title: CLINTON TOWNSHIP SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED TO 40 YEARS

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT — Stephen Lewis Gentry, 35, of Clinton Township, Michigan, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for creating images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In addition to the 40-year sentence, United States District Court Judge Terrence G. Berg sentenced Gentry to a lifetime of supervised release upon his release from prison. Gentry’s recent crimes came to light after the FBI learned that he was distributing images of child sexually abusive material that he created over a clandestine network. When the FBI searched Gentry’s house, they found evidence that Gentry had produced child sexually abusive material depicting numerous minor victims. Gentry pleaded guilty on February 12, 2025, to sexual exploitation of children. At the time he was charged in this case, Gentry was already a registered sex offender, having three prior convictions relating to the sexual abuse or exploitation of children. This investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Alsaden, Tara Hindelang, and Christopher Rawsthorne.


title: Florida Ophthalmology Practice Agrees To Pay $615,000 To Resolve Allegations Of Fraudulent Claims To Medicare And Medicaid For Cranial Ultrasounds

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Pinellas Eye Care, P.A. d/b/a Gulfcoast Eye Care (“Gulfcoast Eye”), an ophthalmology practice with offices in Pinellas Park, Palm Harbor, and St. Petersburg, Florida, has agreed to pay $615,000 to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act and an analogous Florida statute arising from its billing for trans-cranial doppler ultrasounds (“TCDs”) provided through a kickback arrangement with a third party. Gulfcoast Eye has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations of other participants in the alleged scheme. The settlement resolves allegations that Gulfcoast Eye knowingly submitted, and caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary TCDs. Gulfcoast Eye and a third-party provider of TCD services performed TCDs on thousands of patients and billed Medicare and Medicaid hundreds of dollars per test. Before the patients received the results of the test, Gulfcoast Eye and the third-party provider identified the patients as having received a serious diagnosis—most commonly of occlusion and stenosis of their cerebral arteries—that could qualify the patient for reimbursement of a TCD by Medicare or Medicaid. However, nearly all patients who received TCDs never had occlusion and stenosis of cerebral arteries, and that diagnosis was accordingly not reflected in the patient’s medical history or in the TCD results. Gulfcoast Eye paid the third-party TCD provider based on the volume or value of tests ordered and referred the patients to the TCD provider’s preferred radiology group for the TCD’s professional component. The United States alleged that, as a result of this scheme, Gulfcoast Eye submitted, or caused the submission of, false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for TCDs that were medically unnecessary, that were premised on false diagnoses, and that resulted from violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law. Of the $615,000 total settlement amount, $602,046 is to be paid to the United States, and $12,953 is to be paid to the State of Florida for its share of Medicaid, which is a jointly funded federal and state program. “Patients trust their healthcare providers to administer reliable and competent care consistent with their medical needs and ethical standards,” said U.S. Attorney Kehoe. “When this relationship is exploited for personal gain or greed, the integrity of our healthcare system is compromised. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect patients from potential harm and maintain the integrity of our federal programs.” “Kickback schemes will always be an investigative priority for the FBI,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “Our mission is to protect the American people which includes safeguarding them from deceitful actions threatening our nation’s federal healthcare system.” “Kickback arrangements can corrupt legitimate medical decision-making and undermine the integrity of federal healthcare programs,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan P. Lynch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate improper billing and kickback schemes to protect both Medicare and Medicaid as well as those served by these programs.” The civil settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam was filed by a whistleblower who will receive $116,850 in connection with the settlement. The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG and the FBI. The United States previously resolved allegations that another ophthalmology practice in Florida engaged in a similar scheme with the same third-party TCD provider. The government’s pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). Trial Attorney Nelson Wagner in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Mamie Wise for the Middle District of Florida handled the matter. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Brentwood Man Found Guilty of Cyberstalking New Jersey Judge

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A man from the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles has been found guilty by a jury of a federal felony for sending dozens of emails to a New Jersey state court judge that threatened violence and death against the victim, the Justice Department announced today. Jonathan Lipman, 36, was found guilty late Thursday of one count of stalking. He has been in federal custody since September 2023. According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, from February 2023 to September 2023, Lipman sent dozens of emails to the victim, a New Jersey Superior Court judge, intending to harass, intimidate, and terrorize the victim. In addition to voluminous threatening emails to the victim, Lipman also tracked down the victim’s home address and called the victim’s neighbor to stoke fear in the victim. Lipman also left numerous voicemails at the New Jersey courthouse directed at the victim. Lipman continued his course of conduct despite a warning from law enforcement regarding his illegal conduct. Over time, Lipman’s communications became increasingly graphic and explicit. For example, in July 2023, Lipman sent the victim multiple emails detailing his graphic depictions of the jurist’s death. United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled an October 3 sentencing hearing, at which time Lipman will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. The FBI investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Clifford D. Mpare of the General Crimes Section and Daniel H. Weiner of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.


title: Perry Hall Man Pleads Guilty to Possession With Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Terrell Ridgley, 34, of Perry Hall, Maryland, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). According to the guilty plea, Ridgley engaged in drug trafficking as part of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by co-defendant Tyon Bailey. On multiple occasions in late 2023, and early 2024, an undercover agent purchased quantities of fentanyl from Bailey. Throughout this time, authorities observed Ridgley meeting with Bailey and other DTO members. On January 3, 2024, law enforcement saw Ridgley exit a vehicle carrying what appeared to be controlled dangerous substances in his sweatshirt. After a K-9 scan of Ridgley’s vehicle, authorities discovered the presence of narcotics. On February 12, 2024, Ridgley crashed his vehicle while driving on I-695. He then met Bailey and another associate at a nearby auto repair shop. Law enforcement engaged the individuals and recovered approximately 250 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams of cocaine, and a large quantity of cash and jewelry – all from Bailey. Authorities also seized a Glock 23 firearm loaded with 23 rounds from a vehicle that Ridgley and the others were around moments before law enforcement engaged them. In August 2024, law enforcement heard Ridgley — via court-authorized wiretap interceptions — discussing fentanyl distribution with Bailey. Specifically, Ridgley discussed the “blue stuff” stored at Bailey’s residence. Some of the fentanyl the undercover agent purchased from Bailey was in blue-powder form. On October 3, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ridgley’s Perry Hall residence. While searching the premises, investigators observed Ridgley flushing suspected purple fentanyl down the toilet, some of which law enforcement salvaged. During the search of the residence, investigators also recovered bags containing suspected fentanyl in various colors, including purple, blue, and white. In total, investigators seized more than 400 grams of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl as well as a quantity of cocaine from Ridgley’s residence. Investigators also recovered cutting agents used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Ridgley admitted he possessed the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it. Ridgley faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Monday, September 22, at 10 a.m. This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Baltimore Strike Force is to reduce violent, drug-related, and gang crime in the Baltimore area and surrounding region. The Baltimore SF is comprised of agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Maryland National Guard, the Maryland State Police, and the Maryland Transportation Authority, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James O’Donohue who is prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Elkins Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Richard Emery Delphey, 52, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for the distribution of methamphetamine. According to the court documents, Delphey was selling methamphetamine in Randolph County. Delphey has prior convictions involving drugs and theft. Delphey will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The case was investigated by the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.


title: Zoe Mafia Family, Other Gang Members Convicted on Firearms and Narcotics Charges in South Florida Federal Court

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, ATF Miami, and Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), in collaboration with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, secured federal convictions and prison sentences against 18 members of violent South Florida street gangs – including Zoe Mafia Family (ZMF), the 3 rd World gang, and several sects of the Bloods gang. The joint operation involved charges of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine trafficking; carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and felon in possession of a firearm. It led to the recovery of 23 firearms, three kilograms of fentanyl, and seven kilograms of cocaine, as well as methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. The defendants, former residents of South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties) were convicted and sentenced to prison terms as follows: Andre Allen, 37, was sentenced to 120 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (22-cr-20190); David Brown, 41, was sentenced to 151 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (22-cr-60177); Tirell Caldwell, 26, was sentenced to 57 months for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon (22-cr-60220); Johnnie Gibson, 51, was sentenced to 175 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine (23-cr-60205); Brionne Griffin, 35 , was sentenced to 60 months for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, and methamphetamine (22-cr-60082); Joseph Johnson, Jr., 46 , was sentenced to 120 months for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60131); Timothy Neil Lewis, Jr., 26 , was sentenced to 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60083); Makinson Moise, 35 , was sentenced to 248 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine base (23-cr-60004); Arnicious Odom, 48 , was sentenced to 30 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine (23-cr-60205); Wendy Previl, 33 , was sentenced to 120 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60089); Joshua Robinson, 38 , was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (24-cr-60132); Robert Roseme, 28 , was sentenced to 42 months for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60089); Nolan Setoute, 43 , was sentenced to 12 months for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon (22-cr-60124); Terrance Stanley, 40 , was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60120); Dorshawn Tate, 20 , was sentenced to 8 months for possession with intent to distribute alprazolam (23-cr-60051); British Wilkerson, 42 , was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60125); Byron Felecio Williams, Jr., 40 , was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-80136); and Kevin Williams, 31 , was sentenced to 18 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (24-cr-60132). U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the ATF Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office announced the results of the operation. This case was investigated by ATF Miami and Broward Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from DEA Miami, HSI Miami, and FBI Miami. Southern District of Florida Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Brown and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCormack prosecuted these cases. Several of the defendants, are associated with Zoe Mafia Family (ZMF), a South Florida Haitian street gang. Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department designated two Haitian gangs (Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf . You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov . ###


title: Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Prison for Drug Distribution

body_text: BOSTON –A leader of a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy operating in and around the South Shore area of Massachusetts was sentenced in federal court in Boston for multiple federal drug offenses. Giovanni Pina, 27, of Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 138 months in prison, five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. In January 2025, Pina pleaded guilty to one count of possessing with intent to distribute and distributing 500 grams and more of methamphetamine; one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine on a premises where a minor was present and/or resided; and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Beginning in at least January 2021 through at least November 2021, Pina served as one of the leaders of a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine in and around the South Shore area – including in the Brockton, Quincy and Weymouth communities. Part of that conspiracy involved a Weymouth “stash house.” During a search of the stash house in January 2021, two kilo presses; extensive drug paraphernalia, including blenders, digital scales and packaging equipment; more than 10 kilograms of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine; three firearms; ammunition; two high-capacity magazines; and a speed loader were recovered. According to court documents and information presented in court, Pina assisted in operating other stash locations after law enforcement dismantled the Weymouth location. Additionally, Pina participated in a number of recorded drug deals with a cooperating witness in January and February 2023, two of which occurred in the presence of a minor. One recorded drug deal occurred on or about Jan. 12, 2023, at a residence in Brockton. During the deal and in the presence of a minor, Pina provided the witness with a box containing orange pills in exchange for cash. Subsequent lab testing confirmed that the pills consisted of over 2,000 grams of a mixture and substance of methamphetamine. On or about Jan. 25, 2023, Pina participated in another recorded drug deal with the cooperating witness in a vehicle in Taunton. During the deal, Pina provided the witness with a box that contained a large amount of orange pills in exchange for cash. Subsequent lab testing confirmed that the pills consisted of over 2,500 grams of a mixture and substance of methamphetamine. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department; and the Cohasset, Quincy, Weymouth, Braintree, Randolph, Brockton, East Bridgewater and Bridgewater Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: The Diamond Desk Corp. and PetersenLowe, LLC operators sentenced in multi-million dollar diamond investment fraud scheme

body_text: MIAMI – On May 15, 2025, Adam Jonathan Lowe, 43, of West Pittston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to over 6 years in federal prison by the Honorable David Leibowitz, stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, mail fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived proceeds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. Upon release from custody, Lowe must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense. Previously, on May 13, 2025, co-defendant Murray Todd Petersen, 73, of Fair Oaks, California, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison by the Honorable James I. Cohn stemming from his conviction after a seven-day jury trial in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Upon release from custody, Petersen must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense. On October 18, 2024, co-defendant Scott Schafer, 62, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was sentenced to five years probation stemming from his stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. As outlined in court documents and trial testimony, Adam Jonathan Lowe, as the president of The Diamond Desk and as the manager of PetersenLowe, LLC., was the supplier of fancy-colored diamonds sourced worldwide. Murray Todd Petersen worked as a salesman for PetersenLowe, LLC., who induced investors to purchase Lowe’s fancy-colored diamonds using materially false and fraudulent representations concerning the safety and security of the investments, the value of the investments, the expected profits and rates of return, and the use of investors’ funds. After selling his victims expensive fancy-colored diamonds supplied with fraudulent overvalued appraisals from co-defendant Scott Schafer, he instructed his clients to hold onto their investments often for one to two years prior to looking to liquidate. When trying to cover his investors cash out demands at the overpriced appraisal prices, he used another false representation of a China investment program, where he would purportedly invest the victims’ money into the Chinese diamond market with a purported guaranteed five to eight percent monthly dividend return on investment. Unbeknownst to his victims, this new investment program was really a Ponzi scheme in disguise designed to pay off his first round of investor clients. When customers began to complain about missing promised returns and highly inaccurate overvalued appraisals, the scheme pivoted again to a theft model, where investors prepaid for diamonds that were never delivered by either Lowe or Petersen. Petersen took approximately $850,000 in sales commissions from his victims, which he used to pay off his high IRS tax liens and cover his business operating expenses. In total, the scheme netted approximately $13 million and defrauded in excess of 100 victims. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, announced the conviction. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Anton and Latoya Brown prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-60225. ###


title: Former Tennessee State Representative and His Chief of Staff Convicted of Bribery and Kickback Charges

component: Criminal - Public Integrity Section

body_text: NASHVILLE – After a three-week trial,former Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada, 64, and his former Chief of Staff Cade Cothren, 38, of Nashville, were found guilty today by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit theft from programs receiving federal funds; bribery and kickbacks concerning programs receiving federal funds; honest services wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering; using a fictitious name to carry out a fraud; theft concerning programs receiving federal funds; eight counts of money laundering; and two counts of bribery and kickbacks, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Cothren was also found guilty on six counts of honest services wire fraud, and Casada was found guilty on four counts of honest services wire fraud and acquitted on two counts. “Tennesseans have a right to expect honest services from their elected leaders and their staffs,” said McGuire. “Our office will continue to pursue justice on behalf of our community in cases involving public corruption and fraud committed by elected officials or their staffs. We believe that Tennesseans deserve no less.” “Elected officials and their staff members have a duty to act honestly and ethically when serving the public,” said Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Using public office for personal gain is a crime and the FBI is committed to holding those who abuse power accountable and protecting public resources.” According to evidence presented at trial, beginning in late 2019, Casada, while representing Tennessee House District 63, Cothren, and former Tennessee State Representative Robin Smith, 61, of Hixson, Tennessee, engaged in a fraudulent scheme to enrich themselves by exploiting Casada and Smith’s official positions as legislators to obtain funds from the State of Tennessee. Specifically, the conspirators deceived their former colleagues and officials at the State of Tennessee in an effort to obtain State funds for Phoenix Solutions, Cothren’s political consulting business. In exchange for recruiting legislators and securing the approval of Phoenix Solutions’ invoices by the State, Cothren paid kickbacks to Casada and Smith. Smith pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud in 2022 and testified at trial. The evidence showed that Cothren pretended to be “Matthew Phoenix,” supposedly an experienced political consultant who had previously worked for a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm. In fact, Cothren operated Phoenix Solutions, and Casada, Cothren, and Smith knew that “Matthew Phoenix” was a fictitious person. Casada, Cothren, and Smith concealed their involvement in Phoenix Solutions by submitting invoices to the State of Tennessee in the names of political consulting companies owned by Casada and Smith, for the purpose of secretly funneling money from the State to Phoenix Solutions through the bank accounts of these companies. In 2020, these companies and Phoenix Solutions received approximately $51,947 from the State in payments associated with the mailer program. Phoenix Solutions also obtained more than $170,000 in payments from political organizations, campaigns, and candidates. Casada and Cothren will be sentenced later this year, and each face up to 20 years in prison. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced on June 9, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Casada, Cothren, and Smith may also be ordered to forfeit any property which represents or is traceable to receipts obtained as a result of the offenses. This case was investigated by the FBI, Nashville Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor J. Phillips and Trial Attorneys John P. Taddei and Blake J. Ellison of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case. # # # # #


title: Serial Rapist Sentenced to 35 Years Incarceration for Three Stranger Sexual Attacks in 2018

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Jose Angel Gomez, 42, formerly of the District, was sentenced today to 35 years in prison, for three rapes he committed between July and October 2018 involving three different victims who were strangers to him, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Gomez pleaded guilty on Jan. 23, to one count each of first-degree sexual abuse while armed, first degree sexual abuse, attempted first degree sexual abuse and assault with a dangerous weapon. In addition to the prison term, Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman ordered Gomez to supervised release, and to register as a sex offender, for the remainder of his life. According to the government’s evidence, which the defendant admitted to, on July 15, 2018, the 22-year-old victim returned home from a night out at approximately 2:40 a.m., and shortly thereafter heard a knock at her basement door. When she opened the door, Gomez, who had a knife, grabbed her, forced her to the ground, and forcibly sexually assaulted the victim. The defendant cut the victim’s left cheek with the knife. Ultimately, the victim escaped to her home, after kicking the defendant, and called 911. On Sep. 7, 2018, at approximately 11:40 p.m., the defendant, Jose Gomez, followed his second victim, as she walked from the Fort Totten Metro station into the nearby 7-11 at 5210 3rd St., Northeast and then followed her after she left the 7-11. Once in nearby wooded area of the 100 block of Farragut Street, Northeast, the defendant grabbed the victim, pulled her into a wooded area, brandished a knife, and ordered her to take off her pants. With a knife to her throat and one hand around her neck, the defendant forcibly sexually assaulted the victim. The defendant fled the scene, after the victim had received numerous calls on her cell phone, which she told the defendant was a relative who would come looking for her if she did not answer. The victim later flagged down police. On Oct. 21, 2018, at approximately 6:30 a.m., the defendant’s third victim was waiting at the corner of 7th and Longfellow Streets, Northwest for an Uber to work. As the victim waited alone, the defendant, approached and asked her if she was ok and what she was doing. Once the victim told him she was waiting for an Uber, Gomez continued to speak to her, and eventually she told him to leave her alone. When the victim began walking back towards her apartment building, the defendant followed her and then grabbed her by the throat and squeezed. The victim could not breath. Gomez dragged the victim into the alley and forced her to the ground where he sexually assaulted her. The defendant then fled on foot. These violent sexual assaults were solved with a combination of DNA and other evidence. Once identified, Gomez was arrested in Louisville, Kentucky on June 7, 2023, and transported by law enforcement to Washington, D.C. The defendant has been incarcerated ever since. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Sexual Assault Unit and the Cold Case Unit of the Sexual Assault Unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marco Crocetti, Sharon Donovan, and Amy Zubrensky, who prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative. In February 2018, the U.S. Attorney created the Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative, designed to work with law enforcement partners to reinvestigate, solve and bring charges in previously-unsolved cases of sexual assault of adults and juveniles. The Cold Case Initiative works with the Metropolitan Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the United States Marshal’s Service, and state and local law enforcement agencies in the DMV area and nationwide.


title: Connecticut Physiatrist and Practice Pay $427k to Settle False Claims, Improper Billing Allegations

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), today announced that PAIN MANAGEMENT, LLC, and its owner, HALINA SNOWBALL, M.D., have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government and have paid $427,129.11 to resolve allegations that they submitted false claims to, and received overpayments from, the Medicare program. Snowball is a physiatrist licensed to practice medicine and sole owner of her pain management practice, Pain Management, LLC in Stamford. The allegations against Snowball and Pain Management arise out of improper billing for office visits, also known as evaluation and management (“E&M”) services. The government contends that, between April 2017 and November 2019, Snowball and Pain Management submitted or caused to be submitted improper claims to Medicare for E&M services by adding Modifier 25 to E&M claims when providing pain injections when, in fact, no significant, separately identifiable E&M services were provided. On November 20, 2019, Snowball and Pain Management were notified of their improper use of Modifier 25 and were assessed an overpayment. Despite this notice, Snowball and Pain Management continued to submit improper claims to Medicare for E&M services until August 2023. To resolve their liability, Snowball and Pain Management have paid $427,129.11. This investigation was conducted by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber. People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.


title: East Hartford Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Cocaine

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON SPENCE, also known as “Spun,” 37, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 56 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl and cocaine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 5, 2019, Spence was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 24 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon. He was released from federal prison in February 2020. On December 7, 2020, Hartford Police surveillance cameras captured Spence and another individual engaged in a dispute. Spence pulled out a firearm, shot the individual in the leg, and then stole the victim’s vehicle. On May 28, 2021, Spence was sentenced to an additional 24 months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his federal supervised release. In March and April 2024, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force made controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from Spence. Spence was arrested on April 3, 2024. On that date, a court-authorized search of his residence and vehicles revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and marijuana. On January 28, 2025, Spence pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine and fentanyl. He has been detained since his arrest. This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.


title: Dominican National Indicted for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Keilyn Adolfo Rivera, 45, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. According to the charging documents, on or about Feb. 2, 2025, Rivera was found in the United States after having been deported from the United States to the Dominican Republic on or about March 6, 2015. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Former New York City Police Officer Sentenced to 23 Years’ Imprisonment for Sexually Exploiting Minors Online

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Carmine Simpson was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 23 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors online. On March 24, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of sexually exploiting a minor. The charges stem from Simpson’s extensive online conduct in 2020, while he was a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, which includes engaging numerous children in sexual conversations, enticing and manipulating them into sending him nude images and videos, routinely requesting them to engage in live chat sessions on FaceTime and Snapchat, directing them to physically harm themselves, and asking them to write degrading sexual phrases on their nude bodies. Simpson resigned from the NYPD in 2022. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence. “The defendant’s repeated sexual solicitation and exploitation of minors is reprehensible,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “That he was a law enforcement officer at the time he committed these crimes makes his conduct even more horrific. My Office will continue to work to protect vulnerable children from predators like the defendant.” “Carmine Simpson betrayed his badge by preying upon minors for twisted sexual gratification. Simpson repeatedly prowled online for minor victims before coercing them to provide sexually explicit and degrading content,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The FBI will never tolerate any individual who exploits children, especially those with sworn duties to protect them.” Simpson, then a police officer with the NYPD, targeted vulnerable children on Twitter for the purpose of having them create and send him sexually exploitative photos and videos of themselves. Simpson had multiple Twitter profiles and pretended to be a 17-year-old boy to entice minors into engaging with him, even using a filter to alter his own appearance so that he looked younger. Simpson then communicated with numerous minors, including some as young as 13-years-old. Law enforcement first learned about the defendant’s conduct in December 2020, after the mother of John Doe 2, a 13-year-old transgender male, filed a police report after finding chat communications with the defendant on her child’s computer. In those messages, the defendant stated, “Do you take good nudes?” and “You take good nudes? Prove it.” He gave instructions to write words on the victim’s body with a marker and commented: “How many words do you think we can add to your body?” As part of that conversation, John Doe 2 sent the defendant at least two sexually explicit videos. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Megan E. Farrell is in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : CARMINE SIMPSON Age: 30 Holbrook, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-97 (GRB)


title: Grand jury indicts 11 more individuals for involvement with online groups dedicated to monkey torture & mutilation

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – An indictment was unsealed today charging 11 defendants from across the United States for their alleged involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys. The indictment alleges the individuals conspired with previously charged defendant Nicholas T. Dryden, of Cincinnati, to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.” The indictment details 79 overt acts in which defendants allegedly paid Dryden who then paid a minor in Indonesia to commit the requested acts on camera. The videos alleged to have been created as part of the conspiracy depicted, among other things, monkeys having their genitals burned and cut with scissors, as well as being sodomized with a wooden skewer and a spoon. Those charged include: Name Also Known As Residence Ernest D. Chavez Lax Arizona Hugh T. Campbell Tim Templeton Pennsylvania Carter G. Fawcett Captain Colorado Brady O. Shellhammer Beglu, Bbbeglu Louisiana Jimmy Wong Yasser Lopez New York Kimberly A. Anglin Kim Anglin Connecticut Mark M. Sampieri The Chef, SainT Connecticut Victoria S. Haskins Cat Face, Sparkles Fancy Pants Louisiana Vance H. Beadles Mr. Green Kentucky Mary L. Longoria R6, R6ex North Carolina Patrick C. Naylor YANTF, YANTF 2x North Carolina “The acts of torture and abuse of young monkeys alleged in this case are beyond disturbing,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “As a result of the work of the FBI, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and our partners, those involved in the conspiracy to create and distribute these repulsive videos are being held accountable.” If convicted as charged, these defendants face maximum penalties of five years in prison. Acting United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio; Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Environmental & Natural Resources Division (ENRD); and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; made today’s announcement. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Adam C. Cullman of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Oakley for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case. An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #


title: Alabama Man Sentenced in Hack of SEC X Account that Spiked the Value of Bitcoin

component: Criminal Division

body_text: WASHINGTON – Eric Council Jr., 26 of Athens, Alabama, was sentenced today to 14 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that hacked into the X account of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and published fraudulent posts in the name of the then-SEC Chairman, all to manipulate the value of Bitcoin. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti, SEC Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office. According to court documents, from at least January 2024, Council conspired with others to carry out Subscriber Identity Model (SIM) attacks, commonly referred to as “SIM swaps,” in exchange for money. On or about Jan. 9, 2024, Council, and others, executed a SIM swap of the mobile phone account associated with the @SECgov X account, the official account of the SEC. The purpose was to gain unauthorized access to this government account in order to make fraudulent posts. Council used his portable ID card printer to create a physical ID which he used to impersonate the victim at an AT&T store in Huntsville, Alabama. Council provided false information to the AT&T store employee to explain why he needed a replacement SIM card. Council obtained the SIM card linked to the victim’s phone line and walked to a nearby Apple store where he purchased a new iPhone. He inserted the SIM card to activate the phone, received the @SECGov X password reset codes on this new phone linked to the victim’s SIM card and used his personal cell phone to take a photo of the @SECgov X account reset code to share with his co-conspirators. After passing along the password reset codes, Council returned the iPhone for cash. A member of the conspiracy used the reset code to gain access to the @SECGov X account and issue a fraudulent post in the name of the then-SEC Chairman, falsely announcing SEC approval of Bitcoin (BTC) Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). The price of BTC increased by more than $1,000 following the post. Shortly after, the SEC regained control over their X account and confirmed that the announcement was unauthorized and the result of a security breach, which caused the value of BTC to decrease by more than $2,000. “Schemes of this nature threaten the health and integrity of our market system,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “SIM swap schemes threaten the financial security of average citizens, financial institutions, and government agencies. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can’t be caught. You will be caught, prosecuted, and will pay the price for the damage your actions create.” “Council and his co-conspirators used sophisticated cyber means to compromise the SEC’s X account and posted a false announcement that distorted important financial markets,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Prosecuting those who seek to enrich themselves by threatening the integrity of digital assets through fraud is critical to protecting U.S. interests. The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable individuals who commit cyber fraud and harm investors.” "Council brazenly used SIM-swapping and identity theft to manipulate the bitcoin market in an attempt to line his and his co-conspirators' pockets," said FBI Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Jensen. "Today's sentencing shows that those who use the perceived anonymity of digital fraud to exploit public markets will be unmasked and brought to justice by the FBI." “Today’s sentencing exemplifies SEC OIG’s commitment to holding bad actors accountable and maintaining the integrity of SEC programs and operations through thorough investigative oversight,” said SEC OIG Special Agent in Charge Amanda James. “We are committed to working with the SEC and other law enforcement partners to help the SEC effectively and efficiently deliver on its critical mission.” Council admitted to attempting to perform additional SIM swaps in June 2024 in Alabama. In June 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at an Athens, Alabama, apartment where he resided. Agents recovered a fake identification card and a portable ID card printer. They also recovered a laptop computer. Pursuant to the search warrant, agents searched the laptop and discovered templates for additional fake IDs along with internet searches for “SECGOV hack,” “telegram sim swap,” “how can I know for sure if I am being investigated by the FBI,” “What are the signs that you are under investigation by law enforcement or the FBI even if you have not been contacted by them,” “what are some signs that the FBI is after you,” “Verizon store list,” “federal identity theft statute,” and “how long does it take to delete telegram account.” Council, aka “Ronin” and “Agiantschnauzer,” was arrested Oct. 17, 2024, and admitted to receiving about $50,000 to perform SIM swap. He pleaded guilty Feb. 10, 2025, in the District of Columbia to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered forfeiture of $50,000 and three years of supervised release with the condition that he not use computers to access the dark web or commit further identity fraud. A SIM card is a chip that stores information identifying and authenticating a cell phone subscriber and connects a physical cell phone to a mobile carrier’s cellular and data network. A SIM swap attack fraudulently induces a mobile carrier to reassign a mobile phone number from a victim’s SIM card to a SIM card and telephone controlled by a criminal actor attempting to access valuable information associated with the victim’s telephone. SIM swapping groups conduct SIM swaps for the purpose of defeating multifactor authentication and/or two-step verification security features for social media and virtual currency accounts. After convincing a mobile carrier to reassign a phone number to a new SIM card, members of the conspiracy generated password reset security authentication codes for online accounts and those codes were in turn sent to the telephone in the control of the criminal actor. Members of the SIM swap groups shared the security reset codes with one another to unlawfully access a victim’s internet connected accounts and complete the fraud. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, the SEC-Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Fraud Section’s Market Integrity and Major Frauds Unit of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Significant assistance was provided by the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg, CCIPS Trial Attorney Ashley Pungello, and Fraud Section Trial Attorney Lauren Archer. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Hundscheid from the Northern District of Alabama. Substantial assistance was provided by Cyber Fellow Paul M. Zebb III. For more information on SIM swapping, go to: https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240411 24cr457


title: Richmond recidivist pleads guilty to illegally possessing a firearm

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

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Jan. 16, law enforcement received a 911 call reporting that three individuals attempted to enter an occupied vehicle near Grove and Morris Streets in Richmond and then approached every vehicle parked on the street and pulled on the door handles. The 911 caller followed the men until police officers arrived and detained them. When one of the men, Sherod Antoine Jenkins Jr., 23, put his hands up, an officer immediately observed a handgun in Jenkins’ jacket pocket, and the officer removed it from Jenkins’ possession. The firearm was loaded with a round in the chamber and had been reported stolen. Jenkins was previously convicted for, among other crimes, burglary, receipt of stolen property, firearm larceny, grand larceny auto theft, felony eluding, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a previously convicted felon, Jenkins cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7 and faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Magistrate Judge Summer L. Speight accepted the plea. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Police investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea 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). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-24.


title: Three MS-13 Members Charged in Federal Complaints Alleging They Murdered Cooperating Defendant in Racketeering Case

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Three members of the Mara Salvatrucha-13 (MS-13) transnational street gang – one of them an illegal alien from El Salvador – have been charged in federal criminal complaints with murdering a former MS-13 member earlier this year who was cooperating with law enforcement on a federal racketeering and methamphetamine trafficking case, the Justice Department announced today. Dennis Anaya Urias, 26, of South Los Angeles, and Grevil Zelaya Santiago, 25, of South Los Angeles, are charged via federal complaint with murder in aid of racketeering, a felony that carries a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison and a possible death sentence. Roberto Carlos Aguilar, 30, of South Los Angeles, is charged in a separate federal criminal complaint with murder in aid of racketeering. Aguilar is an illegal alien from El Salvador. Urias is a legal permanent resident from El Salvador, and Santiago is an illegal alien from Honduras. All three defendants made their initial appearances late Thursday in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. A federal magistrate judge ordered them jailed without bond and scheduled their arraignments for June 3. According to affidavits filed with the complaints, Urias and Santiago shot the victim to death at a grocery store in South Los Angeles on February 18. The victim’s status as a government cooperator was well known by MS-13 and made the victim subject to a “green light” order that made him a target for murder by MS-13 members. Approximately one hour before the victim’s death, he had what appeared to be a chance encounter with Aguilar inside the grocery store. Following that encounter, Aguilar set in motion a series of events that led to Urias and Santiago shooting and killing the victim. During the evening of February 18, the victim made two telephone calls to authorities and said he was at a grocery store in South Los Angeles where MS-13 members had just tried to kill him. He said he had been talking with MS-13 members when a man whose face was covered approached and tried to shoot him, but the gun did not fire. At one point during the second telephone call, several gunshots were heard. By murdering the victim, Aguilar, Urias and Santiago either avoided discipline or enhanced their status within MS-13, according to court documents. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating these matters. Assistant United States Attorney Shawn T. Andrews of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting these cases. These cases are 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.


title: (Corrected Release) The Diamond Desk Corp. and PetersenLowe, LLC operators sentenced in multi-million dollar diamond investment fraud scheme

body_text: Note: This press release was corrected to reflect the proper announcing officials. MIAMI – On May 15, 2025, Adam Jonathan Lowe, 43, of West Pittston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to over 6 years in federal prison by the Honorable David Leibowitz, stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349, wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, mail fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived proceeds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. Upon release from custody, Lowe must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense. Previously, on May 13, 2025, co-defendant Murray Todd Petersen, 73, of Fair Oaks, California, was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison by the Honorable James I. Cohn stemming from his conviction after a seven-day jury trial in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. Upon release from custody, Petersen must serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims of his offense. On October 18, 2024, co-defendant Scott Schafer, 62, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was sentenced to five years probation stemming from his stemming from his conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. As outlined in court documents and trial testimony, Adam Jonathan Lowe, as the president of The Diamond Desk and as the manager of PetersenLowe, LLC., was the supplier of fancy-colored diamonds sourced worldwide. Murray Todd Petersen worked as a salesman for PetersenLowe, LLC., who induced investors to purchase Lowe’s fancy-colored diamonds using materially false and fraudulent representations concerning the safety and security of the investments, the value of the investments, the expected profits and rates of return, and the use of investors’ funds. After selling his victims expensive fancy-colored diamonds supplied with fraudulent overvalued appraisals from co-defendant Scott Schafer, Petersen instructed his clients to hold onto their investments often for one to two years prior to looking to liquidate. When trying to cover his investors cash out demands at the overpriced appraisal prices, Petersen and Lowe used another false representation of a China investment program, where they would purportedly invest the victims’ money into the Chinese diamond market with a purported guaranteed five to eight percent monthly dividend return on investment. Unbeknownst to their victims, this new investment program was really a Ponzi scheme in disguise designed to pay off his first round of investor clients. When customers began to complain about missing promised returns and highly inaccurate overvalued appraisals, the scheme pivoted again to a theft model, where investors prepaid for diamonds that were never delivered by either Lowe or Petersen. Petersen took approximately $850,000 in sales commissions from his victims, which he used to pay off his high IRS tax liens and cover his business operating expenses. In total, the scheme netted approximately $13 million and defrauded in excess of 100 victims. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement. FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Anton and Latoya Brown prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 23-cr-60225. ###


title: Dominican National Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national, residing in Lawrence, was sentenced on May 13, 2025 in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Juan Anibal Patrone Gonzalez, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant is also subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In February 2025, Patrone Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute four hundred grams or more of fentanyl. Co-defendant San Geronimo Santana Amador, a Dominican national who does not have legal status in the United States, was released on conditions following his arrest. He subsequently failed to appear and remains a wanted fugitive. In 2018, Patrone Gonzalez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl in the District of Massachusetts. In May 2019 , Patrone Gonzalez was sentenced to 12 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Patrone Gonzalez was in federal prison in Miami, Fla., serving his federal sentence at the time that he committed this offense. On or about Dec. 21, 2022, a cooperating witness (CW) communicated with Patrone Gonzalez’s alleged co-conspirator Santana Amador to discuss supplying the CW with narcotics. During conversations between Santana Amador and the CW, Santana Amador allegedly stated that his source of supply was “detained” and provided a phone number for his supplier. Santana Amador’s supplier was later identified as Patrone Gonzalez who, using a contraband telephone while incarcerated, coordinated the sale of one kilogram of fentanyl to the CW. Recorded calls captured Patrone Gonzalez discussing the price of the fentanyl, among other things, with the CW. On Dec. 29, 2022, Santana Amador met with the CW and provided them with the kilogram of fentanyl on partial credit. Following this purchase, additional payments were made to Santana Amador on various dates for the kilogram of fentanyl, including dates in January and February 2023. In 2023, the contraband phone that Patrone Gonzalez used to communicate with the CW was found in his jail cell. United States Attorney Leah Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Waltham, Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson and Concord Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Samuel Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case. 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 details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal jury convicts Virginia man and Maryland woman for conspiracy to defraud a non-profit corporation through payments for work that wasn’t performed

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Virginia man and Maryland woman yesterday on charges of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering for their parts in defrauding a non-profit corporation dedicated to global public health. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from Dec. 1, 2014, to Aug. 21, 2020, Abiodun A. Ogunwale, 46, of Haymarket, served as Director of Business Development for the non-profit. Ogunwale exercised substantial control over the hiring and paying of consultants for the non-profit’s Business Development department as well as the payment of department expenses. In August 2016, Ogunwale hired Abimbola Ajayi, 41, of Rockville, Maryland, as a business development consultant for the non-profit. Ajayi purportedly served as a business development consultant for the non-profit through May 2020. Ogunwale created invoices and work descriptions for Ajayi to use to bill the non-profit and drafted emails for Ajayi to send to the non-profit to make it appear that Ajayi performed work on specific proposals she had not performed. Three different witnesses who did work in business development had never met Ajayi. Ogunwale used his personal email account to send the invoices he created for Ajayi along with instructions for Ajayi to email them to the non-profit, and Ogunwale then approved the fraudulent invoices. Ogunwale also conspired with Ajayi to submit fraudulent receipts claiming false business expenses for which her company, AbbiFabDynamics, LLC, was paid. During the scheme, Ajayi would kick back and launder the funds to Ogunwale by a variety of means, including depositing cash into the account of his company, Compass Management Services and Solutions, LLC, and by paying his credit card bills. In addition to conspiring with Ajayi, Ogunwale hired a family member as another consultant. He also used this family member to submit false expense reports. Ogunwale embezzled funds by submitting false expense reports claiming Compass Management was entitled to payment. The jury also convicted Ogunwale for mail fraud. Ogunwale and Ajayi face up to 20 years in prison for each count when sentenced on Aug. 7. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nyema Morais, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General; and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly M. Shartar and Kathleen E. Robeson are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-165.


title: Alabama Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Connection with Securities and Exchange Commission X Hack that Spiked Bitcoin Prices

body_text: An Alabama man was sentenced today to 14 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in the unauthorized takeover of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter. Eric Council Jr., 26, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud in February. According to court documents, Council conspired with others to take control of the SEC’s X account and falsely announce that the SEC approved Bitcoin (BTC) Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), a decision highly anticipated by the market. Immediately following the false announcement, the price of BTC increased by more than $1,000 per BTC. Following the correction, the value of BTC decreased by more than $2,000 per BTC. The conspirators gained control of the SEC’s X account through an unauthorized Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swap carried out by Council. A SIM swap is a form of sophisticated fraud where a criminal actor fraudulently induces a cellular phone carrier to reassign a cellular phone number from a victim’s SIM card to a SIM card controlled by the criminal actor, in order to access a victim’s social media or virtual currency accounts. As part of the scheme, Council used an identification card printer to create a fraudulent identification card with a victim’s personally identifiable information obtained from co-conspirators. Council used the identification card to impersonate the victim and gain access to the victim’s phone number for the purpose of accessing the SEC’s X account. Council’s co-conspirators then posted in the name of the SEC Chairman, falsely announcing the BTC ETF approval. Council received payment in BTC from co-conspirators for his role. “Council and his co-conspirators used sophisticated cyber means to compromise the SEC’s X account and posted a false announcement that distorted important financial markets,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Prosecuting those who seek to enrich themselves by threatening the integrity of digital assets through fraud is critical to protecting U.S. interests. The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable individuals who commit cyber fraud and harm investors.” “Schemes of this nature threaten the health and integrity of our market system,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “SIM swap schemes threaten the financial security of average citizens, financial institutions, and government agencies. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can’t be caught. You will be caught, prosecuted, and will pay the price for the damage your actions create.” “The deliberate takeover of a federal agency’s official communications platform was a calculated criminal act meant to deceive the public and manipulate financial markets,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox. “By spreading false information to influence the markets, Council attempted to erode public trust and exploit the financial system. Today’s sentencing makes clear that anyone who abuses public platforms for criminal gain will be held accountable.” “Today’s sentencing exemplifies SEC OIG’s commitment to holding bad actors accountable and maintaining the integrity of SEC programs and operations through thorough investigative oversight,” said Securities and Exchange Commission Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Amanda James. “We are committed to working with the SEC and other law enforcement partners to help the SEC effectively and efficiently deliver on its critical mission.” The FBI Washington Field Office and SEC Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Trial Attorney Ashley Pungello of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Lauren Archer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Substantial assistance was provided by Cyber Fellow Paul M. Zebb III. For more information on SIM swapping and how to prevent it, visit www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240411 .


title: Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling More Than $64,000 Worth of Fentanyl

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: A fentanyl dealer was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for his role in distributing over $64,000 worth of fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. On May 15, 2025, Donald Derrell Slay, Jr., 31, of Richardson, Texas, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brantley Starr for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Court filings reveal that, in late 2022 into early 2023, Slay and two others, Hakeem Aziz Wiley and Richard Daniel Gomez, sold several quantities of fentanyl to undercover officers on multiple occasions in the Dallas area. One delivery involved 6,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for $15,000.00. Slay, Wiley, and Gomez each pled guilty to a conspiracy count after indictment. Hakeem Aziz Wiley, 26, of Frisco, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison by Judge Starr in January 2025. Richard Daniel Gomez, 24, of Carrollton, Texas, received a sentence of 37 months in federal prison from Judge Starr in February this year. Fentanyl pills have an approximate street value of $10 per pill. The potential street value of the fentanyl pills seized in this case is approximately $64,690.00. The case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney George Leal prosecuted the case.


title: Repeat Sex Offender Who Held Standoff with SWAT Team Found Guilty of Federal Child Exploitation Crimes by South Florida Jury

body_text: MIAMI – This week, a federal jury sitting in Fort Pierce, Florida found Michael Gordon Douglas, 48, of Escondido, California guilty of seven counts of Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (“CSAM”) and one count of Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity. Federal prosecutors proved the following during the five-day trial: In October 2023, South Florida law enforcement learned that Douglas was active in an online chat room focused on incest and other sexual taboo. Douglas communicated with someone he believed was the mother of an eight-year-old girl. During months of chats, Douglas bragged about his sexual experiences with children and posted dozens of sexually explicit photos and videos. He repeatedly instructed the mother on how to gradually sexualize her child so that she would be ready, willing, and able to have sex with him. At one point, Douglas tried to set up a Halloween sex party where he offered to take the child’s virginity “in front of a meth-fueled orgy.” On the day of a planned meet-up with the child, Douglas spotted law enforcement and erratically drove away. Agents stopped the vehicle, and a female passenger jumped out screaming, “He’s got a grenade, he’s going to kill us!” Douglas then pulled the pin out of what looked like a real grenade and held a standoff with a SWAT team. Douglas eventually put down the replica grenade and was arrested. Inside Douglas’s car, law enforcement discovered sex toys, personal lubricant, extra-small lingerie, a small speculum, and a unicorn stuffed animal. During planning chats, Douglas said he would bring those very items to his encounter with the child. The trial evidence showed that Douglas purchased most of these items online the day before the meeting with rush delivery. Sentencing is currently set for August 25 at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Douglas faces a minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office made the announcement. HSI Miami and HSI San Diego Field Divisions investigated the case. U.S. Attorneys Justin Chapman and Adam McMichael are prosecuting it. The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were 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 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc. 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 23-cr-80219. ###


title: Montgomery Man Sentenced on Federal Firearm Charge Following High-Speed Vehicle Pursuit and Shooting Incident

component: USAO - Alabama, Middle

body_text: MONTGOMERY, AL – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that a Montgomery man has been sentenced to prison following his conviction in federal court. On May 15, 2025, 38-year-old Lorenzo Anterrio Monta received a sentence of 180 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Upon completion of his 15-year prison term, Monta will serve three years of supervised release. As with all federal sentences, there is no parole. According to court records, on March 21, 2024, officers with the Montgomery Police Department (MPD) identified a vehicle traveling near Eastdale Road and Atlanta Highway that had been reported stolen earlier that day. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver refused to pull over and instead accelerated, initiating a high-speed pursuit. During the chase, a passenger in the vehicle—later identified as Monta—leaned out of the car window and fired multiple shots toward the pursuing MPD patrol vehicle. The pursuit ended when the driver brought the vehicle to a stop, and both occupants, including Monta, fled on foot. Officers quickly apprehended both individuals in the surrounding area. When Monta was taken into custody, officers recovered a handgun from his pocket. Monta has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On December 20, 2024, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. “Lorenzo Monta’s actions showed a complete disregard for public safety and law enforcement,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Firing a weapon during a high-speed pursuit placed countless lives at risk. The sentence imposed was the maximum allowed by statute and reflects the seriousness of the offense. Our office remains committed to holding armed, violent felons accountable and we will continue working with our local and federal partners to protect our communities from gun violence.” This case was investigated by the Montgomery Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Eric M. Counts prosecuted the case.


title: Former Health Aide Worker Sentenced for Stealing from the Family of Dying Hospice Patient

body_text: WASHINGTON – Beverly Ochoa, 30, of Derwood, Maryland, was sentenced today to a 12-month suspended sentence for first-degree theft in the stealing of $2,600 cash from the elderly wife of a hospice patient, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Ochoa pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of first-degree theft. As part of the sentence, Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno ordered one year of supervised probation to include 40 hours of community service and suspended three years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Oct. 1, MPD officers were called to the victims’ home in Southeast, where an elderly couple resided, and the husband was receiving hospice care. The couple employed two health aide caregivers from different companies to assist with the care of the patient. One of the workers, Ochoa, was in the home with the patient when the patient’s wife came downstairs to pay the other health aide worker. When she asked Ochoa where the other worker was, Ochoa said she had left the residence. The patient’s wife then placed the $2,600 in $100 bills inside a drawer so she could pay the other worker later and left for a medical appointment. When the patient’s wife returned later that day, the cash was missing from the drawer. The couple’s family arrived at the home and reviewed in-home security camera footage. The video captured Ochoa retrieving something from the kitchen and placing it in her purse. The family called law enforcement and when officers arrived, they found $2,600, in $100 bills, inside the defendant’s purse. She was arrested that day. In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nickolas Reck and Katherine Ballou, who prosecuted the case.


title: Defendant Sentenced to Prison in Domestic Violence Case

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon following a violent domestic incident. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on November 16, 2021, Jicarilla Apache Police responded to a report of domestic violence at a residence within the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Upon arrival, officers found an adult female victim visibly distressed and injured. Officers observed fresh abrasions and other signs of physical harm. The investigation revealed that an argument between Orlyn Vigil , 49, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the victim escalated into violence. Vigil physically assaulted the victim, including strangling, dragging, and throwing her to the ground. As the victim attempted to leave the area, Vigil struck her with a vehicle, causing further injury. Vigil pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon. Upon his release from prison, Vigil will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Jicarilla Apache Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Mia Ulibarri-Rubin and Nicholas J. Marshall are prosecuting the case.


title: Jefferson County man sentenced to federal prison after robbing convenience store and leading police on a high-speed chase

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for violent crime violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. Patrick Lee Bridgewater, 22, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 16, 2025. According to court documents, on April 14, 2023, local law enforcement officers responded to a report of an armed robbery in progress at the Speedy Stop on College Street in Beaumont. Witnesses reported two men entered the store and demanded money from the clerk at gunpoint. A description of the men and the vehicle they fled in was broadcast to law enforcement. The vehicle was quickly located traveling eastbound on College Street. A traffic stop was initiated, but the vehicle evaded police resulting in a high-speed chase eventually ending in Nederland. Bridgewater was a passenger in the vehicle, which had been reported stolen and was being driven by a minor. Evidence from the robbery was found in the vehicle. This case was sentenced as 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). This case was investigated by FBI’s Beaumont field office and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove. ###


title: Dominican National Sentenced Under Alien Registration Act

component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – A Dominican national residing in New Castle County, Delaware was sentenced on May 13, 2025, to 30 days’ probation for failing to notify the U.S. government of his change of address, in violation of the Alien Registration Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson. The Honorable Laura D. Hatcher, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Delaware, pronounced the sentence. According to court documents and information provided in open court, Wagner Rivera-Campusano, 27, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) in 2023 and was given bail. He provided ICE an address in New York City. Mr. Rivera did not appear for his immigration proceedings and was ordered removed from the U.S. in absentia . In approximately September 2024, Mr. Rivera moved to Delaware without informing the federal government of his new address. In April 2025, Mr. Rivera was convicted of a drug felony in the Superior Court of Delaware. He was released to ICE custody and charged federally with failure to notify the U.S. government of his address change. As Mr. Rivera was informed in open court, he will almost certainly be deported. Should he return to the U.S., Mr. Rivera will face significantly enhanced penalties because of his Delaware state drug conviction. To date, in support of Operation Take Back America, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware has filed a total of 58 immigration and border security-related cases between January 20, 2025, and May 13, 2025, an 800% increase over those charged with illegally re-entering the country during the same timeframe in 2024. This announcement is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware.


title: St. Francis Woman Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison  for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on May 12, 2025. Viola Boneshirt, age 21, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Boneshirt was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. She pleaded guilty on February 7, 2025. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on September 11, 2023, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that day, a juvenile was socializing with Boneshirt and other individuals at a residence in Parmelee, South Dakota. At some point, Boneshirt got angry and started fighting with the juvenile. Boneshirt then produced a sharp object and cut the juvenile’s leg, causing a large laceration that required multiple stiches. Afterward, Boneshirt fled the scene. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Boneshirt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: 295 New Immigration Cases in Western District of Texas This Week

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 295 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 9 through May 15. Among the new cases, Mexican nationals Juan Jose Medrano-Escobedo and Rosendo Dominguez-Morales were arrested after allegedly entering the U.S. illegally through the Texas National Defense Area (Tx-NDA) less than half a mile west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso. Medrano-Escobedo has been previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico twice, most recently July 30, 2024. He has been convicted of three felonies, including evading arrest in 2017 and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in November 2023. Dominguez-Morales was last removed on Aug. 20, 2024, following an Aug. 18, 2024 felony conviction for assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Medrano-Escobedo and Dominguez-Morales are each charged with two counts related to violating defense property security regulation and one count of illegal re-entry. Also in El Paso, two U.S. citizens are charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens after being arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Fabens. Jared Isai Ramirez and Jesus Alberto Soriano , driving separate vehicles, allegedly attempted to flee from USBP. A criminal complaint alleges Ramirez lost control of his vehicle and collided into a rock wall. He and four passengers allegedly exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot before being apprehended. The four passengers were determined to be illegal aliens and were transported with Ramirez to the Clint Border Patrol Station for further investigation. Soriano eventually stopped the vehicle he was driving and was also transported to the Clint Border Patrol Station. The criminal complaint alleges that Ramirez admitted that he would be paid $300 for each of the four illegal aliens he was transporting. Soriano allegedly stated that he had agreed to scout the area for law enforcement during the smuggling scheme. A Mexican national was encountered at the Bastrop County Jail and charged with illegal re-entry in Austin. Elisandro Enriquez-Sanchez has been removed from the U.S. to Mexico four times in addition to a voluntary return. He had been arrested in Bastrop and charged with driving while intoxicated with an open alcohol container. Enriquez-Sanchez’s lengthy criminal record includes two convictions for illegal re-entry as well as taking a weapon from an officer, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, and three DWIs in a two-year span. In Presidio County, Honduran national Angel Daniel Vasquez was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry. Vasquez has four prior removals, the last one being to Honduras May 27, 2024. He’s also a twice-convicted felon with a criminal record that includes assault causing bodily injury in Nashville, Tennessee in 2023 and a 2015 illegal re-entry conviction in Phoenix, Arizona. He was also convicted of a misdemeanor in Nashville for driving under the influence in April 2024. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are 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). Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: 10-Time Convicted Felon Arrested on Federal Indictment Alleging He Caused Four Fatal Fentanyl ODs at Palmdale House Last Year

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A 10-time convicted felon from the Antelope Valley has been arrested on a 10-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he distributed fentanyl that resulted in the overdose deaths of four victims at a Palmdale house last year, the Justice Department announced today. Damian Michael Evans, 46, of Palmdale, was arrested Thursday and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles. He is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to the indictment returned on Wednesday, Evans on January 15, 2024, knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the deaths of four victims in Palmdale. Evans allegedly also possessed other illegal narcotics in late 2023 and early 2024, including after the four fatal fentanyl overdoses in Palmdale. Evans also illegally possessed a revolver and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. He is not legally permitted to possess them because his criminal history includes convictions dating from 1997 to 2016 in Los Angeles Superior Court for 10 felonies – nine of them drug-related convictions and most of them for drug dealing. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted of all charges, Evans would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. This case is part of the DEA’s Overdose Justice Program and LASD’s Overdose Response Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Brittney M. Harris of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.