Extradited from Mexico

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Edgar Perez Villa, an alleged member of a Tijuana-based enforcement group for the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, commonly known as CJNG, was extradited from Mexico to the United States on Thursday and made his first appearance in federal court in San Diego today. Perez Villa was indicted along with other alleged Mexican drug cartel enforcers in connection with their alleged violent support of heroin and methamphetamine trafficking. At today’s hearing, Perez Villa was arraigned and entered a not-guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt. The government asked that Perez Villa be detained on grounds that he is a significant flight risk. Judge Burkhardt scheduled a detention hearing for February 27, 2025, at 2 p.m. before Judge Michelle Pettit. The Court also set March 28, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. for a motion hearing/trial setting before U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia A. Bashant. The superseding indictment, returned on March 6, 2020, plus a related indictment returned on March 16, 2021, collectively charged Perez Villa, aka Cabo 89, along with other alleged cartel leaders - including Edgar Herrera Pardo, aka Caiman; Carlos Lorenzo Hinojosa Guerrero, aka Cabo 96; and Israel Alejandro Vazquez-Vazquez, aka Cabo 50, among others. They are charged with drug trafficking crimes. According to court documents, the defendants were leaders of a violent group of cartel enforcers known as “Los Cabos” who operated in Baja California to secure control of the region for CJNG. Los Cabos allegedly employed rampant violence to ensure that CJNG maintained the ability to traffic drugs through Tijuana and into the United States through San Diego. According to the indictment, investigators learned through judicially-authorized interceptions that the leaders of Los Cabos planned more than 150 murders, the majority of which took place in Tijuana, according to the filings. Los Cabos allegedly engaged in this violence in support of CJNG, one of the most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world. The cartel has its hands in trafficking multiple deadly substances. It is responsible for moving tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl-laced heroin into the United States. CJNG is also a prolific methamphetamine producer and chemical importer, using precursors procured from China and India. CJNG is one of the most powerful Mexican cartels operating within the United States. “For far too long, violent cartels have inflicted untold suffering through violence and drug addiction,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Our fight against this reign of terror will not waver.” “Cartels use violence and intimidation to control the areas they terrorize,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark. “As an alleged member of Los Cabos, Perez-Villa spent years destroying the community through drug trafficking and violence. One by one, the DEA will hold these criminals accountable and bring them to justice.” This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Perez Villa. DEFENDANT Case Number: 19CR1274-BAS Edgar Perez Villa, aka Cabo 89, aka Nier Age 35 Tijuana SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963 Maximum Sentence: Mandatory minimum ten years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846 Maximum Sentence: Mandatory minimum ten years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration Homeland Security Investigations Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs San Diego Sheriff’s Department *An indictment or complaint is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the Government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt


title: Former Broken Arrow Resident Pleads Guilty To Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds And Tax Fraud

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Anthony Houser, age 36, formerly of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds and one count of Tax Fraud. The Information alleged that between July 2016 and ending in February 2024, while serving as a manager for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Gaming Operations Authority Board and later as a manager for the Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises, LLC, Houser embezzled and obtained by fraud property owned by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation valued at $5,000.00 or more. The Information also alleged that Houser willfully filed a 2022 Form 1040 U.S. Individual Tax Return, made under penalties of perjury, which knowingly reported a false Adjusted Gross Income. The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. Houser was released on a personal recognizance bond pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara Traster and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Richmond fraudster sentenced to four years in prison for using false documents to take possession of vacant properties

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced to four years in prison for mail fraud relating to his scheme to acquire real estate properties through forgeries and filing false documents. According to court documents, from August of 2019 through September of 2022, Ali Mif Bey, formerly Richard Lewis Miffin, 45, engaged in a scheme to fraudulently transfer title and ownership of real estate properties from the legitimate owners to himself and entities affiliated with and controlled by Bey. Bey, a self-proclaimed member of the Moorish sovereign citizen movement, identified and targeted properties to unlawfully deed to himself and to entities that were either fictitious or alter egos of Bey, or entities that he operated and controlled and for which he served as the registered agent. The properties Bey targeted were generally in pre-foreclosure or foreclosure. In some instances, the owners were deceased and the properties were subject to probate court proceedings. Bey created fraudulent property deeds purporting to convey ownership. Bey also forged or caused to be forged the signatures of the legitimate owners of the properties onto the fraudulent deeds he created without the property owners' knowledge and consent. Bey would have the fraudulent deeds notarized, typically at UPS stores, to give them the appearance of legitimacy and to satisfy the recording requirements of county recorders. Bey filed the fraudulent deeds with either the Richmond Circuit Court Clerk's Office, the Henrico County Circuit Court Clerk's Office, or the Chesterfield County Circuit Court Clerk's Office. On more than one occasion, Bey attempted to purchase foreclosed properties at auction using fraudulent money orders purportedly backed by and redeemable at the United States Treasury. At one auction, Bey signed a memorandum of sale and submitted for payment a fraudulent money order in the amount of $250,000. After discovering the fraudulent nature of the money order, the law firm handling the foreclosure sale sent Bey a letter prohibiting Bey from bidding on any future sale held by the law firm, and the law firm scheduled another auction for the property. In response, Bey mailed a letter to the law firm demanding that the firm stop the auction and asserting that Bey would file another lien on a related third party and would seek to enforce a lien previously filed against the law firm if the sale continued. Bey appeared at another auction, signed the entry sheet, and brought with him a fraudulent money order for $250,000. As part of the check-in process for auction participants, Bey presented the money order to an employee of the auction. Because of the suspicious appearance of the money order and Bey's behavior, however, he was not allowed to participate in the auction. After fraudulently deeding the properties to himself, Bey used various means to attempt to stop the legitimate owners or custodians of those properties from completing lawful transfers of the properties. Bey would occupy, possess, repurpose, and/or rent the properties for his personal gain. Typically, he would change the locks on the properties, display a flag associated with the Moorish sovereign citizen movement, post written ''No Trespassing" notices on the properties, and arrange public utility services for the properties. Bey personally occupied and resided in at least one of the properties that he fraudulently acquired. Bey listed some of the properties for rent. His tenants were unaware that Bey was not the legitimate owner of the properties and had no authority to offer them for rent. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kashan K. Pathan prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-14.


title: Mujer De Nevada Acusada De Estafa Romántica De Adultos Mayores

body_text: Las Vegas – Se le han imputado 21 cargos a una mujer de Las Vegas, Nevada, en una acusación formal modificada por presuntamente seducir a hombres mayores que conoció a través de servicios de citas en línea y robarles su dinero para beneficio personal. Aurora Phelps, de 43 años de edad y con residencias en Las Vegas, Nevada y Guadalajara, México, está acusada de siete cargos de fraude electrónico; tres cargos de fraude postal; seis cargos de fraude bancario; tres cargos de robo de identidad; y dos cargos de secuestro. Phelps se encuentra actualmente detenida en México. Según las acusaciones contenidas en la acusación formal modificada, desde el 1 de julio de 2021 hasta el 9 de diciembre de 2022, Phelps conocía a hombres mayores por medio de sitios web o servicios de citas, y luego los conocía en persona. Parte de su plan era drogar a los hombres para obtener acceso no autorizado y robar dinero de sus cuentas financieras para beneficiarse personalmente a si misma y a los miembros de su familia. La acusación formal modificada se deriva de una investigación de dos años realizada por la División del FBI de Las Vegas. La acusación formal modificada fue presentada por el gran jurado federal en septiembre de 2023. Foto de la acusada Aurora Phelps, tomada del documento judicial en Estados Unidos de América vs. Aurora Phelps, número 2:23-cr-0167-CDS-DJA, en el Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito de Nevada. En las estafas de romance, el estafador gana el afecto y la confianza de un individuo desprevenido, luego utiliza la ilusión de una relación romántica o cercana para manipular y/o robar a la víctima. Estos esquemas no solo causan pérdidas financieras, sino que también tienen un profundo impacto en la vida de las víctimas. Si es declarada culpable de todos los cargos, Phelps se enfrenta a una pena máxima de cadena perpetua. Los cargos fueron anunciados por la fiscal interina de los Estados Unidos Sue Fahami para el Distrito de Nevada y el agente especial a cargo Spencer L. Evans para la División del FBI de Las Vegas. La investigación es el resultado de la estrecha cooperación entre las autoridades estadounidenses y mexicanas. La Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales del Departamento de Justicia está proporcionando asistencia significativa en este caso. Los fiscales federales adjuntos Daniel R. Scheiss y Steven J. Rose están procesando el caso. Se ha creado un sitio web del FBI que busca identificar posibles víctimas. Se recomienda a cualquier persona que crea que él o alguien que conoce puede haber sido víctima de Phelps o que tenga información relacionada con el caso, se comunique con el FBI al 1-800-CALL-FBI o complete una encuesta a través del sitio web https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-aurora-phelps-investigation . Si usted o alguien que conoce tiene 60 años o más y ha experimentado fraude financiero, los profesionales con experiencia están a la orden por la Línea Informativa Nacional de Fraude a Personas Mayores, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). Esta línea directa del Departamento de Justicia, administrada por la Oficina de Victimas de Delitos, puede brindar apoyo personalizado a quienes llamen evaluando las necesidades de la victima e identificando los próximos pasos pertinentes. Los administradores de casos identificarán a los organismos de informes apropiados, proveerán información a las personas que llamen para ayudarles a denunciar, conectar directamente con los organismos apropiados y facilitarán recursos y recomendaciones, basado en los particulares de cada caso. Denunciar es el primer paso y puede ayudar a las autoridades a identificar a quienes cometen fraude. De igual manera, denunciar ciertas pérdidas financieras debido a fraude lo más antes posible, puede aumentar la probabilidad de recuperar las pérdidas. La línea directa esta abierta de lunes a viernes de 10:00 a.m. a 6:00 p.m., hora oficial del oriente. El inglés, español y otros idiomas están disponibles. Más información sobre los esfuerzos del departamento para ayudar a los estadounidenses de edad avanzada está disponible en la página web de la Iniciativa de Justicia para Ancianos, que se puede encontrar en www.elderjustice.gov . Para obtener más información sobre la Subdivisión de Protección al Consumidor y sus medidas de aplicación, visite www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch . Las denuncias por fraude a personas mayores pueden presentarse ante la Comisión Federal de Comercio en www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ o llamando al 877-FTC-HELP. El Departamento de Justicia proporciona una variedad de recursos relacionados con la victimización por fraude a personas mayores a través de su Oficina para Víctimas de Delitos en www.ovc.gov . Una acusación formal es simplemente una alegación. Todos los acusados se presumen inocentes hasta que se demuestre su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia. ### aurora_superseding_indictment_coversheet_508_0.pdf aurora_ex_parte_motion_to_unseal_coversheet_508_0.pdf