title: Mechanics Charged with Trafficking over a Ton of Methamphetamine from Auto Repair Shop

body_text: ATLANTA – Two DeKalb County auto mechanics face federal drug trafficking charges after agents seized approximately 2,500 pounds of methamphetamine from their vehicles. Daniel Santana-Lopez, 39, an illegal alien from Guanajuato, Mexico, was arraigned earlier today on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and illegal reentry by a removed alien. Jared Thompson, 41, of Snellville, Georgia, was arraigned on June 30, 2025, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime. “These defendants, including a twice-deported illegal alien, allegedly tried to conceal a major methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in a local automobile repair shop,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Through a tenacious investigation, our federal and local law enforcement partners rooted out the defendants’ operation in our continued effort to eliminate the scourge of drug dealing from our communities.” “DEA’s mission remains the same: seize dangerous drugs before they reach our communities and bring to justice those criminals responsible,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA will continue to aggressively pursue criminals that are harming our communities with dangerous drugs.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in Court: On October 23, 2024, law enforcement stopped Santana-Lopez after he drove away from a DeKalb County auto repair shop where he worked as a mechanic. During a search of Santana-Lopez’s vehicle, officers allegedly found approximately 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Santana-Lopez was illegally in the United States, having been deported in 2014 and 2017, and had allegedly distributed methamphetamine on several previous occasions in June, July, and August 2024. Approximately an hour after arresting Santana-Lopez, law enforcement stopped Thompson leaving the same auto repair shop, where he also worked as a mechanic. Inside of Thompson’s vehicle, officers allegedly found approximately 140 kilograms of methamphetamine and a firearm. Santana-Lopez and Thompson were indicted by a federal grand jury seated in the Northern District of Georgia on June 11, 2025. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, North Georgia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement with valuable assistance provided by the DeKalb County Police Department and DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Dwayne A. Brown, Jr. is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Justice Department Releases Guidance on Implementing President Trump’s Executive Order Designating English as the Official Language of the United States

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department of Justice will lead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with the Executive Order through targeted measures where necessary. "As President Trump has made clear, English is the official language of the United States," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Department of Justice will lead the effort to codify the President’s Executive Order and eliminate wasteful virtue-signaling policies across government agencies to promote assimilation over division." "President Trump’s Executive Order marks a pivotal step toward unifying our nation through a common language and enhancing efficiency in federal operations," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. "The Department of Justice ensures that while we respect linguistic diversity, our federal resources will prioritize English proficiency to empower new Americans and strengthen civic unity.” While leaving room for linguistic diversity that exists in private and community spheres, this Guidance will help streamline federal processes, reduce administrative burdens, and increase operational efficiency across agencies by removing extensive translation services and de-prioritizing multilingualism over English proficiency. Implementing the Executive Order will enhance social and economic integration, offer new Americans a vital pathway for civic engagement, and further bind Americans together with a shared language. President Trump’s Executive Order rescinds Executive Order No. 13,166, signed by President Clinton on August 16, 2000. Executive Order No. 13,166 directed agencies to enhance access to federal programs for persons with limited English proficiency and required tailored guidance for recipients of federal funding—straining federal resources and impeding the assimilation of new Americans. This is the latest Guidance issued by the Department of Justice to implement and administer President Trump’s agenda. Read the Guidance HERE .


title: Grove Man Sentenced for Possessing and Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Grove man was sentenced today for Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country and Production of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Dakota Austin Clark, 24, to 240 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Clark will also be required to register as a sex offender. In February 2023, Clark began communicating with a 14-year-old through social media. The investigation revealed that Clark coerced and enticed the minor child to produce sexually explicit photos. Law enforcement further discovered that Clark possessed hundreds of images that contained the sexual abuse of minor children. Clark is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Grove Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Extradited Colombian Entrepreneur Convicted in Miami of Conspiracy to Distribute Thousands of Kilograms of Cartel Cocaine for Import to the United States

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a guilty verdict against defendant Neder Valencia Julio for a multi-year conspiracy to distribute thousands of kilograms of cocaine, with knowledge that the cocaine would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Based on the evidence at trial, Valencia owned several businesses along the coastal gulf of Colombia near the Caribbean Sea, including a resort-style hotel, an apartment complex, a boat transport business, and a fleet of speedboats. These businesses were all located in territory controlled by the Clan del Golfo (CDG), a Colombian paramilitary group, racketeering organization, and armed drug trafficking cartel. The CDG cartel was a highly organized criminal group that trafficked its own cocaine, selling to partners in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras, who would then sell the cocaine to Mexican cartels for eventual transport across the border of the United States. The CDG cartel also charged a per-kilogram tax for any other drug trafficking groups that moved cocaine through CDG territory in Colombia and Panama. In exchange for the payment of this tax, CDG would provide storage, security, and inventorying of the cocaine until the traffickers were ready to dispatch the cocaine for shipment. On May 14, 2018, a Colombian military plane began tracking a speedboat that left from this region and was moving north along a known drug trafficking corridor. As the boat crossed into Panama’s territorial waters, a patrol boat from Servicio Nacional Aeronaval de Panamá (SENAN) was able to locate and begin pursuit of the speedboat. The speedboat crew tossed its cargo overboard and turned back towards Colombia. The crew escaped and the empty boat was seized by Colombian law enforcement. However, the SENAN patrol boat was able to follow the speedboat’s wake and recover 626 kilograms of bundled cocaine still afloat along its path. Valencia provided the speedboat, organized and hired the crew, and met with CDG cartel leadership to plan and coordinate this May 2018 shipment of 1,050 kilograms of CDG cocaine. Valencia was personally present to oversee the loading and dispatch of the cocaine onto his speedboat. Beyond the May 2018 shipment, Valencia served as a logistics and transportation coordinator for many more thousands of kilograms and millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine shipments, dating back to at least 2011. In 2012, Valencia participated in planning meetings with CDG cartel leadership and representatives of a Honduran narcotrafficking client of CDG, and then provided the boats and crew for a 1200-kilogram shipment of CDG cocaine to Honduras. In 2015, Valencia held the same role in a 1500-kilogram shipment to this same group in Honduras. In 2017, Valencia oversaw the loading and dispatch of a 1000-kilogram shipment from one of his speedboats, piloted by his crew. In February 2018, Valencia again oversaw the loading and dispatch of a 1400-kilogram cartel cocaine shipment from one of his speedboats, piloted by his crew. Valencia continued to oversee the coordination, logistics, and transportation of cocaine shipments in 2019 and 2020. He was arrested in Colombia in 2021 and subsequently extradited to the United States. The evidence at trial otherwise reflected that one of the branded stamps on the cocaine bricks from the May 2018 seizure had been linked to the CDG cartel, and that cocaine bricks bearing the same or similar branded markings had been seized in United States territory between 2017 and 2020, including in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Corpus Christi, Texas. U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal presided over the trial. Valencia faces a maximum term of life imprisonment. The sentencing hearing has been set for September 23, 2025. Judge Singhal will sentence Valencia 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 Special Agent in Charge Deanne Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Miami Field Division, announced the guilty verdict. DEA investigated the case, with substantial assistance from law enforcement and armed forces in the Republic of Colombia, including the Fiscalía General de la Nación, the Colombian Navy, and the Republic of Panama, including SENAN. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in this matter. The United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable support during the proceedings. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Chattah and Sterling M. Paulson are prosecuting the case. 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 21-CR-20273-AHS. ###


title: Ladson Man Sentenced to 19 Years Federal Prison for Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Joseph Daniel Bair, 40, of Ladson, has been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for the attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Evidence obtained in the investigation showed that in early November 2021, members of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) conducted an undercover investigation targeting online sexual offenders. As part of this investigation, an officer created an undercover online persona of a 13-year-old girl. Bair responded to the undercover officer’s online persona’s social media ad and engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the undercover officer. In their conversations, Bair discussed his desire to engage in various sex acts with the purported 13-year-old girl. On Dec. 5, 2021, Bair drove from Ladson to a predetermined location in Charleston County to meet the girl, and to engage in illicit sexual conduct with her. When Bair arrived, he encountered law enforcement officers instead and was placed under arrest. At the time of the offense, Bair was on the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry based on a 2009 state conviction for criminal solicitation of a minor . Law enforcement officers also discovered that Bair was reporting to sex offender registry officials that he lived in Charleston when in fact he lived in Ladson. United States District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks sentenced Bair to 230 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), including the Department of Homeland Security, Mount Pleasant Police Department, and Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean H. Secor is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Attorney Pleads Guilty To Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Benjamin Crawford (47, Brandon) has pleaded guilty to distribution of child sexual abuse material. Crawford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 25, 2025. According to the plea agreement, Crawford, a local attorney, distributed child sexual abuse material over a social media application and possessed child sexual abuse material on his cellphone and laptop. Crawford has agreed to his phone and laptop, which were used in the commission of the offense. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Tampa and Tennessee. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel. This case was 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 victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Chinese-Owned Concrete Equipment Manufacturer to Pay Over $2.8 Million to Resolve Allegations That It Submitted False Claims to Receive a Paycheck Protection Program Loan

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that Schwing America, Inc., a Minnesota corporation, agreed to pay $2,894,739 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to obtain a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible. Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and, if the business spent the loan proceeds on qualified expenses, SBA would repay the loan and any accrued interest on the borrower’s behalf. Regulations provide various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of individuals the borrower and its affiliated entities employed and exclusions for certain types of businesses, like those that are owned by government entities. In their loan applications, borrowers were required to certify that they were eligible for the PPP and that the information they provided was accurate. Schwing America’s ultimate corporate parent is the Jiangsu Xuzhou State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, which is owned and controlled by the government of the People’s Republic of China. Through common ownership, Schwing America is also affiliated with other companies in China, Europe, and elsewhere that employed thousands of individuals. In applying for its PPP loan, however, Schwing America certified that it was eligible for its loan, and it received a loan in the amount of $1,932,800. SBA subsequently forgave $1,702,787.82 in principal and interest. The United States alleges that Schwing America was not a small business eligible for its PPP loan because Schwing America, together with its affiliates across the globe, employed more individuals than permitted by SBA’s size standard for its industry. The United States also contends that Schwing America was not eligible because it is owned by a government entity. Schwing America will pay $2,894,739 to resolve these allegations. “Congress intended for the PPP to help small businesses, not companies that are part of large multinational corporations owned by foreign governments,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling. “Schwing America submitted false information to avoid the rules, and it will now repay the SBA plus a substantial penalty. The United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to pursuing companies that defraud government programs.” “The settlement in this matter reflects SBA’s commitment to identifying and pursuing those who perpetrated fraud on Covid relief programs to the detriment of small businesses” said Wendell Davis, SBA General Counsel. “Working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Wisconsin and our other law enforcement partners, SBA continues its enhanced efforts to uncover fraud and pursue recoveries wrongfully taken by the perpetrators.” The settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam , or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by GNGH2 Inc., which will receive $289,473.90 in connection with this settlement. Together with the SBA, Assistant United States Attorney Michael Carter and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Lindsey Roberts represented the government in this matter. The settlement agreement states allegations only; Schwing America, Inc., does not admit liability for the allegations. # # # For Additional Information Contact: Public Affairs Officer steven.caballero@usdoj.gov 414-297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Ponte Vedra Man Posing As A Tutor Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison For Attempting To Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Kevin Patrick Wilson (39, Ponte Vedra) to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Wilson pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025. According to court documents, on July 20, 2024, a social media user posted a public message in a Facebook group seeking a tutor for a child. On the day of the post, an individual posing as a woman, but later identified as Wilson, reached out and directed the poster to contact her “husband,” Wilson, by text message. The poster contacted Wilson and had a short text conversation. The poster said she was seeking tutoring assistance for an 11-year-old child. Wilson sent a photo of himself and asked for a photo of the child. The text message conversation ended shortly thereafter. The poster later contacted the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office about the interaction. On July 24, 2024, an undercover detective posing as the guardian of a 12-year-old female “child” reached out to Wilson about tutoring services for the “child.” After the undercover detective initiated the conversation, Wilson began discussing sexual topics involving the “child” and meeting the “child” to perform sexual acts with the “child.” Wilson also spoke to undercover detectives portraying the 12-year-old child via phone and text message. Wilson and the undercover detective portraying the guardian of the “child” ultimately agreed to meet during the evening of July 24, 2024, for Wilson to engage in sexual acts with the “child.” Wilson traveled to the predetermined meeting location and was arrested. This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington. It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Semaj Markes Leondre Figg, 33, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.” According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 9, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to reports of shots fired at an 11th Avenue residence in Huntington, encountered Figg, and arrested him on an outstanding warrant. Officers executed a search warrant at the residence and seized approximately 30 grams of crack, 54 grams of fentanyl, a Glock 22C pistol and a Ruger-5.7 pistol. Figg admitted that he intended to sell the seized controlled substances. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-180.


title: New Port Richey Woman Charged With FEMA Fraud

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Shelby Sigler (34, New Port Richey) with fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefits. If convicted, Sigler faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, between November 2023 and January 2024, Sigler knowingly made false and fraudulent statements and representations to obtain money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) when submitting an application for assistance from FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program as a result of Hurricane Idalia. 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 Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement related to any man-made or natural disaster can report it by visiting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www. justice. gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.


title: Hudson County Man Indicted for Investment Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme Involving Elderly Victims

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, NJ. – A New Jersey man was arraigned on wire fraud and money laundering charges for a scheme to defraud elderly and other victims by misappropriating funds that the victims were told would be invested on their behalf or otherwise used for their benefit, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Antonio Petrosino, a/k/a Anthony Petrosino, 60, of Union City, New Jersey, was arraigned on July 9, 2025, before Senior U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler. Petrosino was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 18, 2025, with five counts of wire fraud (Counts One through Five) and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity (Count Six). Petrosino was previously charged by complaint in January 2025 with one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court: From in or around January 2016 through in or around November 2024, Petrosino fraudulently induced the victims to transfer investment funds, mortgage payments, and other money to Petrosino. As part of the scheme to defraud, Petrosino held himself out to be a financial services professional to his victims and falsely led them to believe that he would invest the victims’ money in brokerage accounts and other investment products or otherwise use it for their benefit. To perpetuate his fraud, Petrosino provided one elderly victim with falsified investment statements that purported to show that she had hundreds of thousands of dollars deposited in various investment accounts in her name. Petrosino also made various statements to victims assuring them that their money had been invested or used as promised. In reality, Petrosino failed to invest the victims’ funds or otherwise use victim monies for the victims’ benefit as promised. Instead, Petrosino misappropriated the money to pay for his personal expenses, including gambling, credit card payments, and rent on his luxury apartment unit. When confronted by victims about the status of the money they sent to Petrosino, Petrosino provided the victims and their family members false reassurances about the status of the victims’ funds to cover up his fraud. In total, Petrosino stole more than approximately $1 million from the victims. The wire fraud charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The money laundering charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. All counts carry a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; special agents of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker; and the Wyckoff Police Department, under the direction of Chief David V. Murphy, with the investigation leading to Petrosino’s indictment. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kozar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense Counsel: Michael Thomas, Esq. petrosino.indictment.pdf


title: Repeat International Drug Trafficker Sentenced To Almost 20 Years’ Imprisonment For Trafficking $82 Million Of Cocaine On A Self-Propelled Semi-Submersible Near French Polynesia

body_text: Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge William F. Jung today sentenced Vicente Lopez Mero (67, Ecuador) to 19 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Lopez Mero pleaded guilty on March 26, 2025. According to court documents, on October 27, 2024, Lopez Mero and four co-conspirators smuggled cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean aboard a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel, which is a closed hull boat specifically configured for transporting large quantities of narcotics in its interior cargo hold. Guardsmen from the USCGS Munro, a United States Coast Guard Legend- class cutter, interdicted the semi-submersible vessel 960 nautical miles north of French Polynesia, in international waters. The United States Coast Guard seized 3,749 kilograms of cocaine, which has an approximate wholesale value of $82 million. Lopez Mero had previously been convicted of and sentenced in 2020 for smuggling large quantities of cocaine within the ballast tanks of an international container ship. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transitional criminal organizations. The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution is being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David W.A. Chee.


title: Hamden Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Narcotics in Southwestern Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTIAN PICHARDO, also known as “Swerve,” “Craig,” and “Bobby Shmurda,” 30, of Hamden, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics in southwestern Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department identified Pichardo as a significant distributor of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack, and narcotic pills in southwestern Connecticut. During the investigation, investigators intercepted calls and text messages between Pichardo, his associates, and their drug customers over court-authorized wiretaps, made controlled purchases of narcotics, and seized drugs from Pichardo, his associates, and drug customers. Some of the drugs seized during the investigation had been cut with fentanyl analogues and xylazine, a large animal tranquilizer. The investigation also revealed that Pichardo maintained a residence on Norman Street in Bridgeport to store narcotics. On July 17, 2024, a grand jury in Bridgeport returned a superseding indictment charging Pichardo and seven others with controlled substances offenses. Pichardo has been detained since his arrest on August 5, 2024. On April 3, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and quantities of cocaine, heroin, and other opioids. This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Kenneth L. Gresham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Honduran National Sentenced To 30 Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry After A Felony Conviction

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Luis Alonso Contreras-Rivera (32, Honduras) to 30 months in federal prison for illegal reentry after a felony conviction. Contreras-Rivera pleaded guilty on April 9, 2025. According to court documents, Contreras-Rivera is a citizen and national of Honduras. He was previously removed from the United States on December 3, 2012, January 19, 2015, and November 2, 2018. On January 1, 2024, Contreras-Rivera was found back in the United States when he was arrested in Charlotte County for a state criminal offense. Contreras-Rivera had previously been convicted of illegal reentry into the United States on September 10, 2013, in the Western District of Texas. Contreras-Rivera has never applied for or received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reenter the United States. This case was investigated by United States Border Patrol. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Darcey.


title: Defense Contractor Berg Co. Agrees to Pay $3.3M to Resolve Allegations of Causing Fraudulent Bids

component: Civil Division

body_text: Berg Companies Inc. (Berg) has agreed to pay $3.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting, or causing the submission of, false claims under prime vendor contracts with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), which the Department of Defense (DoD) uses to purchase goods and services. Berg, based in Spokane, Washington, manufactures rigid wall shelters and sells them to the federal government, including through various prime vendor programs. In September 2019, Berg was acquired by Hunter Defense Technologies, Inc., which is a defense contractor that is based in Solon, Ohio. Berg was a vendor to Noble Sales Co. Inc. doing business as Noble Supply & Logistics (Noble), which is a Boston-based prime contractor to DLA for Maintenance, Repair & Operations (MRO) contracts for the European Command. Under the MRO contracts, the DoD can place orders for goods and services through Noble. Noble is then required to solicit bids from two independently competing vendors for transactions below $25,000 and from three independently competing vendors for transactions at or above $25,000. According to DLA, MRO contracts are “a partnership aimed at achieving infrastructure savings, inventory cost reductions and favorable product pricing through leveraged buying.” Pursuant to the settlement agreement, Berg admitted that, from 2019 to 2021, Berg coordinated with Noble and two other Noble vendors to submit inflated quotes for Berg-made rigid wall shelters so that the other vendors would win the awards at inflated prices. In the first scheme, Berg admitted that it coordinated and submitted inflated quotes on two solicitations for the sale of 10 Berg-made rigid wall shelters that Noble awarded to a New Mexico-based vendor. In the second scheme, Berg admitted that it coordinated and submitted inflated quotes on 26 solicitations for the purchase of 29 Berg-made rigid wall shelters that Noble awarded to a Florida-based vendor. As a result of these schemes, the United States contends that the requirements were not competed as required by the prime vendor contract and the military customers were overcharged for the Berg-made rigid wall shelters. “Bid rigging of this type inhibits competition on the products and on prices, thereby creating the risk that the government is purchasing inferior products at exorbitant prices,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement reinforces the Department’s commitment in using the FCA to pursue anti-competitive fraud.” “As evidenced in this settlement agreement, these contractors manipulated and undermined the fair and open bidding process designed to save our military and taxpayers money,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “We commend Berg for cooperating with the government to resolve this matter and taking responsibility for this conduct. As this settlement demonstrates, not only will my Office continue to use the False Claims Act to help root out fraud, waste and abuse involving taxpayer funds, but it will reward those that accept responsibility and cooperate with the government.” “Collusion in government contracting erodes public trust, distorts fair competition, and drives up costs for taxpayers and service members,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “Such conduct undermines the integrity of the procurement process and betrays the public’s expectation that government funds will be used responsibly. This resolution demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, ensuring a level playing field for all businesses, and holding accountable those who seek to profit by manipulating federal contracting. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to defend the integrity of government procurement and safeguard the interests of the American people.” “Today’s settlement announcement demonstrates the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), along with our law enforcement partners, to aggressively pursue those who undermine the integrity of the DoD contracting process,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Gosch of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, DCIS Southwest Field Office. “DCIS will use all available resources to hold accountable those who betray the trust of the American taxpayer by corrupting the DoD procurement system for personal gain.” “GSA OIG will continue to work with its investigative partners to hold government contractors accountable for concealing relevant information that may affect the award or performance of government contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dattoria of the U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Division. Berg cooperated with the government in this matter. As part of the settlement, Berg acknowledged and accepted responsibility for the facts that form the basis of this settlement. This settlement resolves claims brought against Berg under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and to receive a share of the recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblowers, Mark G. Davis and Andrew G. Gunn, to receive a $561,000 share of the recovery. Davis is a U.S. Army veteran and former salesperson for one of the sub-vendors involved in the conspiracy allegation. Gunn is the managing director of a United Kingdom company that manufacturers storage equipment for United States military customers and sold its equipment through this prime vendor’s MRO contracts. The remainder of the matter remains under seal. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Mexico and District of Massachusetts, with assistance from the Defense Criminal Investigative Services, the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General. The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Samson Asiyanbi of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cunniff of the District of New Mexico, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Ross and Brian LaMacchia of the District of Massachusetts. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Honduran National Arrested For Illegal Reentry

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Bayros Aguilar-Ramirez (29, Honduras) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Aguilar-Ramirez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. According to court documents, Aguilar-Ramirez is a citizen and national of Honduras. He was previously removed from the United States on November 23, 2016. Aguilar-Ramirez was found voluntarily back in the United States on July 13, 2025, when he was encountered by law enforcement in St Johns County. Aguilar-Ramirez has not received the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States. A complaint 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 is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced to Five Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in New Bedford was sentenced today for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Jose De Leon Ventura, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani to five months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025, De Leon Ventura pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. De Leon Ventura was arrested in April 2025 and has remained in custody since. De Leon Ventura was previously removed from the United States in December 2019, after being arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in Yuma, Ariz. Sometime after his removal, De Leon Ventura unlawfully reentered the United States. Federal authorities became aware of De Leon Ventura’s presence in the United States following his arrest in August 2023 for operating under the influence of liquor and operating after a suspended license. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons prosecuted the case.


title: Shreveport Woman Guilty Of Embezzlement From Her Employer

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KRISTEN LEVIN a/k/a “KRISTEN CASSELS” (“LEVIN , age 42, of Shreveport, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on July 3, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to wire fraud in connection with her embezzlement from her employer. According to court documents, LEVIN created and submitted fake invoices to her employer for payment. Specifically, in October of 2020, LEVIN submitted a fake invoice via email to another employee and requested payment. The invoice generated a wire transfer of approximately $4,600 to LEVIN’s personal account, unbeknownst to the employer. Sentencing will occur on October 23, 2025. At sentencing, LEVIN faces up to twenty years in prison for the wire fraud, up to $250,000 in fines, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward J. Rivera, Katherine McHugh, both of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Sarah Dawkins, of the Violent Crimes Unit, are in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Honduran Man Illegally in U.S. Pleads Guilty to Gun Possession

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Marvin Enrique Pena-Portillo, 38, a Honduran national unlawfully residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg to possession of a firearm by a felon. The defendant was arrested on a criminal complaint and warrant in April of this year and charged by information in June. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on April 15, 2025, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents arrested the defendant for immigration violations, Pena-Portillo had a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol in his waistband. In August of 2024, in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Pena-Portillo had pleaded guilty to carrying an illegal firearm in public and was sentenced to two years of probation for that offense. Pena-Portillo is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). The case was investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and the ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Eckert.


title: Independence Attorney Sentenced for Tax Evasion

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., attorney has been sentenced to federal prison for evading payment of $794,540 in income taxes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray today. John C. Carnes, 70, pleaded guilty to tax evasion on Nov. 25, 2024, and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs. Carnes was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $794,540. According to court documents, Carnes admitted that he willfully attempted to evade paying his personal income taxes for tax years 2012 through 2018. Carnes kept his income in his attorney trust accounts, then withdrew cash from his attorney trust accounts to pay for personal and business expenses. An attorney trust account is a bank account in which a lawyer has a fiduciary duty to hold property of clients or third persons, including prospective clients. It is for funds that are in a lawyer’s possession in connection with representation, separate from the lawyer’s own property. Carnes had two trust fund accounts. He withdrew $444,527 in cash from one account from 2016 through 2019, and he withdrew $144,364 from the second account from 2013 through 2015. Carnes used the cash to gamble and pay personal expenses. Carnes deposited $232,000 in fees received for services provided in the sale of the former Rockwood Golf Course property in November 2017 and the Missouri City Power Plant project, and other income, into his attorney trust accounts. The total tax loss to the IRS for tax years 2012 through 2018, because of Carnes’s tax evasion, totaled $618,949. In addition, relevant conduct consists of unpaid federal income tax for the tax years 1990-1993, 1996-2003, and 2005, totaling $175,590. The total relevant conduct is $238,513, resulting in a total tax loss of $794,540. From 2009 to 2020, the IRS continuously engaged in various forms of investigative and enforcement activity regarding Carnes’s outstanding tax liabilities. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rudolph R. Rhodes IV and Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: Former Federal Task Force Agent Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Corruption

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Antonio Pizarro Adorno, a former Puerto Rico Special Investigations Bureau (“NIE” as known in Spanish) officer who was assigned to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (HSI), was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé to 15 months in prison and three years of Supervised Release Term for corruptly concealing $170 during a law enforcement seizure. On March 13, 2025, after a five-day jury trial, a federal jury convicted Antonio Pizarro Adorno. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 27, 2023, Pizarro Adorno, took $170 in cash seized by the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB), with the intent to impair its integrity and availability for use in an investigation being conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives related to drug trafficking in a community in San Juan, Puerto Rico. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI made the announcement. The FBI San Juan Field Office, Public Corruption Unit investigated the case, with the collaboration of the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie Christine Amy prosecuted the case. ###


title: Former State Employee Charged with Providing K2-Laced Paper to a Federal Prison Inmate; Inmate Indicted for Possessing K2

body_text: BOSTON – A Bridgewater, Mass. woman and a federal inmate have been charged with providing and possessing a controlled substance in the form of a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as “K2,” at the federal prison FMC Devens. The inmate had been granted clemency on Jan. 17, 2025, reducing his 2022 federal prison sentence for drug distribution. Tasha Hammock, 43, a former employee with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, is charged by Information with providing contraband to a prison inmate. Raymond Gaines, 45, an inmate at FMC Devens, has been indicted by a federal grand jury with possessing contraband by a prison inmate. In March 2025 , Hammock and Gaines were charged by criminal complaint. According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2022, Gaines was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the time he committed the offenses, he was on federal supervised release after serving a prison sentence resulting from a 2017 conviction for distributing cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school. In both prior cases Gaines was alleged to be an associate of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, a street gang in Boston. On Jan. 17, 2025, Gaines received an Executive Grant of Clemency, reducing his current federal sentence to five years in prison. It is alleged that on Aug. 18, 2024, Hammock, while visiting Gaines in the prison, surreptitiously passed K2-laced papers to Gaines, which he pocketed. At the time, Hammock was employed with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Hammock also allegedly previously handled money connected with the distribution of K2 to Gaines in FMC Devens and she allegedly received K2 at her residence for distribution into the prison. Court records allege that law enforcement obtained a cellphone that had been smuggled to an inmate in the prison (“Inmate A”). In September 2023, Inmate A allegedly sent messages on the cell phone to another person (“Person 1”), discussing obtaining K2 in prison. Inmate A allegedly told Person 1 that the drugs could be delivered to a particular address in Bridgewater - later determined to be Hammock’s residence - and that Inmate A’s “co” would arrange for the drugs to be brought into the prison from there. As described in court documents, K2 presents a health problem at FMC Devens, where inmates have become sick from smoking paper believed to contain K2, as well as prison staff who have been exposed to the secondary smoke. The charges of providing a prohibited object to a prison inmate, and receiving a prohibited object by a prison inmate, each carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; and Ryan Geach, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Regional Office of DOJ-OIG, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Special Investigative Services Unit at FMC Devens. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Tucson Man Sentenced to Over 8 Years for Possession of Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Jose Antonio Ornelas, Jr., 33, of Tucson, was sentenced on July 10, by United States District Court Judge Rosemary Márquez to 98 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Ornelas, Jr. previously pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. On October 3, 2024, Ornelas, Jr. met with another person to purchase methamphetamine for $2,250. When law enforcement tried to stop Ornelas, Jr., he fled at a dangerous speed, ran a red light, and drove in the opposite lane of traffic. Police eventually located Ornelas, Jr. at a nearby apartment complex. In addition to the methamphetamine, Ornelas, Jr. was in possession of fentanyl pills, a .45 caliber extended magazine, a drug ledger, and a scale. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Culver, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-07594-TUC-RM (MSA) RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-116_Ornelas, Jr. # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Ohio Man Sentenced for  Cocaine Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati, Ohio, man, Anthony Wynn, 33, was sentenced on Monday by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, to 384 months in prison, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to testimony at trial, in August 2020, law enforcement stopped a vehicle being driven by Wynn to investigate a possible DUI. During the stop, officers located two bags of crack cocaine and a bag of marijuana on Wynn’s person. Officers also found a loaded firearm in the glove box and a digital scale in the center console. An additional loaded firearm was found in the trunk. Wynn possessed the firearms to protect himself, drugs, and drug proceeds during his drug trafficking activities. Also, Wynn was aware at the time of his arrest that he had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm. Wynn was previously convicted of facilitation of robbery and first degree trafficking in a controlled substance in Campbell County Circuit Court in 2010; and first degree trafficking in a controlled substance, cocaine, and two counts of first degree trafficking in a controlled substance, heroin, in Kenton County Circuit Court in 2015. Under federal law, Wynn must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 6 years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Brian Valenti, Covington Police Department, jointly announced the conviction. The case was referred to the ATF by the Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. The investigation was conducted by ATF and Covington Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tony Bracke and Joel King. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials. – END –


title: Defense Contractor Berg Co. Agrees to Pay $3.3 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations for Bid Rigging on Defense Contracts

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Berg Companies, Inc., of Spokane, Washington, has agreed to pay $3,300,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by engaging in a bid rigging conspiracy with a government prime vendor and two sub-vendors – including Albuquerque-based Improve Group, Inc. – that caused fraudulent, non-competitive bids to be submitted to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). As a result, Department of Defense (DoD) customers were overcharged for rigid wall shelters manufactured by Berg. Berg manufactures rigid wall shelters and sells them directly and indirectly to the federal government, including through various prime vendor programs. In September 2019, Berg was acquired by Hunter Defense Technologies, Inc. (HDT), which is a defense contractor based in Solon, Ohio. HDT manufactures integrated expeditionary products and solutions. The DLA oversees several prime vendor contracts that it makes available to military customers to acquire a variety of products and services. At issue here are DLA’s Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) prime vendor contracts for the European Command. These contracts were operated by a prime vendor based in Boston, Massachusetts. Through these contracts, military customers in Europe could purchase supplies and equipment such as chemicals, electrical supplies, hardware, HVAC/refrigeration, prefabricated structures, and a variety of small tools. The goals of the MRO program are to achieve favorable product pricing through leveraged buying, infrastructure savings, and inventory cost reductions. To obtain the best price, the MRO contracts require the prime vendor, which is paid per transaction, to engage in a competitive bidding process, soliciting bids from at least two independently competing vendors for transactions below $25,000 and from at least three independently competing vendors for transactions at or above $25,000. The United States alleged that from 2019 to 2021, Berg conspired with the prime vendor and two sub-vendors to rig bids on the MRO contracts for the European Command for the sale of its rigid wall shelters. More specifically, Berg admitted that it coordinated with the prime vendor and sub-vendors and submitted inflated quotes for Berg-made rigid wall shelters so that the sub-vendors would win the awards at inflated prices. In the first scheme, Berg admitted that it coordinated and submitted inflated quotes on two solicitations for the sale of 10 Berg-made rigid wall shelters that were awarded to Albuquerque-based sub-vendor Improve Group. In the second scheme, Berg admitted that it coordinated and submitted inflated quotes on 26 solicitations for the purchase of 29 Berg-made rigid wall shelters that were awarded to a sub-vendor that operated out of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. As a result of these bid rigging schemes, the United States contends that the prime vendor did not engage in a competitive bidding process, that bids were not submitted by independently competing vendors, and that the collusion caused the prime vendor, sub-vendors, and Berg to overcharge the military customers. Berg received cooperation credit under the Department of Justice’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation into account in FCA cases. Berg cooperated with the government in this matter, conducted internal investigation, and voluntarily self-disclosed one issue that was not known to the government before. “Collusion in government contracting erodes public trust, distorts fair competition, and drives up costs for taxpayers and service members,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “Such conduct undermines the integrity of the procurement process and betrays the public’s expectation that government funds will be used responsibly. This resolution demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, ensuring a level playing field for all businesses, and holding accountable those who seek to profit by manipulating federal contracting. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to defend the integrity of government procurement and safeguard the interests of the American people.” “Bid rigging of this type inhibits competition on the products and on prices, thereby creating the risk that the government is purchasing inferior products at exorbitant prices,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement reinforces the Department’s commitment in using the FCA to pursue anti-competitive fraud.” “As evidenced in this settlement agreement, these contractors manipulated and undermined the fair and open bidding process designed to save our military and taxpayers money,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “We commend Berg for cooperating with the government to resolve this matter and taking responsibility for this conduct. As this settlement demonstrates, not only will my Office continue to use the False Claims Act to help root out fraud, waste and abuse involving taxpayer funds, but it will reward those that accept responsibility and cooperate with the government.” “Today’s settlement announcement demonstrates the commitment of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), along with our law enforcement partners, to aggressively pursue those who undermine the integrity of the DoD contracting process,” said Chad Gosch, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, DCIS Southwest Field Office. “DCIS will use all available resources to hold accountable those who betray the trust of the American taxpayer by corrupting the DoD procurement system for personal gain.” “GSA OIG will continue to work with its investigative partners to hold government contractors accountable for concealing relevant information that may affect the award or performance of government contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Dattoria of the U.S. General Services This settlement resolves claims brought against Berg under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and to receive a share of the recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblowers, Mark G. Davis and Andrew G. Gunn, to receive a $561,000 share of the recovery. Davis is a U.S. Army veteran and former salesperson for one of the sub-vendors involved in the conspiracy allegation. Gunn is the managing director of a United Kingdom company that manufacturers storage equipment for United States military customers and sold its equipment through this prime vendor’s MRO contracts. The remainder of the matter remains under seal. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Mexico and District of Massachusetts, with assistance from the Defense Criminal Investigative Services, the Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General. The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Samson Asiyanbi of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Cunniff and Auditor Phillip Stella of the District of New Mexico, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Ross and Brian LaMacchia of the District of Massachusetts, and criminal investigators from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. berg_settlement_agreement_7.10.25_fully_executed_redacted.pdf The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Female Teacher Arrested After Being Indicted for Sex Trafficking of Children in Puerto Rico

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — On July 10, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging a woman from Bayamón with sex trafficking of children. Lizamarie Rivera-García, 42, was arrested today by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents. “These charges reflect the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct inflicted on her victims,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The sexual exploitation of children robs children of their freedom, dignity and sense of security. Such conduct is unacceptable in our society. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will use all the tools at our disposal to prosecute sex traffickers and to seek justice for the victims.” “We cannot let our guard down! Our children are being sexually exploited by individuals in positions of public trust. Law enforcement agencies are committed to being the voice of these victims,” said Rebecca C. Gonzalez-Ramos, HSI San Juan’s Special Agent in Charge. “HSI’s multidisciplinary team will guarantee that our children receive the necessary assistance to overcome this trauma, and our agents will make sure that these individuals are arrested, away from causing more damage. A female religion teacher that had the responsibility to guiding our children about principles and beliefs was actually developing a plan to sexually assault them. HSI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau are committed to protecting our children. We will not let these acts happen on our watch.” According to court documents, between December 2023 and October 2024, Lizamarie Rivera-García knowingly and willfully recruited, enticed, transported, and maintained a 15-year-old male minor to engage in commercial sex acts. Rivera-García is also accused with knowingly employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing the same 15-year-old male minor to engage in sexual activity; transporting the male victim in a commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, with intent that the male individual engage in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense; and using internet instant messaging services and social media, to knowingly transfer and attempt to transfer obscene matter to an individual who had not attained the age of 16 years. In addition, from in or about December 2023 to November 2024, Rivera-García knowingly and willfully recruited, enticed, transported, and maintained a 17-year-old male minor to engage in commercial sex acts. If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: sex trafficking of a child - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years up to life in prison; transportation of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity -- a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life in prison; and coercion and enticement of a minor - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years up to life in prison. All charges of conviction are to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. HSI San Juan is leading the investigation into this case, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea, from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to IntelHSISanJuan@hsi.dhs.gov . Learn more about ICE HSI San Juan’s mission to increase public safety in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Instagram , Facebook , and X . This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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. 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: Possession of a Glock and 17 Rounds of Ammunition Nets Convicted Felon 37 Months in Prison

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Dominique Davis, 26, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 37 months in federal prison for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a handgun when he was stopped by a Metropolitan Police officer for smoking marijuana in public, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Davis pleaded guilty March 4, 2025, to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the 37-month prison term, Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Davis to serve three years of supervised release. According to court documents, on Sept. 26, 2024, MPD officers were on patrol in a marked cruiser on the 4300 block of 4 th Street, SE, when they smelled the odor of burning marijuana. The officers exited the cruiser and walked toward a group of four men who were smoking. One of the men, later identified as Davis, attempted to gather his belongings as he held a large, lit marijuana cigarette in his hand. Davis extinguished the cigarette at the officers’ request, then provided ID. Officers ran his name and learned that Davis had a warrant for his arrest out of Prince George’s County, Maryland, for first degree assault. Police searched Davis and recovered a Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun loaded with one round in the chamber and 16 additional rounds in a large-capacity magazine. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Emily Reeder-Ricchetti 24cr470


title: California Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with $16M Hospice Fraud Scheme and Money Laundering Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in defrauding Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies and laundering the fraudulent proceeds. According to court documents, Juan Carlos Esparza, 33, of Valley Village, schemed with others, including co-defendants Petros Fichidzhyan and Karpis Srapyan, to bill Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and never provided. From July 2019 until January 2023, the defendant and his co-defendants operated four sham hospices, one of which, House of Angels Hospice, was owned by Esparza. The defendants controlled the other three hospices, even though the listed owners were foreign nationals. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan concealed the scheme by using foreign nationals’ personal identifying information to open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare, and sign property leases. They also controlled and used cell phones in the names of the foreign nationals in furtherance of the scheme. In total, Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan worked with others, including their co-defendants Susanna Harutyunyan and Mihran Panosyan, to launder the fraudulent proceeds. As part of the money laundering scheme, Esparza and his co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents and other documents associated with the sham hospices at the House of Angels office, and bank documents, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners in a pair of residential properties. After defrauding Medicare, Esparza and his co-defendants moved the funds between various assets and accounts, including bank accounts in the names of shell companies, to conceal the scheme. Esparza spent $90,000 in fraudulent proceeds to purchase a vehicle. Esparza pleaded guilty to health care fraud and transactional money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for healthcare fraud and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for transactional money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Co-defendant Petros Fichidzhyan previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. In May, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-defendant Mihran Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering last month and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8. Co-defendant Karpis Srapyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. Co-defendant Susanna Harutyunyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17. Harutyunyan faces deportation. The guilty plea today is the most recent conviction in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Sarah E. Edwards, Allison L. McGuire, and Michael Bacharach of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Child Neglect

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NASHVILLE – Andrew J. Garasich, 29, of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for aggravated child neglect, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. “The victim in this case was a two-month-old child who was horribly neglected by the Defendant and barely survived,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “The child is now in a loving home but will face lifelong struggles because of the Defendant’s choices. This case shows that we will not hesitate to prosecute those who hurt children and, if they are convicted, we will seek long sentences in federal prison for them.” “This sentencing is a result of the unwavering commitment of the FBI and our justice system to protect the most vulnerable members of our community—our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “There is no place in our community for those who harm children, and we will do everything we can to find and punish those who engage in this repugnant activity and seek justice for victims.” “This case highlights the strong partnership between Army CID, the FBI, and the Department of Justice,” said Special Agent in Charge John McCabe of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Midcentral Field Office. “This sentencing reflects our dedication to justice for this young victim and sends a clear message that child abuse will not be tolerated within our ranks or in our communities." Garasich, a former sergeant (E-5) in the United States Army stationed on Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was a father of a two-month-old baby when, on December 30, 2022, Garasich severely burned his baby by bathing him in water so hot that the baby’s skin peeled off his body. The two-month-old baby did not receive medical treatment for five days after the bath. When the baby was finally taken to Houston County Community Hospital for medical treatment, Garasich did not accompany the baby to the hospital. Medical personnel immediately arranged for the baby to be life flighted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center due to the severity of his injuries, and they contacted the Erin, Tennessee, Police Department, which dispatched officers to the hospital to speak with witnesses about how the baby was injured. When the baby was assessed at Vanderbilt, in addition to partial to full thickness burns on the baby’s buttocks, perineum, lower extremities, and left elbow, medical personnel also noted a left parietal skull fracture. Although Garasich does not have any prior criminal convictions, he has a prior case with the Department of Children’s Services involving another child in 2019. Following his term of imprisonment, Garasich will be on supervised release for 4 years. Garasich’s co-defendant, the child’s mother, will be sentenced on August 5, 2025. This case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI Nashville Field Office, Clarksville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Morrison and Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire prosecuted the case. # # # # #


title: Honduran National Indicted For Re-Entry Of Deported Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that MARCELO ORDONEZ-RIVAS (“ORDONEZ-RIVAS”) , age 46, a native of Honduras, was indicted on July 10, 2025, for re-entry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). According to court documents, ORDONEZ-RIVAS , an illegal alien, was found in Jefferson Parish on June 18, 2025. In 2016, he had previously been convicted of violating 8 U.S.C. § 1326, Illegal Re-entry of Removed Alien, and sentenced. ORDONEZ-RIVAS was removed to Honduras on or about June 10, 2016. If convicted, ORDONEZ-RIVAS faces a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.


title: Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Quenin Owen Brown, 34, of Shady Spring, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 28, 2024, law enforcement officers encountered Brown at a gas station in Nitro. Officers arrested Brown on a warrant alleging a parole violation and found he possessed a loaded HS Produkt (Springfield) model Hellcat 9mm pistol in a belly holster. Officers searched his vehicle and found a loaded Glock model 43 9mm pistol and a loaded Taurus model G3 9mm pistol. Officers determined all three firearms were reported stolen. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for unlawful wounding on February 6, 2012, and for fleeing with reckless indifference to the safety of others and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine on November 13, 2018, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Nitro Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-84.


title: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Receiving Gratuities  While Salaried Federal Employee

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Timothy Lane Crowder, 44, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to unlawful receipt of gratuities. Crowder admitted to receiving approximately $24,525.33 from disability benefits awarded to veterans while he was a salaried employee of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. According to court documents and statements made in court, between September 17, 2020, and July 26, 2023, Crowder was a Veterans Service Representative in Huntington when he assisted 13 veterans with preparing their claims for retroactive disability benefits. As part of his guilty plea, Crowder admitted that he received gratuities from the veterans of approximately 10 to 20 percent of their awarded benefits once their claims were approved. Federal law bars a federal employee from receiving gratuities or shares of any interest in a claim against the United States. As a Veterans Service Representative employed by the VBA, it was illegal for Crowder to receive a gratuity from veterans he assisted with filing claims. Crowder admitted that he both knowingly and willfully assisted the veterans while knowing that the gratuities represented a share of their awarded disability benefits. Crowder is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27. 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Crowder also owes $24,525.33 in restitution. “It is never appropriate for a Veterans Service Representative of a federal benefits program to solicit payments from benefit recipients in exchange for assistance with their benefits,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “That is a betrayal of the public’s trust and undermines the integrity of these programs. Benefit recipients should always refuse to make any such payment and report any solicitation to the employee’s supervisor.” Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-187.


title: Two Tren de Araqua Associates Plead Guilty to Bank Theft

component: Department of Justice

body_text: JACKSON, MS – Two individuals with ties to the Venezuelan organized crime syndicate Tren de Araqua pleaded guilty to bank theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff. According to court documents and statements made in open court, Jesus Rene Cabrera Tobias, 25 and Darwin Javier Delgado, 46, pleaded guilty after being indicted by a federal grand jury for bank theft. On August 8, 2024, Tobias and Delgado stole $21,500 from an ATM machine in Enterprise, Mississippi by hacking the ATM operating system and disabling the ATM security features by installing a foreign device that allowed them to assume control of the ATM. Surveillance footage recovered by FBI on the night of the theft captured Tobias unlock the ATM and open the machine to access the internal system that controlled the ATM operating system and security features. The footage showed that after manipulating the ATM, Tobias returned to their vehicle and retrieved a small electronic device to install within the ATM. After a brief period of manipulating the ATM using the small electronic device, the ATM then emptied by continuously producing United States currency from the cash tray. Tobias collected the cash as it was disbursed from the ATM and transferred it to another individual in the vehicle. Investigators identified the suspect vehicle and its owner through the surveillance footage. The registered owner of the vehicle was Delgado. Surveillance footage from a nearby store captured Tobias and Delgado traveling in the suspect vehicle and shopping within the store. The suspect vehicle was stopped the next day in Texas by officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Delgado and Cabrera were found in the vehicle and arrested. Two cell phones and clothing matching the clothing worn during the bank theft operation were recovered from the suspect vehicle upon execution of a search warrant. A forensic examination of the cellular phones contained photographs and videos from the instant offense, including multiple videos of the defendants manipulating other ATMs and withdrawing cash. The forensic examination also showed that the photographs and videos taken during the theft contained metadata placing the defendants at the scene of the crime. The ATM hard drive was forensically examined by FBI and was shown to have been compromised with malware that disabled the ATM security features. Tobias and Delgado are citizens of Venezuela. During the investigation, Investigators discovered that Tobias and Delgado committed the theft in coordination with members of the transnational criminal organization Tren de Araqua from Venezuela. "Today’s announcement sends a clear message: Tren de Aragua transnational criminal operations will not be tolerated and the FBI will aggressively pursue TdA's scourge of criminal activity. Tobias and Delgado brazenly tampered with ATM machines defrauding banks and the American people,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff. “These guilty pleas underscore the FBI's commitment in collaboration with our state and federal partners in identifying, pursuing, disrupting, and dismantling organized crime syndicates, ultimately eradicating TdA’s presence and influence in the U.S." Tobias is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2025. Delgado is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2025. Tobias and Delgado face a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment followed by possible deportation. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, Meridian Police Department, Decatur Police Department, Enterprise Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Goff and Brett Grantham are prosecuting the case.


title: Philadelphia Man Who Robbed Four Banks Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Joseph Perkins, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 84 months in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston for robbing multiple city banks in a two-week span. Perkins was charged by indictment in October 2024 with four counts of bank robbery and pleaded guilty in March. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, he would present threatening demand notes to bank personnel in order to obtain and abscond with money. The offenses committed by Perkins are as follows: the August 26, 2024, robbery of the Citizens Bank branch located inside the ACME Market at 2497 Aramingo Avenue, Philadelphia the August 29, 2024, robbery of the Citizens Bank branch located at 2101 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia the September 4, 2024, robbery of the TD Bank branch located at 6304 Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia the September 7, 2024, robbery of the TD Bank branch located at 2267 East Butler Street, Philadelphia Perkins received cash in the first three robberies but fled the fourth empty-handed. The case was investigated by the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kwambina Coker.