title: Defendants Charged Following Armed Coup Attack  in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Utah charging Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, all U.S. citizens, with conspiring to provide material support and resources, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, among other offenses. Malanga, Thompson, and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. After their initial appearances in New York, it is expected that Malanga, Thompson, and Polun will appear in Salt Lake City, Utah for further legal proceedings. As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to unlawfully carry out a coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”). The coconspirators conducted an armed military operation (“Armed Coup Attack”) specifically targeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe (“Kamerhe”), attacking both the Palais de la Nation (the official residence and principal workplace of the president) and Kamerhe’s private residence in Kinshasa, DRC. Men wearing camouflage fatigues and armed with weapons attacked and entered the Palais de la Nation. Armed men also attacked Kamerhe’s residence, which was riddled with bullet holes after the attack. At least six people died during the attack, including two police officers protecting Kamerhe’s residence, and at least one innocent civilian. The goal of these rebel forces was to overthrow the DRC government, establish a new government known as the New Zaire, and install Christian Malanga, now deceased, as the president of the New Zaire. Christian Malanga acted as a leader and organizer of these rebel forces. It was the goal of these rebel forces to topple the DRC government and to murder President Félix Tshisekedi, Kamerhe, and others, with the goal of installing Christian Malanga as the new president of the DRC. Marcel Malanga also held himself out as a leader of the rebel forces and identified himself as the “Chief of Staff of the Zaire army.” Polun was Christian Malanga’s chief of staff. Moesser was the explosives maker, explosives technician, and explosives supplier. Thompson was a soldier and drone specialist/operator. Also as alleged in the complaint, Christian Malanga, Marcel Malanga, Thompson, Polun, and Moesser conspired to provide material support and resources including services, training, expert advice or assistance, communication equipment, weapons, explosives, and personnel to the rebel army which was formed to overthrow the DRC government. Further, the defendants conspired to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction during the Armed Coup Attack. The coconspirators planned to use bombs that could be deployed to their targets by drone(s). Targets included people, private residences, and public buildings. They also intended to attach a flamethrower device to a drone and use it as an incendiary device to light people on fire. The defendants planned, scouted out targets, and identified victims for the Armed Coup Attack, with the purpose and intent to murder other persons, including high-level DRC government officials. They recruited others to join in the Armed Coup Attack as personnel for the rebel army and, in some cases, recruited personnel in exchange for money. The defendants also acquired and attempted to acquire explosive and incendiary devices with the purpose and intent to use such devices to target individuals, private property, and DRC government buildings. Coconspirators communicated with and procured destructive devices, to include carrier devices such as drones, explosives, incendiary devices, and delivery mechanisms, from businesses, private parties, and at least one individual associated with a foreign military to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack. Additionally, they procured from businesses and private parties, military equipment to include firearms, ammunition, uniforms, communication equipment, and communication jamming equipment. The coconspirators planned to transport weapons, explosives, and resources from the United States to the DRC to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack, and they then transported weapons and resources to the DRC. Further, the defendants engaged in firearms and weapons training in the United States and in Africa to provide services and support during the conspiracy and Armed Coup Attack. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years for each count of conspiring to provide material support and resources; and up to life imprisonment for each count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. Additionally, if convicted, Malanga and Thompson each face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years for each count of taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, Sue J. Bai, head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and Mehtab Syed, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, with assistance by the FBI New York Field Office, and the FBI's Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees the Democratic Republic of Congo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan R. Whittaker, Chief of the National Security and Cybercrimes Section, and Jonathan Stowers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs has also provided substantial assistance to the prosecution team. A complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. motion_for_detention.pdf marcel_m_malanga_et_al_complaint.pdf


title: Defendants Charged Following Armed Coup Attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Note: View the criminal complaint. A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Utah charging Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, all U.S. citizens, with conspiring to provide material support and resources, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, among other offenses. Malanga, Thompson, and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. After their initial appearances in New York, it is expected that Malanga, Thompson, and Polun will appear in Salt Lake City, Utah, for further legal proceedings. As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to unlawfully carry out a coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The coconspirators conducted an armed military operation (Armed Coup Attack) specifically targeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe (Kamerhe), attacking both the Palais de la Nation (the official residence and principal workplace of the president) and Kamerhe’s private residence in Kinshasa, DRC. Men wearing camouflage fatigues and armed with weapons attacked and entered the Palais de la Nation. Armed men also attacked Kamerhe’s residence, which was riddled with bullet holes after the attack. At least six people died during the attack, including two police officers protecting Kamerhe’s residence, and at least one innocent civilian. The goal of these rebel forces was to overthrow the DRC government, establish a new government known as the New Zaire, and install Christian Malanga, now deceased, as the president of the New Zaire. Christian Malanga acted as a leader and organizer of these rebel forces. It was the goal of these rebel forces to topple the DRC government and to murder President Félix Tshisekedi, Kamerhe, and others, with the goal of installing Christian as the new president of the DRC. Marcel Malanga also held himself out as a leader of the rebel forces and identified himself as the “Chief of Staff of the Zaire army.” Polun was Christian Malanga’s chief of staff. Moesser was the explosives maker, explosives technician, and explosives supplier. Thompson was a soldier and drone specialist/operator. Also as alleged in the complaint, Christian Malanga, Marcel Malanga, Thompson, Polun, and Moesser conspired to provide material support and resources including services, training, expert advice or assistance, communication equipment, weapons, explosives, and personnel to the rebel army which was formed to overthrow the DRC government. Further, the defendants conspired to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction during the Armed Coup Attack. The coconspirators planned to use bombs that could be deployed to their targets by drone(s). Targets included people, private residences, and public buildings. They also intended to attach a flamethrower device to a drone and use it as an incendiary device to light people on fire. The defendants planned, scouted out targets, and identified victims for the Armed Coup Attack, with the purpose and intent to murder other persons, including high-level DRC government officials. They recruited others to join in the Armed Coup Attack as personnel for the rebel army and, in some cases, recruited personnel in exchange for money. The defendants also acquired and attempted to acquire explosive and incendiary devices with the purpose and intent to use such devices to target individuals, private property, and DRC government buildings. Coconspirators communicated with and procured destructive devices, to include carrier devices such as drones, explosives, incendiary devices, and delivery mechanisms, from businesses, private parties, and at least one individual associated with a foreign military to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack. Additionally, they procured from businesses and private parties, military equipment to include firearms, ammunition, uniforms, communication equipment, and communication jamming equipment. The coconspirators planned to transport weapons, explosives, and resources from the United States to the DRC to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack, and they then transported weapons and resources to the DRC. Further, the defendants engaged in firearms and weapons training in the United States and in Africa to provide services and support during the conspiracy and Armed Coup Attack. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of conspiring to provide material support and resources; and up to life in prison for each count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. Additionally, if convicted, Malanga and Thompson each face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sue J. Bai, head of the U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, and Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, with assistance by the FBI New York Field Office and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees the Democratic Republic of Congo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan R. Whittaker, Chief, National Security and Cybercrimes Section, and Jonathan Stowers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has also provided substantial assistance to the prosecution team. A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: District Man Indicted on Federal Firearm Charge Under 'Make D.C. Safe Again' Initiative

body_text: WASHINGTON – Nelson Bryant, 31, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on a federal firearm charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators. Bryant was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. According to court documents, on June 9, 2024, MPD officers were conducting routine foot patrol in the 1900 block of 9th Street NW, Washington D.C. when an unidentified citizen alerted an MPD officer to a man with a firearm. Shortly thereafter, officers observed an individual, later identified as defendant Nelson Bryant, matching the citizen's description in the 1900 block of 9th Street NW. Officers initiated a stop of Bryant, at which point they allegedly witnessed him remove a handgun from his waistband and hand it to an unknown individual within a nearby crowd. It is alleged that this unknown male dropped the handgun and fled on foot eastbound on U Street. Bryant was subsequently apprehended by MPD Officers. The firearm, which Bryant allegedly removed from his waistband, was recovered at the location where the unknown subject dropped it. Bryant is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous felony conviction. This case was investigated by the ATF and MPD Officers and Detectives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Emory V. Cole. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: North Carolina U.S. Attorneys Host Ceremony in Observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 6-12, 2025

component: USAO - North Carolina, Middle

body_text: GREENSBORO, N.C. – In April, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). This year’s observance takes place April 6-12, 2025. NCVRW began in 1981 to honor crime victims, promote victims’ rights, and recognize those who work with and advocate on behalf of victims of crime. It also serves to promote policies and programs that help victims of crime. This year’s NCVRW theme, “Connecting < KINSHIP > Healing,” recognizes that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. To commemorate NCVRW, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of North Carolina hosted a ceremony in Raleigh, to promote community engagement, raise awareness, and support and honor crime victims. The ceremony featured music by “The 100 Men in Black Ensemble” and remarks by victim advocates and survivors. The program also included a remembrance ceremony for crime victims and an award ceremony to recognize individuals for their superior service and work with victims and survivors. Acting U.S. Attorney Randall Galyon (MDNC), U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson (WDNC), and Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar (EDNC) attended today’s NCVRW Ceremony in Raleigh “Each year during National Crime Victims’ Week, we recognize people whose physical, financial, and emotional well-being has been shattered by crime, and those who work to support them. By reflecting upon and honoring victims, victim advocates, and law enforcement professionals, we renew our commitment to seeking justice and giving hope to victims and their families,” said Randall Galyon, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. “Throughout the coming year, we will continue to bring our very best efforts to this work, protecting the fundamental human rights to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’” “We wish there were no victims of crime, and eliminating crime is our goal and motivation. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we reaffirm our commitment to that goal, and to crime victims, survivors, and their families,” said Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “My Office will continue to work closely with our community partners, advocates, and law enforcement to uphold victims’ rights, and to ensure that victims’ voices are heard not just this week, but every day of the year.” “Today we honor the victims of crimes and celebrate those who work to restore hope in the face of loss and tragedy,” said Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “We greatly appreciate the sacrifices that our law enforcement partners and victim advocates make to serve, creating the community necessary to build the healing victims deserve.” For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist crime victims in your community, please visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov . Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Assistance Program can be found here . ###


title: North Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Host Ceremony in Observance of  National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 6-12, 2025

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C – In April, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). This year’s observance takes place April 6-12, 2025. NCVRW began in 1981 to honor crime victims, promote victims’ rights, and recognize those who work with and advocate on behalf of victims of crime. It also serves to promote policies and programs that help victims of crime. This year’s NCVRW theme, “Connecting < KINSHIP > Healing,” recognizes that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. To commemorate NCVRW, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of North Carolina hosted a ceremony in Raleigh, to promote community engagement, raise awareness, and support and honor crime victims. The program also included a remembrance ceremony for crime victims and an award ceremony to recognize individuals for their superior service and work with victims and survivors. “Today we honor the victims of crimes and celebrate those who work to restore hope in the face of loss and tragedy,” said Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “We greatly appreciate the sacrifices that our law enforcement partners and victim advocates make to serve, creating the community necessary to build the healing victims deserve.” “Each year during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we recognize people whose physical, financial, and emotional well-being has been shattered by crime, and those who work to support them. By reflecting upon and honoring victims, victim advocates, and law enforcement professionals, we renew our commitment to seeking justice and giving hope to victims and their families,” said Randall Galyon, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. “Throughout the coming year, we will continue to bring our very best efforts to this work, protecting the fundamental human rights to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’” “We wish there were no victims of crime, and eliminating crime is our goal and motivation. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we reaffirm our commitment to that goal, and to crime victims, survivors, and their families,” said Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “My Office will continue to work closely with our community partners, advocates, and law enforcement to uphold victims’ rights, and to ensure that victims’ voices are heard not just this week, but every day of the year.” For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist crime victims in your community, please visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov . Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Assistance Program can be found here . Acting U.S. Attorney Randall Galyon (MDNC), U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson (WDNC), and Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar (EDNC) attended Tuesday’s NCVRW Ceremony in Raleigh ###


title: Fulton Man Charged with Production, Distribution, and  Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Fulton, Mo., man was charged in a three-count indictment issued by a federal grand jury charging him with production, distribution, and possession of child pornography. Jacob Stockglausner, 38, was charged in a three-count indictment on April 8, 2025. The indictment alleges that Stockglausner used a minor child under the age of twelve to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction. The indictment also alleges that Stockglausner distributed a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct using the social media platform Kik. Stockglausner is also charged with possession of child pornography involving a minor who was prepubescent or less than twelve years of age. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, if convicted, Stockglausner faces federal prison sentences of up to thirty years on the production of child pornography count and twenty years on the distribution and possession counts to be served without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa A. Pierce and Ashley Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Cyber Crime Task Force with assistance from the FBI and Callaway County Sheriff’s Department. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Iowa Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Iowa man was sentenced today for bank fraud. Roger Dean Peters, 71, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to twelve months and one day in federal prison. Peters pleaded guilty to a single count of bank fraud on May 30, 2024. In his plea agreement, he admitted that he had kited checks between accounts at Exchange Bank of Missouri and First National Bank of Hampton, Iowa, creating fictitious balances that he perpetuated by continuing to write more and more checks. When the scheme collapsed, the bank estimated the total overdraft amount to be $2,882,904.20, exclusive of unpaid fees and other expenses. During the same time, Peters also held a line of credit, and used an intermediary to make fraudulent claims on the line of credit. Peters’s sentence also included a two year term of supervised release, and an order of restitution. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


title: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. Kyvon Ross, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris who scheduled sentencing for July 16, 2025. According to the charging documents, on Oct. 3, 2024, Ross was approached by law enforcement after driving a moped at a high speed and without a rear license plate. Ross accelerated directly at one of the officers before losing control of the moped and falling to the ground. Ross violently resisted arrest and was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun with an obliterated serial number. Ross is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2021 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charge of possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of a $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.


title: Campbell Sales Group Agrees to Pay Nearly $1.5 Million in Restitution and Penalties for COVID-19 Loan Scheme

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – Campbell Sales Group, Inc., d/b/a LeatherItaliaUSA (CSG) has agreed to pay $1,499,164 in restitution and penalties and to undertake additional responsibilities to resolve its criminal liabilities in connection with a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan scheme. Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in order to mitigate the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for small businesses. PPP loans were fully guaranteed by the United States and forgivable so long as the proceeds were used for payroll and other authorized expenses. In order to obtain forgiveness of the full PPP loan balance, the borrower was required to spend, and attest to spending, at least 60 percent of the loan proceeds on eligible payroll costs during the covered period. CSG is a leather furniture supplier headquartered in Leland, North Carolina. In April 2020, CSG applied for and received a $257,700 PPP loan. As part of the criminal settlement, CSG admitted that after receiving the loan proceeds, it fraudulently increased its payroll in order to meet eligibility requirements for PPP loan forgiveness. Specifically, CSG admitted that it added multiple individuals to the payroll and claimed to have paid them wages, when in fact none of the individuals worked for CSG nor did they receive any wages. CSG further admitted that in addition to the payment of the “ghost wages,” it artificially inflated its payroll by increasing the wages of multiple CSG employees, but the wage payments were not retained by the employees. CSG also admitted that in October 2020, it submitted a PPP loan forgiveness application, in which it provided a payroll cost figure that included the “ghost wages” and the fraudulently inflated wages. During the application review process, CSG provided false supporting documentation to the lender and made additional false representations. The full balance of the $257,700 PPP loan was subsequently forgiven in May 2021. In March 2021, CSG applied for an additional PPP loan totaling $213,006. CSG admitted that it incorporated the same false wage information that it used to obtain forgiveness of its first PPP loan in the second PPP loan request. As part of the criminal settlement, CSG has agreed to pay $1,499,164 in restitution and penalties and be subject to a three-year prosecution deferral period in which it may not commit any further offenses, among other terms. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the settlement was accepted by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The United States Secret Service investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-14-FL. ###


title: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Statement Regarding Creation of a 2nd Amendment Task Force

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement regarding her creation of a 2 nd Amendment Task Force at the Department of Justice: “The prior administration placed an undue burden on gun owners and vendors by targeting law-abiding citizens exercising their 2nd Amendment rights. The Department of Justice’s new 2 nd Amendment Task Force will combine department-wide policy and litigation resources to advance President Trump’s pro-gun agenda and protect gun owners from overreach.” Background: This follows the DOJ and ATF’s Monday repeal of the Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy and the review of Final Rule 2021R-08F, related to stabilizing braces, and Final Rule 2022R-17F, related to the definition of “engaging in the business” of firearms dealing. Read more here . Read the full memo establishing the 2 nd Amendment Task Force here .


title: Honduran National Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Misael Garcia-Diaz, age 34, of Honduras, was indicted yesterday, April 8, 2025, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Garcia-Diaz was previously removed from the United States on April 22, 2014, through Brownsville, Texas, and it is alleged that he was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. The indictment also alleges that on February 6, 2025, Garcia-Diaz was encountered in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur 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 Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Virginia Man Indicted for Obstructing the IRS and Failing to File Tax Returns

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, returned an indictment yesterday charging a Virginia man with obstructing the IRS and willfully failing to file tax returns. According to the indictment, Omini Tete Riman, of Woodbridge, was an information technology specialist. He allegedly filed false 2013 and 2014 tax returns, reporting that he earned nearly $2 million in income and had almost $1 million withheld in taxes. Based on those false statements, Riman allegedly claimed nearly $400,000 in refunds, which the IRS paid. The indictment states that starting in 2016, after notifying Riman about his outstanding tax liabilities, the IRS attempted to recover the funds from him. However, Riman allegedly took numerous steps to frustrate the IRS’s collection efforts. For example, it is alleged he transferred his property to a trust, opened bank accounts in the trust’s name and directed that his wages be deposited into the trust’s bank account. It is further alleged that he also submitted false documents to the IRS, including false documents which purported to show that an IRS employee owed him money and that Riman had canceled the debt, which, if accurate, would have caused the IRS employee’s own tax liability to increase. In addition, the indictment alleges that for tax years 2018 through 2023, Riman knew he was legally required to file tax returns but willfully did not do so timely. In fact, after being notified that he was the target of a grand jury investigation in 2025, Riman allegedly filed tax returns for 2017 through 2020 which falsely reported that he had earned no income during those years. If convicted, Riman faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of obstructing the IRS and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count of failing to file a tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Isaiah Boyd III and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Florida Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

body_text: A Florida man was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for evading more than $5.5 million in taxes, interest, and penalties that he owed the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated furniture liquidations businesses, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay the taxes he owed. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest, and penalties against him. To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income by several million dollars, and when an IRS special agent interviewed him, Fletcher falsely represented the amount of income he earned. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger for the Middle District of Florida ordered Fletcher to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $7,112,689 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.


title: North Andover Man Sentenced for Multistate Fentanyl and Cocaine Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A former North Andover man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his participation in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances that spanned across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine and Puerto Rico. Elvis DeJesus, 34, formerly of North Andover, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 15 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. In June 2024, DeJesus pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine and other controlled substances. In December 2021 , DeJesus was charged along with 20 other individuals. In May 2020, an investigation began into a network of Lawrence-based drug traffickers. From December 2020 through December 2021, intercepted communications between targets of the investigation and their associates revealed that the defendants distributed fentanyl and cocaine in and around the Lawrence area. Some of the cocaine was obtained from suppliers in Puerto Rico and shipped to Massachusetts in the U.S. mail. Together with other co-defendants, DeJesus operated a wholesale fentanyl and cocaine distribution businesses until approximately August 2021, when he was arrested on state firearms charges. In February 2021, $75,930 was seized from co-defendant Luis Martinez after Martinez had collected drug proceeds from DeJesus outside of DeJesus’s residence. In April 2021, a package sent from Puerto Rico to DeJesus’s residence that contained 978 grams of cocaine was also seized. In March 2021, 200 grams of cocaine supplied by DeJesus from co-defendant Othoniel Lara Gonzalez was also seized. After DeJesus’s arrest on the state firearms charges, he was detained in state custody. DeJesus continued to operate his drug distribution business from jail. In November 2021, over 500 grams of fentanyl and over 100 grams of cocaine that co-defendant William Rivadeneira was transporting on DeJesus’s behalf was seized. Prior to the seizure, DeJesus was intercepted chastising Rivadeneira for not having taken adequate precautions while preparing the fentanyl for distribution, telling him, “[Y]ou can get an overdose.” In November 2021, DeJesus and his co-conspirators paid co-defendant Gregorit Sanchez, a former Corrections Officer at Middleton House of Corrections where DeJesus was then detained, to smuggle a package containing fentanyl, cocaine, Suboxone and other contraband into the jail. The package was seized from Sanchez when he attempted to enter the jail. In February 2025, Luis Martinez was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In January 2023, Othoniel Lara Gonzalez was sentenced to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. William Rivadeneira pleaded guilty in March 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2025. In June 2024 , Gregorit Sanchez was sentenced to five years’ probation with the first year to be served on home detention. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Essex County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson and J. Mackenzie Duane prosecuted the case.


title: A Jefferson City Man Charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Robert Michael Matthews, 42, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo. The indictment charges Matthews with possessing a Ruger model American, 9-millimeter pistol on March 13, 2025. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. According to the indictment, Matthews has prior violent felony convictions to include a 2000 conviction for robbery in the second degree, a 2015 conviction for unlawful use of a weapon, and a 2024 conviction for unlawful use of a weapon. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson City Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Georgia Man Sentenced for $300,000 Romance Fraud Scheme

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Georgia man was sentenced in federal court for his role in an online romance scam with elderly victims in Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey. Badetito O. Obafemi, 42, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 24 months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Obafemi to three years of supervised release following incarceration and ordered him to pay restitution of $311,520 to the victims of his crime. On April 18, 2024, Obafemi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Obafemi admitted to his participation in a romance scam which targeted victims in Taney County, Mo., Northfield, Minn., and Bergen County, N.J., from June 2016 through at least March 2018. The perpetrators of the romance scams used online communications to develop relationships with the victims. The scammers then began to request money from the victims for a variety of reasons, including business expenses, medical expenses, travel expenses, and food. According to court records, the Taney County victim was contacted via Facebook by an individual claiming to be “Kevin Condon” in May 2016. Following several conversations by email, phone, and Facebook, “Condon” convinced the victim to send him money for expenses related to his overseas business project and various medical issues. Conspirators stole a total of $27,460 from the Taney County victim. “Condon” also attempted to convince the victim to deposit $40,000 into an account controlled by Obafemi, purportedly to pay a court in South Africa for his release from jail. Obafemi conspired with the perpetrators to receive wire transfers from the victims, coordinating the necessary bank account information, the timing of transfers, and the transfer of funds across accounts. Obafemi received funds in his personal accounts as well as those of two businesses, EasyTickets, LLC, and Goeasy Logistics, LLC, which he owned and operated out of his Georgia residence. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the Northfield, Minn., Police Department. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its elder fraud enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).


title: Nigerian National Indicted for Role in Romance Scam and Money Laundering Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A Nigerian national has been charged for his alleged role in allegedly stealing more than $2.5 million from six romance scam victims and transferring their money to cryptocurrency accounts that he controlled. Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, 34, of Abuja, Nigeria, was arrested on April 7, 2025 after arriving on a flight from the United Kingdom to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. In January 2024, a federal grand jury in Boston indicted Nwadavid on charges of mail fraud and money laundering. Nwadavid appeared in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas on April 8, 2025 and was detained pending further proceedings. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, “romance scams” recruit victims through advertisements for online relationships on dating or social media websites. Individuals perpetuating romance scams create fictitious profiles and then use them to gain victims’ trust through a purported romantic relationship. Perpetrators then direct their victims to send money or to conduct financial transactions involving other victims’ money under false pretenses, such as an urgent need for money to secure a multi-million dollar inheritance or to pay for an unexpected hospitalization. Between in or about 2016 and September 2019, Nwadavid allegedly participated in romance scams that tricked victims into sending money abroad. In an effort to conceal his role as the recipient of the victims’ funds, Nwadavid allegedly used a victim from Massachusetts (Victim 1) to receive funds from five other victims around the United States. Nwadavid then allegedly tricked Victim 1 in to passing her own and the other victims’ money to him through cryptocurrency transactions, and allegedly accessed accounts in Victim 1’s name from overseas, to transfer the victims’ funds to accounts he controlled at LocalBitcoins, an online cryptocurrency platform. The mail fraud charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the loss to the victim, restitution and forfeiture. The money laundering charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the laundering transactions, restitution and forfeiture. The defendant will also be 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 Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division 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: Chicago Real Estate Broker Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Bilking Investors out of More Than $3 Million

body_text: CHICAGO — A Chicago real estate broker has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for orchestrating a fraud scheme that bilked at least four investors out of more than $3 million. STANISLAV SANNIKOV, also known as “Steve Sannikov,” owned and operated Chestnut Realty Group, a real estate company in Chicago. From 2016 to 2020, Sannikov fraudulently claimed to investors that certain properties were for sale and that he could negotiate the purchase on their behalf. Sannikov further claimed that the properties could be re-sold or leased for a substantial profit. In reality, Sannikov knew that the properties were not available for sale or lease. Sannikov induced the victim investors to deposit earnest money into what he told them was an escrow account maintained by Chestnut Realty. In fact, Sannikov knew that Chestnut Realty was not licensed to act as an escrow agent and that the account was actually a checking account controlled by Sannikov. Sannikov withdrew the investor funds and spent the money on his own lavish lifestyle. One victim, who is now in his 70s, had to put off retirement so that he could pay off his losses. Sannikov, 42, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. On Friday, U.S. District Joan Humphrey Lefkow ordered Sannikov to pay $2.19 million in remaining restitution to four victims. Judge Lefkow in February sentenced Sannikov to four years and two months in prison. The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office. “This was not a one-time lapse in judgment,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri H. Mecklenburg argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant, over the course of at least four years, designed and engaged in a calculated, sustained, multi-faceted scheme to defraud multiple individuals.”


title: Two Missouri Individuals Charged with Dealing Firearms without a License and Other Offense

body_text: JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Two individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for dealing in firearms without a license and other offense. A California, Missouri Man Indicted for Dealing Firearms without a License and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm According to an indictment returned this week, Aubrey Foxworthy, 81, of California, Missouri, was charged with dealing firearms in Morgan and Moniteau Counties from approximately June 2, 2023 through September 9, 2024. He did not have a federal firearms license to deal firearms. Foxworthy was also charged with possession of a rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches and that rifle was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. A Popular Bluff, Missouri Man Indicted for Dealing Firearms without a License According to an indictment returned this week, Philip Leroy Rains, 75, of Popular Bluff, Missouri, was charged with dealing firearms in Morgan County from approximately April 1, 2023 through April 4, 2024. He did not have a federal firearms license to deal firearms. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, if convicted of dealing in firearms without a license, a prison sentence of up to 5 years and a fine of up to $250,000 is authorized. Under federal statutes, if convicted of possession of an unregistered firearm, a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000 is authorized. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jefferson City Police Department, and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Allston Man Charged with Allegedly Trafficking "Date Rape" Drug and Methamphetamine

body_text: BOSTON – An Allston man has been indicted for trafficking methamphetamine and 1,4-Butanediol (BDO), an analogue of Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) – more commonly known as the “date rape drug” – out of his Allston home. Peter Schiepers, 32, is charged with one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine; two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute Butanediol (an analogue of GHB); and two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Schiepers was arraigned yesterday. According to the charging documents, in November 2024, law enforcement received information that Schiepers was supplying methamphetamine in and around the Boston area. Between November 2024 and February 2025, a cooperating source conducted multiple controlled purchases allegedly from Schiepers. Specifically, in January 2025, it is alleged that Schiepers conducted a transaction for one ounce of methamphetamine. In February 2025 he allegedly sold four ounces of methamphetamine and a liter of BDO. Schiepers allegedly told an undercover officer that he received the BDO in Chinese shampoo bottles and that he also used an application that allowed him to anonymously send some shipments to hotels and convenience stores nearby. The charge of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. 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 Stephen D. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney John O. Wray of the Narcotics & Money Laundering 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 Calumet Township Trustee Sentenced for Wire Fraud

body_text: HAMMOND – Kimberly Robinson, age 57, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to a single count of wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Robinson was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay $11,200 in restitution. Robinson had previously resigned her position as Calumet Township Trustee. According to documents in the case, Robinson served as the elected Calumet Township Trustee from 2015 to 2024. The Calumet Township Trustee’s Office is a local governmental entity whose primary mission is to provide public assistance to individuals and families in need. In her position as Trustee, Robinson illegally used approximately $11,200 of Township assistance funds, to pay rent for her own personal residence from funds that were meant to be disbursed to aid people in need. Robinson pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement to resolve the criminal charges. By resigning and entering into a plea agreement before being indicted, Robinson demonstrated that she accepted responsibility for her criminal conduct The public is reminded it may contact the United States Attorney’s Office at ( usainn.pctips@usdoj.gov ) or the FBI in Merrillville, Indiana at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) if they have information to report related to public corruption within the Northern District of Indiana. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin F. Wolff and Philip C. Benson.


title: Worcester Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Drug Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his involvement in a cocaine distribution conspiracy. Luis Torres, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to eight years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. The Court also entered a judgement of forfeiture of $26,480 in cash. In June 2024, Torres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony. Torres was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2022. Torres conspired with others to coordinate delivery of a package from Puerto Rico known by him to contain 4 - 6 kilograms of cocaine and to take possession of the cocaine with the intent to distribute it. In June 2022, law enforcement intercepted the package and executed a controlled delivery during which another individual accepted the package while Torres sat in a nearby car. Torres was arrested at the scene and $26,480 in cash was recovered. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.


title: ILLEGAL ALIEN SENTENCED TO 46 MONTHS’ FEDERAL PRISON  FOR REENTRY OFFENSE

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Rafael Sanchez-De La Rosa, 51, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for Illegal Reentry by Removed Alien. The sentence was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “Enforcing immigration laws is a priority of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of committing crimes while being in our country illegally. The Northern District of Florida and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping our communities safe.” “This case highlights the serious public safety risks posed by individuals who repeatedly violate our laws, both criminal and immigration,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE-ERO) Miami Acting Field Office Director Juan Agudelo. “Despite being removed from the United States on multiple occasions, Mr. Sanchez-De La Rosa unlawfully re-entered the country and continued to endanger lives through repeated DUI offenses. ICE remains committed to working with local law enforcement partners to identify and remove those who present a threat to our communities.” On May 5, 2024, at around 1:30 a.m., Sanchez-De La Rosa was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department (PPD) and charged with his third driving under the influence (DUI) within ten years, amongst other offenses. Sanchez-De La Rosa had been speeding nearly twenty miles over the speed limit. PPD located two open containers in the center console of his vehicle, and Sanchez-De La Rosa admitted to consuming at least eight beers. Federal officers with ICE subsequently determined Sanchez-De La Rosa was present in the United States illegally. Sanchez-De La Rosa had been previously removed from the United States to Mexico in 2017 and again in 2018. Sanchez-De La Rosa has now been convicted of DUI in Escambia County three times, in 2014, 2015, and 2024, two of which cases were felony convictions. During his first DUI offense, Sanchez-De La Rosa seriously injured his passenger, requiring hospitalization. Sanchez-De La Rosa has an ICE detainer lodged against him and will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term. Sanchez-De La Rosa’s imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision. This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Pensacola. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Callahan prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Orlando, FL - A Florida man was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for evading more than $5.5 million in taxes, interest, and penalties that he owed the IRS. According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated furniture liquidations businesses, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay the taxes he owed. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest, and penalties against him. To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income by several million dollars, and when an IRS special agent interviewed him, Fletcher falsely represented the amount of income he earned. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger for the Middle District of Florida ordered Fletcher to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $7,112,689 in restitution to the United States. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.


title: West Virginia Man Charged with Possession of an Unregistered Firearm After Attempting to Take Flashbang Grenade Through Airport Security

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Morgantown, West Virginia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of an unregistered firearm, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The one-count Indictment named Zachary Vincent Velling, 26, as the sole defendant. According to the Indictment and public information from the Allegheny County Police Department, on November 12, 2024, Velling entered airport security at the Pittsburgh International Airport and placed his carry-on luggage through the x-ray machine. Representatives with the Transportation Security Administration noticed a suspicious object within Velling’s luggage, which officers from the Allegheny County Police Department ultimately determined to be a MK24 MOD 0,6 Bang/Flash diversionary hand grenade. The grenade is a firearm and destructive device under federal law that was not registered to Velling in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Velling was previously charged in relation to this incident in the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas with possession of an offensive weapon and criminal attempt. Those charges have been dismissed as a result of this federal Indictment. “Attempting to pass through airport security with any firearm or destructive device poses an unacceptable risk of harm to the innocent traveling public,” said Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. “This danger is heightened when, as in this case, the destructive device is possessed illegally. We are steadfast in our commitment to work with our partners at the FBI, ATF, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, and Transportation Security Administration to ensure safe air travel.” The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Allegheny County Police Department; Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office; and Transportation Security Administration conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment. An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Arlington Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – A man identified as a member/associate of the Heath Street Gang was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Cerone Davis, 31, of Arlington, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Davis pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. On or about June 8, 2023, Davis was arrested on the grounds of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments, a public housing complex in Jamaica Plain, in possession of numerous individually packaged bags of fentanyl. At the time of his arrest, Davis was on supervised release in connection with a prior federal conviction for distributing cocaine in the very same housing complex, and was specifically prohibited from being in that area. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Boston Housing Authority Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. 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: Two Monroe County Men Charged With Drug Trafficking And Firearms Offenses

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eli Valentine Calero, age 43, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and John Charles Ehrhard, Jr., age 56, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, were indicted yesterday, April 8, 2025, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the superseding indictment alleges that between May 2024 and March 2025, Calero and Ehrhard, Jr. conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The indictment alleges that during that time Ehrhard, Jr. distributed methamphetamine on multiple occasions and possessed a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking, when he was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction. The indictment further alleges that on March 12, 2025, Calero possessed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine for distribution. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts 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 Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. ###


title: Statement By U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley Regarding Lowell Sun Editorial on Injection Sites

body_text: “The April 6th Editorial by the Lowell Sun suggested that the “Feds’ blind eye would give safe inject sites a try.” The Editorial began by asking if the time has arrived to challenge prevailing federal law that criminalizes so-called “safe injection sites”; it ended with the hope that the time would come when the federal government would turn a blind eye to any such sites in Massachusetts. I have a one-word answer to the Editorial’s opening question: No. As to the hope for a blind eye, I guarantee that such a time will never come during this Administration. “Safe injections sites,” “harm reduction sites,” or however they are branded by advocates, are categorically illegal and do nothing to help people overcome their addictions. To the contrary, they facilitate destructive behavior that ruins lives, consumes families and devastates communities. Not too long ago, the open-air drug market operating with impunity along “Methadone Mile” in Boston was shut down because of skyrocketing increases in drug trafficking, sex trafficking and violence, which were the direct result of the ill-conceived experiment allowing drug users to flout the law. Businesses left and have not come back. Creating environments that assist people with pumping poisons into their bodies is neither compassionate nor constructive. We should continue to direct all our resources to the prevention efforts that steer people, especially our youth, away from drug use and treatment protocols that truly save peoples’ lives from their addictions.”


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Honduran National for Illegally Possessing Firearm and Illegal Re-Entry After Having Been Removed from the U.S. on 2 Prior Occasions

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a Honduran national with illegally re-entering the United States and possessing a firearm. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, and Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement. According to the indictment, Alexis Pinto-Mejia, age 38, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with possessing a firearm on February 25, 2024, in Warren County, Kentucky, knowing he was illegally and unlawfully in the United States. Pinto-Mejia was also charged with illegally re-entering the United States after having previously been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about April 4, 2006, and July 6, 2016. The defendant previously made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on a federal complaint and arrest warrant. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by HSI Bowling Green, ATF Bowling Green, and ICE ERO. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, 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). An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Salvadoran national sentenced to over a year in prison for illegally reentering the United States after a previous conviction

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today to a year and six months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after having been removed following an aggravated felony conviction. According to court documents, José Luis Romero Lopez, 47, was previously convicted of larceny, sexual battery, assault, driving while intoxicated (DWI), driving with a suspended license, and reckless driving before his 2010 conviction for brandishing a knife and stabbing a victim. In 2017, Romero Lopez was removed from the United States to El Salvador. Romero Lopez illegally reentered the United States before being arrested in 2023 for assault and battery. On Jan. 22, Romero Lopez pled guilty to illegal reentry after removal subsequent to a felony conviction. Romero Lopez remains subject to his previous order of removal. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul III, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Willner-Giwerc and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary H. Ray prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-267.


title: Jury Finds Man Guilty in Shooting at Social Club Which Left an NFL Prospect Paralyzed

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Roger Lee Jones, 42, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury, on April 7, 2025, of one count of assault with intent to kill while armed and other related charges, for shooting a man in retaliation for an earlier dispute at a social club. The verdict was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and followed a two week trial. The jury also found Jones guilty of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of aggravated assault while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, one count of simple assault, one count of fleeing a law enforcement officer, and one count of threats. Superior Court Judge Danya A. Dayson scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2025. According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 22, 2022, Victim 1 was working as a security guard at Kick Axe Throw Social located in Northeast, DC. Jones was a patron there with his ex-girlfriend and child’s mother, Victim 2. At the establishment, Jones got into an argument with Victim 2, took the keys to Victim 2’s vehicle, and left the bar with the keys. After Jones left the bar, Victim 2 called Jones to ask for the return of her vehicle. At approximately 12:10 a.m., Jones returned to the front of Kick Axe Throw Social where Victim 2 was waiting. Jones refused to return the keys or the vehicle, and then violently attacked Victim 2 by punching her multiple times in the face. Security staff intervened and stopped Jones’s assault. In response, Jones made threatening statements to the security staff, then left the scene in Victim 2’s vehicle. Victim 1 was not one of the security staff who broke up the fight. After leaving Kick Axe Throw Social, Jones called an accomplice, who drove to the defendant’s location. Jones and the accomplice then drove back to Kick Axe using the accomplice’s vehicle. Meanwhile, Victim 2 traveled to her home and called Jones to again ask him to return her vehicle. Jones replied by telling Victim 2 to stay where she was and that he was coming to kill her. At 1:07 a.m., as Victim 1 was standing by the trunk of his car preparing to leave Kick Axe Throw Social, Jones approached Victim 1 from behind and fired seven shots at him from close range. Victim 1 suffered gunshot wounds to his chest and back and was paralyzed immediately from the waist down. Prior to the incident, Victim 1 was a National Football League (NFL) prospect. The defendant and the accomplice then fled the scene in the accomplice’s vehicle. At approximately 1:54 a.m., as police officers with the Metropolitan Police Department were assisting Victim 2 by her residence, Victim 2 and the officers spotted her vehicle being operated with its headlights off. Officers immediately began to follow the vehicle with emergency equipment activated, but Jones refused to comply with officer commands to stop the vehicle. Jones was able to make good his escape. Jones was identified through surveillance footage, cell phone tracking data, vehicle data, and ballistics evidence linking the gun used in this incident to a shooting committed on February 19, 2022, by the accomplice. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of officers and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Dunn and Benjamin Helfand, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Miller and Travis Wolf, who prosecuted the case at trial.


title: Convicted Felon Guilty at Trial of Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: MACON, Ga. – A Baldwin County man with a prior aggravated assault conviction, who had a pistol with an extended magazine during a tense standoff with deputies, was found guilty by a federal jury of illegally possessing a firearm this week. Dormaine Mitchell, 39, of Milledgeville, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 8, following a two-day trial that began on April 7. Mitchell faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. “We are relieved that no one was injured in this incident and thankful to the officers who effectively managed a tense and dangerous situation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously pursue justice against repeat offenders who disregard federal law and illegally possess firearms.” “A prohibited person in possession of stolen firearms is a clear and present danger to our communities,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Atlanta Field Division. “We are incredibly grateful for the courage and quick action of our law enforcement partners who responded to this high-risk situation. Their dedication ensured a safe outcome for everyone involved. ATF is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners as we work together to protect the public and pursue justice.” “Law enforcement has a strong footprint in Baldwin County, and this case demonstrates the positive outcomes resulting from the collaboration between the Sheriff’s Department and our federal partners,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, a Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputy observed the defendant driving erratically by running off the side of the road and into oncoming traffic on Vinson Highway near Laboratory Road on Oct. 13, 2022. The officer stopped the vehicle and noticed the driver, Mitchell, had a strong smell of alcohol and slurred speech. Mitchell told the officer he did not have weapons in the car. However, when Mitchell reached for his wallet, the officer saw the extended magazine of a Glock 22 pistol sticking out from between the driver’s seat and the center console. The officer pulled her weapon and commanded Mitchell to put his hands on the steering wheel. The officer then saw Mitchell lower his right hand. The officer called for backup, took cover and gave verbal commands. At some point during their encounter, Mitchell moved the firearm and placed it on the passenger seat of the vehicle. More officers arrived, and Mitchell was taken into custody. While Mitchell was escorted to the police car, he told the officer, “You better be glad it didn’t go bad.” Mitchell has a lengthy criminal history, including a prior aggravated assault conviction in Baldwin County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, along with assistance from the Milledgeville Police Department and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, are investigating the case. Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julius Jefferson are prosecuting the case for the Government.


title: Former Bank of O’Fallon executive indicted for $2 million fraud scheme

component: USAO - Illinois, Southern

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal grand jury in southern Illinois charged the former second-in-command of the Bank of O’Fallon for engaging in a fraud scheme to obtain more than $2 million. Andrew P. Blassie, 69, of St. Louis, is facing one count of bank fraud and one count of interstate transportation of security or funds obtained by fraud. “Senior bank officials must act as fiduciaries, not felons—they must serve the bank, not swindle it,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The federal justice system leads the fight against corruption in all its forms, and the allegations in this case—a $2 million check kiting scheme and a $500,000 investor rip-off—are glaring examples of the type of financial betrayal that will not be tolerated. We commend the Bank of O’Fallon for their cooperation with the investigation, which has been vital to ensuring both that justice is served, and that the integrity of the financial system is preserved.” According to the indictment, Blassie served as the Executive Vice President for the Bank of O’Fallon and is charged with defrauding the bank out of $1,972,887.67 in a check kite scheme from September 2023 through September 2024 during his employment. Blassie is accused of falsely inflating the balance of his personal checking account at the Bank of O’Fallon by depositing checks he knew to be backed by non-sufficient funds. He allegedly deposited checks with non-sufficient funds from four personal accounts at three other banks and one credit union into the Bank of O’Fallon account. “Bank fraud is a serious crime that has real victims. It’s worsened when someone in a position of trust violates that authority, as the defendant is alleged to have done in this case to a staggering degree,” Resident Agent in Charge Michael Kurzeja, of the U.S. Secret Service Springfield Resident Office said. “The U.S. Secret Service takes very seriously its duty to protect the nation’s financial infrastructure. I’m proud of our agents’ work to dismantle the scheme in this case. I am thankful for the work of our Federal, state, and local partners who helped in this case.” The indictment alleges Blassie paid nearly $2.7 million for personal expenses from the falsely inflated account thus using funds belonging to the Bank of O’Fallon. As the former Executive Vice President, Blassie is accused of using his position to conceal his fraud from the Bank of O’Fallon by scrubbing his name and account number from the suspected kiting reports. “This indictment charges a former bank executive for allegedly engaging in a check kiting scheme that fraudulently obtained funds from the Bank of O’Fallon,” said Special Agent in Charge Vincent R. Zehme, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), Chicago Region. “The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud by bank insiders, as we seek to preserve the integrity of our Nation’s banking system and to protect depositors and financial consumers.” From August 2022 through September 2024, Blassie is also accused of persuading a couple from Lebanon, Illinois, to give him $429,000 of their retirement savings. In return for this investment, Blassie gave the couple two promissory notes. He agreed to pay the couple interest on the notes and used money he obtained through his check kite scheme to pay some of that interest. As security for his promissory notes, Blassie pledged 128 of his and his wife’s shares of the holding company which owns the Bank of O’Fallon. “This indictment sends a clear message that bank executives who engage in fraud that impacts the safety and soundness of financial institutions will be held accountable for their actions,” said Jon Ellwanger, Special Agent in Charge, Western Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. According to the indictment, Blassie later sold most of these shares and did not use those funds to repay the Lebanon couple. This left the couple with no means of recourse when Blassie later defaulted on the promissory notes. “The Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) is committed to investigating allegations of fraud involving financial institutions, particularly the Federal Home Loan Banks,” said Korey Brinkman, Special Agent in Charge of the FHFA-OIG’s Central Region. “We are proud to have partnered with the U.S. Secret Service, FDIC OIG, FRB OIG, and the O’Fallon (IL) Police Department on this case.” Officials with the Bank of O’Fallon have fully cooperated with law enforcement during the investigation. An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury. Blassie’s first appearance is scheduled for 10 a.m. on April 23 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis. Convictions for bank fraud are punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment and interstate transportation of security or funds obtained by fraud can earn up to 10 years in federal prison. The O’Fallon Police Department, U.S. Secret Service, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General made contributions to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Verseman is prosecuting the case.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Asset Recovery Division Collections Exceeded $31 Million in Fiscal Year 24 and Forfeited Over $23 Million, Mostly for Crime Victim Losses

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – In recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman announced today that the Western District of Texas collected $31,891,176.54 on outstanding criminal debts through its Financial Litigation Unit (FLU) and forfeited $23,764,169 through its Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) in fiscal year 2024. “Congress has mandated that the loss to crime victims be recognized through the enactment of various federal laws and has given the responsibility to U.S. Attorney’s Offices to aggressively enforce victim restitution orders. This office is determined to do just that, understanding that justice cannot be considered served until full restitution is made,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Asset forfeiture plays a critical role in disrupting and dismantling illegal enterprises, depriving criminals of the proceeds of illegal activity, deterring crime, and restoring property to victims. Successful return of forfeited assets to victims through the remission and restoration processes is one of the primary goals of the Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program.” The U.S. has broad enforcement powers to collect restitution in criminal cases. In FY24, the FLU filed various enforcement proceedings, including restraining orders, liens, garnishments, foreclosures, turnover motions, and writs of execution, to recoup millions in losses to crime victims. Few exemptions are available to criminal debtors in these enforcement proceedings. The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) also negotiated substantial pre-sentence payments along with post-judgment payment plans to ensure recovery. Over $3,304,942.85 was collected through the Treasury Offset Program in FY24, which captures all or some federal payments, such as tax refunds, benefits and vendor payments. Some of the more notable forfeiture and collections occurring in FY24 include: Janet Yamanaka Mello defrauded the U.S. of $108 million in grant payments intended for military youth programs. She was sentenced on July 23, 2024 to 15 years in prison and to pay $140 million to the U.S. Army and IRS. To recover losses, the USAO’s AFU forfeited $18,133,806.53 from six bank accounts; 31 properties valued at almost $23 million; 35 motor vehicles, 42 motorcycles, two all-terrain vehicles, one recreational vehicle, and one boat all valued at almost $3.5 million; and 2,410 pieces of jewelry and personal items valued at about $9 million. Among the real property, only her primary residence has been sold for $1.2 million, which she purchased in 2017 for $663,956.84. Meanwhile, the USAO’s FLU has recovered almost $700,000 from the sale of personal property and by clawing back fraudulent transfers Mello made to family and friends. In July 2022 Marco Perez was sentenced to 168 months of imprisonment and $14,538,967.27 in restitution to compensate over 400 victims of his oil and gas Ponzi scheme. As part of its prosecution, the USAO forfeited 10 vehicles, including a helicopter, Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, jewelry, $458,483 in cash, and eight different types of cryptocurrencies. The estimated total value of all forfeited assets combined is $1.1 million. The USAO is working to restore those funds to his victims. In October 2008, Olivia Enriquez was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment and to pay 10 victims $980,512.92 for, among other things, embezzling from her elderly employer. In the intervening years she paid a minimal amount. In 2024 FLU foreclosed on and sold defendant’s New Mexico real property, netting $78K to her elder victim; implemented a continuing garnishment of 25% of her wages; and is pursuing garnishment of her spouse’s wages. In 2002, Bryan Lee Rankin and his co-defendants ran a large Ponzi scheme that targeted over 70 people, resulting in losses of over $11 million to many elderly victims. With the debt close to expiration, FLU garnished $114,000 of Rankin’s mineral royalty interests and negotiated one-time payments of $18,000 and $24,000 from co-defendants Duncan & Laine. FLU also foreclosed on defendant’s significant mineral interests, which are being sold. In 2021 Victor Farias was sentenced to 135 months of imprisonment and to pay $7,850,511.84 to over 60 victims of his fraudulent investment scam. Many victims were retired law enforcement who lost their life savings. In 2024 the USAO foreclosed on his homestead to recover over $200K for his victims. Through their cleaning companies, Kenneth, Christopher, and Irma Flores defrauded the U.S. of $3.7 million by fixing Army contract awards after paying bribes and kickbacks to government officials. They were sentenced in September 2024. The USAO recovered the entire $3.7 million at sentencing from the sale of defendants’ properties and the seizure of company bank account funds. Jack Kidd was the owner of a company that falsely invoiced the U.S. for natural gas. He was sentenced in July 2024. After several pre-judgment garnishments, the U.S. recovered $11,397,374 in restitution as well as a $5,000 fine prior to sentencing. “Fraud on your neighbor is heinous, whether it be on an elderly individual, friend, or fellow taxpayer as seen in these cases. It damages the fabric of society, unraveling trust and deepening despair, and in many cases, ruining the legacy of a life well lived,” said Leachman. “For many, it may feel like the end, but for my team of asset recovery attorneys and staff, the pursuit of justice in restoring victim losses is just the beginning. We are passionate and tireless when it comes to helping victims and will pursue every reasonable remedy to hold defendants’ accountable for repaying their losses.” ###